Things to Do in Hoi An: Top Attractions, Food & Golf

The best things to do in Hoi An bring together heritage, food, countryside and time by the coast. You might spend the morning exploring old merchant houses, join a Vietnamese cooking class, then return to the riverside as the lanterns light up. Beyond the Ancient Town, vegetable gardens, craft villages and nearby golf courses offer different ways to shape your visit. At ALEGOLFVIETNAM, we recommend choosing activities around your interests and travel pace, leaving room for breaks and spontaneous discoveries. This guide helps you decide what deserves a place in your itinerary, whether you have one day or several nights.

1. Explore Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An Ancient Town is the natural starting point for a first visit. Recognised by UNESCO in 1999, it preserves the architecture and street layout of a trading port shaped by Vietnamese and international influences between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. Its appeal lies in the relationship between houses, shops, religious buildings and the river.

Walk through the historic streets

Begin with a relaxed walk along Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc and the surrounding lanes. Look beyond the colourful façades to notice wooden doorways, tiled roofs and narrow passages between buildings.
For planning purposes, allow a couple of hours rather than treating the centre as a quick photograph stop. An early walk can suit visitors who prefer a quieter atmosphere; another visit after dark gives a different impression.

Choose a few heritage landmarks

The Japanese Covered Bridge, Tan Ky Old House and Phuc Kien Assembly Hall are useful starting points for understanding the town’s history. Selected heritage buildings require sightseeing admission, so confirm the current ticket arrangements and accessible sites before planning your route.
Choose places that match your interests. A guide may be worthwhile if you want explanations of architectural details and merchant life; independent exploration offers more freedom to pause.

2. Enjoy the Lanterns and Riverside After Dark

An evening walk is among the most memorable things to do in Hoi An. Lanterns illuminate the historic streets, while reflections give the waterfront a different character from daytime. Vietnam Tourism highlights this evening atmosphere as a central part of the Ancient Town experience.

Take your time around the waterfront

Rather than arriving with a long evening checklist, choose a riverside route and leave time for dinner. If the busiest stretch feels crowded, explore another street and return later.

Photography is often more enjoyable when you pause at a suitable spot instead of stopping repeatedly in narrow walking routes. Be considerate around shop entrances and ask before photographing residents at close range.

Consider a short boat ride

A river trip offers another viewpoint, but clarify the departure point, duration, total price and number of passengers before agreeing.

Check that suitable life jackets are available, particularly for children. Keep the activity flexible around weather and river conditions, and choose a waterfront café instead if you would feel more comfortable staying ashore.

3. Taste Hoi An’s Regional Food

Food deserves its own space in your itinerary. Cao lau, white rose dumplings and mi Quang are among the regional dishes highlighted by Vietnam Tourism. Trying several specialities across different meals can make the experience more enjoyable than ordering everything at once.

Start with a few distinctive dishes

Cao lau is a useful introduction to Hoi An’s food culture, while white rose dumplings provide a different texture and style. You can also include banh mi, chicken rice or a simple Vietnamese coffee break.

Choose dishes according to your appetite and preferences. A famous restaurant may suit one meal, while a convenient neighbourhood restaurant could be more practical after a tiring day.

Choose between independent dining and a food tour

Independent dining works well if you enjoy researching menus and making spontaneous stops. A guided food walk may suit visitors who want help ordering and understanding unfamiliar dishes.

Before booking, ask about walking distance, portion sizes and dietary requirements. Vegetarian preferences and allergies should be discussed specifically, including sauces, broths and shared preparation equipment

4. Join a Cooking Class or Craft Workshop

A practical activity can add variety after sightseeing. Cooking classes and traditional crafts give you something to participate in, which may appeal to travellers who prefer doing rather than simply observing.

Learn to prepare Vietnamese dishes

Hoi An cooking experiences may include market visits, ingredient introductions and practical cooking. Vietnam Tourism identifies cooking classes as one way to explore the connection between local produce and regional food.

Compare the actual programme before booking. Some visitors will enjoy a longer outing with several stops; others may prefer a focused kitchen session.

Useful questions include:

• How many dishes will you prepare yourself?
• How large is the group?
• Are transfers and ingredients included?
• Can the menu accommodate your dietary needs?

Try a traditional craft

Lantern making can be a suitable choice if you want a creative souvenir. Pottery offers another option: Thanh Ha is associated with craft techniques passed through generations.

Ask how much practical participation is included and whether your finished piece can travel home safely. For families, confirm the recommended age and how closely children need adult assistance.

5. Discover the Countryside Around Hoi An

The countryside offers a change of pace from the historic centre. Cam Thanh and Tra Que feature in Vietnam Tourism’s suggestions for exploring farms, gardens and rural surroundings near Hoi An.

Visit Tra Que Vegetable Village

Tra Que may appeal to travellers interested in ingredients, gardening and the landscape behind local meals. Consider combining it with a cooking activity if the programme explains how the two experiences connect.

Choose a visit that allows conversation and observation rather than a rushed sequence of photographs. Treat cultivated plots as working spaces: stay on permitted paths and ask before entering gardens.

Cycle at a comfortable pace

Cycling can help you explore smaller roads, provided you are confident with the route and local traffic. A guided ride may be more suitable if you would rather concentrate on the surroundings.

Check the bicycle’s brakes, seat height and general condition before setting off. Plan a manageable distance with stops, and consider a car transfer or shorter village walk if heat, rain or mobility makes cycling less appealing.

6. Take a Basket Boat Trip in Cam Thanh

Cam Thanh’s waterways offer a different setting from the Ancient Town. Basket boat outings are among the activities promoted around Hoi An’s coconut palm areas.

Choose the atmosphere you want

Before reserving, ask whether the trip focuses on quiet sightseeing or includes music, demonstrations and boat spinning. These differences can strongly affect how much you enjoy the outing.

Visitors travelling with young children, older relatives or anyone sensitive to motion should explain their preferences clearly. Ask the operator to confirm what can be adapted.

Review the full package

Check the boat duration, group arrangements, transfer costs and any optional extras. A lower headline price may cover a different experience from the one you expect.

For a short stay, choose between this outing and another countryside activity according to your interests. Trying to include every popular attraction can leave less time to appreciate each one.

7. Relax at An Bang Beach

An Bang Beach provides a coastal alternative to sightseeing, with beachfront dining and places to spend time by the sea. It is one of the beach options highlighted in Vietnam Tourism’s Hoi An destination guide.

Plan a flexible beach visit

A beach outing does not need to fill an entire day. You could have breakfast near the coast, spend a few hours relaxing and return to your accommodation before an evening in town.

Check whether seating, loungers or towels come with a minimum food or drink purchase. If you want somewhere quieter, walk along the shore before choosing a place to settle.

Match activities to conditions

Swimming should depend on the conditions that day. Follow posted instructions and local advice, and choose another activity when the sea looks rough.

For mixed groups, agree on a simple meeting point and return time. This gives beach lovers time to relax while others enjoy lunch or a shorter walk.

8. Play Golf Near Hoi An

Golf can fit naturally into a longer Hoi An holiday, especially when your group wants both outdoor recreation and cultural sightseeing. Hoiana Shores Golf Club offers an eighteen-hole coastal course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

Choose a course around your schedule

Consider the whole outing when comparing options: hotel transfers, check-in, warm-up, the round itself and the return journey. Course selection should reflect your playing preferences and available time.

To compare golf options beyond Hoi An, explore our Vietnam golf map to discover courses across different regions and identify locations that fit your travel plans.

Ask about the suitable tees, equipment rental, dress requirements and current playing conditions. When comparing quotations, check how green fees, caddies, carts, transfers and other charges are presented.

Balance golf with shared experiences

We suggest leaving the evening after golf relatively flexible. Dinner and a short Ancient Town walk may be more comfortable than another demanding excursion.

For groups combining golfers and non-golfers, a cooking class or beach morning can run alongside a round, followed by time together. Explore our Da Nang and Hoi An golf holiday for an example combining regional courses with Hoi An sightseeing.

9. Build an Itinerary That Leaves Room to Enjoy Hoi An

How much you enjoy Hoi An often depends on the pace you choose. We suggest anchoring each day around one main activity, then adding meals and shorter visits nearby.

If you have one day

Spend the morning exploring heritage streets and selected buildings. Take a proper lunch break, then choose a workshop or café before returning to the waterfront for dinner.

This approach keeps transfers limited and gives you both daytime and evening impressions of the town.

If you have two or three days

Use the extra time to add countryside, beach or golf experiences rather than extending every sightseeing walk.

A possible three-day structure is:

• Day one: Ancient Town, heritage visits and an evening riverside walk.
• Day two: A cooking class or countryside outing, followed by free time.
• Day three: Golf or a beach visit, with an unhurried final dinner.

Consider an island excursion for a longer stay

The Cham Islands offer a different coastal landscape beyond the mainland. Vietnam Tourism describes the archipelago as part of a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

Treat an island trip as a separate outing. Confirm sea conditions, transport, activity supervision and cancellation arrangements before booking.

Keep the weather in mind

Vietnam Tourism describes February to August as generally warmer and sunnier, with rainier conditions from September to January. Heavy rain and flooding can affect visits later in the year. These are seasonal patterns, so check conditions close to your travel dates.

FAQ About Things to Do in Hoi An

What to do in Hoi An?

Start with the Ancient Town, regional food and an evening waterfront walk. Then choose an activity that matches your interests, such as cooking, cycling, crafts or golf. For a short visit, fewer well-chosen experiences usually make a more comfortable itinerary.

What to do in Hoi An Vietnam for a first visit?

Combine heritage sightseeing with an experience beyond the centre. A cooking class, Tra Que visit or beach outing adds variety. If golf is a priority, reserve time for the round and transfers before filling the rest of your schedule.

What to do Hoi An in one day?

Focus on the historic centre, lunch and one additional activity. Return to the riverside in the evening if your departure allows. A countryside excursion or golf round can replace part of that plan, but including everything would make the day demanding.

What to see in Hoi An?

Consider the Japanese Covered Bridge, historic merchant houses, assembly halls and lantern-lined streets. Outside the centre, vegetable gardens, waterways and the coast offer different scenery. Choose a mix of places that reflects your interests rather than following a fixed checklist.

What to do in Hoi An Ancient Town?

Walk through the heritage streets, enter selected historic buildings, try local dishes and pause for coffee. You can add a craft workshop or guided walk for more context. Visiting during daylight and again after dark lets you appreciate two different atmospheres.

Conclusion

The most rewarding things to do in Hoi An depend on what you want from your holiday. Heritage, food and lantern-lit streets make a strong starting point; countryside, beaches and golf can add balance when you have more time.

If you are considering golf as part of a wider Vietnam trip, explore our Vietnam golf packages for ideas on combining golf with regional sightseeing and leisure experiences.

At ALEGOLFVIETNAM, we recommend planning around a few priorities and leaving space between them. If you want to combine golf with Hoi An’s cultural experiences, share your travel dates, preferred number of rounds and group interests so we can help shape a suitable itinerar