Looking for the best things to do in Hoi An and nearby Da Nang? The two cities are only about 30 km apart, and together they make the perfect base in Central Vietnam: a UNESCO-listed old town glowing with lanterns, ancient Cham temples, coconut forests, beaches, mountain passes and some of the best food in the country. Since July 2025, Hoi An has been part of Da Nang city after the merger of Quang Nam province, which makes getting around even simpler. Below are our team’s top 15 experiences, with tips and the tours that include them.

Things to do in Hoi An Old Town

1. Walk the Ancient Town and the Japanese Covered Bridge

Hoi An Ancient Town was a busy trading port from the 15th to the 19th century, and its yellow merchant houses, assembly halls and temples have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. The symbol of the town is the Japanese Covered Bridge, beautifully restored and reopened in 2024. Come early in the morning for quiet streets and soft light.

2. Take a lantern boat and release a flower lantern

When the sun goes down, thousands of silk lanterns light up the streets and small wooden boats carry visitors along the Thu Bon River. Releasing a paper flower lantern on the water for good luck is a simple but magical moment. Join our Hoi An City Tour with Boat Ride and Flower Lantern.

3. Make your own lantern

Hoi An is famous for its hand-made silk lanterns. In a short workshop, a local artisan shows you how to bend the bamboo frame and glue the silk, and you take your lantern home. Try the Cam Thanh Lantern Making Tour or the Tra Que Farmer Tour with Lantern Making.

4. Eat your way through Hoi An

Do not leave without tasting cao lau (thick noodles with pork and herbs, a Hoi An speciality), banh mi, white rose dumplings and crispy banh xeo pancakes. A guided Hoi An Food Tour takes you to the street stalls locals actually use.

Things to do in the Hoi An countryside

5. Spin in a basket boat in the Cam Thanh coconut forest

A few kilometres from the old town, the water coconut forest of Cam Thanh is the place to try a round bamboo basket boat. Local boatmen spin the boats, sing and show you how to catch crabs. Choose the Hoi An Coconut Jungle Tour or combine it with a cooking class on the Cam Thanh Cooking Class.

6. Join a cooking class in Tra Que vegetable village

Tra Que is an organic herb village where farmers still water their crops by hand. Visit the gardens, help with the farming and cook a Vietnamese lunch with fresh herbs on the Tra Que Cooking Class.

7. Cycle through the rice fields

The flat countryside around Hoi An is perfect by bike: rice paddies, water buffalo and quiet villages. The Hoi An Farming and Fishing Tour by Bike is a favourite with families.

8. Visit the craft villages

Thanh Ha has made pottery for centuries and Kim Bong is famous for wood carving and boat building. Meet the artisans on the Hoi An Craft Villages Tour.

9. Snorkel around the Cham Islands

A speedboat ride from Cua Dai takes you to Cu Lao Cham, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with clear water, coral and a small fishing village. The Cham Island Snorkeling Tour includes snorkelling and a seafood lunch. The island is best from March to August, when the sea is calm.

Da Nang highlights

10. Explore My Son Sanctuary

Hidden in a green valley about an hour from Hoi An, My Son was the religious centre of the Champa kingdom between the 4th and 13th centuries. Its brick tower-temples are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Go early to beat the heat with the My Son Sanctuary Morning Tour, or late with the My Son Sunset Tour.

11. Walk the Golden Bridge at Ba Na Hills

The Golden Bridge, held up by two giant stone hands high in the mountains, opened in 2018 and quickly became one of the most photographed places in Vietnam. Ba Na Hills also has a French-style village, gardens and an amusement park. The 2026 reference ticket including the cable car is VND 1,000,000 for adults. See the Ba Na Hills Full Day Tour.

12. Climb the Marble Mountains

Five limestone and marble hills rise from the plain between Da Nang and Hoi An, each named after one of the five elements. Climb Thuy Son (Water Mountain) to explore pagodas, viewpoints and caves such as Huyen Khong and Am Phu. Try the Marble Mountains Morning Tour or the Sunset Tour.

13. See the Lady Buddha and the Dragon Bridge

On the Son Tra Peninsula (Monkey Mountain), the tall white Lady Buddha statue at Linh Ung Pagoda looks out over Da Nang Bay. In the evening, head to the Dragon Bridge: on weekend nights it breathes fire and water at around 9 pm. The Da Nang by Night Tour adds a cruise on the Han River.

Day trips and adventures

14. Cross the Hai Van Pass

The coastal road over the Hai Van Pass between Da Nang and Hue is one of the most beautiful drives in Southeast Asia, with views over Lang Co lagoon. Ride it in style on the Hoi An to Hue Jeep Tour or include it in a Hue Day Tour from Hoi An or Da Nang, which visits the Imperial City.

15. Go off-road on an ATV

For something different, drive a quad bike along dirt tracks, sand dunes and rice fields outside Hoi An, finished with a BBQ on the Hoi An ATV Tour.

Best time to visit Hoi An and Da Nang

• February to April: warm, dry and comfortable, ideal for sightseeing.
• May to August: hot and sunny, the best time for beaches and the Cham Islands.
• September to December: the rainy season. October and November can bring floods in the old town, so keep your plans flexible.

Tip: spend at least three full days in the area. A good mix is one day in the old town, one countryside day and one day for My Son or Ba Na Hills. See more on our Central Vietnam tours page.

FAQ

How many days do I need in Hoi An?

Three days is ideal, four if you want both My Son and Ba Na Hills. Many travellers stay in Hoi An and visit Da Nang on day trips.

Should I stay in Hoi An or Da Nang?

Stay in Hoi An for atmosphere and culture, in Da Nang for the beach, nightlife and the airport. Both are only about 45 minutes apart by car.

Is Ba Na Hills worth it?

Yes if you want the Golden Bridge and the views, but go early and avoid weekends and public holidays, when it is very crowded.

When is the Hoi An Full Moon Lantern Festival?

On the 14th day of each lunar month, the old town dims electric lights and celebrates with lanterns, music and games. Ask us for this month’s date.

Photo credits: steve.upton / Flickr, CC BY 2.0; rapidacid / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0; Isabell Schulz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0; Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. / Flickr, CC CC0 1.0; Chester Ho chesterho / Wikimedia Commons, CC0; paularps / Flickr, CC BY 2.0; LÊ TẤN LỘC / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; pelican from Tokyo, Japan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0; Theguywithkpdomain / Wikimedia Commons, CC0; Vivu Vietnam / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0; Christophe95 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; cosmicwindblown1 / Flickr, CC CC0 1.0; Steffen Schmitz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; lightwrite / Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0; TheGalleryCars / Flickr, CC BY 2.0. Photos edited with the AmGo Travel logo.