Welcome to Hoi An
The Jewel of Central Vietnam!

The old town of Hoi An is the highlight of many travelers' visit to Central Vietnam. Located 30 km south of Da Nang, it was a well-traveled international port as early as the 2nd century, trading with vessels from many Asian, Arab, and European countries. Many of its original buildings were destroyed during the Tay Son rebellion in the late 18th century, but rebuilding took place, and many of the older buildings you'll see today date from that period. In the latter part of the 19th century, the Thu Bon River became unnavigable due to silt, leaving her essentially landlocked.

Untouched by the AmeriViet War, its wonderful old buildings are still intact, and it's a thriving artist's community as well. Many of Hoi An's best artists have storefront shops on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, west of the Japanese foot bridge. Particularly recommended is the Co Art Gallery at 18 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, where artist Bui Cong Khanh makes enchanting watercolors of Sapa tribespeople on rice paper.

Throughout the town, craftspeople can be seen at work in their small shops, and prices are among the best in Vietnam. As an example, colorful cloth-covered lanterns that you'd pay over $20 USD for in your own country can be had for as little as $1 USD in Hoi An. One such place is the shop at 88 Le Loi Street.

Scenes from the recent motion picture The Quiet American were shot here. A walking tour through Hoi An is memorable, and should include a short trek through the residential backstreets over the footbridge, in the southern part of the town.

Hoi An is also the jumping-off point for minibuses to the historic temple zone of My Son.

Weather

Hoi An gets pretty wet during October and November, and floods do occur. Your best bet would be to avoid these two months.

Getting to Hoi An

Hoi An is served by several bus and minibus lines, originating in Hué and Da Nang.