🇻🇳Hoi An
A UNESCO-listed trading port frozen in time — lantern-lit streets, a centuries-old Japanese bridge, and a tailoring industry that can turn a sketch into a custom suit in 48 hours.
Mid-range figures, per person · DAD is the nearest major airport
Per person, no flights — those are just below. The mid-range figure is researched; budget and comfort scale it, so treat the two as rough. The trip calculator and hotels below break the day down properly.
Fares are into Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Domestic legs on Vietnam Airlines or Vietjet run $25–70 each way. Ranges are typical fares booked 1–3 months out, checked mid-2026 — school-holiday peaks run higher, and patient shoppers beat the bottom end.
Prices checked · how we work these out
Is Hoi An expensive to visit?
No, it's one of the cheaper places this site covers: a mid-range day in Hoi An costs $25–55 per person, and its $38 midpoint is 58% below the $90 median across all 127 cities here. Within Vietnam it runs 6% below the $40 average of our 4 Vietnam guides. That makes it pricier than 5 of the 127 cities, with a cheap meal at $1.50–4 and a mid-range hotel at $30–65 a night.
How much does a trip to Hoi An cost?
| Trip length | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $45–105 | $75–165 | $135–300 |
| 5 days | $75–175 | $125–275 | $225–500 |
| 7 days | $105–245 | $175–385 | $315–700 |
| 14 days | $210–490 | $350–770 | $630–1,400 |
Per person and before flights, 3 days in Hoi An costs $75–165 mid-range, five days $125–275, a week $175–385 and two weeks $350–770; a week costs about $105–245 on a budget and $315–700 travelling in comfort.
Per person in US dollars, flights not included. Each total is a daily range from the band above multiplied out: mid-range is the guide's researched figure and already includes a mid-range room; budget and comfort scale it by 0.6 and 1.8, so treat those two as rough. The trip calculator lets you set your own days and group size.
Entry & visa
Many nationalities can apply for a 45-day e-visa online in advance, and some countries get short visa-free stays — check current requirements for your passport before booking.
Visa rules turn on your nationality and change often — always confirm the current requirement for your own passport with an official government source before you book.
Quick facts
Money & what things cost
Mostly a cash town, especially in the Ancient Town's markets and small tailor shops, though larger hotels and restaurants take cards. ATMs are available but less dense than in Da Nang, so it's worth withdrawing enough before arriving if staying a few days. The Ancient Town charges a small entrance ticket fee that grants access to a handful of historic houses, temples, and the Japanese Bridge — buy it at one of the official ticket booths.
What locals earn
| Earnings | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Average monthly salary (Hoi An area) | ≈ $300–350 | gross; heavily tied to tourism, tailoring, and hospitality |
| Minimum wage (Region II, Hoi An/Quang Nam) | ≈ $170/month | government-set regional minimum, slightly lower than Da Nang's |
Food & drink
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Cao lau or banh mi from a local stall | 25,000–40,000₫ | $1–1.60 |
| Casual restaurant meal, per person | 70,000–130,000₫ | $3–5.50 |
| Mid-range riverside dinner, per person | 200,000–400,000₫ | $8–16 |
| Vietnamese iced coffee | 20,000–35,000₫ | $0.80–1.40 |
| Custom tailored shirt (budget shop) | 300,000–600,000₫ | $12–25 |
Transport
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Bicycle rental, per day (many hotels include free) | 30,000–50,000₫ | $1.20–2 |
| Grab motorbike, short trip | 15,000–25,000₫ | $0.60–1 |
| Grab car, across town | 40,000–80,000₫ | $1.60–3.20 |
| Da Nang Airport → Hoi An, Grab/taxi (~45 min) | 300,000–400,000₫ | $12–16 |
Where to sleep & what it costs
| Tier | Per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | $5–10 | Mostly a short walk or bike ride from the Ancient Town |
| Budget hotel | $18–35 | Often includes bicycle use and a pool even at this tier |
| Mid-range hotel | $35–70 | Riverside and near-beach (An Bang) options both available |
| Luxury | $130+ | Beachfront resorts near An Bang Beach concentrate the top end |
Been recently? Check our prices
One tap per figure. Check-ins reset whenever this guide is re-priced, so they only ever vouch for the numbers you see here.
Trip cost calculator
$38 per person per day · 4 nights of lodging (Mid-range hotel)
A rough estimate, not a quote. The daily budget already includes a room, so one traveler pays exactly days × that budget; lodging is the room’s part of it, priced from the hotels below but never more than 45% of the trip. Extra travelers share the room and add only their own spending. Flights use the midpoint of the Getting there ranges above.
Getting around
- From the airport
- Da Nang International Airport is about 45 minutes away — Grab, taxi, or a pre-arranged hotel shuttle are the main options, running 300,000–400,000₫ for a car.
- Walking
- The Ancient Town itself is fully walkable and partially pedestrianized at certain hours — genuinely one of the most walkable historic centers in Southeast Asia.
- Bicycle
- The best way to get around beyond the Ancient Town core — flat terrain, dedicated paths in places, and most hotels rent or lend bikes for free or a small fee.
- Grab (ride-hailing app)
- Useful for reaching An Bang Beach (about 3km from the Ancient Town) or the airport, with fixed upfront pricing.
- Motorbike/scooter rental
- Widely available and popular for day trips to the Marble Mountains or Da Nang, though the same first-timer caution and international permit requirements apply as elsewhere in Vietnam.
Map
Drag to look around, or open Google Maps ↗ · Apple Maps ↗
Neighborhoods to stay in
- Ancient Town / Old Town
- The most atmospheric base, walking distance to everything historic, though can feel touristy and noisy in the evening lantern rush.
- An Bang Beach
- A relaxed beach base about 15–20 minutes by bike from the Ancient Town, with a younger, more laid-back cafe scene.
- Cam Chau / riverside outskirts
- Quieter, often set among rice paddies, a short bike ride from the center — good for a slower-paced stay.
Things to do
Nightlife
Restaurants
Theater & shows
Tipping & etiquette
- The Ancient Town's paid ticket covers entry to a handful of historic sites (Japanese Bridge, ancient houses, temples) — keep it on hand, as it may be checked at multiple stops.
- Bargaining is expected at the markets but should stay friendly — this is especially true when negotiating a tailoring order, where price often depends on fabric quality and turnaround time.
- Lanterns are released onto the river as part of the monthly Full Moon Lantern Festival — a particularly atmospheric time to visit if the dates align with a trip.
- Dress modestly at the Ancient Town's temples and communal houses — shoulders and knees covered.
How to spend a trip to Hoi An
The Ancient Town is small and walkable, and the two things that actually set your schedule are the tailoring — which needs a fitting a day after the order — and the evening, when the lanterns come on and the streets fill.
One day works, but it is the one length where you cannot order anything tailored and expect to collect it. Walk the Ancient Town in the morning and again after dark; they are two different towns.
- MorningThe Ancient Town early, before the coaches: the Japanese Covered Bridge, the old houses your ticket covers, and the riverside streets while they are quiet.
- MiddayBanh mi at Banh Mi Phuong, then cao lau somewhere with plastic stools, because the town's own dish is worth going out of your way for.
- AfternoonAn Bang Beach by bike, about fifteen minutes out and a useful escape from the heat and the crowds.
- EveningBack for the lanterns, dinner at Morning Glory or the Cargo Club terrace, and a drink at Q Bar.
Two to three days is the guide's own answer, and three is the number that makes tailoring possible — order on the first day, fit on the second, collect on the third.
- Day 1The Ancient Town on foot, and your tailoring order placed early so there is time for a proper fitting. Get the price itemized in writing.
- Day 2An Bang Beach and the rice-paddy lanes by bicycle, with Soul Kitchen for the afternoon, then your fitting on the way back.
- Day 3A cooking class in the morning, the Thu Bon River lantern boats after dark, and your finished clothes collected in between.
Hoi An is a two-to-three-day town and five days is more than it needs — the Ancient Town is roughly ten streets. What saves the length is the coast and the neighboring city, both close enough to treat this as a base.
- Days 1–3The three-day plan above: the Ancient Town, the beach, the tailoring, and a cooking class.
- Day 4Da Nang is 45 minutes north and a completely different kind of place — a bigger beach, the Dragon Bridge, and Ba Na Hills if you want a full day of it.
- Day 5The Marble Mountains on the way between the two, then a slow last evening here. Or simply stop moving: this is a town that rewards a day with nothing in it.
- In the wet seasonKeep the plan loose. Between October and December the low streets can flood for a day or two, and that is normal rather than a disaster.
Safety & common scams
Hoi An is one of the safest and calmest towns in Vietnam for visitors, with low crime and a relaxed, walkable center. The main practical risks are traffic on the roads leading into town (from bicycles/motorbikes) and, seasonally, flooding in the Ancient Town during the wet season, which can close low-lying streets for a day or two.
Scams to know
- Rushed or lower-quality tailoring from shops offering same-day turnaround at rock-bottom prices — read reviews and allow at least 24–48 hours and one fitting for good results.
- Overcharging on custom orders by adding costs after the fact — get a clear, itemized price in writing before agreeing to any tailoring order.
- Unofficial 'guides' at the Ancient Town gates offering unsolicited tours for a fee — official ticket booths and licensed guides are clearly marked.
- Overpriced boat trips or lantern-release vendors along the river — agree on the price before boarding or accepting a lantern to release.
Emergency numbers: 113 (police), 114 (fire), 115 (ambulance)
Phone & internet
Cheap and reliable — a tourist SIM or eSIM (Viettel, Mobifone, Vinaphone) costs $3–8 for a couple of weeks of data, easiest to buy at Da Nang Airport on arrival since Hoi An itself has fewer official shops. Coverage is strong throughout the town and nearby beaches.
First-timer FAQs
How many days do I need?
Two to three days covers the Ancient Town, a tailoring order (which needs at least one fitting), and a beach day at An Bang; a cooking class or Marble Mountains day trip can extend this to four or five.
Is Hoi An or Da Nang the better base?
Hoi An has more historic charm and is more walkable; Da Nang has the airport, bigger beach, and more nightlife. They're about 45 minutes apart, so many visitors split time between both or day-trip from one to the other.
How does the tailoring actually work?
Pick a shop (ideally researched or recommended in advance), choose fabric and a style — from a photo or an existing garment — get measured, and expect at least one fitting before the final piece; rushing this reduces quality.
Does the Ancient Town really flood?
Yes, seasonally — heavy rain between October and December can raise the Thu Bon River enough to flood the lowest streets for a day or two; it's a known local phenomenon, not a sign of a rare disaster, but worth checking forecasts if traveling in that window.
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