The best things to do in Hoi An
Hoi An is a town to walk. The Ancient Town is compact, and the first eight experiences on this list are within a few minutes of each other on foot. The rest of the list covers the evenings by the river, the beaches and two day trips by road. This is an editorial selection, not a ranking, and you will not manage all fifteen in one visit.
Fees and hours are those published for 2026 and can change. Where a fee or an opening time is unclear, the entry says so and tells you what to check on the day. Basket boats and cooking classes in the countryside are covered by the guide to Cam Thanh.
In the Ancient Town
Experiences 1 to 5: the streets, the bridge and three historic buildings.
1. Walk the Ancient Town
The old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. A local guide describes the streets, the riverbank and the An Hoi bridge as free to walk, while the houses and halls inside are charged. In March 2026 the heritage administration listed a core zone for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles from 09:00 to 21:30 in summer and 09:00 to 21:00 in winter.
Ancient Town guide →2. The Japanese Bridge
The covered bridge was restored over about 19 months and reopened to the public on 3 August 2024. It is the best-known landmark of the town. Whether you can walk through it, and when, may change, so look at the entrance before you plan around it.
Bridge and old town →3. Tan Ky House
An old merchant house open daily from 08:00 to 11:30 and from 13:30 to 17:45, according to Da Nang's tourism portal in December 2025. Its page still mentions the old ticket system, so do not rely on the prices printed there.
4. Phung Hung House
The house stands at 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, directly west of the bridge. A local guide lists daily hours of 08:00 to 18:00 with a possible short lunch break. These hours have not been confirmed by the house for 2026.
5. Fujian Assembly Hall
The hall at 46 Tran Phu was built for merchants from Fujian. It typically opens daily from 07:00 to 17:00. Treat that as a guide, not a guarantee.
Our picks: things to do
A walk through the old town, an evening food tour and a night show.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Evening food tour with a boat ride
Seven dishes at four stops, coffee and a drink, a 15-minute boat ride and a lantern for each guest. The Ancient Town ticket, hotel transfer and tips are not included.
Check availability →
Memories Show and Impression Theme Park combo ticket
The Impression Theme Park from 5 to 9 p.m. and the Memories Show from 8 to 9 p.m. Hotel transfer, food and drinks are not included.
Check availability →Hoi An Ancient Town walk with a local guide
A small-group walk with an English-speaking guide, finishing with dessert or tea and local tips. Hotel transfer and personal expenses are not included.
Check availability →Hoi An tours and tickets
Old town walks, evening boat rides, My Son and the Marble Mountains, with live prices and availability.
More houses and evenings by the river
Experiences 6 to 11: two more merchant houses, a stage show, the lantern night, the market and a boat.
6. Duc An House
Another old trading house, at 129 Tran Phu. Individual opening times are not published, so ask at the door before you queue.
7. Quan Thang House
This merchant house is at 77 Tran Phu, a few minutes from Duc An House. As with its neighbor, check the hours on the day.
8. Traditional stage performance
Shows run daily at 10:15, 15:15 and 16:15. Since 7 March 2026 they are held in a hall on the upper floor of the Song Hoai square, at 1 Cao Hong Lanh, instead of 66 Bach Dang. Check the address when you book.
9. The lantern night
On the 14th night of each lunar month the town holds its lantern evening, with music, poetry, chess and traditional performances. Local calendars list 23 October, 22 November and 22 December 2026, but the dates are planning dates, not guarantees. A separate international lantern festival is announced for 3 to 6 December 2026, so check its program before you plan around it.
Lantern festival →10. Nguyen Hoang night market
The market lies across the An Hoi bridge from the old town core. It sells lanterns, souvenirs and food, and runs roughly from 17:00 to 22:30 or 23:00. Parking nearby costs about VND 5,000 to VND 10,000. Whether the old town ticket is needed here is not settled, so ask at the nearest ticket point.
Night market guide →11. A boat on the Hoai River
Short rides with a floating lantern start next to the market and last 15 to 20 minutes. Published prices run from VND 150,000 per boat for one to three people to VND 200,000 for four to five people, and paper candles cost about VND 5,000 to VND 20,000. Agree the price before you board. This is not a long cruise on the Thu Bon.
Beaches and day trips
Experiences 12 to 15: two beaches, the Cham temples and the Marble Mountains.
12. An Bang Beach
About 5 km (3 miles) from the old town and 30 km (19 miles) from central Da Nang. Shaded loungers, huts, hammocks, restaurants and beach bars line the sand, and March to August is the recommended season. Coastal works are going on in autumn 2026, so check the sea and the flags before you swim.
An Bang Beach →13. Cua Dai
Cua Dai lies about 5 km (3 miles) east of the old town, where the Thu Bon meets the sea, and is the starting point for boats toward the Cham Islands. The beach and the boat harbor are not exactly the same place. Parts of the coast have had erosion and repairs, so do not assume a wide beach.
14. My Son Sanctuary
The Cham temple complex dates from the 4th to the 13th century and has been UNESCO-listed since 1999. It opens from 06:00 to 18:00, and the dance show times include 09:45, 10:30, 11:15, 14:00 and 16:00, weather permitting. Fees are in flux: a 2026 decision names VND 40,000 per visit, while the ticket portal still showed VND 150,000 for foreign visitors plus a VND 30,000 shuttle ticket. Some bomb craters from the war years remain among the ruins.
My Son guide →15. Marble Mountains (Thuy Son)
Caves, pagodas and viewpoints about 20 km (12 miles) from Hoi An, 30 to 35 minutes by scooter. Adults pay VND 40,000, students VND 10,000, and children under 6 enter free, from 07:00 to 17:00 (reference prices, January 2026). Am Phu cave is a separate VND 20,000. The elevator costs about VND 15,000 one way, and it does not replace all the stairs. Steps get slippery when wet.
Marble Mountains guide →Plan the rest of your stay
Tours, transport and the right season.
For guided options, see the tours page. If you arrive through Da Nang, the transfer guide compares taxi, Grab and bus. Travelers heading north can read about Hue, which has its own guide.
Things to do in Hoi An: frequently asked questions
What is the best thing to do in Hoi An in one day?
Walk the Ancient Town in the morning, pick one or two houses, see the Japanese Bridge, and stay for the lantern night. If it is the 14th night of the lunar month, add the evening on the river. Leave My Son and the Marble Mountains for another day.
When is the next lantern night?
Local calendars list 23 October, 22 November and 22 December 2026. These are planning dates, so check them before you go.
How long do I need for My Son and the Marble Mountains?
For the Marble Mountains, calculate 2 to 3 hours on site. My Son is a half-day trip, and a combined tour of both can last about 11 hours. Public bus 01DL to My Son is suspended from 15 September 2026 for six months.
Is An Bang Beach safe for swimming?
Only in guarded, limited swimming zones, and not in bad weather or strong currents. Heed warning signs and lifeguards. The tourism portal recommends March to August for the beach, but weather and currents come first, and works are going on along the coast in 2026.
Are the old houses open every day?
Tan Ky House lists daily hours with a lunch break, and the Fujian Assembly Hall typically opens daily. For the other houses, check the hours at the door.