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.
Hoi An is worth visiting if you’re someone who doesn’t mind or has experience navigating touristy places, or if you make plans to see more of Hoi An than just the Old Town. My hope when putting together this article is that you decide to visit Hoi An and you leave with the same wholesome views of it that I have.
If you’re already planning on visiting Da Nang, then you should visit Hoi An since it’s about 40 minutes away. You can do this by basing yourself in Da Nang and doing day trips to Hoi An. Or you can split your time by spending a few days in each. Here’s how to get from Da Nang to Hoi An.
If you decide to visit Hoi An, here’s my guide to the Ancient Town. You’ll also need to know the best time to visit Hoi An and how to get around.
Reasons to Visit or Skip Hoi An
Here’s a table of reasons to visit or skip Hoi An. I’m an advocate for visiting Hoi An, but I believe my list of reasons below is objective. It may look like a joke because of how lopsided it is, but I promise, it’s not.
| Reasons to Visit Hoi An | Reasons to skip Hoi An |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | Old Town is very touristy |
| Relatively inexpensive | Old Town has pushy street sellers |
| 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 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. 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 I Continue to Visit Hoi An
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 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.
Most of Hoi An, including the Old Town, is very walkable. I like to park my scooter in one of the parking areas in town (for 5.000 VND) and then randomly wander around. There are a lot of small streets, alleys, and nooks. 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 lovely.
On the same 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, on 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, and you should prepare for that. But I’m one of those people who isn’t bothered 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 make plans 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.
If You Decide to Visit Hoi An, Here’s Where You Should Stay
I have three suggestions for where to stay: 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 (Agoda / Booking) or the Lantana Boutique (Agoda / Booking) for something a bit cheaper. These are both in a great location for exploring Old Town. The La Siesta (Agoda / Booking) above is an excellent hotel, just a bit outside the Old Town area.
For An Bang Beach, look at the Linh Seaside Villa (Agoda / Booking). And for Cua Dai Beach, the Hoi An Beach Resort (Agoda / Booking) is right across from the beach.
The rice fields outside Hoi An are 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 Legacy Hoi An (Agoda / Booking) and the Maison Fleur Hoi An (Agoda / Booking).
For area specifics and more hotel recommendations than what’s above, see my guide to where to stay in Hoi An.
