Hue to Hoi An Tour With Sightseeing Stops – Our Review
TL;DR
The best way to travel from Hue to Hoi An: Our honest review of our sightseeing transfer from Hue to Hoi – including a map.
When researching how to get from Hue to Hoi An, we quickly realised that a bus tour with sightseeing stops is our preferred option. You can see the super scenic Hai Van Pass and it is cost-efficient as well as convenient.
This is our honest review including all relevant information about the tour and a map.
Hue to Hoi An Tour
How to Travel from Hue to Hoi An
There are three options to travel from Hue to Hoi An:
1. Bus from Hue to Hoi An
The cheapest option to get from Hue to Hoi An is by bus.
The bus does not drive along the scenic Hai Van Pass but uses the Hai Van Tunnel. While it’s the longest tunnel in Vietnam with 6.28 km (3.90 mi), you will miss out on the beautiful scenery of the mountain pass.
The ride takes around 3 hours and costs around 10$. Buses leave countless times per day. You can check out all the options and book a ticket on 12go.asia.
2. Easy Rider Tour From Hue to Hoi An
The most popular option to travel from Hue to Hoi An is taking an easy rider tour via the Hai Van Pass. You’ll stop at
- Tam Giang Lagoon
- Suoi Mo Waterfall
- Lang Co Beach
- Hai Van Pass
- Marble Mountains
While the reviews for this tour are amazing, we recently did the 4-day Ha Giang Loop tour on the back of a motorbike. To be honest, our butts were still a bit sore many days later 😅
Here’s our review of the Ha Giang Loop tour:
3. Hue to Hoi An Bus Transfer with Sightseeing Stops
We opted for a bus transfer with sightseeing stops to get from Hue to Hoi An. The following review will cover this tour:
Hue to Hoi An Tour Map
Hue to Hoi An Tour Itinerary
1. Thanh Toan Bridge
We were picked up at our accommodation in time and reached our first stop Thanh Toan Bridge after a quick ride. The roofed Thanh Toan Bridge is an exceptional work of art. The dragon carvings on the roof are super cool. Built in 1776, it is nowadays a great photo spot.
We had enough time to take pictures and explore the area a bit. There’s a local market right next to Thanh Toan Bridge which is worth a quick visit if you’re interested.
2. Lap An Lagoon
Your next stop will be the super picturesque Lap An Lagoon. It is an 800-hectare brackish water lagoon – and it does look like a huge mirror! The water is super shallow so you can walk out onto the lagoon easily.
We had enough time to take loads of pictures, explore around a bit, and have a refreshment and a bathroom break in one of the restaurants.
3. Hai Van Pass
Driving the Hai Van Pass is super scenic. You’ll get a great view of Lang Co Beach before you wind up the mountain roads.
In total, the Hai Van Mountain Pass is 21 kilometres (13 miles) long. Its Vietnamese name, "Hai Van," translates to "Ocean Cloud Pass," a reference to the mist that often rises from the sea, obscuring visibility.
There will be a photo stop at the top of the pass. Here, you can find a lot of photo props (like everywhere in Vietnam) as well as a lot of vendors.
4. Marble Mountains
Our last and longest stop was at the Marble Mountains in Da Nang. The Marble Mountains are a group of five limestone mountains. Each mountain was named after one of the five elements of Eastern philosophy: metal, water, fire, wood and earth. Here, you can explore many peaks, caves, and temples.
We stopped at Thuy Son or Water Mountain, the largest and most famous of the five Marble Mountains.
You will barely have the time to explore all the sights on Water Mountain including
- Vong Hai Dai Pagoda and many other pagodas.
- Many caves with Buddhist statues like Tang Chang and Huyen Khong Caves.
- The highest peak.
If you’re quick, you can make it to the highest peak of Water Mountain. We think the views are worth it. You have two options:
- You can climb through Linh Nham Cave. We tried but we quickly gave up.
- You can take the path from the recreation area. It gets very scrambly towards the very top so only try this if you’re reasonably fit.
Hue to Hoi An Tour – Our Review
We really liked our sightseeing transfer. The tour was well organised and the pick-up and drop off punctual.
Our guide was super nice and knowledgeable. There was a nice mixture of guiding and free time.
We enjoyed all the stops and had enough time at every location – except for the Marble Mountains. There’s so much to explore here that our time felt quite rushed. The Hai Van Pass was a lovely drive with scenic views along the way!
Getting a peanut butter Bahn Mi on the bus was a nice treat and felt super efficient – we as Germans loved it! Speaking of the bus: We thought it was comfortable.
Our group was a good mixture of people from young solo backpackers to older couples travelling through Vietnam.
Overall, the value for money was really good. We would totally book this tour again!
What Other Travellers Say About the Hue to Hoi An Tour
⭐ Rating: 4.6 / 5 (208 reviews)
Dan was a great guide and he was happy to answer any questions we had. The driver was good and the trip stopped at a number of great viewing points and locations of interest. I was picked up from my hotel in Hue and dropped off at my hotel In Hoi An. Great value for money if you are travelling from Hue to Hoi An.
– Scott (see more reviews)
What Does the Hue to Hoi An Tour Include?
The Hue to Hoi An tour we did includes:
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Mineral water
- Tour guide
- Bread snack (peanut butter Banh Mi)
- Passenger insurance
Conclusion: Is the Hue to Hoi An Tour Worth it?
We think the sightseeing transfer from Hue to Hoi An is absolutely worth it. No matter if you go by easy rider or by bus, driving the Hai Van Pass should not be missed.
If you want to travel from Hue to Hoi An anyways, why not combine pleasure with necessity and make a sightseeing trip out of it?
Our tour was fun as well as time- and cost-efficient so we can fully recommend it!
In Hue, we stayed at Hue Melody Hostel:
In Hoi An, we stayed at HY Local Budget Hotel by Hoianese
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission. You would help us a lot if you do so. Thanks.
Here are some more Hue and Hoi An travel resources:
Travel Guides
14 Amazing Things to Do in Hue Vietnam + Map
The 14 best things to do and things to see in Hue Vietnam.
Carina