What is the best area to stay in Hoi An?

For first-time visitors: within walking distance of the Ancient Town (5–15 minutes on foot), ideally on the riverside strip. This gives you walkability, atmosphere, and a pool without paying Ancient Town hotel markups for no pool. For beach-focused trips: An Bang Beach, 4km from Old Town. For luxury: the Four Seasons Nam Hai sits about 8km away but has its own shuttle and is worth the distance for the property itself.

Hoi An Travel Guide 2026 — Where to Stay, Best Hotels & First-Time Tips

Q: Is Hoi An expensive?

Hoi An sits in a middle range for Vietnam. Street food prices are similar to Da Nang (30,000–60,000 VND for a bowl of cao lau). Tourist restaurants are 20–40% pricier than Da Nang equivalents. Hotels often deliver better value than Da Nang at the mid-range level — a boutique hotel with a pool on the river costs $60–90, and you're within walking distance of everything. The main cost is tailoring, where it's easy to spend more than planned.

Quick orientation

Understanding Hoi An

Hoi An is a small coastal town in Quang Nam Province, about 30km south of Da Nang. Its UNESCO-listed Ancient Town — the lantern-lit old quarter that every photo of Hoi An seems to feature — is genuinely one of the most preserved merchant towns in Southeast Asia. But Hoi An is more than that district. Understanding the geography helps you pick the right hotel and the right pace for your trip.

The Ancient Town (Old Town): The pedestrianised historic core. Tailors, lantern shops, cao lau restaurants, Japanese Covered Bridge, Assembly Halls. Tourists concentrated here. No motor vehicles during certain hours. Hotels inside the Ancient Town tend to be smaller, atmospheric, but pricier per square foot with limited pool access.

The Riverside strip: A 5–15 minute walk from the Ancient Town, along the Thu Bon River. This is the sweet spot for most travellers — boutique hotels with pools, greenery, and walkability to the old town. Anantara, Almanity, La Siesta, and Hoi An Historic Hotel are all in or near this zone.

An Bang Beach: 4km northeast of the Ancient Town. The best beach accessible from Hoi An — quieter than Cua Dai, better restaurants, good body-surfing when the swell is up. Grab, bicycle, or hotel shuttle gets you there. An Bang Seaside Village and Hoi An Trails Resort are based here.

Cua Dai Beach: 5km east of the Ancient Town. Once Hoi An's main beach resort strip. Badly eroded in recent years — the sand has receded significantly and some hotels have closed. Victoria Hoi An is still here. Worth knowing about, but An Bang is generally the better beach option now.

Cam Thanh: A quiet village south of the Ancient Town, known for the coconut palm water forests and basket boat tours. A handful of eco-resorts are based here. Good for couples wanting something calm and off the main tourist circuit.

Countryside / organic farms: Further west, beyond the river, a handful of resort-style properties sit in rice paddies and fruit gardens. Hoi An Trails Resort is technically in this category. More peaceful but requires transport to anywhere.

Ancient Town

UNESCO Heritage · Walkable

The photogenic heart of Hoi An. Walk to everything, but expect crowds from 5pm and limited pool access. Best for tailor trips and first-timers who want full immersion.

Riverside Strip

Sweet Spot · Pool + Walkability

5–15 minutes on foot to the Ancient Town, boutique hotels with pools and riverside gardens. The best compromise between atmosphere and comfort for most visitors.

An Bang Beach

Beach · Relaxed · 4km from Town

The better beach near Hoi An. Quieter vibe, good seafood shacks, decent surf. Most resorts run shuttles to the old town. Best for beach-first travellers.

Cam Thanh / Countryside

Eco · Quiet · Couples

Rice paddies, water palms, and silence. Basket boat tours, cooking classes. Requires transport to reach the Ancient Town but delivers genuine calm.

Complete Hoi An coverage

All Hoi An guides

Every guide you need — hotels, areas, transport, costs, and comparisons. All written from the ground, updated for 2026.

Area Guide · 2026

Where to Stay in Hoi An

Ancient Town, riverside, An Bang Beach, Cua Dai, or countryside — which area suits your trip? Detailed pros, cons, and hotel picks for each zone.

Read guide →

Hotel Guide · Curated 2026

Best Hotels in Hoi An

The complete ranked list — from the Four Seasons Nam Hai and Anantara to riverside boutiques and An Bang beach resorts. Editorially selected.

Read guide →

Value Guide · 2026

Best Value Hotels in Hoi An

Where to get the most for your money in Hoi An — boutique pools, great locations, and genuine comfort without paying luxury rates.

Read guide →

Old Town Hotels · 2026

Hoi An Old Town Hotels

The best hotels within walking distance of the Ancient Town — what walkable actually means, who this suits, and who should stay elsewhere.

Read guide →

Beach Hotels · 2026

An Bang Beach Hotels

The best hotels near An Bang — Hoi An's most relaxed beach, 4km from the Ancient Town. Beach conditions, transport options, and resort picks explained.

Read guide →

Transport Guide · 2026

Da Nang Airport to Hoi An

Grab, private car, shuttle bus, or taxi — every option compared with real cost ranges, timings, and practical tips for arriving with luggage.

Read guide →

Cost Comparison · 2026

Is Hoi An Cheaper Than Da Nang?

Honest cost comparison across hotels, food, transport, and beaches. The answer depends on what you're comparing — here's the full breakdown.

Read guide →

First-Timer's Guide · 2026

Hoi An for First-Time Visitors

What to expect, what to budget, where to eat, how to navigate the Ancient Town, and how to avoid the most common first-timer mistakes.

Read guide →

Comparison Guide · 2026

Da Nang vs Hoi An

8-category comparison to help you decide where to base yourself. Clear verdicts for beach lovers, culture seekers, families, couples, and digital nomads.

Read comparison →

The big question

Da Nang or Hoi An?

This is the first question most travellers to Central Vietnam face. The honest answer is that they complement each other well, and most visitors with a week or more should experience both. But if you're choosing a single base, here's the quick breakdown.

Quick decision guide

Choose Da Nang if you want…

Long, wide beachfront (My Khe is one of the best in Vietnam)
Modern hotels with direct beach access at mid-range prices
A full-sized city — dining variety, nightlife, easy transport
Day-trip access to Hoi An without staying there
Better value for beach-focused stays

Choose Hoi An if you want…

UNESCO atmosphere, lantern-lit evenings, historic architecture
Tailoring, silk, handcraft shopping in an authentic setting
The best boutique hotel atmosphere in Central Vietnam
Cao lau, white rose dumplings, and the best food scene per km²
A slower, more walkable, more romantic pace

For a full 8-category comparison: Da Nang vs Hoi An guide →

Getting there

From Da Nang Airport to Hoi An

There is no direct rail or bus service from Da Nang Airport (DAD) to Hoi An. The journey is around 25–30km and takes 30–40 minutes by road, depending on traffic. You have a few options.

Method	Approx. Cost	Time	Best For
Grab car	200,000–300,000 VND	30–40 min	Most travellers — easy, metered, reliable
Hotel/private transfer	$15–25 USD	30–40 min	Families, late arrivals, groups with luggage
Taxi (metered)	250,000–350,000 VND	30–40 min	When Grab isn't available — Vinasun or Mai Linh only
Shuttle bus	40,000–80,000 VND	60–90 min	Budget travellers with time and no large luggage

Full transport breakdown: Da Nang Airport to Hoi An guide →

Climate & timing

Best time to visit Hoi An

Quick answer

February to May is generally the best window. Weather is warm and dry, crowds are manageable after Tet, and the Ancient Town is at its most pleasant for evening walks. Avoid October if you can — flooding is common and can cut access to the old town for days at a time.

February to May: The dry season sweet spot. Temperatures are 24–30°C, sea conditions at An Bang are calm, and the light in the Ancient Town in the late afternoon is extraordinary. This is when Hoi An is at its most enjoyable. Book hotels at least 4–6 weeks in advance.

June to August: Hot (32–36°C) and humid, but reliably sunny. Peak beach season for An Bang. Crowds increase significantly in July and August, particularly from domestic Vietnamese tourists. Hotels fill up on weekends and during the Full Moon Lantern Festival. Book early.

September to November: Rain increases through September and peaks in October–November. This is Hoi An's typhoon-adjacent season — not that typhoons usually hit directly, but the rainfall is substantial. The Ancient Town floods most years in October or November, sometimes closing ground-floor access for several days. Travel insurance is recommended. Some travellers love it for the quiet and lower prices.

December to January: Cooler (20–24°C) and mostly dry, though overcast stretches are common. Good for those who prefer mild temperatures. Around Christmas and New Year, prices peak and the Ancient Town fills with tourists. Book very early for this window.

The Full Moon Lantern Festival (14th of each lunar month) is worth planning around — the Ancient Town turns off electric lights and fills with lanterns. It's genuinely beautiful, but hotels around this date fill quickly and prices can be 30–50% higher.

Common questions

Hoi An FAQ

Is Hoi An worth visiting in 2026?

Absolutely. Hoi An remains one of the most atmospheric towns in Southeast Asia. The Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the food scene is excellent, and boutique hotels here deliver genuine character at prices that are still reasonable by international standards. The town has become more tourist-heavy since 2019 but it still delivers. Visit in February to May for the best combination of weather and manageable crowds.

How far is Hoi An from Da Nang?

Hoi An is approximately 30km south of Da Nang city centre, and around 25km from Da Nang International Airport. By Grab car or private transfer, the journey usually takes 30–40 minutes depending on traffic. The road is good and well-signed, passing through Marble Mountains and Non Nuoc beach.

How many days do you need in Hoi An?

Two nights is the minimum to feel like you've actually been there. Three nights is comfortable — you can explore the Ancient Town properly, visit An Bang Beach, do a cooking class, and have time for a tailor. If you want to slow down, read by the pool, and eat well without a schedule, five nights goes quickly.

Is Hoi An expensive?

Hoi An sits in a middle range for Vietnam. Street food is still cheap (30,000–60,000 VND for cao lau). Tourist restaurants are 20–40% pricier than Da Nang equivalents. Hotels often deliver better value than Da Nang at the mid-range level — a boutique hotel with a pool on the river runs $60–90, and you're within walking distance of the Ancient Town. The main unexpected cost is tailoring, where it's easy to spend more than planned.

Do I need a ticket to enter the Ancient Town?

Yes. Visitors need a Hoi An Old Town ticket (currently 120,000 VND, updated periodically) to enter most of the historical sites — Assembly Halls, the Japanese Covered Bridge, communal houses, and museums. The ticket includes 5 attraction visits. Walking the streets of the Ancient Town itself is free, but you'll need the ticket to go inside the key sites. Buy at the ticket offices near the entrance points.