I’ve visited Hoi An dozens of times and continue to visit nearly every week. I’m either trying a new restaurant or coffee shop, weaving through the rice fields outside town, or wandering around Old Town.
The town itself has a reputation for being too touristy, but the truth is that the Old Town is the touristy part, not Hoi An itself. The small Old Town area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but outside of it is a charming and active village-like town with lots of friendly locals going about their lives.
🏨 Hoian Central (see on Agoda / Booking): 3-star hotel directly inside Old Town; a great area to stay in Hoi An
🏨 La Siesta Hoi An (see on Agoda / Booking): I’m a big fan of the La Siesta hotel chain in Vietnam. This is a nice 5-star hotel in a slightly quieter area west of Old Town
🎟️ Tours & Activities: Learning to make Vietnamese coffee and Hoi An Memories Show tickets (More on the Hoi An Memories Show)
Hoi An is 100% worth visiting if you’re already planning to visit Da Nang or Hue. These three cities are a common trio for central Vietnam itineraries. For Hoi An, if you have the time, I recommend making plans to see more of the city than just the Old Town.
If you decide to visit, here are things to do in Hoi An, my sample itinerary, and my guide to the Old Town. Here’s where to stay in Hoi An (covering the different areas), and some great hotels in Hoi An.
Getting to (and around) Hoi An
To get to Hoi An, you’ll first need to fly into Da Nang International Airport (DAD). From here, you can use the Grab app to book a taxi, hire a metered taxi right outside, or pre-book an airport transfer from a site like Klook. The trip from Da Nang Airport down to Hoi An is about 40 minutes.
Hue is about 2.5 hours north of Da Nang, and the city has its own airport. It isn’t as well-connected as Da Nang’s Airport, but it does have direct flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. So if you flew to Hue first, you’ll then need to head south. From Hue, you can take the train down to Da Nang. Or, like the advice above, you could hire a Grab taxi from Hue all the way to Hoi An.
Once you’re in Hoi An, there are a lot of ways to get around town. The Old Town area is very walkable. Biking is very popular.
Companies like HoiAnGO have popped up offering rides and tours on electric cars (big golf carts). Here’s a video I filmed in the rice fields outside Old Town as people zipped by on the electric cars.
And like most popular cities in Vietnam, the Grab app is king for getting around. You can easily hire moto-taxis around town, to and from the beaches, or outside Hoi An on day trips.
Reasons to Visit or Skip Hoi An
If you’re already planning to visit Da Nang, then you should definitely visit Hoi An. The two cities are about 30 to 40 minutes apart. You can base yourself in Da Nang, then make a day trip to Hoi An. If you have trip flexibility, you can split your time by spending a few days in each city.
Here’s an overview of what I think are great reasons to visit Hoi An and the strongest and sole reason to skip it.
| Reasons to visit Hoi An | Reasons to skip Hoi An |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | The Old Town is very touristy |
| Relatively inexpensive | |
| Good, swimmable beaches | |
| Beautiful rice fields | |
| Friendly locals | |
| Tons of great boutique hotels | |
| Lots of great coffee and restaurants | |
| Very active tailoring scene | |
| Great, village energy |
The positives about Hoi An above are self-explanatory, and I could probably add even more.
The main negative of visiting Hoi An is that the Old Town is touristy. And because it’s touristy, there are a lot of street sellers and locals offering services, mainly massages and coconut boat tours. But this isn’t unlike any of the other popular places to visit in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang are all very touristy in certain parts, too.
Why Hoi An is Worth Visiting
Most of Hoi An, including the Old Town, is very walkable.
I filmed this video on a recent trip to Hoi An. I spent some time walking around the Old Town area and visiting some new hotels for this guide.
I ride my scooter down to Hoi An at least once a week, sometimes more. The trip itself is fun for me and takes about 40 minutes. I like to park my scooter in one of the parking areas in town (for 5.000 VND) and then randomly wander around.
When I ride my scooter to Hoi An, I always try to mix up my route. Sometimes I’ll take the busier road further inland to end up right in the middle of town. Other times, I take a more scenic route so I can cut through the rice fields before getting to town. Here’s my article on renting scooters in Vietnam.
I’m sharing this mainly to convey another great reason to visit Hoi An: the rice fields outside town are awesome. You can ride bikes or scooters through them. I sometimes see people walking their dogs through the paths, too.
There are a lot of small streets, alleys, and nooks in Hoi An, especially in the Old Town area. Sometimes, I’ll research a new cafe or restaurant beforehand, then go down to Hoi An to check it out. I was recently checking out this quiet coffee shop in an alley in the middle of Old Town. You’d likely never find it unless you were looking for it, and I’m happy I did because the owner was very nice.
All of the small roads and alleys within the Old Town area are safe to explore. You’ll likely stumble upon a lot of locals running small shops or just hanging out inside their homes.
On a recent trip, I visited a restaurant called Lemongrass (here in Old Town). A bit pricey (relatively), but the lemongrass chicken was good, and the staff were friendly. Like most restaurants in Old Town, it’s in a great location for stopping in, then continuing to wander on foot.
I like the energy of Hoi An. Beyond the Old Town, Hoi An is very active with locals. A lot of local businesses, schools, sports activities, shops, markets, etc. It’s busy enough to produce an enjoyable energy level without being chaotic. It’s a nice, active buzz of people living their lives.
For being home to one of the tourist epicenters in Vietnam, it’s also still relatively cheap. Sure, there are overly priced restaurants and street vendors leaning into the tourism, but there are tons of places all over Hoi An that aren’t. This makes it a great place for an affordable vacation or to settle down for a few months or longer.
Outside of Old Town, there’s a lot of Hoi An to explore. An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach are solid beaches with roped-off swimming areas. These are the popular ones, and there is a lot of lesser-known beachfront to explore.
There are far-reaching rice fields north, east, and south of town over the Thu Bon River. These can all be seen by renting a scooter, a bicycle, or as part of a tour. There are scooter and bicycle tours. I’d use either SUNRISE or Heaven and Earth Bicycle Tours.
You could also stay in a hotel in or around the rice fields. I’ve given some recommendations below.
The rice fields themselves are home to scattered coffee shops, restaurants, homestays, hotels, and apartments. I’m actually looking at renting a house in the rice fields. Having the rice field views plus access to Hoi An is a nice combination.
The Downside of Visiting Hoi An
The Ancient Town in Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and with that designation comes a high level of tourism. This is true anywhere in the world. I’ve spoken to a lot of travelers who’ve visited only the Old Town and left feeling that Hoi An as a whole was too touristy or fake.
The Old Town is touristy. Expect it to be touristy. But I’m one of those people who isn’t bothered at all by its tourism; it’s been that way since I first visited in 2018. I enjoy the Old Town for what it is — a popular place for travelers, with cool-looking architecture, small, walkable streets, and river views — and really just one tiny part of Hoi An.
If you do decide to visit Hoi An, be sure to explore outside the Old Town. You’ll acquire a much more wholesome perspective of Hoi An if you do. There are authentic experiences to be had all over Hoi An and a lot of genuine, lovely locals, apart from the often pushy street sellers in Old Town.
Where to Stay in Hoi An for First-Timers
I have three suggestions for where to stay in Hoi An: around Old Town, near the beaches (An Bang or Cua Dai), or out in the rice fields. All three are great and different, depending on what you want from your trip.
If you want easy on-foot access to the Old Town, look at the Allegro Hoi An (see on Agoda / Booking) or the Lantana Boutique (see on Agoda / Booking) for something a bit cheaper. These are both in a great location for exploring Old Town. The La Siesta (see on Agoda / Booking) above is an excellent 5-star hotel, just a bit outside the Old Town area.
For An Bang Beach, look at the Linh Seaside Villa (see on Agoda / Booking). And for Cua Dai Beach, the Hoi An Beach Resort (see on Agoda / Booking) is right across from the beach.
The rice fields outside Hoi An are definitely something to see, regardless of where you stay. So if you visit, make sure to get outside town to see them. For hotels in or around the rice fields, look at the Chez Mimosa Rice Field Retreat (see on Agoda / Booking) and the Legacy Hoi An (see on Agoda / Booking).
For area specifics and more hotel recommendations than what’s above, see my guide to where to stay in Hoi An.
Thanks your article was great with lots of great advice
Thanks! Hope you end up visiting Hoi An!