10+ Best Things To Do In Hoi An Vietnam

Located downstream of Thu Bon River, Hoi An Ancient Town is one of the most famous destinations to visit in Vietnam. Visiting Hoi An, you can learn more about traditional cultural values, mingle in the ancient style of ancient houses, or enjoy tasty local dishes.

What to do in Hoi An Vietnam? This article includes the best things to do in Hoi An Vietnam and nearby, with tips to make the best of your time here.

Watch the lanterns in Hoi An 

For many years, lanterns have become the symbol of Hoi An to domestic and foreign tourists.

Wandering around the old town, you can easily catch the colorful lanterns.

On the full moon day of the month, there is another Hoi An that you can experience – a splendid Hoi An with the light of lanterns.

You can read more about the best time to visit Hoi An here.

Join Lantern-making class

Participating in a lantern-making class is an excellent idea if you’re looking for a memorable thing to do on your travel. 

Under enthusiastic and friendly guidance, you can make your lantern as a gift for the experience of a beautiful old town tour.

Visit Thanh Ha Pottery village

Hoi An Ancient Town is also a land with many proud traditional villages such as Thanh Ha Pottery Village or Kim Bong Carpentry Village.

Thanh Ha Pottery Village still preserves its traditional pottery-making process, which manually shapes pottery by hand and foot pedal without using molds.

I had a great afternoon at Thanh Ha Pottery Village, exploring the traditional town and learning how to make pottery for the first time. 

Recommended activity

Take a tour to explore Hoi An countryside for a charming rural experience and Vietnamese heritage and history.

You’ll start your tour at Tra Que Village to discover the agricultural roots of the village and learn about the farming experience with the locals.

Then you’ll get the chance to create your ceramic product at Thanh Ha Village.

At the end of the trip, you’ll explore Coconut Forest while riding a traditional bamboo basket boat and cruise along the winding river.

Sounds fun? Check more details below!

Try delicious local food

On your trip to Hoi An, don’t forget to try local dishes from street vendors.

Main dishes such as Ba Buoi chicken rice, Ms. Nga chicken rice, Banh Mi Phuong, or Banh Mi Madame Khanh with full of meat, sausages, pâté, raw vegetables, and aromatic sauces will make you fall in love with Hoi An cuisine.

Also, you should not miss Quang Noodles and Cao Lau dishes. Besides, White Rose is also considered a worth-trying dish when traveling to Hoi An.

Read more: Delicious Hoi An food to try.

Recommended activity:

Hoi An food tour is an interesting idea to explore Hoi An by bike and taste the city. You’ll cycle around the lovely neighborhoods and try nine different local dishes from 5 food spots.

Join Hoi An cooking class and basket boat tour

If you love Vietnamese cuisine, why not try the cooking class in Hoi An?

Hoi An eco cooking class has many exciting activities. You will first visit the local market to pick up fresh ingredients while learning a few Vietnamese to bargain!

Then, you’ll have fun with the spins on the coconut boat and catching crabs. After that fun activity, you start the cooking class with clear instructions and assistant from the chef. 

What you’ll learn

• Fresh spring roll
• Pho
• Vietnamese style fried noodles with seafood
• Banh xeo

Visit famous attractions in Hoi An old town

On the first days in Hoi An, you should spend time exploring Hoi An Ancient Town. There are many popular attractions and fine art workshops that you should stop by.

Some famous attractions in Hoi An old town, are

• Phuc Kien Assembly Hall
• Trieu Chau Assembly Hall
• Japanese Covered Bridge
• Tan Ky Old House
• Tran Family Chapel

Cycle Hoi An in the morning

I love mornings in Hoi An.

The old town is peaceful and quiet before 8 am. There’re not many tourists yet, and also the restaurants and shops still close. 

I recommend cycling in the morning in Hoi An. You can enjoy the peaceful atmosphere while experiencing Hoi An like a local. 

Wander around Hoi An at night

Hoi An is beautiful when the sun shines on the ancient golden walls and fascinating when the night falls.

When the old town lights up and the traffic stops on the main roads, Hoi An puts on a different picture.

The town is busy with rows of tourists while the shops are full of people coming in and out.

Take a boat along the river

Still, in the evening, besides just observing, you can mingle with the decoration for the light party on the river.

Sitting in the middle of a small boat, paddling out in the middle of the river, gently dropping each of the lighted lanterns, then watching the shimmering rows of lights and praying for peace and luck is an experience you should try.

Visit Hoi An night market 

If you’re hungry, stop by Hoi An night market for some delicious street food.

Besides the specialties of the neighborhood, the night market also has many souvenir stalls from clothes, shoes to lacquerware, jewelry.

There are some restaurants and bars with good live music that you can spend the night with your friends. 

Watch the sunrise at My Son sanctuary

Watching the sunrise on the towers and ruins of Champa culture is a must-do when visiting Vietnam’s Central.

The sanctuary was a place to perform rituals and worship, confirming the spirits of the reign of the Cham Kings and commemorating the victory and great conquests.

My Son sanctuary is about a 1-hour drive from Hoi An, and Klook offers excellent tours at an affordable price. 

Relax at a spa

After a long trip or after a long day of walking and shopping in the old town, there is nothing better than relaxing and receiving a massage in a separate quiet space while enjoying soothing music.

Relax and get rid of your stress and worries at Ylang Ylang, a famous spa in Hoi An.

With 8 different packages to choose from, you can then take a break from sightseeing and treat yourself to a relaxing experience inside the Ylang-Ylang Spa.

Watch the sunset at Kim Bong Carpentry Village

The artisan of Kim Bong carpentry village was once proud that their ancestors built and embellished the tombs for the Nguyen Dynasty.

Visiting this trade village, you can admire the stages of manufacturing many fine wood handicraft products.

In the evening, you can get a boat to ride along the Thu Bon River or enjoy the beautiful sunset on the bank of the river from the village.

Have a fun day at Vinpearl Land Nam

Have a great day out at Vinpearl Land Nam Hoi An, a thrilling amusement park that combines both cultural experiences and wildlife discovery.

Getting a fresh dip at Water World and visiting Folk Island’s Handicraft Village will be a highlight of your trip to this park. The park also offers 95 exciting indoor games for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

Don’t miss River Safari – the first and only wildlife sanctuary in the country that lets you explore via riverway.

Take a day trip to Cham Island

Located near the center of the ancient town of Hoi An and only 15km from Cua Dai Beach, Cham Islands is a popular tourist destination today.

If you want to have an exciting and memorable Cu Lam Cham trip, don’t miss the time from March to August every year.

At this time, Cu Lao Cham often has warm sunshine, calm sea, and peaceful scenery.

Things to do in Cu Lao Cham

Coming to Cu Lao Cham, you will enjoy a wonderful trip with exciting activities such as:

• Visit ancient Cham well: This is a relic from the pre-Sa Huynh period, providing fresh water all year round for the whole island.
• Hai Tang Pagoda: The temple has a unique architecture and is associated with people’s beliefs.
• The temple of birds’ nests: This is considered a place of worship to protect the bird’s nest on the island.
• Cu Lao Cham Market: You will be able to buy specialties, seafood, and souvenirs of Cu Lao Cham at an affordable price.
• You can also go snorkeling or relax on the beach. 

Relax on An Bang beach

An Bang beach is located in Cam An Ward, about 3km from the center of Hoi An.

Visiting An Bang beach, you can feel the pleasant freshness when walking along the sand, catching the sunrise, or watching the pristine beauty of the sunset on the sea.

Enjoying a peaceful afternoon with your loved ones while watching breathtaking scenery is an excellent way to relax.

How to get there: From An Hoi Bridge, go straight on Hai Ba Trung Street to An Bang Beach. It takes about 15 minutes to go from Hoi An town by bicycle.

Visit Tam Thanh Mural Village

Tam Thanh’s mural village is an impressive highlight of Quang Nam province. 

Tam Thanh village is reborn with unique beauty and the creativity of street arts. It brings new hope for a new, happy, and full life.

Pictures and textures have replaced rudimentary walls and fences. The small roads in the village also become incredible dreaming.

Tam Thanh mural village tour from Hoi An

Travel to Tam Ky fishing village and explore stunning street art that features the local culture and communities of the country.

With the tour, you can enjoy hassle-free round trip transfers to and from Hoi An town and learn more about the village with your English-speaking guide.