Hoi An is my favorite city in the world. The look and feel of the city’s ancient town make it unique from many other cities I have visited. While you could spend endless time just enjoying all that this fascinating city has to offer, three days is the ideal amount of time to get a good feel for Hoi An. This 3-day itinerary is perfect if you are into slow travel and wish to embrace the best aspects of this city!
Day 1
Day 1 is a pure exploration day. You will spend most of your time getting lost and exploring the beauty of Hoi An!
Get Lost in Ancient Town
No wasting time- let’s start the day with the best area in Hoi An, Ancient Town! Assuming you arrive in the city mid-day, start your visit to Ancient Town with some lunch by the river, then enjoy exploring the city’s cafes, stores, and exhibits.
Note: Technically you have to buy a ticket to enter Hoi An’s ancient town which comes with access to 5 historical Hoi An sites. It is very easy to walk into the town without buying a ticket. I recommend buying the ticket on the day you plan to visit the historical sites (see day 2).
Browse for Tailors
Hoi An is famous for having some of the best and cheapest tailors in the world. Visiting this city is a great chance to up your wardrobe game at a relatively low cost. I’ll be the first to admit that I hate shopping, but you simply can not say you visited Hoi An without at least walking into a tailor shop. Whether you wish to buy some clothes or not, hop into a store and see what they have to offer; The price and quality can not be beaten here!
Note: I ended up buying some suits, shirts, and dress pants from Kimmy’s Tailor and found their service to be exceptional!
Dinner and Ancient Town by Night
You might be wondering why am I going back to the Ancient Town? Well, Ancient Town at night has a different feel than during the day. If you have seen any pictures of Hoi An, I am sure you have seen tons of colorful lanterns along a beautiful waterfront. Well, tonight, you get to experience these beautiful evening images of Hoi An firsthand!
Start the evening by having dinner at one of Hoi An’s delicious restaurants. Once you are full, walk around the riverfront and marvel at all the colorful lanterns. If you wish you could also opt to take a touristic but fun river boat ride. Before you end the evening, stop by at a riverfront cafe and try A Hoi An specialty-coconut coffee!
Day 2
Lantern Making Class
There is a good chance that by now, you are utterly obsessed with Hoi An’s famous lanterns ( I was too); What better way to feed into that obsession than to learn how to make one yourself!? There are several lantern classes, but I highly recommend looking on Backstreet academy for one. All tours from Backstreet Academy are hosted by locals looking to share their knowledge and culture. Alternatively, you could browse Airbnb experiences or Get Your Guide. I recommend booking the class at least a day in advance.
Bahn Mi Phoung
You probably have heard of the famous Bahn Mi Phoung. If you are interested in trying it, head over after your lantern class and eat at one of the most famous Bahn Mi restaurants in the world!
Tailor Fitting
If you purchased any clothing from a tailor shop on day 1, you should allot some time for your fittings. Generally, a purchase comes with 2-3 fitting sessions to ensure your clothes fit perfectly. I booked all my fittings in the mid-afternoon when the weather was hotter and less comfortable to be outside. Alternatively, you can book this first thing in the morning to get it out of the way.
Ancient Town Historical Sites
The Ancient Town has many historical sites that you can visit and explore. While these sites are filled with tourists, they are worth allotting some time to. Buy an entry ticket into the Ancient town, and use it to visit five historical sites of your choice.
Bamboo Show
Conveniently located right along the main strip of the Ancient town waterfront, this bamboo trick/stunt show is an entertaining way to wrap up Day 2 in Hoi An
Day 3
Morning Bike ride to Tra Que Village
Start the day with an early Am bike ride to the Tra Que village area. Here you will get to see the rural side of Hoi An and observe many farmers in their day-to-day life. Be on the lookout for rice farmers, cattle, and fishermen!
Note: You will either have to rent a bike or ask your hostel/hotel for one.
An Bang Beach
Continue your bike ride and head towards An Bang Beach. Take some time to relax and walk along the waterfront or hop in the water for a swim!
Final Suit Fitting
Head back to central Hoi An and get your last suit fitting in. If everything looks good, you will leave the store with some brand-new clothes!
Last Evening in AncientTOwn
It’s your last night in this city, and my guess is you will want to spend it enjoying the views of the Ancient Town at night. Eat, drink and enjoy one last time under the lantern-lit city of Hoi An!
Wonderful commentry. Do tell more about how you were able to access Vegetarian food.