Hoi An Memories Show: Why I Saw it Two Nights in a Row

I saw the Hoi An Memories Show on back-to-back nights (Sunday and Monday). I initially only planned on going the one time, but I left surprised at how good it was and decided to ride down to Hoi An to see it again the next night.

The Memories Show is an outdoor performance on a 25,000-square-foot stage involving hundreds of actors that details the 400-plus-year history of Hoi An. There is very little dialogue, but a ton of visual effects, choreography, and music. The primary show lasts one hour, and there’s never a dull moment. The hour went by quickly.

Here’s a video (of several I filmed) during the Hoi An Memories Show.

Having lived in Da Nang and Hoi An for a few years, I’m surprised at how little this show is marketed or talked about. If you’re visiting Hoi An, it’s entirely possible you wouldn’t even know this show exists. I’m still surprised because the main show was great (and loud) and happens just south of Old Town six nights per week.

Read about more things to do in Hoi An, and here’s my sample three-day Hoi An itinerary.

Hoi An Memories Show Visitor Info

Location	Google Maps
Hours	• NO SHOWS ON TUESDAY • Park opens at 4 PM • Several mini shows start at 5 PM • Main show starts exactly at 8 PM
Ticket cost	• ECO: 600.000 VND • HIGH: 750.000 VND • VIP: 1.200.000 VND • For children, FREE if under 1m tall, otherwise: • 200,000 VND, 350,000 VND, and 600,000 VND • If taller than 1m4, charged as adult ticket
Buy tickets	Get them here on Klook or here on GetYourGuide
When to visit*	It’s an outdoor show (only the VIP section is fully covered)
Other notes	Plenty of places to eat inside, and bathrooms
Official website	Hoi An Memories Land // Hoi An Memories FB Page

Seeing the Hoi An Memories Show

Getting there: the Memories Show takes place on Hoi An Memories Land, a small island in the Thu Bon River, south of Old Town. The island is home to the five-star Hoi An Memories Resort (see on Agoda / Booking). As an aside, this would be a great place to stay in Hoi An. (I have more suggestions here.)

If you’re staying at a hotel in Old Town, you can walk to the northern bridge of Hoi An Memories Land (the Moonlight Bridge) in about 20 to 30 minutes. That bridge is located here on Google Maps. You can also access the island from the southern bridge, located here on Google Maps.

There are ticket booths at the beginning of both bridges onto the island. If you buy your ticket ahead of time via Klook or GetYourGuide, you’ll receive a confirmation or QR code that you’ll show to the ticket booth to receive a physical ticket.

The park itself opens at 4 PM. Then, beginning at 5 PM, there are 16 mini shows happening around the park in 10-minute intervals until the main show begins at 8 PM in the main arena. In my opinion, these mini shows are optional and not what I would consider “must-see.” But by all means, see them if you want to get your money’s worth.

There are souvenir shops and plenty of bathrooms around the park, and overall, it’s pretty clean and well-maintained. There are snack vendors, restaurants, and some smaller bars. But no surprise, these tend to be on the more expensive side. Other than the mini shows and main show, there isn’t anything to do in the park, except eat and drink, so consider that if you’re visiting with kids.

My advice: if you only want to see the main show at 8 PM, get dinner elsewhere in Hoi An, then head over to Hoi An Memories Land before the main show. I did this on my second night and got to the island at about 7 PM. This article details getting around Hoi An.

Klook.com

Memories Show tickets and seating: There are three tiers of stadium seating for the main show: ECO, HIGH, and VIP. The seats are unassigned. It’s a first-come, first-served seating arrangement by section. The photo below should help a bit with visualizing the seating layout.

I’m standing at the top of the HIGH section. The VIP section is to the upper left, and the ECO section is further down towards the front of the stage.

For adults, the ECO ticket is 600.000 VND, the HIGH is 750.000 VND, and the VIP is 1.200.000 VND.

For children, ticket costs are based on height. Children under 1m are free. For children between 1m and 1m4, the tickets for the three tiers cost 200.000 VND, 350.000 VND, and 600.000 VND.

I sat in the HIGH section both times. Some thoughts on seating after seeing the show twice:

The ECO section is closer to the stage, but is also lower. The stage is very big (wide and deep), and in some parts of the show, things are happening all over the stage. Sitting in ECO is closer and cheaper and will definitely feel more intimate, but I’m unsure if you’ll be able to see the stage fully.

Both times I saw the show, the ECO section filled up pretty quickly. People were queuing for the ECO section from before 7 PM.

I joined the queue for the HIGH section at around 7:30 PM and had no problem choosing from a variety of available seats. People were slowly joining the HIGH section right up until the show started at 8 PM. I personally liked my seat in the HIGH section, but if I were to visit again, I would sit closer for the intimacy of the performance.

The VIP section is a bit higher up from HIGH and is fully covered. Part of the HIGH section is covered by an overhang, too. The ECO section is fully outside, so take that into consideration when booking tickets because the show goes on in the rain. I wrote this article about the best times to visit Hoi An.

I thought the main show ran very smoothly, always with something going on. There is a little bit of voice-over dialogue, but it’s mainly a visual show. There was never a dull moment, though, even without dialogue, as the visuals were constantly changing. Lighting effects, fire, music, choreography, and hundreds of actors.

I really liked the Hoi An Memories Show both times I went, and after writing this, I’m actually thinking of seeing it a third time. I’ll update when I do!

Klook.com