Although Hoi An doesn’t have its own airport, it is one of the best cities in Vietnam to visit. Tourists can conveniently fly into Da Nang and drive into Hoi An within 45 minutes. Once you arrive in Hoi An, you can explore this unique destination by foot or bicycle.
Let’s take a look at some of the sights you’ll see if you decide to travel to Hoi An!
Hoi An Ancient Town
The main draw of Hoi An is the Ancient Town, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. Just based on these pictures alone, it’s easy to see why the Ancient Town has received so much attention. The lantern lined streets, colorful buildings, riverboat tours, and unique restaurants are enough to entertain any tourist.
One of the main attractions in the Ancient Town is the Japanese Bridge. The Japanese Bridge Hoi An has been around since the 17th century when Japanese settlers came to Hoi An. Locals believe the bridge has supernatural powers, so it is a sanctuary for them.
The Ancient Town comes alive at night as hundreds of lanterns are lit up. Walk down pedestrian-only streets to catch a glimpse or take a private riverboat tour and let go of a lantern in the water to make all of your dreams come true. Then, grab a bite to eat at one of the restaurants lining the river. Most of the restaurants have a great rooftop for you to enjoy the view while you eat.
You could easily spend the entire day exploring the Ancient Town and still not see everything. Pop into local shops to get a reminder of your trip and try out all the local food you can!
Da Nang
Take a break from the lanterns and river rides in Hoi An and go on a day trip to the nearby city, Da Nang. Hoi An is great, but as Da Nang is the major city of the area, there’s plenty more to see.
If you only have one day to see Da Nang, our top recommendation is to visit Ba Na Hills. Ba Na Hills is a unique theme park with a wide range of activities. As the theme park is built into the hill, visitors must ride the world’s longest non-stop single-track cable car to the top.
At the top, visitors will find rides, recreations of famous European sights, beautiful gardens, and the famous Golden Bridge held up by two stone hands. Ba Na Hills is the perfect day out for people of any age as there is so much to do.
Rice Fields
Whenever you see pictures of Vietnam, you’re sure to see the stunning rice fields that exist all over the country. Hoi An is no exception, and you can actually cycle through many of the rice fields in the countryside. Join a tour that will take you through rural Hoi An, or just rent a bike from your hotel and go exploring!
Beaches
As Hoi An is along the east coast of Vietnam, you can visit plenty of beautiful beaches. It is warm year-round in Hoi An, so no matter when you visit the city, you should be able to pop to the beach.
The most popular beach in Hoi An is An Bang Beach. It has frequently been voted one of the world’s best beaches, and for a good reason. An Bang Beach is a stunning white-sand beach where you can easily spend the day at one of the affordable beach bars.
If you are looking for more of an adventure, there’s plenty of watersports at An Bang Beach like jet skiing, parasailing, surfing, and paddleboarding.
Another popular activity from Hoi An is visiting Cham Islands. Cham Islands are eight islands off the coast of Hoi An that you can easily visit on a day trip. Snorkeling and diving are extremely popular around the islands as the water is teeming with sea life.
You can reach the islands by local boat in 30 minutes, but many visitors opt for a full-day tour that typically includes transportation, snorkeling, food, and a guide.
Markets
Like most cities in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has great markets. Hoi An, in particular, has plenty of unique markets you can visit. One of the most well-known markets in Hoi An is Central Market. It is aptly named as Central Market is centrally located in the Ancient Town, so it is easy to get to. At Central Market, you can find plenty of local stalls selling delicious street food so go hungry!
One of our favorite things about Asia is all of the night markets! Hoi An Night Market does not disappoint, and it’s open daily at sunset. The night market is in a great location along the river, so you can spend the day exploring the Ancient Town and grab a bite to eat at the Hoi An Night Market. You can peruse the stalls for fun souvenirs as well.
Hoi An is also famous for its textile industry, so many people visit to get custom-made clothes. There are plenty of tailors around the town that can make you a whole new wardrobe in a few days. Take pictures of the clothes you want to be made with you, and the tailor will take your measurements to recreate them for you. With so many tailors in the city, you should be able to bargain the price. Just keep in mind that everything will be handmade to fit you perfectly, so it’s worth spending a little extra cash!
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, Hoi An’s year-round lantern decorations make the town super unique and beautiful. There’s nothing like being surrounded by hundreds of lanterns. Throw in the white sand beaches and delicious food; you may never want to leave Hoi An! If these pictures weren’t enough to inspire you to visit, then we’re not sure what will!