Get lost in the Old Town
Hoi An’s Ancient Town is one of the best-preserved historic trading ports in Southeast Asia. From the 15th to the 19th centuries, the town developed as an important commercial center, welcoming merchants and traders from across Asia and, later, Europe. The result is a remarkable blend of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and European influences that can still be seen in the town’s architecture and street layout today. Hoi An was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999.
The best way to experience the Old Town is simply to walk. Narrow streets are lined with traditional wooden houses, family chapels, assembly halls, shops and small courtyards. Many historic buildings have been preserved with their original proportions, tiled roofs and wooden structures. UNESCO notes that the town retains much of its traditional street plan, including buildings that historically faced the streets while their rear sections connected with the river for loading and unloading goods.
Make time for some of Hoi An’s best-known landmarks. The Japanese Covered Bridge, also known as Lai Vien Kieu, is one of the town’s most recognizable structures. Tan Ky Old House offers a glimpse into the traditional architecture and domestic life of a historic merchant family, while the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall reflects the presence and cultural traditions of the Chinese community in Hoi An.
But Hoi An is not only about individual monuments. Part of its charm comes from the entire streetscape: old yellow-and-wood buildings, narrow lanes, small shops, courtyards and the Thu Bon River all come together to create an atmosphere that is difficult to reproduce elsewhere.
Visit during the daytime to appreciate the architecture and historic details, then return in the evening when the streets take on a different character. Walking through the Old Town after dark, when the streets and buildings are illuminated, offers a completely different experience from a daytime visit.
Treat your taste buds
Food is one of the easiest ways to understand Hoi An. The city’s history as a trading port brought different communities into contact with one another, and that history is reflected in its cuisine. Local ingredients from farms, gardens, rivers and the coast have long been part of everyday cooking in the area.
Start with Cao Lau, perhaps the dish most closely associated with Hoi An. It is made with thick rice noodles and is traditionally served with slices of pork, fresh herbs and other accompaniments. Hoi An’s World Heritage information describes Cao Lau as a distinctive specialty of the city and Quang Nam.
Another local favorite is Hoi An chicken rice, a simple but flavorful combination of rice and chicken that has become one of the city’s familiar specialties. Mi Quang, another important dish of Quang Nam, is also widely available in Hoi An, usually combining rice noodles with ingredients such as shrimp, pork and fresh vegetables.
Then there is Banh Bao Banh Vac, better known to visitors as White Rose dumplings. These delicate steamed dumplings are made from rice flour and shaped to resemble flowers. The filling traditionally includes ingredients such as shrimp, pork and mushrooms, with crispy shallots or spring onion used as a finishing touch. The name “White Rose” is associated with their distinctive appearance.
Don’t stop with the famous dishes. Hoi An’s food scene also includes banh mi, banh xeo, wonton dishes, fresh herbs, seafood and a wide variety of street food and market snacks. One of the pleasures of eating here is trying different foods in small portions rather than planning every meal around a single restaurant.
For an even more local experience, visit a market in the morning. Fresh vegetables, herbs, seafood and other ingredients help reveal how closely Hoi An’s food culture remains connected to the surrounding countryside and coast.
Cycle in the countryside
One of the nicest ways to see Hoi An beyond the Ancient Town is by bicycle. Once you leave the historic center, the scenery quickly becomes quieter and more rural, with vegetable gardens, waterways, rice fields and villages surrounding the city.
Tra Que Vegetable Village is an especially interesting stop. Located about 3 kilometers from Hoi An Ancient Town, the village is known for growing a wide variety of herbs and vegetables. Vietnam Tourism reports that local households have cultivated the area for nearly 400 years, using crop rotation and intercropping techniques and growing more than 20 types of leafy vegetables and herbs. The village was also recognized as a Best Tourism Village in 2024 by UN Tourism.
Cycling through the area gives you a different perspective on Hoi An. Instead of historic houses and busy streets, you see gardens, waterways and everyday agricultural life. Early morning is particularly pleasant, before the strongest heat of the day arrives.
The Cam Thanh area is another popular countryside destination. Here, cycling routes can take you through a greener landscape of farms, waterways and coconut-growing areas. Together, Tra Que and Cam Thanh provide an easy way to combine a visit to Hoi An with a slower experience outside the Old Town.
You don’t need to plan an ambitious cycling expedition. Even a short ride outside the center can show you a side of Hoi An that is easy to miss when you stay entirely within the Ancient Town.
Hit the beach
Hoi An is fortunate to have the countryside on one side and the coast on the other. After exploring the Old Town, you can spend an afternoon at the beach without traveling far.
An Bang Beach is one of the most popular coastal destinations near Hoi An. Vietnam Tourism describes it as being about a 10-minute drive from the Ancient Town, making it an easy addition to a Hoi An itinerary. The beach is a place to slow down, swim, relax on the sand or enjoy a seafood meal near the coast.
The experience is very different from the Old Town. Instead of narrow streets and historic buildings, you’ll find open water, sand and a more relaxed coastal atmosphere. A morning visit can be especially enjoyable if you want to avoid the strongest afternoon heat.
For travelers with more time, the Cham Islands offer another option. The islands lie off the coast of Hoi An and can be reached by boat. They provide an opportunity to experience a more natural coastal environment away from the busy streets of the Ancient Town.
Whether you choose a few quiet hours at An Bang or make a longer trip toward the Cham Islands, the coast gives you a useful contrast to Hoi An’s historic center.
Marvel at My Son
A trip to Hoi An can also be combined with a visit to My Son Sanctuary, one of the most important archaeological sites in central Vietnam.
My Son is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Quang Nam Province, in a mountainous valley surrounded by hills. The sanctuary was an important religious and political center of the Champa Kingdom. According to UNESCO, the site represents a Hindu-influenced culture that developed along the coast of present-day Vietnam between the 4th and 13th centuries.
The surviving tower temples are particularly associated with the period from the 7th to the 13th centuries. UNESCO describes the sanctuary as comprising groups of monuments built over centuries of continuous development, reflecting the religious and architectural traditions of the Champa civilization.
The setting is part of what makes My Son memorable. The monuments stand within a mountainous landscape connected to the upper Thu Bon River basin. The river eventually flows toward the coast near Hoi An, linking the archaeological site geographically with the region’s historic trading center.
The temples were strongly influenced by Hindu religious traditions, particularly the worship of Shiva. Their brick towers, sculptures and surviving architectural details provide an important record of Champa history and culture.
Vietnam Tourism places My Son about 40 kilometers from Hoi An, making it a practical day trip for visitors staying in the city.
Take your time in Hoi An
Perhaps the best thing about Hoi An is that you don’t have to experience everything at once. The Ancient Town, countryside, beaches, food and nearby heritage sites offer very different experiences within a relatively small area.
Spend a morning walking through the historic streets, stop for a bowl of Cao Lau, take a bicycle ride through Tra Que or Cam Thanh, and finish the day by the river or at the beach. If you have another day, venture farther out to My Son or the Cham Islands.
Hoi An rewards travelers who slow down. Its history is visible not only in famous monuments, but also in the old houses, narrow streets, local food, gardens, markets and waterways that continue to connect the city with the landscape around it.