Hoi An is a suitable destination for year-round tourism, especially during the holidays, when the ancient town is decorated with traditional features and many festivals take place.

Hoi An, Vietnam | 48 Hours in Hoi An
| 48 Hours in Hoi An
Cau Bridge Pagoda @vnexpress.net | 48 Hours in Hoi An
Hoi An lanterns, the signature image of this ancient town | 48 Hours in Hoi An

The 48-hour itinerary in Hoi An is introduced to tourists from other localities who come to Hoi An by air, landing at Da Nang airport. The itinerary is suggested by Ms. Ngo Minh Trang, a media representative of a hotel in Hoi An, Xuan Phuong, a local tourism worker, and the actual experience of a VnExpress reporter.

@ahoyvietnam.com | 48 Hours in Hoi An

48 Hours in Hoi An: Day 1

Morning

Have breakfast and drink coffee in Da Nang city. Breakfast dishes in Da Nang include: fish noodle soup, fish noodle soup, Quang noodles, bread (especially tapioca bread) on streets such as Nguyen Chi Thanh, Le Duan, Le Dinh Duong, Hoang Dieu.

Cao Lau noodles

Drink coffee at shops along Bach Dang street overlooking the Han River swing bridge, Dragon bridge or on Pham Van Dong street towards My Khe beach.

Traveling to Hoi An ancient town, about 30 km away.

| 48 Hours in Hoi An

Visit Tra Que vegetable village, located near the route from Da Nang to Hoi An ancient town, about 4 km from the center of the ancient town. This is a favorite destination for many foreign tourists and has recently attracted the attention of domestic tourists, with activities such as: being a harvester, learning to cook.

A corner of Tra Que herb village. Photo: Minh Trang | 48 Hours in Hoi An

Tra Que vegetable village is more than 18 hectares wide, growing more than 40 types of vegetables, located next to Co Co river, silted all year round. The most famous are basil, onions, coriander and water spinach grown from seeds. Tra Que supplies clean vegetables to supermarkets and hotels in the area.

Tra Que vegetable village | 48 Hours in Hoi An

Noon

Stop by An Bang beach to rest and have lunch. There is a row of fresh seafood restaurants for visitors to choose from. Note that you should refer to the menu and prices in advance. If you can’t eat seafood, you can visit Vietnamese or European restaurants also at An Bang beach.

Suggested seafood restaurants: Sao Bien, Canh Buom Trang, Gio Bien, Nam Gia, Hai San Sen. European restaurants highly rated by Tripadvidor visitors: Shore Club An Bang Beach, Moyo Beach Club, The Deck House, The Hmong Sisters and The Fisherman Vegan Restaurant.

| 48 Hours in Hoi An

Check in Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa (klook, agoda) located in Cua Dai area. This resort has 193 rooms, including 25 sea-view villas with 3 to 5 bedrooms, private swimming pool, garden, suitable for family trips. Room rates here start from 3.5 million VND. The resort has the advantage of being quiet, not crowded but still convenient and takes 15 minutes to reach the old town.

Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa | 48 Hours in Hoi An
A villa at Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa

If you do not like staying in Cua Dai area, visitors can choose hotels in the center of the old town, on routes such as Hai Ba Trung, Tran Phu, Tran Hung Dao.

Afternoon and evening

| 48 Hours in Hoi An

Rest, swim in the sea or swim in the infinity pool at the hotel. Have an early dinner at Food Studio restaurant with local dishes.

Enjoy the live show “Hoi An Memories”, the stage is about 6 km from the hotel, with private car. Hoi An Memories was honored by the World Travel Awards as “World’s Leading Entertainment Destination” in 2022.

Photo by: Giang Huy | 48 Hours in Hoi An

Hoi An Memories Show with Hoi An Impression Theme Park Combo Ticket

Hoi An Memories Island is a tourism – resort – cultural complex. This complex includes 3 main areas, in which the live show “Hoi An Memories” gathers more than 500 actors performing on an outdoor stage of 25,000 m2, the grandstand has a capacity of 3,300 spectators located on Con Hen Island, Cam An ward. More than 4 years since its launch, “Hoi An Memories” has had more than 2,000 performances and welcomed more than 2 million visitors.

Photo by: Giang Huy

Entrance tickets range from 600,000 VND to 1 million VND per person (depending on seating position). Visitors can book tickets online in advance, or book through travel agents to get a discount.

Return to the hotel for the night.

Day 2

Morning

Cycling around Hoi An ancient town in the early morning. Photo: Minh Trang | 48 Hours in Hoi An

Wake up early in the morning, cycle into Hoi An ancient town to visit and have breakfast.

“Wandering around the ancient town early in the morning when there are no tourists and the shops are not open is an experience not to be missed because then visitors will feel the most authentic Hoi An”, Ms. Trang suggested.

Have breakfast at one of the sidewalk restaurants along the Hoai River or along the old town such as Pho Tung, a typical Hoi An restaurant. Small dry pho bowl, less noodles but delicious meat, different spices from other regions. Other dishes that visitors can choose from include: bread, Quang noodles, wonton, rice noodles, rice cakes, chicken sticky rice.

Visit Bay Mau coconut forest (Cam Thanh coconut forest). In winter, the coconut forest opens from 8am and closes at 5:30pm every day.

Tourists on basket boat discovering the mangrove forest Photo: dananghoian
Beautiful Bay Mau Coconut Forest Photo: dananghoian | 48 Hours in Hoi An

Bay Mau Coconut Forest Basket Boat & Cooking Class by Coco Flower

Bay Mau coconut forest is located about 3km from the center of the old town. Entrance fee: 30,000 VND per person, boat rental price from 150,000 VND to 200,000 VND per boat. The main activities here that most visitors participate in are: going on a basket boat to sightsee, watching basket dance and boat racing, fishing nets, making souvenirs from coconut leaves.

Lunch and afternoon

Back to the old town, enjoy one of the typical dishes of Hoi An cuisine: dumplings, White Rose rice cakes or chicken rice. Chicken rice restaurants recommended by many tourists in Hoi An include: Ba Buoi, Ba Nga, Xi chicken rice, Co Man chicken rice.

| 48 Hours in Hoi An

Hoi An chicken rice is special in its ingredients. The rice used to cook chicken rice is a type of rice from the Central region, fragrant, rich in flavor, round and unbroken. The chicken used to make rice is usually firm, sweet and soft and not mushy. Another highlight is the bright yellow chicken skin, creating the characteristic color of the dish.

Hoi An chicken rice

Enjoy the panoramic view of Hoi An from a high-rise cafe at one of the cafes such as Faifo Coffee, The Chef, The Hill Station Hoi An, 92 Station – Restaurant & Cafe. These cafes also have food, visitors can combine both eating and drinking here to save time.

Faifo Cafe, Hoi An, Vietnam | 48 Hours in Hoi An

“Many young people and foreign visitors like to choose a high space to enjoy Hoi An in a peaceful and gentle way,” Phuong said.

Alternatives

If you stay in Hoi An longer, you can choose to go to Cu Lao Cham, stroll around the old town at night and go boating to release flower lanterns, have clothes (ao dai, skirts, European clothes) tailored on the same day, go to Thanh Ha pottery village, visit the ancient houses that have been ranked.

Cu lao Cham

During Tet holiday (Lunar New Year), you should stay in the old town longer because this place is filled with the traditional Tet atmosphere. Hoi An during Tet is also the place where many cultural activities, traditional festivals, experience handicraft stalls, or release flower lanterns on the Hoai River and folk art performances take place.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Hoi An you can refer to

Read more Hoi An guide here.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR