10 Best Things to Do in Hoi An

10 Best Things to Do in Hoi An

1. Stroll Around the Streets of Hoi An Old Town ♥️ Must Visit

Hoi An is an ancient city that has been established for many centuries. During its glory days, the place was one of the most popular trading posts in the entire region and brought prosperity to the people living here.

After many years have passed, much of its Old Town's vibe and its indigenous and foreign blended structures still remain pretty much intact and well preserved, making it one of the most historically rich places in the country that was not completely destroyed by the Vietnam War.

Exploring the crisscrossing streets of Hoi An Old Town is a delight, as you will find yourself surrounded by all these beautiful, old traditional houses, all painted in yellow. Additionally, you will find plenty of shops, art museums, and cafes where you can indulge yourself.

There are many sights that I highly recommend you check out, like the Bamu Temple Gate and the Japanese Bridge. But if you really want to do the city justice, I highly recommend you go on an organized walking tour so that you can get firsthand information on where the city came from and what Hoi An is really about.

Where to Stay in Hoi An?

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Tribee Bana Hostel

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PaPa Villa Homestay

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2. Admire the Beauty of the Japanese Bridge

One of the most important landmarks in Hoi An is the ancient wooden Japanese Bridge, a symbol of the Japanese merchant community that once lived and traded here. After more than 19 months of major restoration work, the bridge fully reopened to the public in August 2024.

The bridge's foundation is built using bricks and stones, while the bridge itself was built with pieces of wood and covered with an intricately designed roof that will certainly grab anyone's attention.

The bridge also contains a small temple, which is why it is commonly known in Vietnamese as Chùa Cầu. For foreign visitors, access is covered by the 120,000 VND Hoi An Ancient Town ticket, which includes the general heritage area plus a selection of ticketed monuments, including the Japanese Covered Bridge. You can also go on an organized walking tour if you want to dive deeper into the history and legends surrounding the bridge.

3. Support the Reaching Out Cafe

While you are in Hoi An, be sure to also drop by Reaching Out teahouse for a cup of tea or coffee, which is a popular cafe set inside an old rustic structure located right in the middle of the Old Town.

What makes this establishment so special is its social-enterprise model. The teahouse's servers are speech- and hearing-impaired, and the quiet service concept creates a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere while supporting meaningful employment for people with disabilities.

4. Drop By Ba Mu Temple Gates

Ba Mu Temple Gate is known for its elaborate three-entrance design and reflective pool. The religious complex behind it has changed considerably over the centuries, while the surviving gate has been restored and is now one of the most recognizable photo spots in Hoi An.

After the reopening of the temple, the gate has since attracted quite a crowd and has become one of the many Instagram hotspots in Hoi An. Despite having been renovated, the gate still retains its ancient look and feel that resembles the palaces in Hue.

If you are exploring Hoi An's Old Town, be sure to drop by the temple and check out this beautiful gate. A walking tour that you join should also take you here for photos, and they should be able to explain the in-depth history of the temple to you.

5. Visit Hoi An's Night Market

If you think Hoi An is pretty during the day, wait until you see it at night. Every night, the entire old town is converted into a night walking street market filled with shops, street food restaurants, and performances, while the streets are illuminated with all sorts of colorful lanterns the city is known for.

Visit Hoi An Old Town right before sunset to see the ancient town come alive and behold the sight of the ancient city illuminated by all the colorful lanterns from houses and shops that sell them. If you are interested, you can also learn how to make these colorful lanterns with a lantern-making class.

You will also find all kinds of street food stalls popping up all over the old town that you can enjoy. If you are a little confused about what you should eat in Hoi An because there are a ton of options for you to choose from, I highly recommend you go on the Hoi An's food tour by night, which will take you to all the cool places to eat in Hoi An.

You can also get on one of the many wooden boats you see along the canal and cruise along the river at sunset while you watch the city come to life, which is best seen from the water.

6. Relax by the An Bang Beach

If you are tired of the bustling old town, you can also spend some time relaxing at An Bang Beach, roughly 4 km from Hoi An Old Town. It usually takes around 15–20 minutes by bicycle, making it an easy ride from the center.

At the beach, you will also find many bars with sunbeds and deck chairs right by the beach, where you can indulge yourself. It is a great place to take a break from all the crowds in Hoi An, all the while enjoying the abundant sun of Southeast Asia.

7. Try The Best Bahn Mi in the World 🥘 Place to Eat

If you are looking for the best spots in Hoi An to try the best Bahn Mi in the world at an affordable price, I highly recommend you go for lunch or dinner at Bánh Mì Phượng restaurant, a local restaurant that is extremely popular among locals.

Keep in mind that this place really serves some of the most delicious Bahn Mi out there, and due to how affordable it is, you might see long queues in front of the place. You will likely have to wait in line for quite some time, but I can assure you the Bahn Mi here is well worth the wait.

8. Learn To Cook Vietnamese Food

If you love Vietnamese food and would like to learn a thing or two about their world-renowned cuisine, I highly recommend you join the Sabirama cooking class and learn the secret sauce of Vietnamese cuisine, known for its deliciousness.

With a cooking class tour, you will start learning from the beginning with a market tour to learn how to source the ingredients for Vietnamese cuisine. From there, you will be taught by a local chef and learn how to cook Vietnamese delicacies.

With this cooking class, you will be able to bring the cooking skills you learned here to use at home and integrate the healthiness of Vietnamese food into your everyday meals.

9. Explore the Countryside on a Bike

Hoi An is not very big, and most places, even the further ones like An Bang Beach, can all be reached by bikes. Hoi An is also known for its beautiful countryside, full of rice paddies, all waiting for you to explore.

The best way to see the countryside of Hoi An is to go on a Bike Tour where you will pedal through some of the most stunning parts of Hoi An's countryside and you will be able to learn the locals' way of life that you would likely miss if you were to only stay in the old town.

For those of you who are interested in learning more about Hoi An and not just being done with seeing only the surface of Hoi An like most tourists do, I highly recommend going on a tour and exploring the countryside on the back of a bike to truly see what Hoi An is actually like.

10. Visit My Son Ancient Ruins ☀️ Great Day Trip

Last but not least, if you have a day to spare in Hoi An, I highly recommend you go on a day trip to My Son Sanctuary, one of the most important religious and political centers of the Champa Kingdom. The sanctuary developed over many centuries and contains Hindu temple towers dedicated primarily to Shiva. As of 2026, it is open from 6 AM to 6 PM, and admission for foreign visitors is 150,000 VND, including the museum, electric shuttle, and Cham cultural performance.

My Son Sanctuary, although not as well maintained as other ancient ruins in the region, is still a fun day trip to make from Hoi An. You can stroll around this ancient ground and imagine what it must have been like in central Vietnam when the Champa Kingdom reigned over the area.

The tour to My Son is quite far, and it should take around half a day to get there and back, with a few hours to roam around the ruins. If you are interested in the long-forgotten history of this region, there is no better place to be than My Son Sanctuary.