13+ FUN things to do in Hoi An, Vietnam

Last updated on March 15th, 2024

Ready to experience the magical city of Hoi An, Vietnam? In this guide we’re sharing 13+ FUN things to do in Hoi An, plus where to stay, our favorite places to eat, and more!

With bright yellow, historic buildings, streets lined with colorful lanterns, beaches, and unique activities, Hoi An is a MUST visit destination when traveling through Vietnam.

During our time in Vietnam we spent three days exploring Hoi An and fell in love. But it’s hard not to! The city is vibrant, bustling, but also laid back, and is oozing with charm and character! Especially at night, when the streets are lit by lanterns–it doesn’t get more picturesque than that!

Watch our 3 days in Hoi An where we explore the ancient town, ride in a basket boat, and make lanterns! 

In this guide we’re sharing over 13 things to do in Hoi An, including some of our favorite local eats, fun activities, and historic sights. Plus, trip planning logistics, such as how to get to Hoi An, where to stay, and more! 

About Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An, or Hội An in Vietnamese, is a port city located just 40 minutes south of Da Nang. From the 15th to 19th centuries, Hoi An was one of the most prosperous trading ports in Southeast Asia. And because of this, it became home to many different groups of people, including Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese. You’ll notice this unique blend of cultures all around town!

Today, Hoi An is most famous for its Ancient Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. But beyond the city’s historic architecture, it is also known for its proximity to beaches, special local foods (which you truly cannot try elsewhere!), and for its silk and tailors, as it was a main port of the silk route.

13+ FUN things to do in Hoi An, Vietnam

There are tons of fun things to do in Hoi An. Like spinning around in a boat, making your own lantern, and enjoying coffee overlooking the ocean.

While some argue that Hoi An is touristy (it is filled with tourists), we think it’s for good reason. Unlike some tourist destinations, which are created to look old and have fabricated charm, Hoi An is old and charming. And picturesque spots like this tend to bring in the crowds (who doesn’t want to wander around a cute town?).

If you expect to be surrounded by lots of people, you will still have an amazing time (we genuinely LOVED our time here). But there are also ways to escape the crowds, like #4, 8, and 9 on this list below!

Need help planning your trip in Hoi An? We’ve done all the planning for you on our ultimate 3 day Hoi An itinerary, which combines the best things to do in Hoi An!

1. Explore Hoi An’s Ancient Town

One of the best things to do in Hoi An is explore its Ancient Town. The Ancient Town is full of yellow buildings, old roofs, tree lined streets, and lanterns. It feels like you’ve stumbled into a Vietnamese fairytale!

And what makes Hoi An’s Ancient Town extra special is that many of the structures are original from the 17th and 18th centuries. These buildings haven’t been torn down and replaced for tourism, so it’s in almost the same shape and character as it has been for centuries!

You can experience a lot of Hoi An’s Ancient Town by just walking around. And during some hours, the roads are closed to motorbikes, making walking even easier.

But one important thing you will need to explore is a Hoi An Old Town Entrance Ticket (more on that below!) to both enter town and visit its many sites. Here are some spots we recommend checking out in the Ancient Town.

*= Hoi An Ancient Town ticket required to enter

Japanese Bridge*

One of the most iconic sights to see in the Ancient Town is the Japanese Covered Bridge. You may recognize it because it is featured on the 20,000 Vietnamese Dong banknote! This bridge gets its name because it was built mostly by the Japanese back in the 1500s to connect them with the Chinese area on the other side of the canal.

Old House of Tan Ky*

There are several old houses you can visit in Hoi An’s Ancient Town, but we enjoyed the Old House of Tan Ky. The house was built in the 1700s by a Vietnamese-Chinese merchant for trading goods and has been in the family for seven generations. In fact, the owners still live on the second floor! 

On the first floor, there is a small museum. When you enter, you will be given a tour guide to show you around. Our guide gave us a lot of helpful information about the building, which we wouldn’t have known ourselves. It is free to have this guide, but they will try to sell you some souvenirs. After your tour is over, you can freely walk around on your own!

Fujian Assembly Hall*

The Fujian Assembly Hall, also known as Hoi Quan Phuoc Kien, is a beautiful bright pink Chinese temple. It makes for a great quick stop to admire its beautiful architecture and colors!

Temple etiquette: When visiting temples, you may need to remove your shoes. For the ladies, make sure you cover your shoulders. We also both covered our knees as well.

Museum of Folk Culture*

The Museum of Folk Culture is located inside one of Hoi An’s historic buildings and shares the history and artifacts from Hoi An’s traditional crafts and industries, like tailoring and fishing.

Cantonese Assembly Hall*

For another temple experience, head to the Cantonese Assembly Hall. While it may not be as flashy as Fujian’s pink building, it is still a gorgeous temple to explore.

Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum

The Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum is the permanent home of French photographer Réhahn’s Precious Heritage Collection. This collection of images is the result of the photographer’s almost decade long project documenting and photographing all 54 of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities. He has not only collected photographs, but also traditional costumes, artifacts, and personal stories and shares it all in this FREE art gallery and museum. 

Hoi An Central Market

At the Hoi An Central Market you’ll find food stalls, fresh foods, and tons of handicraft. If you are staying in an Airbnb or have access to a kitchen, this would be the perfect spot to purchase some meat and produce.

Explore the beautiful streets

On top of the historical sites, it’s a treat to simply walk the streets of the ancient town admiring the thousands of lanterns, shops, pop into cafes, and enjoy the vibe. We LOVED it here!

2. Enjoy some tea

Although we are big coffee drinkers, we took a break from coffee and indulged in a lot of tea in Hoi An. And our favorite spot was Mót! It is easily the best tea we’ve ever had! We loved it so much we had it many, many times, which is easy to do at 16,000 VND each ($0.66 USD).

It’s a green tea made with chamomile, monk fruit, cinnamon, licorice, and lemongrass and topped with a pink lotus leaf. It’s a wonderfully refreshing concoction! 

Besides Mót, another spot we’d love to check out on our next trip is Reaching Out Teahouse. This is a tea house staffed by hearing and visually impaired persons and has a relaxing and peaceful environment. 

Prefer coffee? Head to Hoi An Coffee Club or Phin Coffee Restaurant instead! 

3. Try the local foods

Food is one of the top reasons we travel and is one of our favorite ways to experience the culture. If you’re the same way, Hoi An will not let you down. Not only can you find just about any Vietnamese dish here, but they also have some local specialties! 

Cao Lau (pork rice noodles)

If you only try one dish in Hoi An it has to be cao lau! This is Hoi An’s signature dish and you can only truly get it in Hoi An.

Cao lau includes fresh thick rice noodles, thinly sliced bbq pork, bean sprouts, lettuce, crispy fried cao lau noodles, and sometimes crispy pork skin.

The noodles in this dish are the reason you can only get it in Hoi An. These noodles are traditionally made with water from an ancient well in town, along with lye, which is made from the ashes of trees from the nearby Cham Islands. Then, the noodles are steamed instead of boiled.

The mix of thick, chewy noodles, plus smoky pork, crunchy fried noodles, and fresh veggies is the perfect texture and flavor combination. We loved this dish!

And while you can get it all around town, we tried it at Nostalife, where the outdoor courtyard seating is just as nice as the food. Plus, the owners have a cute pup that wanders around!

Mi Quang

Mi Quang is another traditional food in Hoi An. This dish consists of steamed noodles with shrimp and pork, white rice crackers, and quail eggs. We also tried this at Nostalife and it was really good!

White rose dumplings

White rose dumplings are rice flour dumplings filled with minced shrimp and pork. They are then wrapped up to look almost like a rose and topped with deep fried shallots. Similar to cao lau, we hear that water used to make the skin on the dumpling must also be drawn from Ba Le well. 

White rose dumplings are only made by the White Rose Restaurant in Hoi An and then distributed to restaurants around town. So if you want to try them straight from the source, head there! We tried them at Nostalife instead and they were delicious!

Com Ga

Com Ga is a simple dish of just chicken and yellow rice with mint, papaya salad, and onion. But it is very comforting! We found it at a stand in the Hoi An Night Market (more on that below!), but Cơm Gà Bà Lắm and Cơm Gà HÒA LÊ Hội An (closer to the beach) are some other options!

Bánh mì

While the bánh mì may not be a Hoi An staple, we had our favorite bánh mì of the trip here at Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen. We got the mixed bánh mì, with a delicious sauce added that just took it to the next level. Madam Khanh is truly a queen!

Check out the other foods you MUST try in Vietnam!

4. Ride a bike

One of the best ways to experience Hoi An is by bike. In fact, you can get to almost all the activities in this guide by bike!

Bikes can be rented all over town, with a couple good spots being Bee Bike and Hoi An Cycling. But your accommodation might also offer them for an affordable price or even FREE! When we stayed at the Paddy Boutique House, the bikes were free to use and came with a lock.

However, our bikes did not come with helmets, which is something we experienced multiple times throughout Vietnam. We are big believers in helmets and felt a little uneasy riding without them. 

Prefer to bike around with a tour? There are a handful of bike tour options in Hoi An:

• Hoi An Free Tours: These free bike tours are led by students who are looking to practice their English. You will have to pay for some local stops made throughout the tour. And while tips are not required, we suggest giving one!
• Hoi An Countryside Cycling Tour
• Afternoon Countryside Bike Tour from Hoi An 

During our time with our rental bikes we rode to An Bang Beach and the Tra Que Vegetable Village. Which is the perfect biking adventure from Hoi An. We’ll be sharing more about those in a bit!

5. Attend a lantern making class

One of the most famous symbols of Hoi An are lanterns. You’ll find lanterns hanging everywhere! These lanterns were brought by the Japanese and Chinese back in the 16th century and are believed to bring good luck, happiness, and wealth.

You can purchase a lantern at many shops in town, but one of our favorite experiences in Hoi An was attending a lantern making class with Hoi An Handicraft Tours. It was a ton of fun! The instructors are super friendly and knowledgeable and will guide you through the entire process of making a lantern. And the best part? You’ll get to leave with an amazing souvenir. 

If you’re worried about its durability and if it will make it home safely, it will! One neat thing about the lanterns is that they are collapsible, so you can keep them safely in your luggage. Ours survived about 4 weeks of travel in VERY stuffed backpacks. When we got home, we were able to pop it back into shape!

6. Experience the Hoi An Lantern Festival

The Hoi An Lantern Festival is held every month on the 14th day of the lunar month when the moon is at its fullest and brightest.

For 2024, these dates are: January 24, February 23, March 23, April 22, May 21, June 19, July 19, August 17, September 16, October 16, November 14, and December 14.

During the festival, the town turns off all electric lights and is lit by only candles and lanterns. Festivities are held throughout the town like games, live music, and folk music performances. You’ll see parades and Chinese dragons prancing through the streets. This is a VERY busy time to visit, but also provides a unique experience.

7. Take a sampan ride on the river

When walking by the river in Hoi An you’ll notice a bunch of wooden boats. These are traditional Southeast Asia wooden boats called sampans. You can take a ride in one of these for a small fee, typically between 150,000 VND ($6 USD) and 200,000 VND ($8 USD) depending on the number of people. These are especially popular to ride at night, with the glow of lanterns around you!

There is no need to reserve a boat, you can easily get one just by walking up to the drivers. Trust us, they’ll ask you if you want a ride before you even have a chance to ask. 😉

8. Hang out at An Bang Beach

Another big highlight of our time in Hoi An was An Bang Beach! This beautiful beach is located about 5 km from Hoi An’s Ancient Town, but feels like a world away. Here you can wander the quiet little beach town, lay out on the beach, or grab food and drinks from an oceanfront cafe. It is the perfect relaxing escape while in the city!

Besides visiting the beach (which was really clean and gorgeous during our visit), another must-visit spot is the Sound of Silence Coffee Shop! This super cute cafe has good food and coffee (the coconut coffee is popular!), but the real star of the show is the vibe!

The cafe has a beautiful indoor area, with lots of wood and brick, outdoor gardens, and a huge outdoor seating area overlooking the beach. It is hard to beat the view and tranquility of this place. As we sat overlooking the ocean, with our coffees, fruit, and breakfast, we kept thinking to ourselves “this is the life!”

How do you get to An Bang Beach?
An Bang Beach is a flat, easy 5 km bike ride from Ancient Town. You’ll ride through rice fields, as well as on some roads, which have wide shoulders. We felt safe riding over there! If you’d prefer to drive, it’s a super quick Grab ride away. A Grab ride should only cost a few dollars.

If you bike to An Bang from Hoi An, you might be wondering where you can store your bike. Normally if you dine at a restaurant or cafe they will allow you to leave your bike there while you explore the beach. We did this at Sounds of Silence and they were very accommodating.

9. Visit the Tra Que Vegetable Village

The Tra Que Vegetable Village is an area with 150 farmers who grow over 41 different types of produce. This area’s soil is very rich and what makes these gardens pretty unique is that they don’t use chemicals or harsh fertilizers, they use algae from a nearby lagoon instead!

You can ride and walk around the gardens, but there are also some restaurants, where you can get meals made with items grown here. We ate at Baby Mustard and highly recommend it! Their bánh xèo, lemongrass chicken, and mackerel on lemongrass were all delicious!

10. Go on a basket boat tour

Basket boats are a circular boat, traditionally made from bamboo, which were created during French Colonial times to avoid a tax imposed by the French on boats. Since many Vietnamese couldn’t afford to pay the tax, they created these baskets, which weren’t considered a boat, to avoid paying. And since then, they have gained popularity because of how useful they are!

Unlike many boats, which cut through the water, these boats stay above the water, which allows fishermen to fish closer to the shore and banks. But not only are they popular with fishermen, they are also very popular with tourists. And to experience one for ourselves, we went on a tour with Long Phu Eco Tour in the Cam Thanh Coconut Village!

On the tour, our boat driver paddled us through the beautiful canals of the coconut village. Along the way he stopped so we could fish for tiny crabs. It was quite a surprise and a ton of fun!

He then paddled us out to where men dance on the paddle boats. This is the part of the tour where it got a bit touristy and lost some authenticity, but it was very amusing. After the boat drivers dance, they then coax you onto their boat and spin you really fast as you try to hang on! There is an extra fee for this and they do expect tips for their dancing, so come prepared.

Even though this is a bit touristy, we had a blast and think it’s a unique activity worth experiencing. Our tour guide and the staff at Long Phu Eco Tour were very friendly and accommodating. And they weren’t pushy about tips (we did tip though, because he was great!), which we hear some other providers are.

Note: There is a fee (30,000 VND/$1.25 USD) for entering the village that is separate from the basket boat ride. As you enter the village you’ll notice a small concrete hut where you can pay.

11. Take a cooking class

Since returning from Vietnam, one of our favorite things to do is cook dishes that we loved throughout the country (tonight we’re making bun bo nam bo!). And if you want to learn how to make a few for yourself, take a cooking class! You’ll get to learn more about the ingredients, cooking methods, and the history of the dish. 

There are tons of cooking classes to choose from in Hoi An and many of them include a basket boat ride and a market visit, so this can be a great full day activity! Here are a few options: 

Eco Cooking Class
Tropical Cooking Tour
Eco Cooking Tour Discovery

Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Join Tripadvisor Rewards to earn 5% Trip Cash on any hotel or experience booking made in their app, which can be applied to future in-app bookings!

12. Explore the Hoi An Night Market

Hoi An is beautiful during the day, but the town really shows off at night when the glow of the lanterns glitter off the water. And one fun experience to have at night in Hoi An is the Hoi An Night Market, which happens every night across the bridge from Ancient Town.

At the market there are tons of stalls selling fun souvenirs, handicraft, lanterns, and of course, food! We tried a handful of dishes here, with our favorite being bo la lot, which is beef wrapped in a la lot leaf. And of course, since every few stands were banana pancakes, we had to try those too!

Note: The Night Market was the busiest experience we had in Hoi An. So be prepared to encounter lots of people here. For us, it just added to the vibe. But it can be overwhelming!

13. Get clothes tailored

As you walk around the town you’ll notice lots of fabric and tailor shops. As we mentioned, Hoi An was an important trading port in the region for centuries and one of the most important trade items was silk. It was so important that at one point it was used as currency. 

You can still find tons of silk in Hoi An today. Over the last few decades tailoring has become very popular and it’s now one of the top things to do in Hoi An. You can buy cloth or clothes and have them tailored to you. Yaly Coutoure is a highly regarded tailor to go to with multiple locations!

14. Take a day trip

Not only is Hoi An a destination in itself, but there are lots of wonderful spots to visit in its vicinity! Here are some of the more popular day trips from Hoi An, with some tour options listed.

Da Nang

Roughly halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City lies the largest city in central Vietnam, Da Nang. It is surrounded by mountains to the west and the ocean to the east. For a long time it was an important port city and now it’s a bustling, modern city with a lot to offer. 

There are several fun things to do in Da Nang, but we’ll start with the gorgeous beaches! With clear, blue water, and soft white sand, you’ll have no problem spending a day or two lounging at its many beaches. My Khe Beach is possibly the most popular beach in Da Nang. And if you’re into surfing, Da Nang is one of the best surf spots in Vietnam. You can rent boards and take lessons at My Khe beach.

It will be hard to miss, but when in Da Nang make sure to check out the Dragon Bridge. On Saturday and Sunday nights at 9 PM the dragon spouts fire and water from its mouth during a performance. You can view the performance from the bridge or from nearby cafes. 

Some other fun things to check out in Da Nang are the Lady Buddha (the largest Buddha in Vietnam), Son Tra Mountain, and the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture. 

Ba Na Hills

Ba Na Hills sit around 1,487 meters above sea level and is located about a 1.5 hour drive from Hoi An. In Ba Na Hills you’ll find Sun World Ba Na Hills, which is a theme park with resorts, amusement rides, a cable car, a French village, and most famously the Golden Bridge. 

The Golden Bridge is a gold pedestrian bridge that looks as if it is being held up by two massive stone hands rising from the ground. It’s a pretty spectacular sight!

To get there you can book a tour to take you out there. Here are a couple options: 

Ba Na Hills tour with Venus Travel
Golden Bridge & Ba Na Hills 1 Day including buffets lunch

The downside is that you’ll be on a schedule and not be able to stay as long as you might like. 

So if you want more freedom, the best option would be to take a Grab or taxi to Da Nang and then take a shuttle bus the rest of the way. You could also rent a car or take a Grab the whole way, but this would be pretty expensive. 

Once you get to the area, you’ll then take the massive cable car system up to the theme park!

We’ve read that the weather up there can change very quickly. One minute it can be nice and sunny and the next it’s raining. Bring an umbrella or rain jacket with you so you’re prepared for anything!

My Son Sanctuary

The My Son Sanctuary is a beautiful complex of Cham temples, set in the midst of rolling hills and tall mountains. And in 1999 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

These ruins are over 1,600 years old and were the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom. The Cham people are a unique culture that developed on the coast of modern day Vietnam and their origins can be traced back to Indian Hinduism.

At the site you can explore the various remaining structures and temples, visit a museum, and watch traditional cultural dances. Like many attractions in the area, you can go on a guided tour of the My Son Sanctuary if you don’t have an easy way to get there on your own. 

Marble Mountains

The Marble Mountains are a group of 5 limestone peaks topped with pagodas. Located just 15 minutes from downtown Da Nang, each peak represents one of the 5 elements. 

The Marble Mountains are a mix of natural wonders and spiritual sites with temples, caves, and shrines all accessed by trails and steps…lots of steps. But don’t worry, if you’re not feeling up for all the stairs you can take an elevator to the top for a small fee and walk down.

There is a small fee to enter and you can begin exploring the Marble Mountains at 7 AM. This is when we’d recommend getting there to beat crowds and the heat.

While there, be sure to check out the Huyen Khong cave. This cave has a collapsed roof so rays of light pour in creating dramatic spotlights! 

Planning your trip to Hoi An

Need help planning your time in Hoi An? We’ve done the hard work for you! Check out our 3 day itinerary for Hoi An to see how we’d suggest organizing your time in the city.

But below are some additional logistics to know before you go!

Getting to Hoi An

Hoi An is located along the central Vietnam coast and is one of the most popular cities to visit in Vietnam. It’s also very easy to get to through a variety of ways! Here are the common ways to get to Hoi An.

Flying to Hoi An

The closest airport to Hoi An is Da Nang International Airport (DAD). Da Nang is just around a 30-40 minute ride to Hoi An. You can likely prearrange a ride through your accommodation or take a Grab ride, which was less than $20 when we visited. 

Train to Hoi An

The nearest railway station is also in Da Nang. From the Da Nang Railway Station you can take a 30-40 minute Grab ride for less than $20. You can take a train from many destinations in Vietnam. For the adventurous, we recommend the overnight sleeper train from Ho Chi Minh City, which is an experience we’ll never forget! We booked our train on 12Go.

Taking a bus to Hoi An

Sleeper buses are another option to get to Hoi An. To be honest, we haven’t heard great things about the sleeper buses, but they are an option if you’re on a tight budget. You can see the bus options from all over Vietnam at 12Go. 

Driving to Hoi An

Another option to get to Hoi An is by motorbike. If you choose to do this, make sure to check motorbike laws for your country’s driver’s license. You will need an IDP, which is an International Driver’s Permit. However, only IDPs from countries under the 1968 Vienna Convention are legal. 

Unfortunately for US, Canadian, and Australian citizens, your IDP will not qualify. Without an IDP the only way to legally drive a motorbike without a license is to drive one 50ccs or less. This may work in cities, but it will not be powerful enough in mountainous areas.

Also, whether you drive or are a passenger, helmets are required by law in Vietnam for anyone on a motorbike. So make sure to wear one! 

When to visit Hoi An

Hoi An experiences two seasons: wet and dry season. The dry season is from February to July, while the rainy season is typically August to January. 

In our opinion the best time to visit Hoi An is between February and April. You’ll have dry and warm weather, perfect for exploring the Ancient Town and all the outdoor activities. But it won’t be too hot yet.

We visited Hoi An in early March and it was perfect! We had nice weather everyday.

You can still enjoy Hoi An during the rainy season of course, just be sure to pack the right gear, including a rain jacket and umbrella. During the rainy season you’ll likely experience fewer tourists, plus hotels and other accommodations might have discounted rates. 

How to get around Hoi An

Hoi An is very walkable and bikeable. Many of the main tourist attractions are close together and even some further attractions, like An Bang Beach, are reachable by bike. The only time we took a Grab in Hoi An was to get to the basket boats. 

How many days do you need in Hoi An?

We recommend spending 3 days in Hoi An to be able to experience all of its top experiences and sites. You can see our 3 day Hoi An itinerary here! If you’re looking to venture out of town to Da Nang or other nearby destinations, we would suggest more than 3 days. 

Where to Stay in Hoi An

Hoi An has no shortage of amazing accommodation options. Here are a few we recommend!

Hotels and Homestays

Paddy Boutique House
This is where we stayed and we HIGHLY recommend it! This small boutique hotel has a cafe on the first floor, with delicious food and coffee, especially the salt coffee. And upstairs you’ll find all of the rooms, which are designed beautifully, with a mix of neutrals, concrete, and green.

To make things even better, our room also had a great view of the rice fields and the owner and staff were all so nice and friendly! They will help you with anything you need, including arranging a ride to and from Da Nang and even washing your clothes! 

It is a little further out from Ancient Town (about a 30 minute walk), but the hospitality, combined with the tranquility of the rice fields more than makes up for it. Plus, they have free bikes you can use to get around!

THE VIEW Homestay
La An Central Boutique Villa – near Ancient Town
Square Villa Hoi An – near Ancient Town
Hoi An Central Hotel

Airbnbs

Rosie Villa 4 (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom)
Rural Escape Private Villa (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom)
Villa Nipa Tree Private Villa (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom)

Hostels

If you’re traveling on a budget, hostels are a great option! We stayed in multiple hostels in Vietnam (with private rooms) and had positive experiences. Hoi An has a bunch of hostels to choose from, many of which are very highly rated!

Final tips for visiting Hoi An

Before heading to Hoi An we have a few final tips to help your time in both the city and Vietnam go a bit smoother. To see more tips, check out our blog post, where we share 20+ things to know before you visit Vietnam!

Need help packing? Check out our ultimate Vietnam packing list!

Make sure you have a visa (if required)

As American citizens, we were required to get a visa. But depending on your nationality and length of visit, you may not need one. 

While you can get a visa upon arrival, getting an e-visa in advance is much easier! To get an e-visa you will want to go to this website. Yes, it looks a tad outdated and sketchy, but this is the website run by the Vietnamese government. There are other websites that you can get your visa from, but they may charge more.

The e-visa costs $25 USD per person, which can be paid by credit card.

After filling out the information, you will likely hear your results within 3 business days. We suggest planning for longer, just in case. Once approved, make sure to print it to bring with you!

Get an eSIM

Want to use your phone while in Vietnam? We highly recommend getting an eSIM from Airalo! This is a SIM that you can download to your phone. You can get an eSIM for a specific country or for an entire region, making it extra easy to use if you plan to hop between countries.

Note: this SIM only works for data, not calling. If you need to make a call, WhatsApp will be your best bet. More on that below!

Buy travel insurance

We never travel internationally without travel insurance. And SafetyWing is our go to!

SafetyWing is travel medical insurance that will cover you outside of your home country for however long you need it. We purchase their Nomad Insurance plan, which not only gives us travel medical insurance, but also provides coverage for lost baggage and travel delays!

Always have cash

While some places do take credit cards, we found that many restaurants, street food stalls, public restrooms, and even homestays will only take cash. 

You can find ATMs all over town and we suggest going to a bank ATM for the best rates. 

Carry toilet paper

Make sure to carry some toilet paper (or tissue) while out and about in Vietnam. Otherwise, you may run into a crappy situation…literally! We found bathroom conditions to vary a lot. And sometimes they either did not have toilet paper or you had to pay for it. While many toilets have bum guns (spray gun bidets), you will want something to dry off. Don’t ask how we know…

Use WhatsApp

WhatsApp is the go-to app for communicating while in Vietnam. Many lodging and tour companies use it to book things and communicate with you. Make sure to download it in advance and give any guides your number!

One perk of WhatsApp is that you can also make calls on the app. This is very helpful if you have a data-only eSIM!

Learn how to cross the street

Crosswalks really don’t mean much in Vietnam. Locals told us that the best way to cross the street is to just start walking. Look for a small window in traffic and walk at a consistent pace (don’t run or stop). The motorbikes will go around you. It feels unnatural, but it eventually gets easier. 

Ready to explore Hoi An?

Pin this list of things to do in Hoi An to help plan your trip!