Hoi An
Travel Guide
Pale yellow houses draped in bougainvillea, shopfronts lit with the glow of silk lanterns, women in conical hats lifting baskets of slippery fish from their boats -- life in old town Hoi An looks like a picture postcard of a Vietnamese country town. Of course, that didn't happen by accident. In 1999, the riverside town was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in an effort to preserve its core of historic architecture, a unique mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and European styles. The listing gave Hoi An the resources and impetus to better protect and maintain its wonderful architecture, and to market itself as a tourist destination. It worked, and the town now attracts visitors by the droves.
The tourist trade is now Hoi An's bread and butter, and just about every business in town is geared to it. Restaurants offer menus of local specialties and American breakfasts, tailors offer suits made in less than 24 hours. It can easily feel like one giant showcase with little in the way of an independent life of its own. Yes, it's a big tourist trap, but even so -- it's an excellent tourist trap that shouldn't be missed. Most people who visit are charmed, and even cynics will likely seek an excuse to justify liking it.
Historians believe that Hoi An was founded more than 2,000 years ago as a primitive port for the Sa Huynh people, thanks to evidence from archaeological excavations which have also pointed towards early trade with the Han dynasty in China. Through to the 15th century, the port was absorbed into the Kingdom of Champa and was known first as Lam Ap and later as Faifo. During this period, it developed into a prosperous trading port visited by trading fleets from as far afield as the Arabian peninsula. As a hub of regional trade, Hoi An brought considerable affluence to the Champa Kingdom, evidence of which can be seen at nearby My Son.
The number of traders visiting Hoi An escalated as the centuries marched on, with the Portuguese, Dutch, British and French all making an appearance, along with the ever-present Chinese, Japanese and Indians. The majority of Hoi An's most beautiful buildings were constructed from the 15th to 19th centuries.
Hoi An's star began to fade as trade slowly moved north to the larger and more industrial port of Da Nang. Today, little trade occurs aside from tourist boats, and only small-scale fishing boats use the port commercially. The foreign visitors are no longer traders, but tourists. Many visitors pass through quickly, catching a glimpse of the colourful atmosphere, and perhaps having a rush order put through on a suit or a dress. However, those willing to stick around a little longer will be rewarded. The town conceals a dozen or so engaging historical attractions, and the area offers beaches and ruins worth some daytrips. And most importantly, those who linger in town will get to see the real life lurking behind Hoi An's faded facade.
Related reading
Hoi An -- Walking over the dragon
Is the Hoi An culture tour worth it?
Lonely Planet Vietnam 9
Photos of Hoi An, Vietnam
Check Hoi An hotel rates on Agoda. Best price guarantee!
Accommodation: Hoi An
An Phu Hotel |
Anhuy Hotel |
Dai Long Hotel |
Ha An Hotel |
Hoa Binh Hotel |
Hoi An Hotel |
Hop Yen Hotel |
Life Heritage Resort |
Phuong Dong Hotel |
Thanh Binh 2 Hotel |
Thanh Binh 3 |
Thanh Van 2 Hotel |
Thanh Xuan Hotel |
Thien Nga Hotel |
Thien Thanh |
Thuy Duong 3 Hotel |
Vinh Hung 2 Hotel |
Accommodation: Cua Dai Street
Ancient House Resort |
Betel Garden Homestay |
Cua Dai Hotel |
Glory Hotel |
Greenfield Hotel |
Hoi An Riverside Resort |
Sunflower Hotel |
Accommodation: Cua Dai Beach
Hoi An Beach Resort |
Palm Garden Resort |
River-beach Resort (Dong An Beach Resort) |
Sun and Sand Hotel |
Swiss-Belhotel Golden Sand Resort |
Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa |
Accommodation: An Hoi islet
Long Life Riverside Hotel |
Text and/or map last updated on 23rd May, 2013.
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From the blogs
Review: Hoang Trinh Hotel, Hoi An
10:59 pm, 17 Jun 2013
Hoi An street food
12:35 am, 11 Jun 2013
Getting shoes made in Hoi An
8:04 am, 6 Jun 2013
Street food Hoi An: Com ga
12:28 am, 4 Jun 2013
Hoi An’s cao lau noodle
12:54 am, 28 May 2013
Hoi An street food: Bun bo Hue
1:15 am, 16 May 2013
Review: The Moon Restaurant, Hoi An
6:11 am, 10 May 2013
Tourist etiquette in Hoi An
8:38 am, 8 May 2013
Hoi An night eats: Quan Tu Sang
2:20 am, 2 May 2013
Hoi An street food: Bo sot vang
1:29 am, 23 Apr 2013
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Book Online
An Phu Hotel
288 Nguyen Duy HieuFrom: US$11.67 with HostelWorld
Anhuy Hotel
30-Phan Boi ChauFrom: US$15.25 with HostelWorld
Dai Long Hotel
680 Hai Ba Trung StreetFrom: US$7.00 with HostelWorld
Glory Hotel
538 Cua Dai St., Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province Address 2 :From: US$31.50 with HostelWorld
Grassland Hotel
22 Hai Ba Trung streetFrom: US$10.00 with HostelWorld
Green Field Hotel
423 Cua Dai StFrom: US$9.00 with HostelWorld
Ha An Hotel
06 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoi An Town, Quang Nam prFrom: US$80.00 with HostelWorld
Hai Au Hotel
576 Cua DaiFrom: US$17.00 with HostelWorld
Hai Yen Hotel
22A Cua Dai StreetFrom: US$12.50 with HostelWorld
Hoi An Lotus Hotel
Cua Dai RoadFrom: US$25.00 with HostelWorld
Hoi An Trails Resort
276 Cua Dai Road, Hoi An, VietnamFrom: US$36.00 with HostelWorld
Hoian Orchid Family Resort
382 Cua Dai StreetFrom: US$27.08 with HostelWorld
Hop Yen Hotel
694 Hai BÃ Trưng street 103 BÃ Triệu streetFrom: US$9.00 with HostelWorld
Nhi Nhi Hotel
60 Hung Vuong StreetFrom: US$22.50 with HostelWorld
Nhi Trung Hotel
700 Hai Ba Trung Nhi TrungFrom: US$10.00 with HostelWorld








Hoi An reviews
Backchat from the Travelfish community
Hoi An is nice place to visit
My friend and i went to Hoian in April 2011. We booked a hotel and car pick up and tour..... by Yourlocalbooking.com . Everything is great , nothing to say worse !We stayed at Hoian Beach Resort, we did enjoy max to spend our vacation night there! Best service we've ever experienced. Would stay here again if ever in the area. As an example of the service quality, they checked with airline before our departure to make sure all was in order and came across an issue where my husband's booking wasn't found. We didn't have the reservation code but they somehow got access to the records and were able to sort it out so we were all set to depart smoothly. Not sure any other hotel would go this far, particularly without being prompted to do so!
By lelee123 (dabbler)
Written on 13th March, 2012 after a visit to Hoi An in April, 2011
They say stay - I say day trip
I'm going to agree here - but disagree that it is still a great place to base yourself out of (See my review of Da Nang). If you've been to Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Lijiang, etc - then you know what to expect form Hoi'an and I'm sure a stay for one or two nights will be fine. However, I didn't find the place that photogenic, and the while the bars on the beach are nice, the beach is a lot dirtier than the one in Da Nang, which probably gets cleaned more often and has fewer tourists leaving garbage behind. Most of what you'd buy here you should haggle like crazy for, and really - are you coming to an 'old town' to shop for crafts/crap? If the answer to that is yes - then you'll like it here, but I found the three cities I mentioned above far more photogenic and less crowded than Hoi'an (Save for Chiang Mai to be honest, though I found that had a better overall traveller scene).
All that said, you can find some interesting shops, and a place to sit down for a beer. If you're headed north or south with your own bike you may as well stop for a night here before moving on. Though, I think you'd enjoy basing out of Da Nang more and just spending a day here. Maybe I'm just tired of going to the 'same city' over and over again, and if you are just visiting and as the review says ''know what you're getting into'' then you probably will find this a pleasant place to stay.
By caseyprich (dabbler)
Written on 1st February, 2012 after a visit to Hoi An in January, 2012
Also reviewed by caseyprich: Battambang, Can Tho, Champasak, China Beach, Da Nang, Don Dhet, Gili Meno, Hue, Kampot, Kawah Ijen,
An enigma
Hoi An is an enigma. On the one hand, it's a charming, extremely photogenic place with nice, friendly locals and good food/accommodations. The nearby beach is an added plus.
It is quite beautiful at night as all the shops start to light up their windows.
I thought the sellers were fine and friendly. Obviously, they try to get you to go in their shops, but they weren't too oppressive (to me).
On the other hand, it is an overt tourist trap. While you can probably get some nice handmade clothes made, most of the 'shops' carry what clearly look like mass-produced factory products from China.
If you do some shopping you should visit Lifestart - an NGO helping the disabled and disadvantaged around Hoi An. They actually make a lot of handmade and unique items (scarves, notecards, jewelry etc.). The nice thing is that the products are handmade locally, unique and of a very high quality. Much better option than buying a factory-made doodad.
By Andrewjmarino (dabbler)
Written on 24th October, 2011 after a visit to Hoi An in October, 2011
Also reviewed by Andrewjmarino: Banteay Chhmar, Phimai, Surin,
Hoi An
As the above two reviews but somehow it retains its charm. I considered staying 3 nights but having got round it in a day and a half I'm leaving after 2 night's. But it is quaint and pretty. Bikes and motos abound but having arrived here from a 6 day Easyrider tour I wanted to walk around ! Enjoy this pretty little town.
By Prettyfish16 (dabbler)
Written on 31st July, 2011 after a visit to Hoi An in July, 2011
Also reviewed by Prettyfish16: Kampot, Kanchanaburi,
So so
Hoi An is so so. As long as you know what you're getting into, you'll have fun.
Pros: You get to experience an "old town" and walk along the narrow streets, enjoying the riverside and (sort of) countryside. Check out The Cargo Club (or whatever it's called) -- really good chocolate croissants at a fair price for something so delicious, the coffee is good too. If you escape town on a bike/motorbike, it's great to see what life is like away from so many Westerners. But then again, if that's what you want to do, you shouldn't come to Hoi An in the first place.
Cons: Extremely overpriced and without a currency exchange that will buy VND back (I was told by a number of local banks that I needed to change my VND back in the US). When you pay for your room, if your price is quoted in dollars, you will likely pay 21,000 VND per dollar, rather than the market price of 19,000 or so. Additionally, eating here is (relative to the rest of the country) extremely expensive -- e.g. six spring rolls for 45,000 rather than 18,000 in HMC. Finally, the town is flooded with Westerners, something I note as a Con, but something that might make others feel more comfortable and safe.
So like I said, overall, as long as you see everything coming in advance and know what to expect, Hoi An is a pretty cool little town.
By oldsole00 (dabbler)
Written on 27th January, 2011 after a visit to Hoi An in January, 2011
Hoi An is well worth a visit
Hoi An is well worth a visit. Easily accessible, can walk, hire a bike, ride a cycle or catch a taxi if necessary. Exactly as described above. Today is raining so it is not as fun but great opportunity to go to Cooking school. I am enjoying watching the passing traffic and seeing who is wearing the most creative rain wear.
last night at high tide the river front had risen over the bank in one section but one only needed to walk to the next block to gain access to restaurants.
Have noticed a couple of rats in one restaurant but guess this is part and parcel of living close to river and providing an abundant food supply for these rodents. Anyone else got a similiar story? This was a place recommended in guide books and seemed very clean otherwise.
Towards the end of town there is a new (?)swanky place called ''Brothers'' - lovely garden setting. plenty of riverside tables, lunch and dinner and have yet to try the food.
Repetitive range of shopping options, fabric, tailors, shoes, eating but this is a tourist town. Enjoyed the heritage buildings. Highlight for me is watching ordinary people trying to earn a living and seeing such industry for so little return which is what I suspect applies in the embroidery shop I saw yesterday.
I am actually here early January but this PC's time setting is out of whack and could only go as far as Deember.
Hoi An is well worth a visit. joyV2
By Joyvee2 (dabbler)
Written on 4th January, 2011 after a visit to Hoi An in December, 2010