2 Day Hoi An Itinerary + Map
TL;DR
You have 2 days in Hoi An, we have the perfect itinerary for you!
We have recently spent 3 days in Hoi An. We know that time is limited so we have crafted this efficient 2-day Hoi An itinerary which brings you to all the highlights as well as some hidden gems – from lanterns to locally grown vegetables, from historic landmarks to a relaxed beach.
Hoi An 2 Day Itinerary
Itinerary Hoi An Map
Day 1 – Old Town, Tailor, and Lanterns
Morning – Old Town, Arts, and Culture
The old town of Hoi An is full of charming cafes, cute alleys, and historical sights. If that’s your vibe, you can totally just wander around and get lost for a while.
If you want to learn more about the rich history of Hoi An, these are some of the sights that we recommend you visit:
- The Japanese Culture Gallery to learn about the Japanese heritage of Hoi An.
- The Japanese Covered Bridge with a small temple inside.
- Assembly halls like the Assembly Hall Of Fujian Chinese or Quang Trieu Assembly Hall.
- Quan Thang Ancient House – one of the oldest houses in Hoi An. Pro tip: They serve delicious white rose dumplings here.
Don’t miss a performance at the Hoi An Traditional Art Performance House. The show lasts around 30 minutes and you’ll get to see different dances and stories. The entry is included in the 5 attractions ticket. Show times are at 10:15 am as well as 3:15 and 4.15 pm.
Don’t miss the Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum. It’s a collection of garments, stories, and pictures from different minorities in Vietnam. Entrance is free!
Lunch – Hoi An Market
If you’re into street food, we recommend lunch at Hoi An Market. We loved our Bahn Mi at Ms Phuong's little stall. After all, no other than Anthony Bourdain introduced us to her.
Afternoon – Tailoring & Lantern Making
Hoi An is famous for its tailors. Many travellers decide to have their clothes tailored in Hoi An. If you want to do so yourself, we can recommend 45 Tailor Inside Hoi An Market.
The other thing that Hoi An is famous for is lanterns. Did you know that you can make your own lantern as a souvenir?
Evening – Lanterns and Night Market
Speaking of lanterns: At night, Hoi An truly comes to life. Lanterns are being lit everywhere. The lantern hub is along the Thu Bon River. You can either just stroll along the river, release your own lantern, or go on a picturesque lantern boat trip. You can pre-book a super popular River Boat Trip by Night with Lantern Release on GetYourGuide in case you don’t want to deal with the pretty pushy boat captains on site.
While the lanterns along the riverfront are beautiful, make an effort to also look left and right. There are many alleys lit up with lanterns. Additionally, the Japanese Bridge is super beautiful at night. We have marked the perfect vantage point on our map.
For dinner, head to Hoi An night market on the other side of the river. You can also shop for souvenirs here or pose for a photo with lanterns for a small fee.
We ended our first night in Hoi An with a drink with a view.
If that’s not your kind of thing, we heard amazing things about the Teh Dar Vietnamese Bamboo Circus at Lune Center but we didn’t visit it ourselves.
Day 2 – Bike, Beach, and Food
Morning – Bicycle Tour
Grab yourself a bicycle (we got one at our accommodation) and explore the Hoi An countryside.
Start by heading to Tra Que Vegetable Village. The whole island is covered with little organic farms where fruit, vegetables, and herbs are grown.
Afternoon – An Bang Beach
Head on to An Bang Beach. Honestly, you could just chill the whole afternoon away here and the time wouldn’t feel lost. We absolutely loved Sound of Silence with their tasty cafe and comfy seats.
If you’re looking for something more active, a **Basket Boat Ride in the Coconut Forest** is a super popular activity in Hoi An. Maybe you’ve seen videos of the wild basketboat spinning online. You can easily cycle to the starting point.
If you still have the energy, we recommend you to loop around and drive back to Hoi An via Cam Thanh Village aka Hoi An Coconut Village with its rice fields and canals.
If you don’t feel confident riding around the countryside on your own or you like to have a guide with you to find hidden gems, here’s a guided bicycle tour through the countryside with great ratings:
Evening – Street Food
The street food in Hoi An is simply amazing. We have crafted a self-guided Hoi An street food tour including a map that brings you to all of our favourite places:
Where We Stayed in Hoi An
We stayed at HY Local Budget Hotel by Hoianese and can recommend them to the fullest. The location was great, the room super comfy, and the shower hot. The staff was amazing. There was free water and Vietnamese coffee in the lobby and they kindly showed us how to prepare it. They also offer a bike rental.
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