A trading port preserved almost whole from the 17th to 19th centuries (UNESCO): Chinese assembly halls, merchants' houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge and a river lit by lanterns every evening. Tailors make clothes in a day, An Bang beach is a bicycle ride away, and the Cham temples of My Son are an hour inland. The old town floods most years in October and November. Several Indian restaurants and plenty of vegetarian dishes.
Highlights
- Old town lanterns at dusk
- Japanese Covered Bridge
- Boat on the Thu Bon with a floating lantern
- Tailor-made clothes in a day
- My Son Cham temples
- Basket boats in the Cam Thanh coconut forest
- An Bang Beach
- Cao lau and banh mi
Things to do
- Old town walk: assembly halls, old houses, Covered BridgeMorning · 3h
- Lantern boat on the Thu Bon riverEvening · 1h
- My Son Sanctuary at opening timeMorning · 4h
- Basket boats in the Cam Thanh coconut forestAfternoon · 2h
- Cooking class with a Tra Que garden visitMorning · 4h
- An Bang Beach afternoonAfternoon · 3h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: February – July
Worth knowing
Typhoon and Flood Season on the Central Coast
⚠️ From September to December typhoons and heavy rains hit central Vietnam, worst in October and November. Hoi An's old town and parts of Hue flood most years, flights are cancelled when a storm passes, and floods can cut the railway and roads for days (they did in late 2025). Keep a spare day, book refundable trains and rooms, and follow the storm warnings.
Worth knowing
Tet: Closures and a Travel Rush
Tet (Lunar New Year) falls on 6 February in 2027. In the week before, trains, buses and flights sell out and fares rise; for three to five days after, many shops, restaurants and family-run hotels close. Check the date for your year, book transport a month or more ahead, and expect higher prices.
- Tet (Lunar New Year) — Vietnam's biggest holiday. In the week before, trains, buses and flights sell out and prices rise as everyone travels home; for three to five days after New Year's Eve many shops, restaurants and family-run hotels close, while temples and flower markets are at their liveliest. Book transport a month or more ahead, or avoid travelling in the days either side.
- Mid-Autumn Festival (Tet Trung Thu) — The children's festival of the full moon: lanterns, lion dances and mooncakes. Hanoi's Hang Ma street and Hoi An's old town are full of lanterns in the week before.
- Hoi An full-moon lantern night — On the 14th day of every lunar month the old town turns off its electric lights and lights only lanterns, with music and candles floated on the river. Very crowded; walk, and book a room in the old town early.
- Reunification Day and Labour Day holidays — A long national holiday when much of the country goes to the beach and the hills: hotels in Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Phu Quoc, Da Lat and Sapa fill and raise prices, and buses and flights sell out. Book early or avoid these days.
- Da Nang International Fireworks Festival — Teams from several countries compete over the Han River on weekend nights in June and July. Hotel prices in Da Nang rise on show nights; reserve grandstand seats ahead or watch from the riverbanks.
Part of a longer route
Hoi An is a stop on a curated circuit through Vietnam.