Hoi An charmed my heart and I’ve written the best 2 day itinerary for Hoi An with passion. This ancient town was one of my favourite places on my South East Asia backpacking trip and I wish I spent more time here. But, can you see Hoi An in 2 days? The answer is yes and you must include Hoi An on any and every trip to Vietnam. You could spend 5 days in Hoi An if you wanted to though!

I spent a month travelling Vietnam and my favourite places were Hanoi and Hoi An. As I look back the two places are quite opposite: Hanoi as the bustling, exciting capital city and Hoi An as the laidback, ancient village. My Hoi An 2 day itinerary isn’t jam-packed with activities but rather a more relaxed visit including beach time, Banh Mi and the cheapest beer in Vietnam.

Lanterns by day in Hoi An, Vietnam
Lanterns are everywhere in Hoi An!

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Contents

Fun Hoi An Facts

  • Hoi An translates as ‘peaceful meeting place.’ How apt!
  • Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

‘Vietnam. It grabs you and doesn’t let you go. Once you love it, you love it forever.’ – Anthony Bourdain

An Bang Beach with boats on sand and sea in background

2 Day Itinerary for Hoi An

I arrived in Hoi An by local bus straight after Danang and I have to say I was relieved to leave Danang. Although, I’ve recently heard that Danang has improved vastly since I was there and I’d love to go back and try it again. When I return to Vietnam, I’ll do another 2 days in Hoi An without a doubt!

I was in Hoi An in July and the weather was gorgeous everyday and sunny days always makes trips better so July is a good time to visit Vietnam. Before your visit, be sure to read these Vietnam travel tips!

2 Day Itinerary for Hoi An: Day 1

Morning

Me on My Bike Ride in Hoi An

Start your 2 day Hoi An trip by walking around the old town to get a feel for the neighbourhood. Get up early to hunt for the best Pho as this famous Vietnamese dish is best served for breakfast. The ancient town is peaceful, no bikes or scooters just pedestrians so great for an early morning stroll.

Afterwards, find a local deal to rent a bike for your 2 days in Hoi An. It’s cheap as chips, more convenient to get around and cooler than walking in the heat thanks to the breeze. Be mindful of the bike lock and key, we lost ours and got fined 50,000VND. 

Banh Mi Lunch in Hoi An

One of the best things to do in Hoi An is sample the variety of Banh Mi found at every corner. Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich. The baguette comes from French influence and traditionally contains pork and spicy paste. Banh Mi is more than a sandwich, it’s intrinsic in the Vietnamese culture and history.

Head to Phi Banh Mi in Hoi An centre for your first taste (and possible addiction). 

Phi Banh Mi Street Food Stall in Hoi An, Vietnam

Now you’ve had lunch and have your bike, do a self-guided bike tour of Hoi An starting with An Bang beach. The beach is a 20 minute bike ride from the old town and you’ll pass lovely rice paddies and bridges to stop and snap some photos. 

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An Bang Beach

An Bang beach is a popular Hoi An attraction. It has accessible places to park the bike and lots of small stalls along the road leading to the sand. Spend some time browsing the stalls before relaxing on the beach. You can rent traditional boats to sit in on this beach too.

Japanese Bridge

Once you’re way too hot to sit in the sun any longer, ride your bike back to the old town and visit the Japanese Bridge, one of Hoi An’s top attractions.

Japanese Bridge in Hoi An with River in Front

You can’t miss the red bridge that stands out against the otherwise yellow town. This bridge was created by Japanese community and is ‘guarded’ by dog and monkey statues said to be the Chinese birth years of Japanese Emperors.

It Was All Yellow

Afterwards, walk / wheel your bike through the old town, stopping in the markets and quirky stalls amongst the yellow bricked walls.

Hoi An Ancient Town From The Riverside

It will be like you’ve stepped back in Vietnamese time amongst the architecture because it’s unlike any other place in Vietnam, or in fact any of South East Asia and still retains that vintage feel.

Evening

If you want some hearty British food in Hoi An, head to Weavers formerly known as The Kebab Shack for proper homely dishes (they even have Heinz beans).

Given this is a Hoi An travel guide though, let me recommend a more local place for tea: Cafe 43. Try the shrimp dumplings aka White Rose / banh bao vac.

Cafe 43 is where you’ll find the cheapest beer in South East Asia at just 10 pence a pint! TEN PENCE. It’s served to you in a barrel occupying the entrance, adding to the feeling that you’re in somewhere local.

I went to Cafe 43 during the day too and the women who worked there let me watch them as they made Vietnamese rolls for the evening menu! It was an authentic experience to watch in the humble cafe in Hoi An!

Barrel of Beer in Hoi An With Red Paper
Ten Pence Beer from this!

2 Day Itinerary for Hoi An: Day 2

Morning

Good Morning Vietnam! And how else to start but with famous Vietnamese coffee! Grab some breakfast and a cool, iced, sweet coffee from Leo Leo Coffee.

If you fancy something a bit different, look out for Egg Coffee (Cà phê trứng) at cafes around Hoi An. It has all the components of a regular coffee except milk is swapped for whisked egg yolk. This comes from during the war when milk supply was limited!

Tailored Clothes

Hoi An is renowned for its cheap tailors and any Hoi An travel guide will tell you the town is bursting at the seams with tailor shops! 😉 Get a custom suit or dress for your next event at the cheapest prices you’ll find anywhere!

When you find a place you like the sound of, be sure to check the reviews. Unlike me, who bought a dress from a tailor that ended up way too short for my liking and hardly any patterns to choose from!

Famous Banh Mi

It wouldn’t be worth visiting Hoi An for 2 days without trying the famous Queen of Banh Mi made by Madam Khanh. They really are worth the hype.

You might opt for a sandwich at Phuong Banh Mi as seen on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown TV show! Beware though, the queues are always long and inside is packed!

Banh Mi Queen Picture from Hoi An
So Delicious!

There’s a debate amongst travellers about the two stalls, try both to make your own decision. I personally preferred Phuong Banh Mi but don’t tell the Queen!

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Fresh Fruit Smoothies

Before the sun goes down, refresh yourself with a fresh fruit smoothie from a cafe called Coco Box. This is a little more on the pricer side as it’s located in the centre but its rustic exterior and homemade juices make the bill a bit easier to face!

Evening

After you’ve returned the bike, walk to the main town for a cheep local beer (not quite as cheap but Cafe 43, but the local beer in Hoi An is cheap by Western standards). This is something you can do on both days of your 2 day trip to Hoi An. While having a beer, you can watch people walk by and reflect on your memories of the day.

For dinner, find a place that is occupied by locals and try the dish called Cao Lao as it’s a Hoi An speciality and the perfect last night meal in Hoi An.

Purchase a half-day food tour in Hoi An in advance here!

Lanterns

Let’s continue this 2 day itinerary for Hoi An in the best possible way: Lanterns at Night.

Multi-coloured Lanterns and floating flowers are synonymous with Hoi An. You won’t find a Vietnam Instagram grid without these featured.

Sure, you can see them in the day but nothing compares to seeing them light up the town at night. Along the river, you’ll see them in flower shapes where you can buy your own from the locals and throughout the markets they are on show and for sale to take home!

Lanterns at Night in Hoi An lit up at a local store
My all-time Favourite Photo of Hoi An!

Accommodation in Hoi An

Booking.com

Hoi An is a must-stop on the ultimate Vietnam backpack route. While writing this Hoi An travel guide, I looked back on my Vietnam travel journal and all the pages from Hoi An were marked with a little loveheart. Those doodles were clear indications of my feelings about the town back then and writing this itinerary for Hoi An takes me right back there. 

When you visit, I hope you’re led to doodling hearts too!

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Pin Image for 2 days in Hoi An, Vietnam including lantern picture.

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