The main airport servicing the city of Hoi An is the Da Nang International Airport in Da Nang. The airport is located about 18 miles (45 minutes to 1 hour) north of Hoi An, in the city of Da Nang in central Vietnam. The airport has domestic connections from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hue along with some international flights from Bangkok, Singapore, Siem Riep and Hong Kong.

If you have not booked a private transfer with us there are several taxi companies available at the Da Nang airport to get you to your hotel. Taxi stands and representatives can be found outside the terminals and offer either a fixed or metered rate. A taxi from the airport to the city of Hoi An could cost upwards of 300,000VND.

Another option is to take a taxi from the airport to the bus station in Da Nang and catch the `yellow #1` bus to Hoi An, the taxi ride will cost you about 70,000 VND, and the bus ride costs around 20,000VND. The bus runs every 20 minutes until 6:00 pm. The bus will drop you off at the D Hung Vuong bus station just outside of Hoi An city which is around a 10 - 15 minute walk to the center of town or a short taxi ride.

There are several rental car companies available at the airport, including Avis, Budget, Hertz, and Sixt. The car journey takes around 45 minutes to an hour from the airport in Da Nang to Hoi An city. Rental car desks can be found inside the arrivals hall. Keep in mind Foreign International Drivers Licenses are NOT valid in Vietnam.

The bus ride from Da Nang airport terminates at the Hoi An bus station just outside the city center. You can take a 10 - 15-minute walk into town or catch a taxi or xe-om both can be found outside the station.

The main forms of transportation in Hoi An include taxis, Cyclos and Motorbike taxis which are all cheap and convenient. You can find taxis on the streets in Hoi An and outside of `Ancient Town` or you can call and order a taxi by phone, two of the most reliable companies that operate in the city include Mai Linh Taxi and Faifoo Taxi.

Cyclos (a tricycle with seats pedaled by a driver) is a unique way to see Hoi An and the `Ancient town` area. The drivers are full of knowledge on the landmarks in the city and the general cost of an hour`s trip will cost around 30,000VND, fares should be negotiated before taking a ride. Cyclos can usually be found anywhere in the city but are most prominent in the Quang Trieu Assembly Hall and close to the Japanese covered bridge.

Motorbike taxis or xe-oms can be found everywhere in Hoi An and provide a quick option for getting around the city. It is advised to agree upon a price before taking your ride.

Hoi An is a small city which is easily explored on foot, getting to most places in the city can be done by walking with hotels, attractions and beaches situated close together. Hoi An`s Ancient Town is pedestrian-only zone and no cars are allowed in the area for several hours (8 am - 11 am and 3 pm - 9:30 pm) every day, making it easy and safe to explore the authentic ancient streets. Many of the areas outside of the city are spectacular to explore on foot including the picturesque rice paddies, villages and verdant hills along with beautiful beaches.

Riding a bike in Hoi An is a very popular way to get around, you will see most of the locals riding a bicycle through town. Bicycles are allowed inside Ancient Town and many of the city`s attractions can be accessed on a bicycle ride. The streets are relatively flat and compact and the path along the river is great for a ride and will lead you out to the beach. Bicycles can be hired in the city for around 20,000VND for the day.

Hoi An sits on the Thu Bon River and is a port city offering plenty of options for seeing the city from the river or the sea. You can hire a rowing boat that costs around 100,000VND for an hour, motorboats and speedboats are a good way to get out to Cham Island along with the local ferry. You can visit local fishing and handicraft villages by boat for around 200,000VND an hour, also traditional long tail boat or round boats take trips down the river.

The city of Hoi An is a is a relatively safe city to visit, but just like any other major destination in the world, there are certain precautions you should practice when visiting. Practice common sense when out and about exploring the sights and keep your wits about you, pickpockets are common in crowded areas, especially in markets and outside public transport stations. Keep your valuables secure at all times, avoid wearing expensive jewelry or looking flashy and don`t carry around large amounts of money. Stick to well populated and well-lit areas late at night and try not to wander around alone when it is dark.

The charming city of Hoi An offers some unique shopping locations found inside rows of historic shophouses where visitors will find clothing, crafts, and souvenirs. The city is a world-famous destination for tailoring and shoemaking services where suits, clothes, and shoes can be custom made by some 500 tailors found in the city for a huge discount.

Note: If visiting a tailor, be sure there are actual tailors working in the shop and the store is able to produce components and details on the item being made. Most of the storefronts here are renowned for outsourcing and do not produce their own items.

The markets in Hoi An are another big draw in the city, the Lantern Night Street Market is a spectacular and vibrant experience when thousands of lanterns made from famous Hoi An silk, light up the street stalls. The local Central Market is a bustling energetic place first thing in the morning, where local fisherman sell their fresh catch of the day along with endless rows of stalls selling all kinds of goods.

Galleries are a familiar sight in the city, especially occupying the streets around the Japanese Covered Bridge which features over a dozen different galleries and along D Phan Boi Chau which is referred to as the `Rue des Arts` and filled with galleries and museums.

Due to Hoi An`s strategic location on the coast of Vietnam, the city boasts some beautiful beaches where visitors can relax on the soft white sands or burn off some energy with plenty of water sports. Cua Dai beach is a long, wide beach situated about 3 miles from Hoi An`s city center, the stunning Cham Island sits off in the distance. Weekends here can be very crowded and in the week the beach can be your own deserted getaway, there are plenty of beachfront restaurants and hawkers that fill the beaches renting out chairs and umbrellas along with food and drinks. An Bang Beach is another well-desired beaches in Hoi An providing visitors with picturesque views of the surrounding Marble Mountains. The beach area offers lots of dining options, beachfront resorts and plenty of beachside activities such as stand up paddle boarding, swimming, snorkeling, and surfing.

Hoi An is the host of many festivals throughout the lunar calendar year, some of these festivals only take place in Hoi An, some are celebrated nationwide. These festivals are vibrant, eclectic celebrations that are worth seeing with your own eyes, here is a list of a few.

Hoi An Legendary Night - A monthly festival in Hoi An held on the 14th night of every lunar month where the city lights are shut off from 5:30 pm until 10:30 pm and the streets come alive with vibrant traditional lanterns. The streets at this time are a pedestrian-only zone and closed to traffic where people enjoy music, activities, and performances.

Mid-Autumn Party - is held on the 15th of the 8th lunar month and celebrated with activities, live performances and dancing under the moonlight. Popular among children with toys, candy, fruit, and family-friendly entertainment.

The units of currency in Hoi An are the Vietnamese Dong (VND). US dollars are accepted but it is always better to pay in VND. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airport and many locations throughout the city. For more detailed information, consult our guide to tipping in Vietnam by clicking here Vietnam

The cuisine found in Hoi An features mouth-watering street food, freshly caught fish, and seafood, traditional Vietnamese dishes along with blends from other nationalities including Chinese, Portuguese and Western cuisine. In fact, Hoi An is world-famous for its `Cao Lau` which is the cities own unique version of Vietnamese `Pho`and can be found in many restaurants throughout the city. Including a restaurant where famous chef Anthony Bourdain and former president Barack Obama sat and enjoy the local delicacy and bottle of bai hoi.

Hoi An has its own version of the specialty noodle dish `Coa lau` with brown hand cut noodles that have a unique flavor from being mixed with lye water and served with sliced pork, crunchy rice crackers, herbs and spices along with delicious broth. Other local specialties that can be found on every menu in the city include white rose or banh vac dumplings (prawn dumplings), com ga (chicken rice), banh bao (steamed dumplings) and banh xeo (crispy, savory pancakes).

A unique and educational thing to do while visiting Hoi An is to attend a cooking class. This is a truly amazing, once in a lifetime experience where you get to visit a local market and pick up some of the freshest vegetables in the world along with other ingredients, then learn some Vietnamese style cooking skills from in-house chefs and then enjoy your meal with these friendly hosts.

Down by the Riverside in the city is one of the best places to grab some food and enjoy breathtaking views over the Thu Bon River and the unique Hoi An atmosphere. The area is particularly charming at night with the vibrant lanterns that illuminate the streets.

Hoi An offers a number of different cooking classes for visitors to partake in, several restaurants in the city offer these classes and others include a full day tour with cycling, picking your own vegetables from the ground and cooking them in a small village setting. You can learn the traditions of Vietnamese cooking and enjoy the fruits (or vegetables) of your labor! Cooking schools are popular as well with hands-on experience and some restaurants will allow you to observe your food being cooked while you sit back and take notes (for a cost). Want to learn how to make the city`s specialty Coa Lau? Then this is the place to do it.