3 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 and Tan Ky Old House, then Lantern boat ride on the Thu Bon in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cầu)

      Built by the Japanese trading community around the end of the 16th century, this small covered wooden bridge links the old Japanese and Chinese quarters and has a tiny temple on its north side, with statues of dogs and monkeys at either end.

   2. Late morning

      Ancient Town streets and lanterns

      The Ancient Town ticket covers entry to five heritage sites of your choice; buy it at the ticket booths on the edge of the old town.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cao lầu

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

   4. Afternoon

      Tan Ky Old House

      A merchant's house built in the late 18th century and lived in by the same family for generations, combining Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese styles with dark wooden beams, carved panels and mother-of-pearl inlay.

   5. 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: Fujian Assembly Hall (Phúc Kiến) and Quan Cong Temple

   Fujian Assembly Hall (Phúc Kiến), Quan Cong Temple and Phung Hung Old House, then Hoi An Night Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Fujian Assembly Hall (Phúc Kiến)

      Look for the model of a Chinese trading junk inside, and visit in the morning when incense smoke catches the light.

   2. Late morning

      Quan Cong Temple

      Founded in the mid-17th century opposite the central market, this temple honours Quan Cong, a revered Chinese general, whose large statue stands between two attendants and life-size horses.

   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

      Phung Hung Old House

      Climb upstairs to see the trapdoor and look out from the balcony onto the street.

   5. Evening

      Hoi An Night Market

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

3. Day 3: Museum of Trade Ceramics and Hoi An Central Market

   Museum of Trade Ceramics, Hoi An Central Market and Lantern-making workshop, then Float a lantern together in the evening.

   1. Morning

      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.

   2. Late morning

      Hoi An Central Market

      Come early for the fish landing by the river, then eat breakfast in the food hall.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hoi An chicken rice

      Specialist cơm gà shops on Phan Chau Trinh Street and around the old town.

   4. Afternoon

      Lantern-making workshop

      Workshops in and around the old town teach you to stretch silk over a folding bamboo frame and finish your own lantern in about an hour or two, with a lantern-maker guiding each step.

   5. Evening

      Float a lantern together

      Take a rowing boat on the Thu Bon after dark and release a paper candle lantern.

Before you go

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Ancient Town keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, An Hoi islet ($$) suits first-timers, nightlife and families. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 10–11 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.2 hours in December to 13.1 hours in June.

More or fewer days

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

Questions travellers ask