Four Day Hoi An Itinerary

A Four-Day Hoi An Adventure: A Deep Dive into Vietnamese Culture

Planning a trip to Vietnam? You’ve got to go to Hoi An for a few days! Though we never expected to love it as much as we did, Hoi An cemented itself as one of our favorite destinations we’ve ever visited. With scenery as stunning yet complex as its history, the most amazing food, and the sweetest locals we’ve ever come to know, it’s certainly a must-visit destination in Asia.

This 4-day itinerary for a trip to Hoi An, Vietnam, is the perfect guide for a chill but impactful trip that’s full of good food, cultural immersion, relaxation, a little bit of fashion, and a lot of fun.

Getting To and From Hoi An:

In the itinerary, we don’t include getting there or leaving. Flying into Da Nang is the best way to get to Hoi An. We highly recommend that you arrange to have a driver pick you up at the Da Nang airport with your hotel or with services on Get Your Guide. If you didn’t arrange for transportation, you can always request a ride through the Grab app - the main and most reliable rideshare app in Asia - especially in Vietnam. Traffic depending, it will take between 30-45 minutes to get from the airport to the center of Hoi An.

Day One:

You’ll want to ease into the trip since you’re bound to have some jet lag or readjustment. But since we still want to make the most of the day, there’s a few fun and low key things to do 

If your hotel serves breakfast, enjoy an easy and leisurely meal there whenever you wake up. Though there’s a lot of peaceful moments and properties in Hoi An, you’re bound to hear motorbikes and a rooster or two in the morning which are sure to serve as your unofficial alarm clock for the trip. 

To start the trip off easy and to ensure you won’t miss anything major if flights happen to be delayed and push your arrival, instead of jetting off to the races, spend the morning at the beach or relaxing at your hotel pool. Because Hoi An is very warm, even in the winter, it’s almost always appropriate weather for a leisurely morning and a swim. If you want to see the coast and unwind with your toes in the sand, head to An Bang Beach or Cua Dai Beach, where you can soak up the sun, swim in the South China Sea, and enjoy a leisurely stroll along the shore.

After you chill in the morning and go for a dip, get ready for the day and head into town to dig into your first of many amazing Banh Mi sandwiches - a Vietnamese specialty. Once you dig into a classic pork banh mi, you’ll be spoiled for them forever! 

After lunch, join your 1:30 p.m. Market Tour, Basket Boat Ride, and Cooking Class that you’ll have pre-booked through get your guide. Here, you’ll learn about iconic and authentic Vietnamese flavors and dishes. Under the guidance of a skilled chef, you'll learn to chop, stir-fry, and season like a local. By the end of the class, you'll be able to whip up delicious Vietnamese meals in your own kitchen! Following the cooking class, you’ll be guided to hop into one of the bamboo basket boats for a peaceful yet adventurous ride down the Thu Bon River for about forty minutes to take in the scenery. 

As the cooking and boating experience lasts about four hours, by the time your tour is done, it’ll be time to relax, refresh, maybe go out for a drink, enjoy dinner, and head to bed early to recover from the jet lag!

Day Two:

Start your second day with a steaming cup of Vietnamese coffee, but not just any cup -  a hot steaming cup of rocket fuel. Vietnamese coffee will absolutely wake you up like a swift punch! Whether it’s your favorite taste or not, the best way to get a better understanding and appreciation for the rich coffee culture of Hoi An is by attending the Hoi An: Vietnamese Coffee Culture and Coffee Making Class. 

At this fun, hands-on, and entertaining class, you’ll  learn the secrets of brewing the perfect cup, from mastering the traditional phin filter to whipping the condensed milk just right. As you sip each of the four or five coffees you’ll make amongst new friends from all over the world, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for this stout, strong, and sweet cup of jet fuel, I mean, Vietnamese coffee.

If you take the two hour class in the morning, it should be about the perfect time to dive into lunch to counterbalance all of the caffeine. The coffee class is in a centrally located part of the ancient town, so there are plenty of options to choose from nearby! We highly recommend ordering Pho, Bao bun sandwiches, or another Bahn mi for lunch. 

From the center of town, it’s an easy walk to your next stop - the tailor to have custom clothes created for you! Hoi An is renowned for its skilled tailors, who can create custom-made clothing at affordable prices. While there are countless amazing tailors, we think we’ve found the best. 

We stopped into many different tailors to get a feel for the fabrics, atmosphere, and prices - and through much research and many stops, we found the amazing Bee at the Sewing Bee in the Hoi An Cloth Market. Once you arrive, talk to Bee about what you’re hoping for and choose your fabric. She’ll take your measurements, and give you a quote for your order as well as a timeline. 

While some tailors can do a one day turn around, we’ve found that three days is ideal for the best fitting items that you’re dreaming of. One day for concept and measurements, the next day for a try on and adjustments, and the third day for a final try on and pick up. If you’re really in a pinch, two days is possible, but three or four is best. It’s crazy and so cool to have custom made outfits designed, tailored, and ready in just a few days! Talk about a souvenir! 

After a fun day, hit the ancient town for dinner or take a ride over to Da Nang to see the beautiful city and their iconic bridge lit up for the evening.

Day Three:

Now that you’re acquainted with Hoi An’s ancient town, rent a motorbike to explore the city for yourself! We rented ours from our hotel, HA Hotel Apartments Ocean Front for cheap, though you can rent them from nearly anywhere in and around the city. Take a ride over the river, down the coast line, and back into town at your leisure. 

Spend the day exploring more of the historic center of the city. Wander through the narrow, lantern-lit streets, admire the colorful houses, and visit the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge and the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, a beautifully preserved Chinese temple. 

Next, head to the Museum of History and Culture of Hoi An. Here, you can learn about the rich history of the city, from its early origins as a Cham port to its rise as a bustling trading hub during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Stop for lunch in the middle of town for whatever local dish you’re itching to try most that you haven’t indulged in yet. 

After lunch, stop back by the Cloth Market to try on your custom clothes. If they’re good to go, amazing! You can most likely take them with you! But if they need any more alterations, they’ll make arrangements for you to pick them back up on the next day or even possibly later that day. 

After your time at the tailor, it's time to unleash your own creativity with fabric! Join in on an afternoon lantern-making class to learn the art of crafting these iconic symbols of Hoi An. There are two different options for the experience: one where the frame is already made for you and you simply assemble the fabric, and one where you do everything from scratch.

 We highly recommend that you do the longer two hour class where you do everything from the beginning! As you fold and glue the fabric, you'll discover the intricate details and cultural significance behind these beautiful lanterns. By the end of the class, you'll have your very own lantern to take home as a souvenir.

After your class, head back to your hotel to put your crafty treasure away and head out for a delicious dinner and possibly some karaoke - you’ll find it everywhere in Hoi An! 

As the sun begins to set, head to a local restaurant and indulge in a delicious dinner of Cao Lau, a noodle dish unique to Hoi An. After dinner, take a leisurely walk along the riverfront, admiring the beautiful lanterns that illuminate the night sky.

Day Four:

For your last day in the area, take a day trip to Sun World in Ba Na Hills, a theme park like we know you’ve never seen before. To get there, we highly recommend hiring a private driver to take you to and from the park as it’s about a one hour drive to the park. On your first day of getting your custom clothes made, ask Bee to get connected with her husband to see if he can take you! That’s who we used as our driver for the day. His rates were great, he was a stellar driver, and very kind. 

If you want to arrange in advance or don’t plan to get clothes made, message us on instagram at @andrewnandkait and we’ll share his number and contact information privately with you there! (We’d much rather that than blasting his number on the internet.) 

Once you arrive at Ba Na Hills, you’ll get your day pass tickets and cable car tickets, then start your day with a thrilling, terrifying, beautiful, 15-minute long cable car ride up to Ba Na Hills, a stunning mountain resort. As you ascend to the summit, you'll be treated to breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Once you’ve reached the top, explore the near exact replication of a charming French Village, complete with a majestic cathedral, cafes, gardens, and winding cobblestone paths. Take a leisurely stroll through the colorful streets, admire the beautiful architecture, and even indulge in delicious French pastries. If you get a ticket that comes with lunch, we highly recommend going and sampling a little bit of everything from the buffet. The setting is insanely grand, it truly feels like you’ve stepped into a whole other realm. 

For the adventurous, there are plenty of thrilling rides to enjoy, including roller coasters, zip-lines, and a thrilling free-fall ride. After a day of excitement, take a moment to relax and soak in the stunning mountain scenery.

Before you leave, you have to stop by the Golden Bridge - what the park is known for. If you’ve seen any photos of must-visit places in Vietnam, we know you’ve seen these hands! They are massive and part of a large yellow bridge. You’ll have to take one cable car journey down to the platform to reach them. Once you’re ready to leave from there, it’s about a ten minute cable car ride back to the parking lot.

You’ll likely spend between three and five hours here, depending on how much you want to ride or do. You could easily spend all day if you really wanted to take your time in each part, but overall, this is a half day experience. 

Once you’re done at the park, take the easy ride back to Hoi An where you’ll pick up your custom clothes if you still need to, take a final stroll through the Ancient Town, and enjoy one last remarkable dinner in Hoi An.