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The inside of a Hoi An lantern shop after dark, the ceiling packed with glowing silk lanterns in red, pink, green and gold above rows of woven bamboo shades
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Hoi AnTravel Guide

Vietnam4 stories

A UNESCO-listed trading port on Vietnam's central coast, famous for lantern-lit streets, mustard-yellow merchant houses, 24-hour tailors, and dishes found nowhere else in the country.

Is Hoi An right for you?

When to come

February to May, after the rains and before peak summer heat

Around 35°C by day in June, 25°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

Mid-range. Comfortable without planning around money, expensive if you stop counting.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a weekend here planned hour by hour.

Our editors pick it for a trip with one other person.

Hoi An is inWarm in JanuaryEnough for a long weekendJust the two of you
When to go
January: around 25 degrees by day, 19 at night, 82 millimetres of rain, wet.
February: around 26 degrees by day, 20 at night, 24 millimetres of rain, dry. We recommend this month.
March: around 28 degrees by day, 22 at night, 25 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
April: around 31 degrees by day, 24 at night, 35 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
May: around 33 degrees by day, 25 at night, 81 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
June: around 35 degrees by day, 26 at night, 83 millimetres of rain, wet.
July: around 34 degrees by day, 26 at night, 93 millimetres of rain, wet.
August: around 34 degrees by day, 26 at night, 141 millimetres of rain, wet.
September: around 32 degrees by day, 25 at night, 351 millimetres of rain, very wet.
October: around 30 degrees by day, 24 at night, 628 millimetres of rain, very wet.
November: around 27 degrees by day, 22 at night, 448 millimetres of rain, very wet.
December: around 25 degrees by day, 20 at night, 218 millimetres of rain, very wet.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

February to May, after the rains and before peak summer heat

Average daily highs, recorded at Da Nang.

Where this comes from

Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology — Hoi An has no weather box on any of its Wikipedia articles (Hoi An (city), Hoi An Old Town, Hoi An, Da Nang). Substituted the Da Nang station from the Da Nang article - the nearest station with published normals, ~25 km north-northwest. Box uses 'rain mm' rows.

Budget level

Mid-range

Typical cost profile for visitors

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Plan itWhere to stay in Hoi Anad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Hoi An

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Hoi An

The Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau) in Hoi An, its tiled roof and carved timber gallery raised on squat stone arches over the canal, a red Vietnamese flag flying from the ridge
01
Destinations

Hoi An for less: the thrifty traveller's playbook

Vietnam's lantern-lit trading port is already one of Asia's best-value destinations. With a bicycle, an appetite and a little timing, it becomes almost absurdly affordable.

Vietnam · 2 min
Strings of glowing red lanterns hung above a crowded night market street lined with food stalls
02
Itineraries

48 Hours in Hoi An: The Perfect Itinerary

Two days among the lanterns — old-town mornings, beach afternoons, riverside evenings, and every bowl of cao lau you can manage.

Vietnam · 2 min
A night food stall on the Hoi An riverfront lit under a yellow sign reading Banh Trang Nuong - Grilled Rice Paper, dried squid and skewers hanging above the counter where the vendor works over rounds of grilled rice paper.
03
Food

Breakfast to midnight: eating your way through Hoi An

Cao lau at the market, Vietnam's most famous banh mi, white rose dumplings and riverside sweets after dark — a full day of eating in the lantern town.

Vietnam · 2 min
Women in conical hats sitting among wide flat baskets of herbs, spring onions, water spinach and limes at the morning market in Hoi An, under a patchwork of canvas awnings.
04
Hidden Gems

The backstreets and morning markets of Hoi An

Before the lanterns light and the crowds arrive, Hoi An belongs to fishmongers, herb farmers and potters. Where to find the working town behind the postcard.

Vietnam · 2 min
In pictures

Hoi An, framed

The Thu Bon river at Hoi An after dark, lanterns burning along both banks
Photo: Jason Pham / Unsplash
Tra Que vegetable village, Hoi An
Photo: Monika Guzikowska / Unsplash
Tra Que vegetable village, Hoi An
Photo: Nguyễn Đức / Unsplash
Tra Que vegetable village, Hoi An
Photo: Quang Nguyen Vinh / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Hoi An

See and do

Before you go

Practical essentials for Vietnam

Money

Vietnamese đồng (VND)

Language

Vietnamese; English is widely spoken in tourist areas but school-taught proficiency is generally poor elsewhere

Power

Type A/C/F, 220V 50Hz — most sockets accept both flat and round two-pin plugs

Getting around

The Grab and Be apps cover taxis and motorbike rides in every city and sleeper trains link them; Ho Chi Minh City's Metro Line 1 has been open since December 2024.

Tipping

Not obligatory but appreciated — round up or leave 5–10% in a restaurant, and a few dollars for a guide or driver.

Tap water

Tap water is not safe to drink anywhere, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City included — stick to bottled or filtered, even for teeth.

Driving

Right-hand side; a 1968 International Driving Permit is required with your national licence to drive a car or a motorbike.

Emergency

113 police, 114 fire, 115 ambulance

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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