Hoi An Vietnam – First Time Travel Guide

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Hoi An, Vietnam is one of the country’s most popular destinations. Away from the big cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, tourists flock to the small town of Hoi An for an escape. Surrounded by countryside, the vibrant town of Hoi An is full of amazing food, small streets selling everything you could possibly want to buy while in Vietnam, and fun cafes where you can sit and watch the world go by.

I stopped in Hoi An for a few days on my tour of Vietnam in between my stints in the major cities. We had spent a couple of days in nearby Hue, and after a full day tour from Hue to Hoi An, settled into the town for 4 nights. Read more about my tour from Hue including a stop at the amazing Golden Bridge.

Where is Hoi An Vietnam?

Hoi An is in Central Vietnam. When people visit Vietnam a typical itinerary is into Hanoi (in the North) and out of Ho Chi Minh City (in the South), or vice versa, with a stop in Hoi An along the way. The city is unlike the bustling, big cities of the North and South, and although still busy, is essentially a small town.

The town of Hoi An is bright and colorful, and the Old Town area has a part of each day where it is closed to traffic. Now that’s something you don’t see in Hanoi for sure. Traffic dodging there could be an Olympic sport. But Hoi An is a peaceful alternative, a place to enjoy some fresh country air, a quiet drink by the river and stock up on some incredible gifts and souvenirs.

The nearest airport to Hoi An would be Da Nang less than an hour away. There are lots of easy options for getting to Hoi An from Da Nang including shuttle services and private transfers that are really reasonably priced. Book your transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An today.

Where to stay in Hoi An Vietnam

The Old Town is the most popular area. That’s where you’ll find the majority of the hotels and the hostels. It’s a great area to be in because Hoi An is a very walkable place. But of course Hoi An is a popular destination, and with that comes the crowds (and the noise). If you do want something a little quieter (romantic getaway with your SO for example) then get out of the town and find a place that’s a little quieter.

I ended up doing this on my trip. We stayed outside of the town at the Village Lodge, a 5-10 minute taxi journey away. Since taxis are not too expensive it wasn’t too much of an inconvenience, and the place was really nice. Lovely people running it and very spacious. The pool outside was fantastic and the Australian owner just loves to chat. The breakfast is included and is delicious with plenty of options.

If you’re looking to backpack through SE Asia read this handy guide by The Lost Mirmaid

What to eat in Hoi An Vietnam

Hoi An has some incredible food. Some is similar to what you will see around Vietnam, but there are also local specialties and of course regional takes on popular dishes. I did not find it difficult at all to find good food in Hoi An. Even as a vegetarian Vietnam was surprisingly easy when dining out.

Bánh Mì

You will find good Banh Mi all over the country of Vietnam. At first it seemed a surprising dish that a country in Asia should be famous for. A sandwich. But when you think of Vietnam’s past history with France it starts to make sense. They adopted the French style bread and filled it with their own flavors, making for some wonderful (and pretty cheap) food on the go.

Now Hoi An has a well known Banh Mi place, the Banh Mi Queen. Sounds like she knows her stuff right? The place doesn’t look like much, a food cart where you shout your order and take it to go. I had Banh Mi in other places in Vietnam and this one was still the best. Delicious fresh bread, fried egg and mixed vegetable filling with who only knows what kind of sauces that just made it perfect. It’s a little spicy at times, but you’ll want to go back. Visit the Banh Mi Queen here.

Cao Lầu

Cao Lau is very local Hoi An specialty. The dish is made with rice noodles made with rice that has been soaked in ash water. This is supposed to give them a unique elasticity and color. The traditional Cau Lau uses the local water from the Ba Le well in Hoi An, and therefore cannot be replicated exactly outside of the area.

The noodles are served with meat or tofu, fresh greens and beansprouts. A spoonful of broth, chili paste, lime and fresh chilis give it flavor. The same dough used for the noodles is rolled out to make fried wonton crackers that are also served with the dish.

The locals believe this dish is the perfect balance of textures and flavors (sour, bitter, spicy and sweet). It was an amazing meal. I had the vegetarian version. Here’s where to find Quán Cao lầu Bá Lễ in Hoi An.

Bún thịt nướng

Bún means rice noodles. So there are a lot of dishes that include this particular ingredient. One of my favorites was Bún cha which we had up in Hanoi. noodles and grilled meat or tofu, a broth and fresh herbs to add to the dish as you want. It was like a build your own noodle dish which was fun. So I’ll admit I kind of thought that’s what I was getting in Hoi An when I ordered Bún thịt nướng.

Turns out this dish is a cold noodle dish with (in my vegetarian case) marinated tofu, fresh greens and pickled vegetables, peanuts, crispy crackers and a peanut sauce to mix in with it. It also came with a Vietnamese spring roll. Overall it was good even if it wasn’t what I thought it was. Here’s where you can find Phở Thư restaurant in Hoi An where we visited.

Phở noodle soup

Phở is probably the most widely known Vietnamese dish. Before I went to Vietnam though, I thought Pho was talking about the soup dish. Turns out Phở are the types of noodles that are used in the dish. They are the long flat rice noodles. At the Central Market in Hoi An you can find so many stalls making the food right in front of you.

We discovered one that turned out to be a great find. It was so good and really cheap (see more on the Central Market below). But if you’re in Vietnam you have to at least try Phở once. The only thing is it might ruin you from having the dish when you get home because it’s going to be difficult to ever beat this.

Rice pancakes and meat skewers

One thing Vietnam does well is the build-it-yourself food. Bun cha was a great example of this, but so are rice paper rolls. We first found this specialty in the nearby city of Hue where they have a pancake filled with vegetables like bean sprouts, or meat. They break off pieces and wrap it in a crispy rice paper after dipping it in whatever sauce is served with the dish. Roll it up and eat it.

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We found this pancake dish at the central market too. But also there was a meat skewer option that my friend had been wanting to try. You slide the meat off the skewer, dip it in the sauce and roll it up in rice paper with fresh greens. Both versions are delicious. The pancake is kind of a little greasy at times though, but it’s a nice quick sharing snack or appetizer.

Book a street food walking tour of Hoi An like this one through Viator.

What to do in Hoi An Vietnam

There’s no shortage of things to do in Hoi An, and numerous day trips you can take outside of the city. The city is small enough that it doesn’t take too long to get from one place to another. But it is a busy place, and with some streets closed off for traffic during the day, and smaller streets than the big cities, you might run into some traffic jams. Allow extra time to get around unless you’re staying in the Old Town and will end up walking everywhere.

Shop for clothes

Hoi An is the place you go when you want custom made clothes. I had heard about this before I went to Vietnam but I honestly didn’t know the scale.

There were tailor shops up and down every street in Hoi An, all showcasing the prettiest dresses and smartest suits. You can take in a design of something you like, a picture you found in a magazine. Or you can browse the catalogues they have in store.

Pick your style, fabric and extras like trim, pockets etc. Then your new clothes will be ready within a couple of days. Insider tip: go on day one of your stay, that way you have time to go back for alterations before you collect the finished product.

Eat all the food at Central Market

Oh my gosh, so much good food. When I first walked past the indoor market it just looked absolutely crazy. I mean, that’s kind of Vietnam’s style anyway, but this market in particular. We walked up and down the market checking out all the stalls making food fresh in front of you.

There were locals as well as tourists so it was a nice mix. Menus at most places are in Vietnamese or English. And the food is delicious. I am vegetarian and was impressed to see them use different utensils and broth than for the meaty meals. The food is also pretty cheap. I got 2 dishes and a smoothie and it was only 70,000 VND ($3 USD). Most other places you pay that for one dish.

Visit a temple or two

It’s South East Asia, there are going to be temples pretty much everywhere you go. It’s easy to get templed out but ration your intake and you’ll be find. Make sure to check out some of the amazing temples in and around Hoi An.

There are a lot of smaller ones in the old town like the Quan Cong temple or Chùa Ông. Then there is My Son Sanctuary just outside of Hoi An (see more on that below).

Remember to take a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, like this one from FastTech

Visit the night market

Did you even visit Vietnam if you didn’t go to a night market? You think it’s busy during the day in Old Town Hoi An, but wait until the sun goes down. The night market is the place to be to buy all of your Vietnamese souvenirs. Food, trinkets, accessories and Tiger Balm by the barrel (slight exaggeration on that one). Prepare to bargain your @ss off and try not to spend all your money in the first few minutes. You’ll see a number of the same items over the market so look around first. But it’s good to buy something. There are street vendors selling food and drinks through the market and surrounding streets, so take time to re-energize while you shop ’til you drop.

Sit at a street side cafe

Beat the heat with an ice cold beverage. Vietnam is hoooootttt! You will be burning up by 10am on a good day, so I made plenty of time through the day for taking it easy with a nice cold drink.

There are cafes all around Vietnam, but while the bigger cities can be pretty busy, a lot of Old Town Hoi An is closed to vehicles at certain times of the day. So it’s a much more peaceful experience. Try something different. I never drank coffee before I went to Vietnam. Couldn’t stand the stuff. But the way they make it with coconut milk or condensed milk was just divine. Smoothies are everywhere too, like a delicious avocado smoothie I had. Read more about other unique drinks you can try in Vietnam on your trip.

Buy some lanterns

Hoi An is famous for its lanterns. Who knew? I didn’t before I got there. But they are everywhere. Just like the night market don’t rush to buy your stash of these brightly colored, often hand painted delicate lanterns on your first day. Shop around, find the designs you want. Look for some of the specialty stores rather than the we-sell-everything store, as the locals who make these are very proud of their work.

Buying a larger quantity gives you a bigger bargaining power, but expect to pay 100,000 VND ($4.50 USD) and above for these exquisite creations. They make great gifts, just ask my friends!

Enjoy a walk along the river

Hoi An Old Town is built up around the Thu Bồn river. On a warm day it’s nice to walk along the river. You will have to walk over a bridge along the river to get to the main Hoi An night market, so undoubtedly at some point you will cross the river. If you don’t, you’ve gone wrong somewhere as Hoi An is not that big. Expect to find some locals hawking generic souvenirs from boats along the river, but they’re nice enough so if you see something you like pay a little for some of their wares. If you get tired of walking hop in one of the pedalo bikes that will drive you back to your hotel in relative comfort. That is if you don’t count the traffic/pedestrian dodging that might have you closing your eyes for some of the journey.

Relax by the pool

You might have plenty of time in Hoi An, you might be there for just a few days. But either way, you’ll want to take it easy in Hoi An. Enjoy great food and drinks, shop until you can shop no more. But at the end of the day most hotels have a wonderful outdoor pool to enjoy.

What we did was get up early most days, do something in the morning, then head back to the hotel in the early afternoon. We relaxed by the pool for a while with a book and a cool drink, and then headed back out once it got a little cooler in the later afternoon. I stayed at the Village Lodge, which was just on the outskirts of the town. Sure it was a little ways out, but a cheap cab ride got you to the main area, and it was much quieter than the Old Town. Best of all, their pool was so nice.

My Son temple

The incredible UNESCO world heritage site of My Son Sanctuary is only an hour away from Hoi An. It’s a popular activity for people spending a few days in the area.

The incredible Hindu temples are cultural landmarks in the area, and are similar to Angkor Wat. You can book a round trip tour from Hoi An or do a one way tour option ending in Da Nang. That’s what I did. We booked a private driver who stopped at My Son on the way to the Da Nang airport and we had plenty of time to explore. Check out this tour from Hoi An that leaves early in the morning so you avoid the crowds. Read more about my visit to My Son here.

How many days should I spend in Hoi An?

I stayed there for 3 nights. On the third day, the day I left, we took our trip to My Son Sanctuary. If you are planning on a trip like this outside of Hoi An, I would recommend making it part of your journey the day you arrive or leave. Or you should book at least one extra night if you plan to do it as a day trip from Hoi An. If you plan on getting clothes made, make sure that’s one of the first things you do and you’ll need to allow at least 2 days.

Hoi An is such a nice little town, and such an alternative place to the big bustling cities that people generally fall in love with it and wish they’d spent more time here. So do yourself a favor and don’t rush your trip to Hoi An. I would also recommend nearby Hue as another great place to spend some time. Another small town with lots of things to see and do. However long you have in Hoi An, have fun and enjoy this unique little city and all the amazing food that comes with it.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you been to Hoi An Vietnam? What was your favorite thing to do?