Ultimate Travel Guide to Hoi An, Vietnam

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When visiting Vietnam, there are many places from North to South that should be on your list of places to visit. Right in the middle of the country is a small town called Hoi An. Trust me when I say, you will want to make this a stop on your trip. A quick trip to Hoi An is absolutely necessary if you are even considering going to Vietnam. After just a few days, I quickly fell in love with this charming small city. It may be because I felt it was the Asian version of Amsterdam. Bikes everywhere, adorable streets and alleyways, rivers running through. I still can’t get enough of it.

You’ll find plenty of guides on traveling to Vietnam and the ultimate instagram spots because well, it is very picturesque. But there is so much more to Hoi An than just the beautiful yellow walls and small buildings. Whether it is a bike ride through the farms across the river, or wandering through the fishing village or market. Say hello to the locals. Don’t be afraid to interact and connect in some way, even if it’s a wave in the distance.

With that, I wanted to create a full travel guide to prepare you for your trip to Hoi An. So let’s get to it!


Where to stay in Hoi An

In Hoi An, you can stay right in old town, close to the beach, or just a little outside where the locals live. It is completely up to how you travel. I will say, staying inside was a lot more convenient and close to everything you needed.

Tribee Bana Hostel: Tribee Bana Hostel may have been top five best hostels I’ve ever stayed in, all for just $7 a night. With a tropical feel and numerous free activities, this is a perfect place to stay if you are on a budget. The beds are extremely comfortable and the staff is helpful.

Palm View Villa: If you are willing to spend a little more, there are plenty of hotels or Airbnb options. I stayed at the Palm View Villa, which exceeded my expectations. While it is a little outside the city, it is a quick 10 minute bike ride and is quiet and peaceful.

How to get around in Hoi An

Hoi An is a relatively small place that you can easily get around by motorbike, bicycle or Grab. It isn’t small enough that you can walk everywhere you want to go. However, if you do stay right in town, you absolutely can walk anywhere you need to get to in the city center.

  • Motorbike – Please take caution anytime you decide to drive a motorbike, especially in Hoi An! Make sure you know how to drive one before ever getting on one. Hoi An is pretty hectic driving and very busy, especially when you get into the center. I’d only recommend renting one if you are traveling to the beach or somewhere like My Son Sanctuary.
  • Bicycle – Motorbike will get you around faster, but it doesn’t mean you can’t go by bike. Bicycle is actually the main form of transportation and the one I recommend the most. Most accommodations provide them for free use or a small fee.
  • Grab – Asia’s form of Uber, Grab is another option if you need to get from A to B quickly. It is relatively inexpensive as well.

Things to do in Hoi An

There is plenty of things to do in Hoi An, so I promise you won’t ever get bored. However, use the time you have there to do some relaxing too! I’d choose a few things to do each day, then relax the rest!

Take a photo tour with Hoi An Photo Tours

Taking a photo tour with Hoi An Photo Tours was one of my favorite things I did in while visiting Hoi An. I wanted to get out in the countryside, but being a photographer, I wanted to do it slowly. Sometimes with group tours they just push you along. With the photo tour, they taught us how to connect with the locals and take portraits and landscape shots using subjects while being respectful. That’s the biggest thing I learned – travel is about connecting with others. Why do we think we can just snap a photo of someone without connecting? That really hit home for me. I highly recommend doing this, even if it’s just with your iPhone. They have a variety of locations you could do including the fishing village, with the farmers and more advanced selections as well!

Cost: $40-$450. Depends on the type of tour you’d like! Check their website here.

Ride bikes to the beach

Hoi An is a biking town so you won’t be the only one riding around. Wherever you are staying, you can rent a bike or some may even just allow you to borrow for free. An Bang beach is one of the better beaches in Hoi An, and about a 20 minute bike ride from town.

Take a cooking class

Hoi An Cooking Class

Lonely Planet recommended one of the best cooking classes I’ve ever taken called Herbs and Spices. Phap is a 5-star chef that decided to share his skills with his guests. For $1.50, you can go with him to the market and buy some of the ingredients for your meal. The class itself is organized and you learned how to properly chop food, what to mix together, cook it and present it. All of it was so delicious and I can’t recommend enough!

In general, Hoi An is known as being one of the best places to take a cooking class in Vietnam. If you are wanting to do one throughout your trip in the country, make Hoi An your stop!

Wander through the night market

Night market Hoi An Vietnam

This is the most highly recommended to me by anyone who had been to Hoi An, and I completely agree with them. Hoi An is magical at night. Hundreds of lit up lanterns along the streets, boats floating along the river and street food (aka ice cream and crepes) to die for. Take a stroll around, but also make sure to keep your belongings close to you.

Coffee shop hop

Coffee shop hop in Hoi An Vietnam

I swear Hoi An is the home of coffeeshops, taking after Australia! Hoi An is a great place to relax, and coffee shop hopping was one of the ways I got to do that. It was a perfect combination of having a relaxing time, but still feeling like I explored and was around other travelers. Each and every year the coffee shop scene grows. To see my favorite current coffee shop spots, visit my blog post here.

Take a tour

Now I’m not usually a tour person, but if you are traveling alone, it is a nice option to be around people. There are some great tours throughout Hoi An that will bring you to the countryside, engage with local people and are pretty affordable. One is a Hoi An Cycling tour, which is owned by the owner of Phin Coffee. Normally I wouldn’t recommend something I didn’t try, but he was so kind and the reviews were amazing for the tour. Here are some other options!

Pamper Yourself

One thing I just love Asia, but specifically Vietnam, is their price friendly massages, facials and salons. Every time I go, I pamper myself and Hoi An is no exception. There are plenty of quality spas throughout Hoi An ranging in price. Just remember, the higher the price, the better quality you’ll receive!

Cost: Depending on quality, between 200K-500K VND

Spend sunrise at My Son Sanctuary

I have to admit, I have not gone to My Son Sanctuary, but it’s something I wish I could have done. It is about 50 minutes away from Hoi An, and I heard it’s absolutely stunning at sunrise. If you can’t make it for sunrise, try and go first thing in the morning or in the event before it closes. That is generally the best time to go to avoid the crowds and tour buses.

Where to eat in Hoi An

Hoi An is not short of restaurants. You will find places to eat around every corner you turn. However, as with any place you go, there are better places than others. Here are my favorite places to eat:

  • Nu eatery / Seashell: These two restaurants are very similar as they are owned by the same brand. They have a smaller menu, but they do it very well.
  • MIX: This greek restaurant is one you cannot miss. Seriously, the food was SO good. Make sure to order the appetizer with all the different dips. Gah I miss it already.
  • Morning Glory: This will known restaurant owns up to its appeal. The food is extremely delicious, and so is it’s smoothies.
  • Rice Drum: Located right along the water, try to get there on the earlier side to get a spot on the upstairs terrace overlooking the river and dreamy night lanterns.
  • Rosie’s Cafe: Read about this in a blog and it did not disapoint. They had some of the best smoothie bowls I’ve ever had in my life.

What to pack

Hoi An gets really, really hot. So I’d prep to bring clothes that are light and airy. You don’t need much when going to Hoi An, thankfully!

A reusable water bottle: There are plenty of places (including your accommodation) to fill up your water bottle. You can definitely double check that it is filtered, but most are. Don’t be lame and buy plastic – reuse! I have the LARQ filtered water bottle and the large Hydroflask. Oh, it will also save you money since filtered water is generally free.

A bathing suit: If you are someone who loves the water, then bring a bathing suit because Hoi An has beaches!

Light pants: Generally you want to dress conservatively in Vietnam, so I’d bring some really light pants. Pants that you can sweat and it won’t show!

Comfortable Sandals: Bring some comfy sandals to wear, since your feet will completely sweat through your sneakers!

Additional tips and tricks

  • Travel insurance: Things happen, especially when you least expect it. Most of the time you’ll be lucky, but those few times you aren’t, you are going to want protection. Getting travel insurance before traveling is HIGHLY recommended and I never travel without it. There are so many reasons to get travel insurance, and I personally use World NomadsThey are highly recommended by other well traveled bloggers as well. Not only are they extremely affordable, they offer comprehensive packages and are super easy to use. Click here to get a quote now!
  • Money
    • Make sure you have cash. It is very rare that you will be able to use your credit card when visiting in Vietnam. Scared of ATM fees? I was too. That’s why I opened up a Charles Schwab Checking account which reimburses all ATM fees! It will save us hundreds of dollars throughout our travels!
    • Haggle! Don’t be afraid to ask them to cut costs. The worst they can say is no. Typically they start off high, assuming you will bring them lower. This is especially true for the markets.
  • Safety: While we felt extremely safe in Hoi An, things can happen. Keep your items close to you and tucked away. Watch your belongings, and your back. Don’t get too drunk when you’re out either. There have been stories of the locals trying to “help you get home” and they bring you to an alley and steal your stuff.
  • Photography: Try to connect before you point your camera in someone’s face. Be respectful. Say hello in Vietnamese, smile and connect.

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