Hoi An 3-day itinerary

Buy an Old Town ticket (₫120k for 5 heritage sites) and start at the Japanese Covered Bridge — the 400-year-old symbol of Hoi An. Visit the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, a stunning Chinese temple with elaborate carvings dedicated to Thien Hau, the sea goddess. Walk through Tan Ky Ancient House, a 200-year-old merchant home blending three architectural styles. The yellow-walled streets glow golden in morning light and the cafes along the river are perfect for Vietnamese iced coffee (₫25k).

Explore Hoi An Central Market — a bustling riverside market where locals buy fish, herbs, and produce. The food stalls inside serve incredible banh mi (₫20k), mi quang turmeric noodles (₫35k), and fresh fruit shakes (₫15k). In the afternoon, take a cooking class (₫250–400k) — most begin with a market tour, then teach you to make white rose dumplings, cao lau, and fresh spring rolls in a riverside kitchen. You eat everything you cook.

Hoi An becomes enchanted at dusk when hundreds of silk lanterns light the Ancient Town. Walk along the Thu Bon River as floating candle offerings drift downstream (buy one for ₫10k and make a wish). The Night Market on Nguyen Hoang Street has street food, custom lanterns, and tailor samples. Dinner at Morning Glory (reserve ahead) for elevated Hoi An cuisine, or eat cao lau at a river stall (₫40k). The ambience is unforgettable.

Cycle 3km northeast to Tra Que Herb Village — a working organic farming community where you can join a farming experience (₫150k including lunch). Dig, plant, and harvest herbs in the fields surrounded by water buffalo and rice paddies. The village has supplied Hoi An's kitchens for centuries and the herbs give cao lau and mi quang their distinctive flavour. The lunch cooked with your harvest is farm-to-table perfection.

Continue cycling to An Bang Beach (5km from the Ancient Town) — white sand, turquoise water, and chilled beachfront restaurants with loungers and cocktails. Swim in the warm South China Sea and lunch on grilled seafood (whole fish ₫100k). Head back to the Ancient Town mid-afternoon for your tailoring fitting — Hoi An's 400+ tailors can produce custom suits (from ₫1.5M), dresses (from ₫500k), and leather shoes (from ₫600k) in 24 hours.

Eat at Banh Mi Phuong — the legendary banh mi stall featured by Anthony Bourdain and widely considered the best in Vietnam (₫25k). The baguette is crispy, the pate and pork layers are generous, and the chilli hits perfectly. Then find a riverside bar along Bach Dang Street — Dive Bar or White Marble have cheap cocktails (₫80k) with views of the lantern-lit river. The Old Town pedestrianises after 8pm making it perfect for wandering.

Join a half-day trip to My Son Sanctuary (₫150k entry, tours from ₫300k including transport). This UNESCO World Heritage site is a complex of Hindu temples built by the Champa civilisation between the 4th and 14th centuries. The red brick towers surrounded by jungle-covered mountains are atmospheric and historically fascinating. A traditional Cham dance performance runs at 9:30am daily in the main courtyard. The architecture predates Angkor Wat.

Return to Hoi An and cycle to Cua Dai Beach or the Thu Bon River estuary for a basket boat experience (₫100k per person). Local fishermen spin circular bamboo basket boats on the river while teaching you the technique — expect to get wet and laugh. The coconut palm-lined waterways are gorgeous. Lunch at a beachside restaurant — grilled prawns with morning glory and rice (₫120k).

Collect your tailored clothes in the late afternoon — check every stitch and request alterations if needed (same-day fixes are standard). Farewell dinner at Mango Rooms or Vy's Market Restaurant for creative Vietnamese fusion. End the night with a paper lantern release on the river (₫10k) and a final stroll through the Ancient Town. Hoi An has a way of making you promise to return before you have even left.