Private journeys and custom trips across Vietnam
Central Vietnam
Yellow walls, silk lanterns and the river at dusk.
15.88° N, 108.34° EVietnam
Introducing Hoi An
For centuries Hoi An was one of Southeast Asia's great trading ports. Japanese, Chinese and European merchants settled along the Thu Bon River, and their houses, assembly halls and the famous covered bridge still line the old streets. When the river silted up and trade moved to Da Nang, the town was left largely as it was.
Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the town many visitors fall for. Mornings are for coffee and wandering before the heat. Evenings belong to the river, when lanterns glow along the waterfront and small wooden boats drift past with paper candles floating beside them.
Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the town many visitors fall for.
Why go
Ochre shopfronts, wooden merchant homes and Chinese assembly halls make Hoi An one of the best-preserved trading ports in the region.
Cao lau noodles, white rose dumplings and some of Vietnam's most celebrated banh mi are all Hoi An specialties.
Rice fields, vegetable villages and An Bang Beach are all a short bike ride from the old town.
Things to do
01
Take a small wooden boat onto the river as the lanterns come on, and set a paper candle on the water.
02
Ride out through the paddies to a village of herb and vegetable gardens, where farmers still water the beds by hand.
03
Spin through the palm-lined channels of the coconut forest in a round bamboo boat.
04
Shop for ingredients with a local cook, then learn to make fresh spring rolls, banh xeo and a proper dipping sauce.
Before you go
February to April is Hoi An's sweet spot, with warm, dry days. The rainy season runs roughly September to December and can flood the old town.
Good to know
Three nights works well: one day for the old town, one for the countryside and a cooking class, and time left over for the beach or a tailor fitting.
Low-lying streets near the river can flood in the rainy season, most often in October and November. Visits are still possible, but plans may need to shift.
Yes. The old town is walkable, the roads around it are flat for cycling, and basket boats and cooking classes go down well with children. Tell us their ages when you enquire and we'll suggest a pace that works.
Yes. The Cham temple ruins at My Son are about an hour away by road. Go early in the morning to avoid the heat.
If you want a route
7 of our journeys include Hoi An. Every route can be reshaped around how you want to travel.
8 daysHoi AnDa NangCham Island +1
Eight days along the central coast, from lantern making and the old town in Hoi An to Cham Island, the Imperial City of Hue and a dinner cruise on the Perfume River.
6 daysDa NangHoi AnHanoi +2
Central Vietnam and the north in six days: Hoi An's old town and Ba Na Hills, then a flight to Hanoi for an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay and a full day in Ninh Binh.
6 daysHo Chi Minh CityMekong DeltaDa Nang +2
South to centre in six days: the Cu Chi tunnels and the Mekong Delta, then a flight to Da Nang for Hoi An, Ba Na Hills, the Imperial City of Hue and the villages around Hoi An.
If you only have a day
Tell us how you like to travel and we'll build it into a journey that fits.
