City · Vietnam · Southeast Asia
A lantern-lit UNESCO old town, tailors, rice fields and nearby beaches
Photo: Sachith Ravishka Kodikara / Pexels
Hội An is a historic trading port on central Vietnam's coast, known for its lantern-lit, UNESCO-listed Ancient Town. Hostels cluster around the Old Town, in the Cẩm Thanh countryside and near An Bàng beach.
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Best for: Lanterns, food and walking to the sights
The UNESCO-listed Ancient Town is compact and best explored on foot, with the Japanese Covered Bridge, assembly halls and riverside night market close together. An Old Town ticket gives entry to several heritage buildings. Most hostels sit on the streets just outside the historic core, which keeps nights quieter while the lanterns, tailors and restaurants remain a short walk away.
Best for: Rice-field views and cycling
East of the Old Town, Cẩm Thanh is a rural area of rice paddies, water buffalo and coconut-palm waterways, where basket-boat trips are popular. Hostels and homestays here often have pools and gardens and lend bicycles. It is a peaceful base that sits between the Old Town and the beaches, with both reachable by bike.
Best for: Beach days and a laid-back pace
Around 7 km from the Ancient Town, An Bàng is one of the most popular beaches near Hội An, with beach bars, seafood restaurants and sun loungers. Hostels and homestays near the sand suit travellers who want to swim and relax, with the Old Town a bicycle ride or short taxi trip away. Sea conditions are rougher in the rainy season.
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Hội An is a former trading port on the Thu Bồn River in central Vietnam, and its UNESCO-listed Ancient Town preserves wooden merchant houses, assembly halls and the Japanese Covered Bridge, which dates to the late 16th century. During the day it is pleasant to wander; after dark, thousands of silk lanterns light up the streets and reflect on the river, which is when the town is at its most memorable.
Hội An is famous for its tailors, who make made-to-measure clothes in a few days, and for local dishes such as cao lầu, white rose dumplings and mì Quảng. Cooking classes are popular. Beyond the Old Town, quiet lanes lead through rice fields and coconut palms to villages such as Cẩm Thanh, and An Bàng beach is around 7 km away.
Hostels in Hội An often sit just outside the Old Town or among the rice paddies, with pools, free bicycles and a calmer atmosphere than Hanoi. Most travellers spend a few days cycling, eating, getting clothes made and taking day trips to the Cham temples of Mỹ Sơn or the Cù Lao Chàm (Cham Islands). Sunset boat trips on the Thu Bồn River are another favourite, best started just before the sun goes down.
Bicycle rides through rice fields, lantern-lit evening walks, cooking classes and nearby beaches give Hội An a gentle, unhurried pace.
The nearest airport is Da Nang International Airport (DAD), around 30 km north of Hội An, with domestic flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and some international routes. The trip to Hội An typically takes around 45 minutes to an hour by taxi, ride-hail car or shuttle bus. Hội An has no railway station, so train travellers on the Reunification Express get off at Đà Nẵng and continue by road. Sleeper and tourist buses from Huế and Nha Trang stop in or near Hội An.
The drier months, roughly February to May, are often considered the most pleasant, with warm days and lower humidity. June to August is hot and sunny, a good time for the beach. The rainy season usually runs from around September to December, with October and November bringing the heaviest rain and occasional flooding of the riverside Old Town. Lantern nights take place on the 14th day of each lunar month.
Most backpackers stay on the streets just outside the Ancient Town, which keeps the lanterns, tailors and restaurants within walking distance while giving quieter nights. Cẩm Thanh, among the rice fields east of town, suits travellers who want a peaceful base with pools and bicycles. An Bàng, around 7 km from the Old Town, is the choice for beach days and a slower pace.
Da Nang International Airport (DAD) is around 30 km north of Hội An. Most travellers take a taxi or a ride-hail car booked through an app such as Grab, or a shared shuttle bus. Many hostels can also arrange pickups. The journey typically takes around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic. There is no train station in Hội An itself.
Hội An is one of the most popular stops on a Vietnam route because it combines a UNESCO-listed Ancient Town, lantern-lit evenings, renowned food, tailors, rice-field cycling and beaches within a small, easy-to-explore area. Many backpackers stay three to four days to slow down between busier cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, often adding day trips to Mỹ Sơn or the Cham Islands.
Hội An holds a lantern evening on the 14th day of every lunar month, around the full moon. On these nights the Ancient Town is lit by lanterns, and people float candles on the Thu Bồn River. The dates change each month in the Western calendar, so check a lunar calendar before you travel. Lanterns also light the streets on most other evenings.
Hội An's rainy season usually runs from around September to December, with October and November typically the wettest months. Heavy rain can cause flooding along the Thu Bồn River and in parts of the Ancient Town. The drier months, roughly February to May, are often considered the most pleasant, while June to August is hot and good for the beach.
Hoi An is a stop on Thailand to Cambodia & Vietnam: a mainland Southeast Asia loop and Vietnam north to south: Hà Giang to Ho Chi Minh City.
Reviewed by the HostelConnect editorial team on 8 November 2026. Check entry rules, transport and conditions with official sources before you travel.
