2 Days in Hoi An, Vietnam
Hoi An is a small and picturesque town located in the middle of Vietnam. I’ve been there a few times and I think it’s one of my favourite spots in South East Asia!
2 or 3 days is definitely enough time to see most of the town and other nearby sights. You can even consider Hoi An for a daytrip (e.g. from Danang) though I would recommend to stay a few nights to have a more relaxed experience.
By the way, it’s also great for digital nomads, you can check out my guide for Hoi An here.
Things To Do
Stroll around town
Hoi An is a tiny picturesque town and therefore the best way to experience it is by just taking a stroll around the streets, checking out the boutique stores and trying Vietnamese coffee. There are many temples and beautiful shophouses to discover along the main streets.
In the evening, stroll along the river to see the boats with lanterns gliding over the water and the bridges lit up.
Go Cafe Hopping
Vietnam is known for it’s cafe culture, as they have many different coffee drinks to choose from. There’s the famous egg coffee, salt coffee, coconut coffee and even avocado coffee. My favourite was the coconut coffee. One of the great things about Hoi An is that there are cute cafes aplenty, so a perfect way to discover the city is go on a cafe tour and visit all the beautiful cafe’s.
Here’s a selection:
The Inner Hoian by Ala - great specialty coffee spot!
Do A Cooking Class
What better way to sample all the local delicacies than doing a cooking class? Vietnamese cuisine is delicious and I love how they incorporate all the fresh herbs in their dishes. There are various cooking classes you can join in Hoi An - I did one with a quick tour in a boat close to the river, which was fun.
Visit My Son Sanctuary
My Son is an ancient site that is a UNESCO World Heritage. Here you will see the ruins of old Hindu temples, from the 4th - 14th century. It’s about a 40-50 minute drive from Hoi An, and the easiest is to join a tour to visit it. I highly recommend going because it’s fascinating to see this ancient city right in the middle of the Vietnamese jungle.
Check out the beach
Not far from the Hoi An city centre, there’s a stretch of beach which is really quite lovely. There’s a lovely cafe, called Sound of Silence Coffee, which sits rights at the beach and you can sip your coffee while watching the ocean.
Other fun activities and things to do
There are plenty of other activities and fun things to do in Hoi An, like boat rides, lantern making class and more! Check our Klook for more ideas:
Things To Eat
Cao Lầu - Is the famous noodle dish from Hoi An. It’s served with pork and crackers and the noodles are thick
White Rose (Bánh Bao Vac): Another delicacy from the region, are these white dumplings filled with shrimp.
Banh Mi - A classic Vietnamese snack. There are a few great restaurants in Hoi An that are specialised in Banh Mi, such as Banh Mi Phuong and Madama Khanh.
Pho - You can’t missthe famous rice noodle dish from Vietnam
Some nice restaurants:
Morning Glory - a famous and popular restaurant in Hoi An
Chickpea Eatery - a Vegan Vietnamese restaurant
Coffee & Breakfast
Here are a few breakfast & coffee spots:
Where To Stay
There are a lot of cute boutique hotels in Hoi An, and prices are fairly affordable.
I stayed at Reu Boutique Hotel, which is situated right in the middle of the rice fields, so you’ll have a gorgeous view. It is a gorgeously designed hotel, and also features a spa, a swimming pool and a small gym. The food is amazing as well and while it is slightly outside the center of Hoi An, you can get free bikes and it’s just a 5-7 minute bike ride to the town. If you want to wake up with a beautiful rice field view, then this is the hotel for you.
Other great hotel options in Hoi An:
L’Heritage Riverside Hoi An - Cute boutique hotel right next to the river in Hoi An
Allegro Hotel Hoi An - a more luxurious stay
La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa - another beautiful hotel with gorgeous views on the ricefields
When To Go
The best time to go to Hoi An is in February, March and April. This is when rainy season has just stopped and the sun is coming back. It’s not too hot either and quite pleasant to walk around.
October to mid-December there’s the rainy season - and it can be quite grey and rainy and more on the colder side. I’ve been in Hoi An in January once and it was grey all the time and drizzling, which wasn’t great.
Even though it’s dry, the summer months can get quite hot, so be aware when you book for June throughout September.
How To Get There
Hoi An is located about a 30-40 minute drive south from Danang. You can fly into Danang airport and then either book a Grab car or you can reserve a private car transport, such as this one on Klook.
TIP: Immigration lines in Vietnam can be really long, especially around peak seasons. Therefore, I’d recommend to book a fast track immigration service. I tried it once and it was super easy and quick and it only took 2 minutes to get through immigration!
How to get around
Hoi An is a small town so you can easily get around by foot if you stay in the old town centre. To go to other places a bit outside of the old town, such as the beach, you may need to either rent a motorbike or bicycle or go by grab/bolt/taxi.
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