Hoi An Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Hoi An tours, the UNESCO-listed lantern-lit ancient town, traditional basket-boat rides through the coconut forest, hands-on cooking classes and street-food tours, the ancient temples of My Son Sanctuary, the spectacular Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills, and the Marble Mountains. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Hoi An itinerary.
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Explore Hoi An by interest
Whatever brings you to Hoi An — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Ancient town & lanterns
The UNESCO old town.
ExploreBasket boat
Coconut forest rides.
ExploreCooking & food
Classes and street food.
ExploreBa Na Hills
The Golden Bridge.
ExploreMy Son Sanctuary
Ancient Cham temples.
ExploreMarble Mountains
Caves and shrines.
ExploreCountryside cycling
Rice fields and villages.
ExploreDay trips
Da Nang, Hue and more.
ExploreTop attractions in Hoi An
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Ancient Town
The lantern-lit old town.
Golden Bridge
Ba Na Hills’ giant hands.
Basket Boat
Coconut forest rides.
My Son Sanctuary
Ancient Cham temples.
Cooking Classes
Central Vietnam cuisine.
Lantern Boats
Evening river rides.
Marble Mountains
Caves and shrines.
Countryside
Cycling and rice fields.
Hoi An in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Town, food & lanterns
- 2Day 2: Golden Bridge
- 3Ba Na Hills
- 4Marble Mountains
Hoi An in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Town, food & lanterns
- 2Day 2: Golden Bridge
- 3Day 3: My Son & countryside
- 4Culture, scenery & temples
1.5 hrs awayBa Na Hills
The Golden Bridge.
1 hr awayMy Son Sanctuary
Ancient Cham temples.
30 min awayMarble Mountains
Caves and shrines.
15 min awayCoconut Forest
Basket-boat rides.
Near town awayCountryside
Cycling and rice fields.
2.5 hrs awayHue & Hai Van Pass
The imperial city.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Hoi An visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
The dry season (February–August) brings warm, sunny weather ideal for the old town, the beach and day trips — the prime time to visit Hoi An.
Dry season (Feb–Aug)
Warm and dry, perfect for sightseeing, the beach and Ba Na Hills; April–August can be hot, so start tours early.
Wet season (Sep–Jan)
Cooler and wetter, with October–November bringing the heaviest rain and occasional flooding of the low-lying old town.
Full-moon lantern festival
On the 14th day of each lunar month, Hoi An dims its lights for a magical lantern festival along the river — check the dates.
Shoulder months
February–March and September are pleasant and less crowded — a good balance of weather and value.
Tết festival
Vietnamese New Year (late Jan–Feb) is festive but busy, with some closures; plan around it.
One day
Enough for the town, food and lanterns.
Two days
Add the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills.
Three days
The sweet spot: town, Ba Na Hills, and My Son.
Four to five days
Add the beach, Da Nang, Hue and cycling.
A week or more
Relax and explore central Vietnam at leisure.
Travelling with kids
Mix basket boats, lanterns and the Golden Bridge gently.
On foot
Hoi An’s ancient town is pedestrianised at times and best explored on foot, especially in the lantern-lit evenings.
By bicycle
Bikes are a lovely way to reach the beach, rice fields and countryside; many hotels provide them free.
Tour transfers
Most Ba Na Hills, My Son and Da Nang tours include hotel pickup from Hoi An.
Taxis & Grab
Taxis and the Grab app (car and motorbike) are cheap for trips to Da Nang and the airport.
River boats
Lantern boats and river cruises depart from the old town in the evenings.
From the airport
Da Nang International Airport is about 45 minutes from Hoi An by taxi or transfer.
Old town heritage ticket
A heritage ticket grants entry to a number of the old town’s historic houses, halls and the Japanese Bridge; wandering the streets is free.
Vietnamese dong
Vietnam uses the dong; carry cash for markets, tailors and street food, though cards work in many shops and hotels.
Visit at night
Hoi An is most magical after dark, when the lanterns light up; take an evening walk and a river boat.
Try the local dishes
Sample cao lầu, white-rose dumplings and banh mi; a cooking class or food tour is a delicious highlight.
Go to Ba Na Hills early
Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge get busy — start early to beat the crowds and heat.
Get clothes tailored
Hoi An is famous for tailors; order custom clothing early in your stay so it’s ready before you leave.
Ba Na Hills
Golden Bridge day trips are very popular — book ahead.
Cooking classes
Small-group cooking classes fill up — reserve early.
Lantern experiences
Lantern-boat and lantern-making spots sell out — pre-book.
My Son tours
Early-morning My Son tours are busy — book ahead.
Hoi An Memories Show
The big evening show fills up — reserve early.
Dry season
February–August is busiest — plan and book early.
Ba Na Hills
Around €35–60 for a Golden Bridge day trip with cable car.
Cooking classes
About €20–40 for a cooking class with market and basket boat.
Basket boat
Roughly €10–20 for a coconut-forest basket-boat ride.
My Son tours
Around €15–35 for a My Son Sanctuary half-day tour.
Old town ticket
About €5 for the heritage ticket to historic houses and halls.
How to save
Hoi An is excellent value; cycle to the beach, eat at local spots, and join group tours.
Hoi An through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Sightseeing and lanterns.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pleasant; less crowded.
- Best for
- Beach and day trips.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot; start tours early.
- Best for
- Green scenery and value.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Heaviest rain; some flooding.
- Best for
- Mild days and deals.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cooler; occasional showers.