I did not make use of any guided tours or apps. I chose the places which would interest me and walked/biked to them. I divided my Hoi An Itinerary based on cultural activities, adventure activities and relaxing activities. 

I got a free bike from my homestay which I took around with myself for 3 days! 

DAY 1: Ancient Town and Explore the cafes

Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Ancient Town on a bike or walk

My favorite thing to do in Hoi An was simply exploring the streets on foot and sometimes on a bike! Walking makes one discover beautiful and colourful alleys. I loved going through the many Heritage sites and historic buildings in town.

The Japanese bridge, Tan ky house, Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation, etc. are some of the must-visit heritage properties and pagodas in Hoi An. The extremely popular Japanese Bridge which is the iconic symbol of Hoi An is stunning with an ancient shrine located on the bridge. Built by the Japanese community in the early 1600s, it holds amazing architectural details that reflect perfectly in the river stream below.

Chill at the cafes

Vietnamese coffee is a big deal in Vietnam and you must explore this culture by simply relaxing in one of the many open cafes and drinking tons of coffee. Vietnamese coffee is generally served cold and has many variations like Vietnamese Egg Coffee, Vietnamese Coconut Coffee, etc. My favorite was the Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk – Cà Phê Sữa Đá. 

Souvenir shopping

There are ample things to buy in Hoi An – whether it is a custom made dress, coffee, Vietnamese snake whisky or lanterns – the options are unending.

DAY 2: Shopping, Classes, Boat ride

Get a custom-made dress in Hoi An

Vietnam is extremely popular for getting a custom made dress in the quickest time possible. Hoi An has become a tailoring destination in the world. There are over a hundred shops available wherein one can choose a fabric, choose a style and voila in 24 hours there is a custom made dress to go! It is the perfect souvenir from Vietnam to carry home.

All of this is at a reasonable price but be prepared to spend time as this entire process is quite overwhelming – it can get super confusing choosing the one design and the one fabric. Here is the perfect Hoi An Tailor made shopping Guide.

Lantern making class

Lantern making in Hoi An is one of the must-do activities. I personally did not attend a class but a lot of travellers prefer to attend one and take home a self-made souvenir from Vietnam. 

Hoi An is defined by the presence of lanterns. The locals believe that hanging lanterns in front of their houses will bring luck, happiness and wealth to the family living in the house and of course they look ethereal hanging in all the shapes and sizes so it’s a double whammy!

Coconut boat tour / Bamboo boat tour Hoi An

Bamboo boats are being used by locals for fishing and going about their everyday activities for years. These boats are woven with bamboo tree fibres and are extremely portable to use. These locals now run a boat tour for travellers to experience their everyday life.

Water puppet show

Water puppetry is a unique folk art form which is associated with the long history of the wet rice civilization of Vietnam. Water puppet show in Vietnam is one of the must do activities and is best in Hoi An. The water puppet show includes various pieces which are well arranged, performed by professional and experienced artists under a thorough preparation of content, water pavilion, puppets, light and audio system.

I thoroughly enjoyed this extremely stunning performance and will highly recommend this to all those visiting Hoi An or any other cities of Vietnam.

DAY 3: Biking, Beach, Night tour

Biking around the rice fields, villages and riverfront

Soak in the lazy pace and relax around the riverfront or have lunch on one of the boats. The paddy field is all around Hoi An near the highway and it is therapeutic to stroll amongst the green pastures. 

Visit the beach

Cua Dại, Han My and An Bang are some of the many beach options near Hoi An. The town boasts of a beautiful stretch of tranquil beaches against a backdrop of mountains. The beaches are a favorite spot of the locals where it is enjoyed as a family picnic place.

Tour the Hoi An Ancient Town at night

Touring the old town is one of the best things to do in Hoi An, Vietnam at night as 3 days Hoi An itinerary is incomplete without that. Soak in the lazy pace and relax around the riverfront or have lunch on one of the boats. The old quarter turns magical at night! Hoi An comes to life in the evenings with each street lit up in colorful silk lanterns, night markets with souvenirs and food stalls. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to take up an evening cruise on the river to behold the beautiful sight. Paper lanterns with candles are sold here and visitors can buy them and leave them in the river. Though that sight is wonderful, I will discourage you from doing it. Check out sustainable tips at the end of the post for the reasons!

PLACES TO VISIT NEAR HOI AN

Then you can consider these one-day trips from Hoi An:

• Cham Islands: for snorkelling, diving, visiting a pagoda and the local fishing villages. 
• My Son Sanctuary: It is a UNESCO World Heritage site dating from the 4th to 13th centuries and is now believed to be the longest inhabited archaeological site in Indochina. Tours can be booked anywhere in the city centre or you can take yourself on a motorbike. You can bike the whole 43km from Hoi An to My Son.
• Thanh Ha Pottery Village: Experience the joy of seeing making plates, bowls, ornaments and clay whistles live. 

MUST TRY FOOD IN HOI AN, VIETNAM

Hoi An is a tourist town, all kinds of food is available – Italian, Indian, Moroccan, Malaysian, etc. Just check out the ratings on Tripadvisor and you are good to go. The main traditional dishes to try are Pho, Banh Xeo, a crispy savoury turmeric pancake, Banh Mi, a cold-cuts baguette sandwich with secret sauces, and Cao Lau, a signature dish of Hoi An, which is essentially all of the contents of Pho but without the broth.

If you are a vegetarian or vegan there are many options to choose from. In the Le Loi street in the old town, every alternate place is a café or restaurant and there is no dearth of good vegetarian eating options. I ate at the ‘Good Morning Vietnam’ restaurant which served amazing Pizza for lunch and had dinner at an Indian restaurant called Baba’s kitchen. Yum! Highly recommend both.

WHERE TO STAY IN HOI AN

There are all sorts of options for staying in Hoi An – luxurious 5-star resorts by the beach, charming hotels in old town and homestays near the town. The range in price and what it has to offer is never-ending. I stayed at the beautiful Volar Homestay for 3 nights which included breakfast and free bicycles. The homestay was extremely comfortable with all modern amenities, huge space and a balcony which opened to fields. Some of my suggestions are:

Hostels: Bed Station Hostel, Tribee Cotu Hostel

Homestays: Volar Homestay, Puravida Homestay

Hotels: A Tran Boutique Hotel, Basil Boutique Villa

Luxurious Resorts: Anantara Hoi An Resort, Sea’lavie Boutique Resort & Spa

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR HOI AN ITINERARY

What to wear during Hoi An travel

Since it is a hot and humid country, anything which is comfortable to you should be worn – preferably cotton t-shirts and shorts which will give ample protection to your skin. The country is liberal in terms of what you prefer to wear however you will be required to cover your shoulders (scarf is not allowed) and knees while visiting temples of Vietnam.

Budget for 3 Days Hoi An itinerary

Overall Vietnam is quite cheap for food and accommodation. On average, decent accommodation in a homestay, food and getting around the city will cost you around $50-70 per day. Check a guide for Hoi An on a budget. 

How long to spend in Hoi An?

I spent 3 days but could have easily spent another 2 or 3. There is a lot to do around Hoi An and there are many popular day trips from Hoi An. So visitors can easily spend a week in Hoi An without getting bored.

How to reach Hoi An?

By air

Danang airport is the closest to Hoi An. Although it has very few international flights, the domestic flights are pretty good. I flew from Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An and our flight got delayed by over 4 hours and I reached only at midnight!

From Da Nang airport there are 2 options to reach Hoi An – by bus or hire a private car. I chose later and requested our Homestay to do it for us at an extra $25 one way.

By train

There is no railway station in Hoi An and one needs to get down at  Da Nang and then take a bus/ taxi to Hoi An. Da Nang Railway Station is connected with domestic trains from Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang etc. Online train booking and payment is possible but does not give you a reserved seat number as in the case of India.

By Bus

Hoi An is well connected from Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang, Dalat, etc. through direct bus service. It is comfortable and cheap.

Local transportation in Hoi An

The town is small enough to be explored on a bicycle/bike and most tourists do just that. It is an extremely bicycle-friendly town and at many places, motorbikes/cars are not allowed as it is a heritage town.

Bicycles are available at most homestays/hotels or can be rented from the old town. They are also available with restaurants. If you are feeling lazy, you can opt this chauffeur driver shaded bicycle!

FAQs FOR HOI AN IN 3 DAYS

Is Hoi An safe for solo traveller/Female traveller

I read about highway robberies late at night between Da Nang and Hoi An and I was scared, more so when my flight HCM city got delayed. But once I reached, there was nothing to fear. The highway was not as deserted as claimed and very safe in the car.

The shops and restaurants close by 11pm so the town does look deserted but other than that I found it very safe. Even for a solo traveller.

Best time to travel to Hoi An?

Hoi An has a dry season from February to May. This is the best time to visit the town since its weather becomes pleasant with moderate temperature, low humidity and less rain. The months of May-June are also quite beautiful to plan a visit as well. I went in August and the humidity was sky high with high temperatures. It did get uncomfortable during the day but the nights were pleasant. However, the heat from lanterns made it humid again in the old town.

When is Hoi An Lantern Festival?

The Hoi An lantern festival takes place on a full moon night every month, where the town shuts off all the (electric) lights, and people light up paper lanterns to float in the river.

HOI AN TRAVEL TIPS

• Restaurants close around 9:00 pm so early dinner is recommended. So does the old town. Life starts early and ends early in Hoi An.
• Be careful with your money conversions. Don’t forget this is a tourist town and there are chances of getting duped
• Watch your belongings closely at the night markets.

SUSTAINBLE TIPS FOR HOI AN ITINERARY

• Go for that bicycle instead of a car/motorbike and burn the calories you’ll gain from that amazing Vietnamese food.
• Walk at night. The streets can be very busy and navigating them with a bike can be a pain
• If you are at leisure, choose travelling by train across Vietnam. It is pretty convenient and cheap and comfortable.
• Try not to participate in lighting the paper lanterns in the river at night. Those lanterns burn out soon and the paper remains there for days making the river look dirty aesthetically and smelly.
• Do not dispose of garbage on the streets and in the river and keep the sanctity of UNESCO intact.

I hope this guide on 3 Days Hoi An itinerary was helpful for you to plan a trip. Drop-in a comment if you have any questions!

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