Plan 01
1 day in Hoi An
- 01
Day 1: Old Town on foot, lanterns at night
Start early, before the heat and the day-tripper crowds, at the Japanese Covered Bridge, then walk Tran Phu Street past the assembly halls and Quan Cong Temple. Visit Tan Ky Old House and the Museum of Trade Ceramics, then have a long lunch and rest at your hotel through midday. In the late afternoon walk the Central Market area and the riverfront, and finish after dark with the lanterns along the river, either on foot or on a short lantern boat ride.
Stop Time needed Walking Best time Japanese Covered Bridge 15 to 30 minutes Easy Early morning, or just after sunset when the lanterns come on Quan Cong Temple 20 to 30 minutes Easy Morning, when it is quiet Tan Ky Old House 30 to 45 minutes Easy Morning, before groups arrive Museum of Trade Ceramics 30 to 45 minutes Easy Midday, for shade Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.
Plan 02
2 days in Hoi An
- 01
Day 1: Heritage morning, river evening
Cover the Old Town in the morning: the covered bridge, Tan Ky Old House, an assembly hall and the Museum of Trade Ceramics. Rest at midday. Visit the Central Market in the late afternoon, then take a lantern boat on the Thu Bon River after dark.
Stop Time needed Walking Best time Tan Ky Old House 30 to 45 minutes Easy Morning, before groups arrive Museum of Trade Ceramics 30 to 45 minutes Easy Midday, for shade Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.
- 02
Day 2: Water and sea
Go to Cam Thanh in the morning for a coconut-basket boat ride through the water-palm channels, then spend the afternoon at An Bang beach, ideally with a long seafood or plant-based lunch and a rest in the shade. Return to the Old Town for a slow evening walk.
Stop Time needed Walking Best time An Bang Beach Half a day Easy February to May for calm weather; late afternoon for light Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.
Plan 03
3 days in Hoi An
- 01
Day 1: Old Town
Walk the Old Town early: covered bridge, Tan Ky Old House, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Quan Cong Temple. Rest through midday and visit the Museum of Trade Ceramics and the Central Market in the afternoon.
Stop Time needed Walking Best time Tan Ky Old House 30 to 45 minutes Easy Morning, before groups arrive Phuc Kien Assembly Hall 30 to 45 minutes Easy Morning, before tour groups Quan Cong Temple 20 to 30 minutes Easy Morning, when it is quiet Museum of Trade Ceramics 30 to 45 minutes Easy Midday, for shade Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.
- 02
Day 2: My Son in the morning
Leave early for My Son, the Cham temple complex about 40 km away, to be there before the heat. Return for lunch and rest. In the evening take a lantern boat or, if you are here on the 14th night of the lunar month, join the Full Moon Festival.
- 03
Day 3: Cam Thanh and the beach
Do the Cam Thanh basket boats in the morning and An Bang beach in the afternoon. If you would rather go to sea, swap this day for the Cham Islands, noting that boats depend on the weather.
Stop Time needed Walking Best time Cam Thanh Basket Boats 1 to 2 hours including travel Easy Morning or late afternoon, outside the heat An Bang Beach Half a day Easy February to May for calm weather; late afternoon for light Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.
Read before you go
Guides for the stops on these routes
Pacing
Pacing a Hoi An trip for parents and children
- Do the Old Town between about 7 and 10 am, then rest. Midday sun on pale paving is tiring from about April to September, and the lanes fill with tour groups in the late morning.
- Many old houses and assembly halls have raised thresholds, uneven wooden floors and steep stairs. Ask a guide or staff member before climbing, and use handrails where there are any.
- Pedestrian streets are not step-free everywhere, and cyclists, e-bikes and motorbikes share some lanes. Walk on the side of the street and listen for bicycle bells.
- Choose a hotel within a short walk of the Old Town so you can return for a midday break without taking a taxi in the heat.
- Rainy season (roughly September to December) can bring street flooding. If you or your parents are less steady on wet ground, bring non-slip shoes and keep the first two days flexible.
- Buy travel insurance that covers medical treatment and evacuation. Larger hospitals are in Da Nang, about 25 to 30 km away, and treatment for visitors usually needs payment or insurance guarantees.
Book the pieces
Stay close to the route
Pick a base near the first day's sights. Our guide to where to stay in Hoi An compares the areas.
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