Hoi An: How to Spend One Day in Vietnam’s City of Light

I visited Hoi An, a beautiful town in Central Vietnam, just one day after the major typhoon had hit. Much of the town was still closed off to visitors and the destruction was clear to see. We were limited on time due to the flooding and access, and this meant we had just under one day to try and experience as much as we could.

We found Hoi An to be quite magical, but also overcrowded and hectic. Whilst there is quite a bit to see and do, we didn’t feel the town itself needed more than half a day to cover the main sites, and a full day to take it slow and enjoy some of the magic.

Read on to find out more about what to see and do in a day.

Hoi An Flood — Streets of Hoi An as we explored after the typhoon

Japanese Covered Bridge

Start your day in the historic heart of Hoi An, by wandering the Old Town. I recommend beginning your explorations at one of the most famous sites in Hoi An, the Japanese covered bridge. The bridge dates from the late 16th century, and is home to a beautiful little temple within it. On a normal day, you can see out along the streets, but as you can see during my visit, it was incredibly flooded.

Hoi An Japanese Bridge — The Japanese Bridge

Old Houses

Hoi An is home to a number of “old houses”, reflecting the town’s history and culture. They now act as museums paying tribute to how they used to look in the past and they are a fascinating way to go back in time. I visited three, though quite a few more are available to be explored:

Tan Ky House
Tran Family Chapel
Quan Thang Ancient House
Phung Hung Old House
Tran Duong House
Diep Dong Nguyen House
Nha Co Thai Phien Old House

Assembly Halls

Another unique experience in Hoi An Old Town is to visit its Cantonese Assembly Halls (hoi quan), known for their intricate carvings and vibrant decoration, and reflecting the town’s Chinese heritage. These are places of worship, often dedicated to particular gods. Make sure you see at least a couple of:

Phuc Kien Assembly Hall
Hai Nam Assembly Hall
Quang Dong Assembly Hall

Heritage Shops

Hoi An is the kind of place where walking until you’re lost is a joy. Meander the streets lined by gorgeous heritage buildings, grab some snacks, browse the shops and just enjoy the atmosphere.

Cafes and Restaurants

Hoi An is home to a whole host of cafes and bars, perfect for a long and leisurely late lunch. I recommend trying bánh mì at Bánh Mì Phượng (Anthony Bourdain’s favorite) or enjoying cao lầu noodles and Vietnamese coffee at Morning Glory Original.

You could also choose to cool off with iced coconut coffee at Mot Hoi An or The Espresso Station, or eat riverside at Cargo Club (Western-Asian fusion with views) or Mango Mango (creative Vietnamese). If you prefer local, try Streets Restaurant Café for traditional dishes with a good cause.

I confess to far too many cocktails in the many beautiful bars along the river, and I don’t regret a second – other than I seem to have taken shockingly few photos afterwards!

Hoi An Night Market

Hoi An is absolutely magical at night, as the streets come alive with glowing lanterns. Be sure to spend a bit of time exploring the Nguyen Hoang Night Market for souvenirs and lantern stalls, and maybe even try Vietnamese dessert chè.

You could then choose to end your day with a boat trip along the river, and release a lantern. We didn’t do this as it looks incredibly touristy and the river was so high that few boats were running, but we enjoyed watching a few boats floating by.

Hoi An Old Town Lanterns — Lanterns everywhere

Tips for Your Day

Beware of scams – Hoi An is rife with people trying to scam you. If someone comes up to you trying to put fruit baskets over your shoulder – say no and walk off. If someone tries to be over friendly, offer you a meal, or offer to clean your shoes – say no and walk off. A firm and polite “no” was enough for us not to be bothered again, but we saw plenty of tourists end up having to pay for photos with fruit baskets and shoe cleans they probably didn’t want. If you do want the photos though, then go for it!
Dress light – it’s hot and humid, but make sure your shoulders and knees are covered if you intend to go in any of the town’s temples.
Carry cash – many small vendors don’t take cards.
Avoid midday sun (11AM–2PM) by resting or visiting cafés.
Best photo time: 7–9 AM and 5–6 PM.

Important Note: You can carry either Vietnamese Dong or USD. Vendors accept both.

I should also say that as I wrote this post, I realised I’d been wearing my dress back to front all day! I blame all the cocktails. Regardless of a typhoon and dress mess, I enjoyed my visit to Hoi An, and I was amazed at how quickly people were recovering after the typhoon. It was a beautiful town to explore and enjoy. That said, there were a lot of scams, and it was very busy – which took away from some of the enjoyment for me personally. I was also ready to scream with all the people posing in front of lantern stores swooshing their dresses around as I wanted to get in to the shops!

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Stay safe and happy travelling!

Travelling Han