Three days is the ideal length for a first visit to Hoi An. It gives you time to see the Ancient Town in different light, cycle into the countryside, relax on the beach and still fit in a half-day trip to the Cham ruins at My Son. This plan keeps the pace gentle and leaves the hottest hours free.
Contents
Day 1: The Ancient Town
- Morning: Start early, before the streets fill. Buy the Ancient Town ticket and visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, an old merchant house such as Tan Ky, and the Fujian Assembly Hall.
- Lunch: Try cao lau or chicken rice at a family restaurant, or eat your way around the central market food hall.
- Afternoon: If you want clothes made, visit a tailor now so there is time for fittings. Then rest through the heat.
- Evening: Walk the riverfront as the lanterns come on, take a short boat ride and browse the night market on An Hoi islet. If your visit falls on the 14th lunar day, you will catch the full moon lantern festival.
Day 2: Countryside and Coast
- Morning: Cycle through the rice fields to Tra Que vegetable village and watch the farmers at work. Many visitors join a cooking class here and stay for lunch.
- Afternoon: Continue to An Bang Beach for a swim and a sunbed, or head east for a basket boat ride in Cam Thanh coconut forest.
- Evening: Seafood dinner by the beach, then your second tailor fitting on the way back.
Day 3: My Son and a Slow Farewell
- Early morning: Leave around sunrise for My Son Sanctuary, a cluster of Cham temple towers in a forested valley about an hour from town. Arriving early means cooler air and fewer visitors.
- Afternoon: Back in Hoi An, visit Thanh Ha pottery village or cross the river to the carpenters of Kim Bong. Collect your tailoring.
- Evening: One last walk through the lantern-lit streets and a final bowl of cao lau.
Tips for this itinerary
Stay within walking or cycling distance of the Ancient Town, or split your nights between town and a beach resort. Between September and December, keep an eye on the weather and be ready to swap the beach day for museums and cafes. For how to arrive, see how to get from Da Nang to Hoi An.
