Many travelers plan to spend 1 full day only in Hoi An, especially those who travel across Vietnam or stay overnight in nearby Da Nang. Although it’s quite short, some highlights in this heritage city still can be seen. In this article, HoiAn Day Trip Company will suggest an itinerary for first timers to best spend one day (or 24 hours) to explore Hoi An.
You may also like: Hoi An 2 Days Itinerary, Hoi An 3 Days Itinerary
• Content by Tam Le, founder of HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD
• Designed by Giang Cong Minh, co-founder of LS E&C LTD and his team
• Photo by Dang Cong Loi, Dao Xuan Son, Tam Le & others
Is 1 Day Enough in Hoi An?
One day is quite short to visit Hoi An because there are many things to see and do here. However, visitors still have time to see some highlights. We recommend spending more days in Hoi An if possible (may be 3 full days in total).
If just spend 1 day in Hoi An, we recommend staying in a hotel around Hoi An city centre (near Hoi An’s Old Town). From this area, it’s easy to walk to famous landmarks and restaurants in the town as well as to pick up when booking a day trip.
Morning in Hoi An: Hoi An Old Town Heritage Walk
On the first day in Hoi An, visitors must go to the Hoi An Ancient Town (or Hoi An Old Town). This is the historic centre of Hoi An city, and is a Unesco world heritage site. To get there, it’s possible to walk, cycle, or take a taxi. The best ways to explore is walking or cycling (those who can’t walk much can use a rickshaw/cyclo ride). Bicycle rental in town costs around 50,000 VND/time. From 9 to 11:30 AM, motorbikes and cars are banned in Hoi An Ancient Town, so this 2,5hrs can be the best time.
To sightsee historical sites, visitors have to buy a ‘Hoi An Old Town ticket’ which costs 120,000 VND for adults & children above 15 years old. After that, use it to enter 4 sites and 1 show at Hoi An Traditional Art Performance House, 66 Bach Dang St (5 places in total). We suggest visiting the Japanese Covered Bridge (the town’s emblem), Tan Ky Old House, Fujian Assembly Hall, Phung Hung Old House & Cantonese Assembly Hall. While staying in the town, visitors can see these places without showing the ticket: Hoi An Central Market, Ba Mu Temple, Phap Bao Pagoda, Hoi An Communal House, or Hoai River.
Tour recommended: Hoi An Old Town Half Day Walking Tour
Additionally, coffee houses (rooftop café), the local beverage store (named ‘MOT’), ‘Reaching Out’ teahouse are good places to go when you need to take a break or chill out. Many travelers like joining a foldable lantern making class but make sure that you have interest or time enough.
What & Where to Have Lunch in Hoi An?
There are many dishes that are special for Hoi An (see the full list of Hoi An’s specialty food), but if have one day only, we suggest trying ‘Cao Lau noodles’.
Cao Lau noodles is a noodle dish including nice noodles (brown & boiled), char siu pork (slices), raw vegetables & herbs, and a little bit savoury sauce. The noodle sticks are made by a special process and known by a few families in town. The veggies are grown in Tra Que Village, 5 mins drive from the town. It’s thought to be a fusion between Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese cuisines (these people live together in Hoi An before and now). For that reason, it’s not found anywhere else, except the Hoi An Old Town. See more information & details
The best places to try Cao Lau noodles in Hoi An now are Cao Lau Thanh at 26 Thai Phien St or Mi Quang Ong Hai (Mr Hai Noodles) at 6A Truong Minh Luong St.
Afternoon in Hoi An: A Countryside Discovery
In the afternoon, Cam Thanh Coconut Village is a good place to go and explore Hoi An’s countryside. It has lots of coconut farms and a vast water coconut forest (nipa palm forest), making its nickname ‘coconut village’. It’s around 15 mins drive from Hoi An city centre/old town.
The most popular activity in Cam Thanh Coconut Village is basket boat ride in the coconut forest. Nowhere else in the country, visitors can see a ‘basket boat’ (a round bamboo boat looks like a basket). A tour with this boat often lasts 30-60 mins, including some activities such as seeing the former hiding place of Vietcong communists, watching ‘spinning boat’ performance, going crab fishing or watching locals catching fish by net. It’s fun & unique.
In the village, local families also organize a hands-on cooking class in which family members will teach visitors how to cook Vietnamese food. Popular dishes are banh xeo (crispy rice pancakes), goi hoa cuoi (banana flower salad) or goi du du (papaya salad), fried spring rolls, cao lau noodles,… Not only knowing new spices & recipes, learners also have a fun time with different skills and tasting food they cooked by themselves.
In the Coconut village, riding the water buffalo is another interesting local experience. If love animals, you can remove/skip this activity from the travel plan or tours.
Tour recommended: Cam Thanh Coconut Village tour (transfers, basket boat ride, cooking class)
If not interested in cooking class, a bike ride to Tra Que Vegetable Village and Cam Thanh Coconut Village is a great option to discover Hoi An’s countryside. This tour starts from the Old Town, stops at Tra Que Village (for a farming experience), and then stops at Cam Thanh Village (for basket boat ride in coconut forest). On the way from village to village, visitors will go across rice fields, see water buffalos, farmers at work, and rural life as well as escape from hustle and bustle. See more information & details
Tours recommended:
Hoi An Countryside Tour by Bicycle
Hoi An Countryside Tour by Motorbike
Hoi An Countryside Tour by Electric Car
What & Where to Have Dinner in Hoi An
There are many dishes that are special for Hoi An (see the full list of Hoi An’s specialty food), but if have one day night, we suggest trying ‘Banh Mi’ (Vietnamese bread, Vietnamese sandwich, so on).
Banh Mi is popular across the country, but the most delicious banh mi sandwich may be in Hoi An. Here, the bread is made of both rice and wheat powders (by a secret recipe), and it will be filled by a huge variety of meats & veggies. Except for people who have problems with starch or on a special diet, this food will be good for ages, nationalites, and religions. The best places to eat Banh Mi now in Hoi An are Madam Khanh at 115 Tran Cao Van St, Banh Mi Phuong at 2B Phan Chu Trinh, Banh Mi Sum at 149 Tran Hung Dao St, Phi Banh Mi at 88 Thai Phien St. See more information & details
If want to try something more, we suggest trying ‘White Rose Dumplings’. This food again is unique to Hoi An Old Town. It’s a rice-tapioca dumplings with pork filling & eaten with dipping fish sauce. Its name comes from its shape that looks like a white rose flower.
Besides that, fried wonton, grilled pork with rice paper, Hoi An style chicken rice, are other tasty local dishes.
To save time, visitors can book an evening food tour, to try different dishes & learn about local culinary culture in a couple of hours.
Tour recommended: Hoi An Evening Walking Food Tour
Night Activities in Hoi An Vietnam
Evening is one of the best times to visit Hoi An. After the sun goes down, this centuries-old town becomes such brilliant and atmospheric thanks to thousands of colorful lanterns. The lanterns are everywhere: streets, night markets & on the river. If possible, visitors should come in the full moon day to celebrate Lantern Festival together with locals (the best local festival in the area). It happens on the 14th day of each lunar month.
Besides strolling around the town to see lanterns or going shopping or taking pictures, visitors can consider doing these activities: boat ride on Hoai River & release wishing lanterns (15 mins long, 150,000-200,000 VND/boat), visiting Hoi An night market, watching Vietnamese bamboo circus (6 to 7 PM, unavailable on Monday & Friday, from 700,000 VND/adult), Hoi An Memories Show (8 to 9 PM, unavailable on Tuesday, from 600,000 VND/adult). Full list of things to do in Hoi An at night is here.
To end up the night, nowhere is better to go than restaurants/bars/pubs along Hoai riverfront. Visitors are easy to call local beers (Larue or Huda) or other drinks, to chill out with an awe-inspiring view. Hoi An at night is the thing that many travelers will fall in love.
Tour recommended: Hoi An Evening Tour with Lantern Boat Ride
Best Tours to Explore Hoi An
– Hoi An City Tour: Old Town, Coconut Village & Lunch
HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD daily organizes tours to Hoi An’s countryside and rural areas. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) or browse www.hoiandaytrip.com to see tours and make a reservation. Thank you very much!
