Things to Do in Hoi An

Cua Dai beach is a wide bay of palm-fringed coast 4km north-east of Hoi An. All glittering warm waters and white sand stretching for three kilometers, Cua Dai is a popular spot with both locals and travelers in the Quang Nam province. 

From Hoi An’s old town, Cua Dai Beach is a relaxing bike ride past rice paddies and Thu Bon riverbank. When you get to the water, you’ll see plenty of people enjoying jet-skiing, paragliding and kitesurfing. 

Vietnamese for "big sea mouth," Cua Dai beach looks out to the Cham archipelago, and is home to some of Hoi An’s ritzier hotels like Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort. A popular late-night spot, Zero SeaMile beach club is particularly lively, especially at the weekend when it hosts its own beach parties. 

As Cua Dai Beach is part of the South China Sea, the waves don’t get too big, making it a good swimming spot that’s popular with local families, especially on weekends and local holidays. 

For refreshments, there are plenty of pineapple and drinks sellers dotted along the beach, and seafood restaurants line the shore. There are always plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas for hire for around 30,000VND for the day. 

Clustered around 13 miles (21 kilometers) from Hoi An’s Cua Dai harbor, Vietnam's eight Cham Islands are known as Cham Island or Cu Lao Cham. They offer white-sand beaches, granite cliffs, and coral reefs ideal for diving and snorkeling. The islands’ rich marine life and ecosystems have earned them UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status.

 

The main—and the only inhabited—Cham Island is Hon Lao, where public boats arrive, as do most day tours. While it’s possible to stay overnight on the islands, most travelers visit as a day trip from either Hoi An or Da Nang. Many Cham Island tours focus on the underwater attractions, whether diving, snorkeling, or underwater walking. Speedboat tours typically include stops at two or more beaches, which are hard to reach overland independently.

 

 

Public boats, tour boats, and private speedboats depart near Cua Dai beach, outside Hoi An city. As riding the public boat means an overnight stay, most travelers opt for an organized speedboat tour. Boat trips typically include pickup and drop-off from hotels in either Hoi An or Da Nang.

 

On weekends, Cham Island is overflowing with mass tours. Visit midweek instead and avoid Vietnamese national holidays. Seas are dangerous during the wet season (October to February). June, July, and August are best for diving and snorkeling the beautiful coral. Cham Island tours run during the dry season (roughly March to September).

 

White sands are Cham Island’s main draw. The most popular tourist beaches are Chong Beach (Bai Chong) and Ong Beach. Both have restaurants and sun loungers. Bac Beach is laid-back, with hammocks, while Xep Beach (Bai Xep) is a pretty bay with a traditional fishing village. Small islands are more commonly visited on dive tours.

The Hoi An Museum was once housed in the Quan Am Pagoda, which dates back to the 17th century. The museum has now been moved to a larger building within Hoi An Old Town, and inside visitors will find various artefacts chronicling the region’s pre-Cham, Cham, and colonial eras, with collections spanning thousands of years.

Also known as the Museum of History and Culture, the museum offers an insight into the heritage of Hoi An and the changes it has seen take place throughout the centuries. Collections includes such artefacts as historical photographs and drawings depicting the merchant period, including ceramic and pottery items that were part of the traders’ wares.

Elsewhere in the museum, there are some incredibly old jar-burial coffins originating from the Sa Huynh culture, plus family records that trace back the ancestry of the region’s inhabitants. Also among the exhibits are bronze drums dating back to the Dong Son civilization, while other items of interest include ancient scales and bronze temple bells and gongs.

Kim Bong carpentry village is located within the Cam Kim commune in Hoi An. Since the 16th century, the village has been known for its carpentry and traditional woodworking products, the results of which can be found within prominent buildings across the region and beyond. 

The style of Kim Bong carpentry is said to be influenced by the Cham Kingdom, China, Japan, and of course local Vietnamese artisans. The craftspeople here all begin as apprentices, earning the rank of masters only by years of hard work and dedication. The work being produced in the village can largely be divided into three main categories: ancient architectural construction, civil wooden furniture, and shipbuilding. In addition, many of the artisans have more recently shifted their focus to the recovery of historical monuments and relics, especially traditional ancient houses around Hoi An.

Today, bicycle tours of the village are common, allowing visitors to pass through streets lined with open-fronted workshops and witness the artisans at work. Visitors are also able to purchase items produced in the village at its various souvenirs shops, which sell everything from small, low-cost items, such as coasters, to huge expensive pieces, such as religious statues and intricately crafted wooden doors.

Those who enjoy the great outdoors and want to better understand the history and culture of Vietnam’s rural communities shouldn’t miss a trip to Tra Nhieu. Officially recognized as an ecological village in order to preserve its traditional fishing and farming life, Tra Nhieu is located along the banks of the Thu Bon River, not far from Hoi An.

A peaceful and simple village, the bamboo-lined lanes wind around traditional garden houses, giving visitors a glimpse of local life. While in the village you will get to see the local community’s activities relating to river life, as well as a wide range of other trades, such as farming, rice-paper making, and basket-boat making. You you can also sample some regional food made from local ingredients.

There are various Tra Nhieu eco tours departing from Hoi An, including half-day and full-day cycling tours through the countryside, with boat trips often included. For a unique cycling adventure around Hoi An that diverts from the usual tourist itineraries, book a full-day off the beaten path bicycling tour, which includes a visit to Tra Nhieu village.

On the banks of the Thu Bon river in Hoi An’s old town, Central Market is a popular spot for travelers looking to experience Vietnamese culture at its liveliest. Occupying two narrow streets, the bazaar sells just about everything you can think of, from local handicrafts to spices to silk garments.

The food stalls are especially popular: each cook specializes in just one or two dishes like pho or banh khoai crepes, and the market is also well-known to those looking to get suited up by a tailor. You can find the tailors in the market’s east end. Prices are competitive and you can usually have your custom-designed suit or Vietnamese silk dress ready within 24 hours. 

Look out for the fresh fish coming onto the dock for sale too. For the freshest catch, arrive for sunrise when it’s not yet too hot and the pace of Central Market isn't yet too frantic. 

Hoi An is a popular spot for Vietnamese cooking classes, and Red Bridge Cooking School offers three different courses. 

The most popular option is the half-day class: you'll start off with a trip to Hoi An's lively Central Market with your chef and teacher, who will give tips on how to pick the best herbs and ingredients. Then it's time for a 4km boat ride along the Thu Bon river to the open-air Red Bridge Cooking School. Complimentary drinks and snacks are on-hand as you take your two-hour lesson and learn how to prepare local dishes. Ever wanted to learn how to make your own rose tomato? Here's your chance. You'll learn the art of Vietnamese plate decoration and food carving before sitting down to enjoy the meal you just created.

There is also a full-day deluxe cooking class: prepare dishes like beef pho and clay pot fish with dill (Cha Ca) as part of a four-course menu that you'll learn to create over three hours of cooking. The class size on the deluxe tour is never more than eight people. You'll also visit Central Market and Tra Que organic herb gardens, and if you feel like some refreshment, there's always the 20-meter Red Bridge swimming pool to dip into. 

There is also an evening cooking class available at Hai Cafe, the sister restaurant of Red Bridge in the center of Hoi An's old town. In this 1.15-hour taster class, which has a maximum class size of 10, you'll get to learn how to prepare fresh spring rolls, grilled fish in banana leaves, and beef salad before sitting down to enjoy your meal. 

For centuries, assembly halls have been a place where migrant Chinese communities socialize and pass on the regional traditions of their home to future generations. With a population that’s over a quarter ethnic Chinese, Hoi An’s Cantonese Assembly Hall is one of five such hubs in town.

Founded in 1786, at the Cantonese Assembly Hall (Hoi Quen Quang Trieu), the colorful building materials you see today were first put together in China then shipped to Hoi An before being reassembled into the assembly hall, which has typical grand entrance gates that lead onto an ornamental garden, followed by a main hall and elaborate altar room. 

Look out for the Cantonese Assembly Hall’s special flourishes, like the main altar dedicated to a red-faced Quan Cong, who symbolizes loyalty and righteousness. Also keep an eye out for the mosaic dragon statue by the entrance hall, and the even bigger dragon statue in the garden. In Cantonese lore, the fiery creatures are said to signify power, stability, and prosperity.

Rushing through central Vietnam from its source among the trickling streams and cinnamon trees of Ngoc Linh Mountain, Thu Bon River (Sông Thu Bồn) winds its way through Quang Nam province to Hoi An where it meets the South China Sea. Truly the lifeblood of the town, Thu Bon gives Hoi An its unique traditions and history of ship merchants, sailors and pirates. 

Today, 1 or 2-hour boat rides along the river are a popular trip when in Hoi An. Whether you’d like to head out on a bamboo boat with a local fisherman to learn local fishing techniques, or would prefer a short cruise in a modern boat to Cua Dai Beach, there are plenty of options for getting out on the water.

By traditional sampan or luxury yacht, the most popular time for a river cruise is sunset. Or, if you’d like to see life on the river at its liveliest, rush hour is at 7am, or 4:30pm if the former is too early. Sailing past the jolly lantern-lit streets when the full-moon festival comes to town is also popular.

The Hoi An Silk Village is an attraction that opened in 2012 based on the ancient silk weaving traditions of the Quang Nam province, which used Hoi An as a commercial port for more than 300 years. Located just a kilometer from Hoi An Old Town, the village is surrounded by farmland, mulberry gardens, and lotus ponds.

Paths wind through the village’s gardens and ancient houses, built in the typical Quang Nam style. The village employs a dozen artisans who manufacture and weave silk into various garments using ancient looms, and guests can learn about the entire production process, from the silkworm through to the finished garment. The silkworm-breeding house is of particular interest; here visitors will learn how to feed the silkworms and even unravel the cocoons using traditional methods.

The Hoi An Silk Village also has a restaurant serving local food, plus a silk showroom where visitors can have custom clothing designed and made.