2 days in Hoi An

Day by day

1. Day 1: Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cầu) and Ancient Town streets and lanterns

   Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cầu), Ancient Town streets and lanterns, Tan Ky Old House and Fujian Assembly Hall (Phúc Kiến), then Lantern boat ride on the Thu Bon in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cầu)

      It appears on the 20,000-dong note and reopened in 2024 after a major restoration.

   2. Late morning

      Ancient Town streets and lanterns

      In the evening the streets close to motorbikes, silk lanterns are lit and the riverbanks fill with candle sellers and boats.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cao lầu

      The central market food hall and small restaurants across the old town.

   4. Afternoon

      Tan Ky Old House

      Marks on the walls show the heights of past floods.

   5. Late afternoon

      Fujian Assembly Hall (Phúc Kiến)

      Built by merchants from Fujian province as a meeting hall and temple, it is dedicated to Thien Hau, goddess of the sea, and decorated with a bright gateway, dragon fountains, carved altars and coils of hanging incense.

   6. Evening

      Lantern boat ride on the Thu Bon

      Agree the price and length of the ride before boarding; 15–20 minutes is typical.

2. Day 2: Quan Cong Temple and Phung Hung Old House

   Quan Cong Temple, Phung Hung Old House, Museum of Trade Ceramics and Hoi An Central Market, then Hoi An Night Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Quan Cong Temple

      A carp-shaped rain spout and courtyard pond are details to look for.

   2. Late morning

      Phung Hung Old House

      The family still lives here and sells embroidery.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hoi An bánh mì

      Long-running stalls such as Bánh Mì Phượng on Phan Chau Trinh Street and carts around the old town.

   4. Afternoon

      Museum of Trade Ceramics

      A restored timber house on Tran Phu Street displays ceramics traded through Hoi An between the 9th and 19th centuries, including pieces from Chinese, Japanese and Middle Eastern kilns recovered from shipwrecks, showing how wide the port's trade reached.

   5. Late afternoon

      Hoi An Central Market

      Fabric stalls with in-house tailors fill the hall behind.

   6. Evening

      Hoi An Night Market

      Buy a collapsible lantern here to take home, and bargain politely.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Lantern-making workshop (Ancient Town): Choose a smaller lantern size for children; the finished lanterns fold flat for packing.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–9 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.2 hours in December to 13.1 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Walking. The old town, the market and An Hoi islet are all within a 15-minute walk, and motorbikes are restricted in the heritage streets at set times.

More or fewer days

• One day in Hoi An
• 3 days in Hoi An
• 5 days in Hoi An

Questions travellers ask