HOI AN GUIDE

8 exciting things to do in Hoi An

Hoi An has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list since 1999 and is almost mandatory for anyone traveling in Vietnam. The old trading town is characterized by having been visited by, among others French, Dutch and Japanese.

What to see and do in Hoi An

Hoi An and the surrounding area offer scenic surroundings and unique cultural history with numerous experiences in store.
On this page you will find our suggestions for must do experiences in Hoi An.

my son

My Son Sanctuary

Discover the My Son Sanctuary – unique relics of ancient Champa civilization, dating back to the 2nd century and up to the 18th century.

In the impressive Hindu ruins you will find many beautiful stone sculptures, temples and towers surrounded by tropical jungle.

My Son was both a political center and a royal burial ground for the Champa civilization. The temple complex is made up of 70 buildings dedicated to Hindu gods and goddesses and the most significant god, Shiva, who was considered the protector of the kings of the Champaim empire.

The My Son ruins are located approx. 40km from Hoi An and is an obvious day trip option.

Tra Que Farming Village

During your visit to the beautiful historic city of Hoi An, we recommend you spend a few hours to escape Hoi An’s tourist-filled downtown and explore some of the surrounding countryside.

In the Tra Que village you will experience among the lush green fields how the hard-working locals, in interaction with the water buffaloes, grow quality vegetables.

Farming in Tra Que stands out from the rest of Vietnam’s agriculture, not using chemicals and fertilizers. Instead, with the help of algae, they have developed an organic fertilizer method. Every morning, locals head out to a local lagoon to gather algae to fertilize their crops.

You can join a guided tour to Tra Que to gain a deeper insight into their production methods and at the same time be allowed to taste the local produce.

We have included visit at Tra Que Farming Village in our “Family holiday in Vietnam

Tra Que farming village
Hoi An cycling

Cycling in Hoi An

Book a guided bike ride to the surrounding villages and discover how the people of Hoi An specialize in various occupations.

Here you will be able to find skilled boat builders, carpenters and vegetable growers.

Hoi An’s immediate surroundings are flat, so a bike ride does not place great demands on physics. Many of the trails you cycle on are concrete paved and so narrow that cars cannot drive there.

That makes the bike an obvious excursion vehicle when you visit Hoi An, and it also makes it easy to stop from time to time to visit the local craftsmen and carpenters.

We think Hoi Ans surroundings is so big a part of visiting Hoi An, that we always include guidet biking tours on our travels that visits Hoi An

Lanterns

Hoi An is known for its colorful lanterns, which hang outside many houses, and which are even more noticeable when celebrating the full moon festivals in the traditional way.

This is definitely an event worth experiencing if you are lucky enough to be in Hoi An during one of the full moon nights. During the festivals, thousands of lanterns are launched, representing an ancient tradition honoring one’s ancestors, but also expressing their wishes for the future.

During the full moon evenings, the city is primarily lit by candlelight candles, creating a very special, almost magical, atmosphere.

Lanterns street - Hoi An

Hidden Beach

Escape the densely populated beaches of An Bang and Cua Dai, and instead make your way past ‘Hidden Beach’ located a little north of Cua Dai. Hidden Beach is often overlooked by many travelers and therefore it is quieter on this beach, without the quality of the beach being lower than the more well-known neighboring beaches.

Take a half or full day trip to Hidden Beach and enjoy the tranquility and the rushing waves while relaxing on a deck chair surrounded by chalk white sand.

Kayak on the Tu Bon river in Hoi An

There is ample opportunity to kayak on the Hoi An area’s rivers. Kayaking is an excellent way to be active while experiencing the areas around Hoi An from a slightly different angle. The kayaks are stable plastic kayaks and are therefore easy to access for inexperienced people.

There are both short kayak trips in a couple of hours, as well as all-day trips that include lunch and visits to local families.

Hoi An Tailor

The city of Hoi An is known for its many skilled tailors. Therefore, invest in a high-quality suit or beautiful dress during your stay in Hoi An.

The tailors are very talented and have for many generations tailored countless dresses and suits. The city’s tailors are used to dealing with tourists and are therefore very welcoming. You can easily spend half to one full day exploring Hoi An’s traditional tailor shops.

You can get custom shirts and dresses from day to day, but we always recommend that you remember to try it halfway through the process. Then it’s easier for the tailor to make it sit perfectly on you.

Hoi An Old Town

Visit Hoi An’s unique old town and explore the incredibly well-known commercial town, where many of the historic buildings date back to the 16th century.

There is a very special atmosphere over the narrow and crooked streets built in the traditional Chinese style. In addition, there will also be plenty of opportunity to enjoy tasty street food such as the Hoi An classics Cao Lau and My Quang.

Hoi An city center is car-free, so here you can wander the streets in peace and quiet from disruptive car traffic.

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