Hoi An, Vietnam: A 3 Day Itinerary For Families With Children
A few years ago it was announced that there would be a new direct flight from Seoul, Korea to Danang, Vietnam to open up tourism to Vietnam for Koreans. It was just a matter of time before we we were ready to visit Vietnam. Actually, I backpacked through Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh in 2007 for a month and wasn’t quite sure I wanted to go back to see what had changed.
I LOVED Vietnam and especially the quiet sleepy town of Hoi An. I remember fondly the lazy afternoons near the river when everyone from shop owners to street food vendors would be napping in any shade that existed. I loved walking down the quiet narrow yellow alleys though could never quite tell if it was just quiet or if I was going some place I wasn’t supposed to be. It was a respite from the crazy Hanoi streets.
Before this trip, I had heard and read on other sites that Hoi An was now overrun with tourists and I just wasn’t sure I wanted to see that. However, take a Vietnam holiday we did and oh if I didn’t love Hoi An just the same. Hoi An is most definitely one of the best places to visit in Vietnam and perfect for a Vietnam family holiday. Sure, there are a bit more people than were there when I traveled through more than a decade ago, but it is still just as lovely as in 2007.
This time our trip was very different from that first trip because now I have a family and a small child so the movements would be slower and the stops visited longer. With that in mind, here is a 3 day itinerary for families headed to Hoi An.
Hoi An is a fabulous place to travel with children. It is colorful and vibrant with good food, beaches, and culture too. Note that I had my five year old with me on this trip but noted where you could/should take older kids if you have them.
Here’s what you’ll find in this post:
- How To Get To Hoi An
- How To Prepare For Your Trip
- What You Should Know About Hoi An
- Apps To Use In Hoi An
- Where To Stay In Hoi An
- A 3 Day Itinerary For Hoi An
- Other Experiences You Could Try In Hoi An
- Other Cafes & Restaurants You Could Visit In Old Town
How To Get To Hoi An
Buy Your Plane Ticket: You can get some great deals on flights to Danang. If you haven’t tried, check Skyscanner.com for the best rates. Why Danang? Hoi An does not have it’s own airport, but Danang is the closest and it’s just 40 minutes north. Make sure to get tickets into Da Nang International Airport (DAD)
Danang To Hoi An Transfer: From Danang International Airport, you’ll want to book a transfer to Hoi An. Some inns and hotels will provide a transfer, but if they don’t, definitely book one to make it easy on yourself. We booked a transfer with Klook and it was easy to spot our driver at the airport and the van was clean and comfortable. You can book your transfer here.
How To Prepare For Your Trip
Get a Visa: Definitely check out what you need to do to get a visa to Vietnam. My husband (Korean) didn’t need to get a visa, but me (American) absolutely did. So make sure you know and do it early so there’s enough time to apply and get everything done.
Get Travel Insurance: Make sure to prepare travel insurance. We always use World Nomads for our trips. It’s always better to be safe rather than sorry.
Get Good Hard Case Luggage: Packing all of the essentials is good only if they get to the other side with you. Make sure to have good luggage to get you and your belongings all the way. Roam Luggage has awesome customizable bags that will go the distance and look super cool on the way.
International Driver’s License: Make sure you have your International Driver’s License if you plan on renting a car or a motorbike to get around while you’re visiting. We preferred to walk and rented cars from Klook to get around to major destinations and that worked out really well for us.
Wifi Eggs/Sim Cards: While there is great WiFi in many places around Seoul and Korea, nothing beats having your own Wifi Egg so there’s no lag in connection. You can reserve both WiFi eggs and Sim Cards via Klook so they’re ready and waiting for you when you fly into either Incheon International Airport or into Busan International Airport.
Wear Comfortable Shoes: There is a lot of walking so be prepared when you visit Hoi An. My go-to comfortable and sustainable shoe brand is Allbirds. Make sure you’re ready for the trip!
What You Should Know About Hoi An
Hoi An, meaning a “peaceful meeting place”, is located in Vietnam’s Quant Nam Province, a centrally located area that was a main trading hub from the 15th century until the 19th century. Because of the trade that once existed through here, you’ll find Chinese temples next to Japanese merchant homes tucked in between Vietnamese tea houses.
While much of Vietnam was destroyed during the Vietnam War, Hoi An was rather miraculously spared much of the damage. It was designated an UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999 and is now one of Vietnam’s most visited destinations. Because the city has seen a dramatic upturn in tourism in the past decade, I’ll add that the once sleepy seaside town is no longer sleepy at all. You will have to look between boutique villas and upscale cafes to find the historic and traditional spots, but they are still there.
Scams
The biggest scam in the area now is overcharging tourists. I didn’t find this at all the first time I visited in 2007, but it’s pretty bad now. Be prepared if you want to go shopping to haggle and barter and if you go into any of the local markets, good luck. With that in mind, definitely talk with your hotel/villa staff about what it is you want to buy and ask them what the going rates are. We found our villa staff to be so helpful with this point.
Apps To Use In Hoi An
GrabFood
We used this at least three times during our stay and it was perfect. If you’ve got little ones that might end up needing a nap just when you’re hungry, definitely download this app. You can get the food you want delivered right to you AND a great part is that you can watch the delivery person on a map as they get closer so you’ll know right when you need to walk out to pick up the goods. You will need a Vietnamese SIM card to download and use the GrabFood app so make sure you pick that up at the airport when you arrive. It’s worth it if only just for this.
Google Maps
Google Maps works just fine in Hoi An and has everything listed that you’ll want to find, unlike Korea where it’s rarely useful. In case you didn’t know, you should also make sure to use the “offline maps” feature so you don’t use your data.
If you click on those three little lines in the upper left of the app and go to “Offline Maps” you can actually download a map of the location that you’ll be visiting. It will work, and even be able to follow you with those red and blue dots to navigate even when you’re offline. I’ve been using this for years when I travel and still meet people that don’t know they can do this, so try it and I bet you’ll appreciate it while you’re out and about.
Where To Stay In Hoi An
Horizon Villa
We were traveling with a group of four families so opted to stay in a villa that we could rent out entirely. We also opted to stay outside of Old Town which was great for us because the eats around us weren’t as expensive as in Old Town and there was a lot less traffic. Seriously, as soon as you’re a block away from Old Town, the vibe is so different and much more local.
The hosts here were absolutely lovely and could give us tips on everything we wanted to do. They helped call taxis and talk with drivers. We really enjoyed our stay here and highly recommend it. Want to stay where we stayed? You can book a stay here on Airbnb.
La Maison de la Memoire
If you’re looking to stay right in Old Town, this is another spot I was looking at. Right in Old Town with beautiful traditional style, you can get this whole house which includes a kitchen, porch, and a garden terrace. It’s a beautiful option if you have kids and want to have the option to cook at your place too.
You can check book a stay here on Airbnb.
Anantara Hoi An Resort
If you want something a little more luxury, you definitely can in Hoi An. Check into the Anantara Hoi An Resort. This five star luxury resort sits on the Thu Bon River and has gorgeous French colonial architecture. There are daily yoga classes, conversational Vietnamese lessons, and the hotel can organize boat trips and day trips for you. It’s an elegant stay which a beautiful swimming pool and they offer babysitting and child services so perfect for families.
Book a stay on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Allegro Hoi An
This hotel and spa is just 400 meters from the famous Japanese Covered Bridge in Old Town. This Little Luxury Hotel has a year round outdoor swimming pool and offers free use of bicycles to get around town. If you’re looking to relax in style, definitely look into staying here. The spa and sauna will make the trip to Hoi An rejuvenating. The hotel offers babysitting and child services and also provides baby safety gates if you need them while you stay. It’s a great option for family travelers.
You can book a stay at Allegro on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
A 3 Day Itinerary For Hoi An
Day 1 In Hoi An:
Breakfast At Your Hotel/Inn: If you’re a family like us, you probably get up in the morning but don’t really move too fast. We LOVE having breakfast where we sleep. Take advantage of that local hospitality. Standard breakfast in Hoi An will probably include their amazing baguettes which is great for kids or pho, a noodle soup. Keep it simple and fill up.
Go To The Beach: The beach is gorgeous and easy to get to either by bike if you’re a bit active or with a taxi, the way we went. There’s a round about where all of the taxis drop off so don’t worry about trying to plan your ride back. There are plenty of rides to be had here. When you get to the beach, pretty much every local restaurant and cafe has umbrellas and chairs out in front of their businesses. You don’t have to pay for these. Maybe I should say, DON’T pay for these.
Basically, the deal is that you just have to purchase something to use them. Buy a drink or have lunch. We just stopped into a spot we liked the look of, but if you want to head somewhere specific, look up La Plage. They have a children’s play area out of the sun which is great if you want some shad and sun fun. We hunt out on the beach from mid-morning, played, ate lunch where we sat, and then headed back to the hotel mid-afternoon to shower and rest a bit before heading out for a full evening in Old Town.
Eat Dinner In Old Town & Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge: We purchased our Old Town ticket on the first evening so that we could enter and see any sites we happened by along the way. At the western end of the Old Town is where the very popular Japanese Covered Bridge sits. This is one of the most popular photo-ops in the area so be prepared for a lot of people coming and going. We stayed at this end though so we could also hop into a boat after dinner to release lanterns.
Take a Ride On The Thu Bon River & Release Lanterns: We are all about having different experiences and doing things that we’ll remember when we travel. If you are in Hoi An during a full moon, there’s a festival and everyone is on the river releasing lanterns. We hired a boat and got three lanterns to release too! Do be aware that there are a ton of people trying to get you into their boat and they will try to make you pay more than you should.
Our villa staff said we shouldn’t pay more than 150,000vnd for a boat and a couple lanterns but when we arrived to the river the first woman to approach us said it was 500,000vnd. I said no and walked on and she followed going down and down and down as we did. My husband doesn’t like to haggle and I’m not really a fan either, but I’m also just fine with saying ‘no’ and walking on. Eventually she landed on the 150,000vnd and we got in. There are life jackets for everyone and it’s beautiful to see the riverside lit up from the water.
See The Water Puppets: Something that is culturally unique to Vietnam, this show is in a theater in Old Town. The show features unicorns, fairies, dragons and colorful lighting and mist and tells the stories of Vietnamese legends. If you want the best seats, get there 15-20 minutes before the show starts.
- Address: 548 Hai BaTrung
- Days: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays
- Hour: Starts at 6:30pm and ends at 7:15pm.
- Admission: Adults: 80,000vnd ($3.50); Children: 40,000vnd ($1.70)
*Note that we weren’t getting anything tailored on our trip. I DID get an amazing jacket made on my first trip to Hoi An back in 2007 and still have it today. The tailors are amazing. If you want to get something made, go on the first day so you can pick it up on your last day.
Day 2 In Hoi An:
What We Did
Vin Pearl Land: While I’m not usually an amusement park kind of person, I definitely think this was a fun outing and especially in November. Since it was monsoon season, people apparently thought otherwise of going to an amusement park but definitely don’t count it out! I kid you not, there were all of ten people in this massive park when we were there.
We basically had the run of the place. I imagine this is what it’s like to be super rich and rent a place out for the day so you don’t have people following you around. It was spectacular to say the least. The staff for the rides were calling us over so they could turn their ride on and Ava got to do every experience there was. Check out this post for a guide to VinPearl Land with kids.
The park is 62.4 hectares so we had plenty to do from amusement rides to a great culture village where our little one got to learn about how silk is made. There is also a safari and we got to feed giraffes and elephants as well as birds. If it’s hot enough, there’s a water park as well with some small and huge slides. We went into this part for about an hour, but our little one is still quite little and starts turning blue and gets cold pretty quickly. Still, it was a great option to have. Again, since we were the only ones there, we got to spend ample time doing all of this.
I think Vin Pearl was a great mix of culture education and fun and it was easy too since there were restaurants and cafes. We went in the morning and stayed until just after lunch when it began to sprinkle a bit and we decided we were done anyway. You could spend a half day here but could also easily spend an entire day here if you wanted.
- Address: Thanh Nien St., Binh Minh, Thang Binh, Quang Nam Province
- How To Get There: Unless you’ve rented a car, you’ll need to book a transfer service. Since we booked our tickets on Klook we also booked their transfer service between Vin Pearl and our villa. You can book the transfer here.
- Hours: 8:00am ~ 9:00pm
- Admission: Buy your tickets on Klook and you can get a discount. We used Klooks, walked up to the ticket booth and showed the voucher and got the tickets straight away. It’s super easy to use.
Rest At Your Hotel/Villa: A half day or day spent at Vin Pearl definitely requires a bit of rest afterward. Shower, rest, and maybe head out for dinner… or don’t.
Order In: I didn’t take any pictures of the Banh Mi we ate and not because we didn’t have any. We had Banh Mi at least once a day, BUT we always had it delivered. SOMETHING REALLY GOOD FOR YOU TO KNOW: You can get pretty much everything delivered. This is a great option when you have little people that might need a nap while you’re hungry.
For us, our little one can definitely get overstimulated so we make sure to have back up after back up after back up option. If you’ve got one parent that wants to rest, the other can also borrow a bike which almost all villas and hotels have available to ride over to pick up some Banh Mi. The two most famous Banh Mi spots that you have to try are Banh Mi Phuong and Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen, Try these definitely, but feel free to pick up Banh Mi wherever you are!
Banh Mi is a sandwich made on delicious French baguettes and stuffed with meat, pate, and fresh vegetables. Simple and delicious. There are some different varieties to try as well. I had a tofu one which was outstanding. If you want more food highlights, what to order, and where to find it, check out this great post about food in Hoi An from Willy For Food. At the end of this article, there are also some other cafe and restaurant options that you could head for if you do want to go out for dinner rather than staying in like we did.
What You Could Do
Though we opted for a fun day at VinPearl, you could definitely try something else in the area. There were three other options I looked into though ultimately landed on VinPearl because it was our little’s birthday and it seemed like something that was special just for her. Here are some other great things you can do with your little people:
My Son Sanctuary: If you’ve got littles that like to climb up and down and all around and explore, this would be an awesome choice for something a bit more traditional and cultural. The My Son Sanctuary is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and has stone sculptures and Hindu deities to find. Check out this very interesting spot here.
Cham Islands: The Cham Islands are in the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park and are an UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. You can go snorkeling and see rare marine life. There are eight small islands and you’ll take a boat out to them and see Au Thuyen, Hai Tang pagoda, and the Bai Lang traditional fishing village. This is probably a good tour if you have a bit older children. I wasn’t quite sure my four year old could handle the snorkeling, but a great option if yours can! You can book a day tour of the islands here on Klook.
Boat Ride & Cooking Class: This half day tour would be great with kids. A little thrill on a boat ride and learn how to catch fish using traditional methods. Get your hands dirty, but in the good way, by cooking some Vietnamese cuisine in an interactive class. This combines a lot of cultural and educational opportunities. You can book this half day tour on Klook.
Day 3 In Hoi An:
For our third day we wanted to walk in the Old Town, get some shopping done and just enjoy the day slowly. Be aware that you need to purchase a ticket to Old Town if you want to see any of the historic sites within the neighborhood, otherwise no one really checks. You’ll want to stop in to see the sites though, right? The ticket for Old Town costs 120,000vnd.
We stopped into whichever sites as we meandered but if you want to see some specifically, check out this guide to the Old Town on Sailing Stone Travel. The ticket you purchase will only get you into 5 historic sites, but there are actually 22 within the quarter so keep that in mind if you’re trying to do it all.
Traffic is actually banned in the Old Town streets from 8:00am until 11:00am so getting there early is ideal if you have little ones that like to wander. The side walks in the area are very narrow so when there are motor bikes and cars going through, be very mindful. If you’ve got little ones that don’t want to walk too much, or maybe you don’t want to carry them, try seeing Old Town by Cyclo.
Start At Hoi An Market: Since we were staying on the west side of town, we opted to take a taxi to the furthest east of Old Town, the Hoi An Market and start there so that our meandering would eventually take us back to our villa. We stayed in the Hoi Market for just about 20 minutes before moving on.
We found the market vendors to be rather pushy and were much more interested in the stand alone shops in the district that we could more easily get in and out of. The one good thing about the Hoi Market though, if you’re just a little quirky, you can get matching adult and children’s attire for an epic family photo and you can barter pretty well in there with so many vendors packed in close to each other too.
Stop Into The Hainan Assembly Hall: Built in 1851, this assembly hall was built to worship 108 Chinese merchants that were unjustly killed when they were mistaken for pirates. Later they were vindicated and named deities. When you enter, you can see the God of Wealth on the right side and the founders of the house on the left side.
Have Coffee At Hoi An Roastery: We stopped into one and then asked we walked the streets of Old Town, found another and another and another… there are now seven Hoi An Roastery cafes in Old Town. They apparently each have their own vibe as they’re in beautiful converted houses. They are known for their sustainable sourcing and efforts in social impact so they’re a great local company in the area to support. They have consistently good coffee and they have good ice cream too if you ask our little lady who needed to cool off in the morning. You’ll keep finding them, so just stop into whichever one is nearby when you need a sit down.
See The Fujian Assembly Hall: This hall was a nice respite from the bustling market street. First built in the 17th century, it’s an impressive stop on the walk for intricate design and architecture elements. The Fujianese enshrined the diety Thien Hau, the Goddess of the Sea, here so merchants would come here to pray before embarking on long trading journeys.
- Address: 46 Trần Phú, Cẩm Châu, Hội An
- Hours: 7:00am ~ 5:00pm
Eat Lunch At Morning Glory: Touted as one of the best restaurants in town, and it is most definitely delicious and has a ton of choices, this is a bit more expensive than other spots in the area so do be aware of that. While still not expensive by Korean standards, it was double what wed spent at a place near our Airbnb outside of the Old Town.
The closer you get to the river, the higher the prices seem to be that’s for sure, BUT the food was really good. We tried one of their must try dishes called Cao Lau, a noodle dish that has far less broth than the standard pho, and it’s got a sort of sweet and savory sauce that is really delicious. This is a popular dish from Hoi An, so it’s definitely a must try at some point while you visit.
- Address: 106 Nguyễn Thái Học, Phường Minh An, Hội An
- Hours: 10:00am ~ 11:00pm
Buy Souvenirs: Though we weren’t having anything tailored for us on this trip, you certainly could. Instead, we opted to purchase some of the leather goods. There are so many leather shops with some really great products. We loaded up on our holiday presents since it was just before Christmas. The quality is really great just be prepared to haggle as most spots don’t post prices at all.
Have Tea At Reaching Out Teahouse: This unique tea house in Hoi An is a must if you want to give back on your trip. The tea house is known for empowering people with disabilities by giving them the opportunity to work within their tea house or craft shop. The tea house staff are all speech or hearing impaired which means when you visit, you’ll use hand motions and wooden blocks with words on them to communicate.
It’s a lovely experience and with little ones, a calming atmosphere as well as they promote whispering when talking and silence. Have noisy little ones? It’s okay. The staff was quick to come over and hand our daughter paper and pencils to keep her busy until the crisps we’d ordered arrived. It’s a warm and inviting tea house that we really enjoyed. Also, if you visit you can get a discount on goods if you visit their craft shop around the corner.
- Address: 131 Trần Phú, Phường Minh An, Hội An
- Hours: Weekdays: 8:30am ~ 9:00pm; Weekends: 9:30am ~ 7:00pm
Make A Vietnamese Lantern: I love hands on experiences and this was the perfect one even for our four year old. The instructors were so helpful and were just fine giving our toddler help when she needed but were hands off when she could try herself. Vietnamese lanterns are a symbol of luck, happiness, and wealth and you’ll end up with a stunning souvenir to take home. The instructors will seriously make sure you end up with just gorgeous lanterns too. No one walks away unhappy from this experience.
NOTE: Definitely book the option where the base is already made and you just add the fabric. The fabric is already tricky and will take an hour or so which was perfect for us. If you make the frame as well, the experience can take 2-3 hours.
- Address: 8 Tran Cao Van
- Hours: 9:00am ~ 5:00pm
- How To Book: Book your time on Klook here.
Order In: After a full day out and about in Old Town, we opted, once again, to order in. We’re definitely spoiled in Korea where anything and everything can be delivered right to your doorstep so when we were in Hoi An, we were very happy to have this option as well. Make sure to check out the apps I recommended above so you can take advantage of this option as well. Or, likewise, if you want to go out, there are more restaurant options at the end of this post.
We absolutely loved our time in Hoi An, Vietnam and think you will too. It’s easy to get to from Da Nang and small enough that you can walk almost everywhere but big enough that there is plenty to do. Beaches, small town vibes, and tons of great food… what could be better for a family holiday in Vietnam?
Other Experiences You Could Try In Hoi An
Silk Tour In The Countryside: Take a trip to see a silkworm breeding house and learn how silk is made by watching textile workers weave the silk together. You can see a collection of Vietnamese Ao Dai and other costumes. My daughter loves bugs and learning about artistic practices so this was on our list if there was time. You can check out this tour here.
Grandma’s Vietnamese Home Cooking Class: We had this tour on our list because our little one LOVES cooking. You’ll learn to make Banh Xeo, small flour crepes, and you’ll get to take a lovely boat ride to a small island to enjoy them. Based on reviews, this works for children that are quite young on up so if you have little people that love cooking, definitely check this out. Book your tour here.
Photoshoot in Old Town: When you travel sometimes it can be tough to get photos of the entire fam. Have you ever looked into hiring a photographer on your travels? I’ve actually been the photographer and guide for travelers here in Seoul before. It’s a great way to get fun family photos from a professional and usually the photographers know the best spots to take you too. Get that holiday card image or just have some fun with your little ones in a different place. Check out Albus and his photographer options here.
Other Cafes & Restaurants You Could Visit In Old Town
If you want to trade out some of the cafe stops we made for something else, check out Hidden Hoi An’s great list of the best coffee shops in the area. There are SO many cafes in Old Town now, definitely a lot more than when I first visited in 2007. Here are a few more that I would have gone to if I had the time.
Banh Mi Phuong
This is one of the BEST Banh Mi shops in the area. Service is fast and you’ll want to eat there more than once. There will likely be a line when you arrive but it moves quickly so just jump in and wait for the goodness.
- Address: 2b Phan Chu Trinh, Cẩm Châu, Hội An
- Hours: 6:30am ~ 9:30pm
Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen
This is the other BEST Banh Mi shop in the area if you listen to the internet and locals. Choose which level of spicy you want and then delve into these delightful sandwiches. This is also a shop that there is sure to be some wait for, but again, worth it.
- Address: 115 Trần Cao Vân, Phường Minh An, Hội An
- Hours: 6:30am ~ 7:30pm
Faifo
This is said to be the best cafe to visit if you want to get views of the historic buildings and their rooftops. Get the view on the rooftop, but then head back inside to the second floor if you want something cooler.
- Address:130 Trần Phú, Phường Minh An, Hội An
- Hours: 8:00am ~ 9:00pm
STREETS
This restaurant and cafe is another place to go to give back to the local community. STREETS provides impoverished youth with professional level training and apprenticing, which includes English language and life skills. The trainees are kids that never had enough to eat or a safe place to sleep prior to joining STREETS. want to support a local movement? Look into this restaurant if you have time.
- Address: 17 Lê Lợi, Phường Minh An, Hội An
- Hours: 12:00pm ~ 10:00pm
Com Ga Ba Buoi
The first day we arrived in Vietnam it was actually afternoon before we started this whole itinerary and we went out to get a quick bite for dinner. We opted for Com Ga. Com Ga is originally from China but was brought here by Chinese traders. It’s a chicken and rice dish so very approachable for even the pickiest of little eaters. There is shredded chicke and rice and then usually a shredded papaya, carrot, herbal mixture.
We ordered this for ourselves and then just a dish of the rice and chicken with no veg mix as it can be spicy for the little one. Com Ga Ba Buoi was opened in the 1950s and is one of the most popular places to try this dish. Just let them know you have a little person that only wants the basic plate while you’ll have the entire thing and everyone can eat something!
- Address: 22 Phan Chu Trinh, Phường Minh An, Hội An
- Hours: 10:30am ~ 2:30pm; 5:00pm ~ 9:00pm
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One Comment
Rhio
Thanks so much for all of this great info! I have been to Hoi An several times but never with kids. Mine will be 3 and 5 when we visit next year so I am grateful for all of these tips!