Hoi An Travel Guide

General Information

Hoi An Ancient town belongs to Quang Nam Province, the province of Central Vietnam. It is located on the northern bank near the mouth of the Thu Bon River and covers an area of 1,409 km².

Hoi An is one of the most grateful and romantic towns in Vietnam. It was originally a seaport from the ancient kingdom of Champa and then became one of Southeast Asia’s major international ports from the 17^th to 19^th century. Today, parts of the city look much the same as they did 150 years ago with hundreds of old houses, some over two centuries old, made of precious wood in the traditional style.

The town was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999 and many of the original houses and other features of the town have been preserved. Taking a city tour around Hoi An, you can discover genuine Vietnamese architecture which is harmoniously integrated with other architectural styles influenced by the Japanese and Chinese traders who settled here in the past.

Hoi An Weather

The weather in Hoi An is warm year-round with the average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius. The city only has two main seasons: rainy season (September – December) and dry season (January – August). The best time to visit Hoi An is from February to April when rainfall is low and the weather is pleasant for sightseeing activities.

September – November is the worst time to visit Hoi An since it will rain every day and flooding can happen at any time. Typhoons can submerge the whole town and attractions can only be accessed by boats.

Getting to Hoi An

The small Hoi An Town has no airport and no train station. The only way to get to the town is by road. You can fly to Da Nang from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other major cities in Vietnam, and then transfer to Hoi An. The distance between Da Nang and Hoi An is 30 kilometers and public buses are frequent – every 20 or 30 minutes pick time. You can combine Hoi An with other destination when traveling to Central Vietnam.

Getting around Hoi An

Hoi An is a small town and the roads are flat, thus walking is the best way to discover the tranquil town. Strolling along the streets, you can come across beautiful lantern vendors, ancient houses, and pagodas, explore appetizing local foods and interact with other travelers. Motorbikes are banned from 9 am to 11 am in the morning and 3 pm to 9.30 pm in the evening from the center of the old town. No vehicles are allowed at Hoi An Lantern Festival. Taking a boat ride on Hoai River will be a highlight of your trip if you come here during the festival.

If you love to explore surrounding areas and beaches, you can hire a motorbike or bicycle. Taxies can be found in the middle of Le Loi Street.

Where to Stay in Hoi An

Since Hoi An is a tourist destination which attracts millions of tourists each year, there is a wide range of accommodations here. You should book a room in advance in case hotels run out of rooms during high season. Otherwise, you can look for some budget-friendly choices with are far from the center of the town.

Some recommendations for your Hoi An trip:

• Thanh Binh Riverside Hotel

Address: Hamlet 6, Nguyen Du, Cam Pho

Location: 30 minutes by car from Da Nang International Airport, 5 km to Cua Dai Beach

• Thuy Duong 3 Hotel

Address: 92 – 94 Ba Trieu Street

Location: 5 minutes walking to Hoi An Old Town

• Vinh Hung Emerald Resort

Address: An Hoi Islet

Location: 35 km from Da Nang International Airport, 500 m to the ancient town of Hoi An, 5 km to Cua Dai Beach

• Vinh Hung Riverside Resort

Address: 111 Ngo Quyen Street, An Hoi Islet

Location: 35 km to Da Nang International Airport & Train Station, 1 km to Hoi An Old Town, 5 km to Cua Dai Beach

• Hoi An Riverside Resort

Address: 175 Cua Dai Street, Cam Chau Ward

Location: The hotel is situated in the center of Hoi An City and few minutes walking to Hoi An ancient town, 25 km from Da Nang international airport.

What to See in Hoi An

Hoi An is a top pick destination in Vietnam which is always included in top Vietnam tours. You can have leisure time in ancient houses and traditional villages, learn to cook Vietnamese foods and try local specialties at some street vendors. You will have to purchase a ticket to visit Hoi An Old Town, but it is cheap and include admission to many attractions.

1. Inside the Town

Japanese Covered Bridge

Japanese Covered Bridge is a precious gem inside Hoi An Old Town. It was built at the end of 16^th century by Japanese merchants. It was used to link the Japanese community on the western side of the town and the Chinese community on the east. This bridge has a unique architecture which resembles a Japanese pagoda. It features the sculptures of a dog and a monkey along with the fact that Japanese Covered Bridge was started building in the year of the dog and finished in the year of the monkey. There is a small yet sophisticated temple on the northern side of the bridge. This temple worships the Taoist God of weather, Tran Vo Bac De.

Location: at the west of Tran Phu Street

Fujian Assembly Hall (Phuc Kien)

Fujian Assembly Hall was built around 1690 and originally the place for Fujian people from China gathering. In 1697, they changed its functions into a temple to worship a deity named Thien Hau – the goddess of the ocean who protects sailors from danger. Its colorful entrance gate and courtyard make Fujian Assembly Hall really photogenic, especially at the sunset.

Location: 46 Tran Phu Street

Chaozhou Assembly Hall (Trieu Chau)

Chaozhou Assembly Hall was built by Chinese merchants from Chaozhou (China) in 1845. It is dedicated to General Phuc Ba, a god of mastering waves so that vessels could travel safely on the sea and brought prosperity to the merchants.

Location: 92B Nguyen Duy Hieu Street

Cantonese Assembly Hall (Quang Dong)

This assembly hall was constructed by Chinese overseas from Guangdong in 1885. Originally, it was dedicated to Thien Hau Holy Mother and Confucius, then moved into worshipping Guan Gong and the ancestors of Guangdong people who settled in the town.

Location: 176 Tran Phu Street

Hoi An Museum of History and Culture

Established in 1989, this museum exhibits 273 antiques including pottery, ceramics, bronze, iron, paper, and wood. The exhibitions are divided into three phases: Sa Huynh Culture (before the 2nd century AD), Cham Pa Culture (2nd-15th century AD) and Dai Viet, Dai Nam Culture (16th-19th century).

Location: 7 Nguyen Hue Street

Old House of Tan Ky

Out of three old houses in Hoi An (Tan Ky, Phung Hung and Duc An), Tan Ky is the most famous one. This is a 200-year-old house which was passed through seven generations of a Vietnamese family. There are some interesting features you can recognize in this house: a rustic wooden balcony and pulleys to raise furniture when flooding.

Location: 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street

Old House of Duc An

There is several interesting historical information for you to discover in Old House of Duc An. This was marked as a center of anti-French activities in Hoi An and Quang Nam. The house was functioned as a bookstore which sold political books and used to visit by early Vietnamese independence advocate Phan Chu Trinh.

Location: 129 Tran Phu Street

Old House of Phung Hung

Built in the 18^th century, this is the largest old houses among these three houses in Hoi An with two floors. Phung Hung Old House was inhabited by eight generations of the same family.

Location: 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street

Tran Family Chapel

Tran Family Chapel was built by Tran Tu Nhac – a highly-respected official under Gia Long Reign of Nguyen Dynasty in order to worship the ancestors of his family. Covering an area of 1500 square meters, this place is sophisticatedly decorated with plants, flowers and artworks.

Location: 21 Le Loi Street

Hoi An Art Craft Manufacturing Workshop

The workshop brings together many traditional handicrafts of Hoi An and Quang Nam such as weaving mats, weaving fabrics, pottery making, lacquer ware, etc. Visiting the workshop, you can visualize excellent skills of artisans when they create crafts and fine art. Tourists can take part in craft making process and buy some souvenirs.

Location: 9 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street

2. Surrounding Areas

Cua Dai Beach

Cua Dai is one of the top beaches in Central Vietnam where you can enjoy many water sports such as canoeing, surfing, snorkeling and kayaking.

Location: 5 km to the east of Hoi An

An Bang Beach

Coming to An Bang Beach, you can enjoy the most tranquility, stroll along the white sand, take photos of stunning sunrises and sunsets, and watch the kids playing on the shore.

Location: Cam An Ward, 3 km to the east of Hoi An

Kim Bong Wood Carving Village

This village was established in the 15^th century by Northern people. Thanks to the prosperity of Hoi An port from the 17^th to 19^th centuries, sophisticated wood carving products in this town such as altars, furniture and pillars were exchanged to other countries in Asia and Europe.

Location: Cam Kim Commune, opposite of Hoi An Old Town

Thanh Ha Ceramics Village

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Thanh Ha was a very prosperous village which was famous for pottery products. Nowadays, people here manufacture products which are mainly used for daily life such as cups, bowls, jars, flower vases, etc. in many styles and colors. On your tour to Hoi An My Son Sanctuary, you can spend your time with your kids here playing around with the clay.

Location: 3 km from Hoi An to the west

Cham Island (Cu Lao Cham)

This island constitutes eight pristine islets: Hon Lao, Hon Kho Me, Hon Kho Con, Hon Tai, Hon Dai, Hon Mo, Hon La, and Hon Ong. A Cu Lao Cham Island day trip is recommended so that you can explore the biodiversity with unspoiled jungles, beautiful beaches, colorful coral reefs, and abundant marine life.

Location: Tan Hiep Ward, Hoi An

My Son Sanctuary

My Son is the cluster of Hindu-themed ruins that belonged to the ancient Champa civilization from the 2^nd to 17^th century. Similar to the Great Angkor Wat in Cambodia, My Son Sanctuary is a must-visit place in your trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. It was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. The best time to visit My Son is in the early morning before it gets too hot here.

Location: 70 km from Da Nang and 40 km from Hoi An

Things to Do in Hoi An

Visiting Hoi An ancient town, tourists are offered a lot of interesting activities. One of the most popular things to do is strolling around Hoi An’s rambling market streets to visit old houses, pagodas and museums. Hoi An is the place for silk, so have your clothes made. Try on some ao dai – Vietnamese traditional custom or whatever you want of clothing. Don’t forget to visit art galleries and lunch in one food outlets, watching the timeless scenery unfold before your eyes. And finally, attend mesmerizing Hoi An Lantern Festival which is organized monthly, take some stunning photos and get a couple of lanterns as souvenirs for relatives and friends at home.

What to Eat in Hoi An

1. Com Ga (Chicken Rice)

Chicken Rice is the special treat of Hoi An and the soul of this atmospheric city. You can find Com ga on nearly every street corner. With the local chefs’ thorough and skillful cooking techniques, they have enhanced the simple dish made from rice and chicken into a dedicated specialty that can only be found in Hoi An. Seasoned rice is served with shredded chicken, onion, tomatoes and lettuce.

Where to try Chicken Rice?

• Buoi Chicken Rice: 22 Phan Chau Trinh Street
• Nga Chicken Rice: 8 Phan Chau Trinh Street
• Huong Chicken Rice: 60 Le Loi Street

2. Cao Lau

This food is influenced by Japanese and Chinese cultures that were brought by foreign traders when they settled in this port city. You will see some unique feature in this dish compared to other food in Vietnam: the thick noodle is the same as Japanese udon, the rice crackers and pork are in Chinese style, and the broth is Vietnamese.

Where to try Cao Lau?

It is easy to find a restaurant which serves Cao lau in this small town. The best restaurants concentrate around Tran Phu Street and Japanese Covered Bridge areas.

3. Mi Quang (Quang noodles)

This is the noodle that was originated from Quang Nam Province and has become a popular breakfast and lunch dish. To cook this dish, the locals use rice noodles, meat and herbs such as basil, cilantro, scallions, onion leaves and lettuce. You can choose one or more kinds of meat for your Mi Quang bowl: shrimp, pork, chicken and beef. This dish is served either with or without broth.

4. Banh bao and banh vac

These two kinds of dumpling have almost same ingredients and cooking methods. Banh bao and banh vac are usually served together on one dish. The difference is that banh bao is made from minced shrimp with peppercorn, garlic, green onion, and citronella, while banh vac is made from ground pork, mushrooms and green onion.

5. Banh xeo (Sizzling cake or Vietnamese pancake)

Banh xeo is the specialty of Hoi An Town. The main ingredients for this dish are rice flour, shrimp and meat mixed with bean sprouts, onions and mushrooms. The soul of banh xeo is its sweet fermented peanut butter sauce. You can wrap a little bit of banh xeo in lettuce leaves and dip it in the sauce.