Hoi An, Vietnam: Ultimate One-Day Trip Guide with Tips to Avoid Tourist Traps

Hoi An Ancient Town is one of the 50 places certified by National Geographic as a must-visit in a lifetime. With its yellow walls, ancient houses, lanterns by the riverside, tiled roofs, coconut groves, and boat shadows, it’s a breathtakingly beautiful scroll that transcends time 🏮✨
🚗: From Da Nang city, it takes about 30-40 minutes by taxi.

✅ Coconut boat drifting
⏰ It’s recommended to go before 11 am or around 4-5 pm. It’s too hot and sunny at noon, and there are no shaded areas.
💳 It’s recommended to buy tickets in advance on Klook, 25 yuan per person, or 35 yuan per person including a coconut. We couldn’t get tickets for the day in the afternoon, so we had to buy them on-site.

There’s an entrance fee at the gate, 30k per person (no need to pay if you buy online). The coconut boat was directly negotiated with a local nearby. If you can’t buy in advance, you can also ask on-site.
🥣 When you paddle to a wider area in the middle, there are more activities, such as singing and water spinning stunts (p2).

For the experience, it costs 100k per boat to go to a dedicated boat operated by a boatman. I felt a bit dizzy watching, so I didn’t try it, but others seemed to enjoy it for quite a while.
Tips: During the spinning, water will enter the boat. It’s recommended to wear flip-flops and pants that make it easy to sit with your legs apart.

✅ Hoi An Ancient Town
Just wander around the ancient town freely. There are many beautiful lanterns and handicraft shops along the streets. When tired, rest in a café and enjoy the breeze, which has a unique flavor. Note that the prices of various snack stalls vary, especially those on both sides of the bridge.

It’s suggested to ask several places to understand the prices.
1️⃣ Uncle Hunn (p5-7)
Still the signature Vietnamese coffee, “egg coffee” and “salt coffee.” This shop has a stronger coffee taste among the ones I’ve tried, and the presentation is also very nice!
2⃣️ Faifo Coffee (p11-14)
You must head to the rooftop terrace!

A 360° view of the orange-yellow tiled roofs, paired with the blue sky, makes every photo look like a movie scene 📸 (It’s suggested to wear a plain long dress and carry a straw bag for a better atmosphere).
3⃣️ MOI Lotus Tea House (p15)
An antique-style courtyard. We tried the iced lotus tea recommended by the driver, but it was extremely sweet [石化R].

4⃣️ Cao Lau (Hoi An noodles) (p10)
Only available in Hoi An! Chewy alkaline noodles + secret sauce + roasted meat + crispy pork skin, definitely worth a try! We randomly found a shop in an alley outside the ancient town on Google Maps. It was very local, and the taste was good. The chili dipping sauce in the shop was extremely spicy but very fragrant!

5⃣️ Night tour of the ancient town
In the evening, many lantern boats and wish lanterns float on the Thu Bon River, with lanterns on both banks reflecting on the water like a galaxy, very beautiful (p16) 🌌
Shops and roads are adorned with all kinds of colorful lanterns, leaving you dazzled!

Don’t miss the enchanting Lantern Street, a must-see destination that lights up the night with its vibrant and colorful displays (p17-18).