Hoi An: Old Town, Beaches, Where to Stay

Stay in the old town for lantern-lit evenings and walkable food, and near the beach for sea, space and quieter nights. Hoi An is small, so the choice of stay area shapes your whole trip. Choose the area first, then the hotel.

What kind of place is Hoi An?

Hoi An is a small riverside town on the central coast, known for its preserved old town. Ancient Town was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999¹. Its lanes hold merchants’ houses, cafes, tailors and a wooden Japanese bridge about 10 m long, built at the start of the 17th century².

It lies some 28 km south of Da Nang³. Our Da Nang city guide explains the bigger city next door.

Which area should you stay in?

Pick by how you want your evenings to feel.

• Old town: lanterns, river views and food at your door, with more foot traffic at night.
• Edge of town: a few minutes from the lanes, calmer and with more space.
• Beach side: sea air and quiet nights, with a short ride into town. See An Bang Beach.

Our guide on where to stay in Hoi An goes through each, and Hoi An beach or old town compares the two directly.

Who enjoys Hoi An most?

Couples, photographers and slow travellers get the most from it. If an evening stroll and a good meal are your idea of a holiday, the old town delivers.

It suits fewer travellers who want nightlife or big shopping malls. Families with toddlers and parents who tire easily may prefer a beach-side hotel.

How many days should you give it?

Two nights suit most trips. Add a third for a beach day, a bicycle ride or a half-day trip such as My Son, where Shaiva Hindu temples were built between the 4th and 13th centuries by the kings of Champa⁴.

For one night, stay inside or beside the old town. The Cham Islands are a possible day outing from here, but plan most of a day.

When should you go?

Hoi An shares the central coast’s two seasons. Da Nang’s wet and typhoon season runs from September to December, and its dry season from January to August⁵. Hoi An’s low-lying lanes are affected when heavy rain arrives, so keep your plans flexible in the wet months.

How do you get there from Malaysia?

Fly into Da Nang. Da Nang to Kuala Lumpur is listed as served by AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and VietJet Air⁶. Da Nang’s code is DAD⁷. Check airline sites for current schedules.

Transfer by pre-arranged car or Grab, which operates in Vietnam⁸. Plan part of an afternoon for the road leg after a flight.

What is there to see?

Keep the old town for slow walking, and add a beach or countryside morning.

• Old town lanes: merchants’ houses, assembly halls and the Japanese bridge.
• Evening riverside: lanterns and food stalls once the day-trippers have gone.
• Beach side: a quiet swim and seafood by the sand.
• Countryside: a bicycle ride through paddy fields, taken early.

How do you get around?

Walk in the old town, and use a bicycle or Grab for the beach and the edges. Some streets limit vehicles at set hours, so ask your hotel how the arrangement works on the day.

What about families, seniors and Muslim travellers?

Families with toddlers will find a beach-side hotel with a pool easier than old-town lanes. See crowds, noise and evening plans in Hoi An for how to time the old town.

Seniors should look for a hotel with a lift or ground-floor room, and keep outings short on hot afternoons.

Muslim travellers should plan meals ahead. Never assume a restaurant is halal. Look for a displayed certificate and ask who issued it. Our guide on halal food access in Da Nang and Hoi An explains how to plan.

When is another place better?

If you want a beach resort with a wider choice of rooms, base yourself in Da Nang and visit Hoi An by the evening. If you want heritage with fewer tourists, add Hue to the central coast route.

How does it fit a route?

Hoi An pairs naturally with Da Nang, with Hue as an optional third stop. Use the Vietnam trip budget builder to price your nights with current quotes, and browse more advice in Cities and where to stay.