Cool Day Trips from Hoi An: 7 Unforgettable Experiences
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Oh, Hoi An. I absolutely love this little town. I’ve been to Hoi An so many times over the past 15 years, and I’m always endlessly charmed by this place. From all of the epic things to do in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ancient Town to the many incredible day trips from Hoi An, there’s a reason I keep coming back here year after year.
If you’ve got an extra day and you’re looking for cool Hoi An day trips, I’ve got you covered with my top picks. From cycling through emerald green rice paddies in the countryside to taking a scenic drive to Hue via the Hai Van Pass to seeing the magnificent Golden Hands Bridge in person, you’re going to be spoiled for choice when it comes to incredible trips from Hoi An.
Quick Hoi An Travel Tips
Get to Hoi An affordably: Buy your train or bus tickets in Vietnam with 12GoAsia.
Arrange your eSIM before you arrive: Airalo is my go-to when purchasing eSIMS for my travels, and they have plenty of different options for Vietnam so you can be connected the moment you arrive.
Airport Pickup: If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of getting a taxi at the Da Nang Airport, you can easily arrange for a driver to pick you up at the arrivals area (rates starting at $11).
Top 3 Hoi An Day Trips: 1) Hoi An Countryside Jeep Tour (for rice paddies and local life); 2) My Son Sanctuary Tour & River Cruise (for history); 3) Hai Van Pass Motorbike Tour with Easy Riders (for epic views and scenery).
Where to stay in Hoi An: For those of you looking for something budget-friendly, my go-to is always Green Apple Hotel – modern rooms, free breakfast, and a lovely pool (rooms from $17). For a luxe mid-range option in the heart of the Ancient Town, I love the amenities of Hoi An Historic Hotel (rooms starting at $75) and the boutique style of The Signature Hoi An (rooms starting at $100).
Cool Day Trips from Hoi An: 7 Amazing Options
Visit the Imperial City of Hue
One of the most popular day tours from Hoi An is to visit the spectacular city of Hue, which served as the imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. With its walled UNESCO World Heritage-listed Imperial City, extravagant royal tombs, sky-high Thien Mu Pagoda, and meandering Perfume River, no trip to Central Vietnam is complete without seeing Hue’s historic attractions.
Luckily Hue is easily doable via a day trip from both Hoi An and neighboring Danang. Because Hue is located roughly 2 to 3 hours from Hoi An (depending on the route), it’s a full-day trip, but it’s well worth it to check out this bucket-list Vietnamese destination.
There are a variety of ways to get to Hue from Hoi An – from booking a private driver to joining a group tour. Either way you go, be sure to choose an option that takes you to Hue via the Hai Van Pass (more on this below). This is one of the most famous stretches of road in Vietnam and the ocean views are simply spectacular.
Ride the Hai Van Pass on a Motorbike
Motorbiking along the Hai Van Pass is easily one of the most iconic Hoi An day trips. If you’re experienced on a motorbike, you can easily tackle this 21-kilometer route independently in one day. However, if you’re not comfortable driving yourself, you can also ride on the back of a motorbike with an experienced driver.
This Hai Van Pass Motorbike Tour with Easy Riders allows you to choose from all sorts of options, from driving one-way from Hoi An to Hue to doing a round-trip option that picks you up, takes you to the essential stops along the Hai Van Pass – like the Dragon Bridge in Danang, Son Tra Peninsula, Lang Co Beach, and Dream Spring (where you can take a dip!) – and drops you back off at your hotel in Hoi An.
Explore the Hoi An Countryside
So many people visit Hoi An without ever exploring the town’s incredible countryside – and that’s such a shame. Hoi An is surrounded by such beautiful scenery and it’s well worth taking some time to escape the touristy Ancient Town and explore the surrounding rice paddies, farms, and villages.
Whenever I’m in town, I rent a motorbike and cruise around on my own. That being said, I understand that riding a scooter isn’t for everyone. If you’re not comfortable riding a scooter, there are two very cool Hoi An day trips that will allow you to experinece the countryside.
The first is to join this Hoi An Countryside Jeep Tour. I like this option because it’s a small-group tour that gives an authentic glimpse of what life is really like for the local people. You’ll get the chance to cruise through the countryside, explore a local farm, learn about the fishermen in Duy Hai, and enjoy a home-cooked meal in a local’s home. It’s a truly unique tour.
If you’d prefer to get some exercise, you can also join the Morning Countryside Tour by Bike. Groups are capped at 8 people and your guide will lead you all around the countryside. You’ll cover 20 kilometers while stopping off at homes, farms, temples, and even a rice wine distillery.
Tour the My Son Ruins
If you’re looking for half-day trips from Hoi An, a visit to the My Son Ruins is one of the most popular options. Located roughly one hour from Hoi An, the My Son Sanctuary is home to beautiful, if crumbling, remnants of Vietnam’s ancient Cham architecture. The ruins at this UNESCO World Heritage site were built from the 4th to the 13th century.
You can easily reach the My Son Sanctuary on your own via motorbike or car. But if you don’t have your own transportation, there are plenty of shuttles and group tours departing from Hoi An all day long. When I visited the My Son Ruins, I booked transportation to get there at sunrise with no guide. I loved being there early in the morning, but I regretted not having a guide.
If I were to go back, I would take this My Son Sanctuary Early Morning Tour with River Cruise. This allows you to get there super early, which is great for beating the heat and the crowds. You’ll also have a guide who can tell you all about what you’re seeing, and you get the chance to take a scenic river cruise back to Hoi An!
Visit Ba Na Hills and Golden Hands Bridge
Visiting Ba Na Hills and the iconic Golden Hands Bridge is easily one of the most unique day trips from Hoi An. While this attraction is just over an hour from Hoi An, it’s honestly like being whisked to a completely different world.
There are a bunch of different transportation and tour options available on Get Your Guide, so it’s well worth taking a look to see what works best for you and your interests. Some will just take you to the famed Golden Hands Bridge, while others allow you to ride Asia’s longest cable car, explore the medieval French Village, or ride endless rides at Fantasy Park!
Visit the Marble Mountains and Lady Buddha in Danang
Danang is just 30 kilometers from Hoi An, making it the perfect place for a day trip. If you want to see Danang’s top attractions in one easy day trip from Hoi An, I suggest taking this tour of Lady Buddha, Marble Mountains & Am Phu Cave.
This half-day tour takes you from Hoi An to the famous Lady Buddha on the Son Tra Peninsula. You’ll see her coming from miles away because this Buddha statue towers at 67 meters! After that, you’ll have the chance to visit the Marble Mountains and the famous Am Phu Cave.
Take a boat trip to the Cham Islands
Taking a snorkeling trip to the Cham Islands is a must if you want to experience island living in Vietnam. Not all Cham Islands tours are created equal. I like that this tour makes the journey with a small group on a speedboat – it’s much more efficient than making the journey with a larger group on one of the slow wooden boats.
On this half-day trip, you’ll have the chance to go snorkeling in the pristine waters around Dai Island and Tai Island, have a BBQ lunch on a white sand beach (they’ll feed you very well on this trip!), and learn all about the local way of life on these quaint islands.
