With a former Chinese fishing village at its core, Hoi An is impossibly charming and it often becomes the top highlight of any tour of Vietnam. Since it’s much smaller than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An feels much more relaxed. This is a touristy place for sure, but it’s also very pleasant and an amazing travel bargain.
Hoi An is most noted as the best place in southeast Asia to have clothes custom made at very good prices, and it’s true that you’ll see scores of tailor shops all over.
The city is also a top culinary destination, with specialties from all over Vietnam available in its many reasonably priced restaurants.
| Population | 25,000 |
| Area | 120,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+7 |
| Currency | Vietnam Dong |
| Airports | Da Nang International Airport (DAD) |
Touring the Old Town area around the waterfront is something you’ll want to do with quite a bit of your time when visiting Hoi An.
Many people have suits and dresses custom made during a visit, and since they usually take at least a couple days it’s worth getting that started when you first arrive.
There is a lovely beach just outside of town, which can be very handy in the tropics where it is hot and somewhat humid every day of the year.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 9.00 - 16.00 |
| 12.00 - 39.00 |
| 19.00 - 64.00 |
| 33.00 - 87.00 |
| 196.00 - 350.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 8.00 - 20.00 |
Food and drinks are highlights of a visit to Hoi An, and quality tends to be high in the many restaurants with English-language menus that cater to tourists. You could save a bit of money eating along with locals in the places with plastic furniture, but at these prices most tourists are happy to go to places where they are more relaxed and comfortable.
Beer in particular is very cheap, with the local La Rue lager usually the cheapest option, but the other major lagers as well as the Asian-brewed Heineken are here too. Wine isn’t quite as much of a bargain by comparison, but mixed drinks start at reasonable prices for those who don’t like beer. The Vietnamese vodka is also easy to find by the bottle at shockingly low prices.
| Budget breakfast | Many hotels include breakfast, but if yours doesn't you won't have to go far to find omelets, pancakes, or filling bowls of noodles. | $1.36 - $2.23 |
| Budget lunch | Food is one of the attractions in Hoi An, and prices for great meals are low even by Vietnamese standards. | $1.36 - $4.13 |
| Budget dinner | Most tourist restaurants serve both local favorites and Western dishes, and are open all day and well into the evening. | $4.13 - $6.40 |
| Bia hoi (fresh local beer) | In Hoi An the local fresh beer is often used as a hook to get tourists into a restaurant, rather than at a stand-alone roadside bar like in Hanoi. | $0.19 - $0.29 |
| Bottled beer (.5L) | La Rue is the local lager and it's quite good and easy to find. Other area beers are also available everywhere, including right on the street. | $0.66 - $1.11 |
| Cau Lao | The signature local dish of pork, leafy vegetables, and thick noodles is cheap and filling. | $0.70 - $1.03 |
| Cocktails | Nearly every restaurant also serves mixed drinks with most popular choices and mixers available. | $1.24 - $3.30 |
| Banh mi sandwich | These French-inspired meat and salad sandwiches are cheap and wonderful, and the best anywhere is here in Hoi An. | $0.54 - $0.91 |
| Fresh fruit shake | Fresh tropical fruit is always in season and you can get juice or a shake (sometimes with yogurt) at any restaurant. | $0.41 - $0.83 |
| Soft drink | Streetside vendors and every restaurant all have a selection of cold soft drinks. | $0.41 - $0.62 |
Tours of My Son and other nearby sites are available everywhere, including your hotel front desk and many travel agencies throughout the city center. Prices tend to be standard at each place, but bargaining can’t hurt.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 76 | 67 | 4 |
| February | 77 | 69 | 1.3 |
| March | 81 | 72 | 1.2 |
| April | 85 | 75 | 1.3 |
| May | 89 | 78 | 2.5 |
| June | 91 | 80 | 3.4 |
| July | 91 | 79 | 3.6 |
| August | 91 | 79 | 4.3 |
| September | 88 | 77 | 12.1 |
| October | 83 | 75 | 22 |
| November | 79 | 72 | 13.2 |
| December | 75 | 68 | 8.8 |
Hoi An has a typical tropical weather pattern, with a dry season and a wet season, and temperatures that don’t vary significantly throughout the year.
From September through December the monsoons move through the area quickly and sudden and massive downpours can be expected. There are often sunny hours and even days in between the storms, but they are hard to predict far in advance.
The so-called dry season lasts from February through August, and during this period the rain is somewhat minimal, but you can expect it to feel at least a little humid all the time so the warm days tend to feel even warmer.
| 21 Mar | 5:50am | 5:59pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:12am | 6:17pm |
| 21 Sep | 5:38am | 5:58pm |
| 21 Dec | 5:58am | 5:31pm |
Hotels in Hoi An tend to be quite affordable so it’s worth a bit of a splurge. Hotels in the Old Town area close to the water are the best if you can afford it, but the whole area is easily walkable and you can save money or get a nicer place by booking a hotel a few blocks or more inland.
The hotels in Hoi An are plentiful and don’t change prices much through the year. The low season is during the rainy season from September through November, and you’ll have your pick of hotels and great deals can be found if you bargain a bit more in person.
If you are coming during the winter holidays then it’s a good idea to book as early as possible, and many of the recommended and more popular places can be sold out for days or weeks in advance, so if you have one place in mind it’s best to book early. Otherwise you’ll have no problem finding something upon arrival, and standards at even the 1 and 2-star levels are higher than you’d expect at these prices.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| 9.00 - 16.00 |
| 12.00 - 39.00 |
| 19.00 - 64.00 |
| 33.00 - 87.00 |
| 196.00 - 350.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 8.00 - 20.00 |
Most people visit Hoi An in the middle of a tour of Vietnam, starting in Hanoi and ending up in Saigon, or the other way around. The nearest large train station is in Danang, which is about 30 minutes away by shuttle. The nearly large airport is also in Danang.
Hoi An is made for walking since it’s compact, lovely, and totally flat.
Taxis are reasonably priced if you need them.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from Danang Airport to Hoi An | 20.64 |
| Taxi from Danang train station to Hoi An | 11.56 |
| Bus from Danang train station to Hoi An | 0.83 |
| 3km taxi ride in Hoi An | 1.98 - 2.48 |