Hội An was the Vietnamese town that I was most interested in visiting. I loved the idea of an ancient city on water to wander around in. Although I can imagine myself spending much more time there, I found that two days was the perfect amount of time to explore Hội An. Keep reading for my Hội An itinerary.
As part of our 10-day trip to Vietnam, we got to Hội An by flying into the Da Nang Airport using Vietnam Airlines. We found the airports in Vietnam to be very organized, cheap, and efficient. We booked a car for the forty-minute drive from the airport through our hotel, the Bel Mar Marina Hotel.
Hội An is an ancient trading town on the Thu Bon River, made of islands and canals. Because of its history as a trading town, many Asian cultures settled in it, which can be seen in the architecture and culture. The Ancient Town is a UNESCO world heritage site, but the preservation of the culture can be seen elsewhere in the area as well, such as the farming exhibitions.
Because most of what you want to see is so close, if you stay near the Ancient Town, you can quickly get around on foot or bicycle, which most hotels provide the use of.
What to Do in Hội An in Two Days
Wander around the Ancient Town
Many buildings have been preserved in the ancient area of Hội An. Buy a ticket at the kiosk by the Đường Cao Hồng Lãnh Bridge (on the water in front of Friendship Bread on An Hội) to enter five of these ancient buildings, which are found along pedestrian streets lined with restaurants and shops. The ticket lasts for two days.
You can visit one of each class of building- a home, an assembly center, a temple, a museum, and a trader’s shop.
Be sure to visit the Japanese Bridge, Chùa Cầu, which was built in the 17th century. You can cross the bridge by paying to be in the ancient town, but you need to punch your ticket to visit the interior of the bridge. The bridge connects the Chinese and Japanese quarters of the old town.
If you prefer to have a guide, consider a Hoi An Ancient Town tour.
Get New Glasses
Many opticians in town can make you glasses in just about 24 hours. You just bring your prescription from home and pick your glasses. You can also get a dress or suit made.
Take a Cooking Class
We did two cooking classes with Mrs. V’s Market.
My son took one just in the restaurant.
I did a half-day class in which we took bikes to the local market, trying foods and learning about local meats and vegetables.
We then went to local farms, where we got to plant some vegetables with a hilarious older farmer. I would recommend finding your way to see the farms, even if you don’t want to do a cooking class.
We then returned to the cooking school where we cooked numerous appetizers, tumeric pancakes with shrimp, and a scrumptious pork soup. The wonderful experience ended with an ice cream that made it onto my list of memorable ice cream from around the world: a creamy lemongrass ice cream.
MIA Pharmacy
Unfortunately, my son was unable to do the cooking class that I did because he got food poisoning. We are pretty sure that it came from a Bahn Mi sandwich from Mr. Pig’s street cart. On a positive note, The MIA pharmacy helped me get him what he needed quickly and efficiently. Thuy Linh was great at communicating and instructing me. Our hotel was also very helpful while he was sick by cleaning and bringing him extra water bottles.
Take a Boat Ride and Make a Wish on a Lantern
Right behind the kiosk to buy your tickets to the ancient town is a desk where you can purchase tickets for a 20-minute private boat ride. There are also people around who will sell you a lantern to put into the water.
Consider making your own lantern to take home with you.
Take a Bike Ride
The streets follow the Vietnamese style of traffic, so be sure you understand it before you try riding a bike around. Most hotels in the area will loan you their bikes, and this is how we got around if we weren’t walking.
The first bike ride that I took in Hoi An was part of my food tour, and it was a good way to learn to navigate the streets before I went out on my own. If you aren’t interested in doing the food tour, consider a bike tour.
Take A Coconut Boat Ride
On an offshoot of the Thu Bon River, reasonably close to the ancient town, you can catch a ride on a round boat paddled by a local. You will see coconut mangroves while taking a fun ride. I had heard that the drivers could be pushy, so book ahead with a recommended guide.
Quick was recommended to us by friends we met on our Halong Bay Cruise. His number is 84-93-544-3094. He will pick you up in his larger boat on the edge of the Ancient Town for a leisurely cruise and take you to meet your coconut boat.
The coconut boat operators will offer to spin you around if you want a wilder ride. They do expect to be tipped, so bring some cash with you. The experience takes about an hour.
You can also book through Trip Advisor for a tour including crabbing.
Grab a Croissant
Since Vietnam was a French colony in the past, the pastries are lovely. I enjoyed a homemade croissant at PuffPuff Croissant close to the pick-up for my coconut boat ride.
Do Some Shopping
It might not be real, but $13 for a useful knock-off North Face bag is a win for me!
Have a True Tea Experience
My son and I have a strong affinity for tea. We spent about 2 hours learning about and tasting different teas at La Koo Tea House tucked amongst the alleyways of Hội An.
Go to the Night Market
A night market in Vietnam is a collection of food stalls and stores that magically appear after dark. Hội An’s is right on An Hội.
You can also consider a Night Market tour.
Where to Stay in Hội An
Bel Marina Resort Hotel
We stayed at this waterfront hotel on a little island, An Hội, just a few blocks from the night market and the bridge to enter the Ancient City. They provided bikes to get around, although most of what we wanted to see was within walking distance. They also offer a shuttle to the beach and have an excellent included breakfast buffet. The room was gorgeous and cheap for American standards but pricey for Vietnam standards. We were happy to have splurged here.
Moire Hoi An
This resort is a larger, even more upscale property on the larger river and closer to the Ancient Town.
Song Thien Homestay
This is a very inexpensive homestay on the same street as the hotel we stayed at, so ideally located.
Hội An was the perfect place to spend a few days relaxing and wandering. We loved the food and history, and the skies were much clearer than our experience in Northern Vietnam. The only thing we would have done different here is not to have given my son the late-night Bahn Mi.
Are you planning a trip to Vietnam? Have you visited Hội An?
Great itinerary! There’re always too much things to do in Hoi An that the time I used to plan my trip to Hoi An is longer than the trip itself. Since you like Cao lau (like me do), just share with you where to eat best Cao lau that a local told me: https://blog.inspitrip.com/2218/hoi-an-two-traditional-food-and-where-to-find-them/
I bet everyone will find two days is too short time for enjoying Hoian. There are several friends of mine have come back Hoian and stay 3 more nights and they still think of possibilities to come back.