Passport / Visa

The 14th day of each lunar month sees Hoi An celebrate a Full Moon Festival, wherein streets get flooded with lit paper lanterns, food stalls and souvenir vendors, with traditional performances of song and dance held throughout town. The two best months to visit Hoi An are February and March, when temperatures are at their most comfortable. Heat starts to set in following April, and it gets progressively hotter until July, when the rainy season begins.

A ticket is required in order to be admitted into the Ancient Town, although this is not strictly enforced if you are only planning to take stroll along the streets. If you plan to visit any attractions, a ticket is most definitely required; each ticket comes with 5 slips for any of the operating attractions of your choice (these include assembly halls, old merchant homes, etc.). Kiosks selling such tickets are spread through the old town and are yellow in colour, with a red sign. Each ticket is valid for 24 hours. The price as of 2019 is 120, 000 VND (~ 5 USD).

Cycling is by far the easiest and cheapest way of getting around Hoi An during daylight hours, especially if your destination is not within walking distance (although this is rarely the case within town limits). When heading further afield (or after dark) you will most likely require a cab. There have been reports of local drivers refusing to turn on the meters or even refusing trips altogether for short distances, in which case you can either walk further down the road and try a different cab or call an operator to order the cab to come pick you up (although this may be difficult if you don't speak the language). You could also try negotiating a fare that suits both in advance. Mai Linh is known to have been a reliable company, although they have been getting mixed reviews lately. Grab is the local equivalent of Uber and is another option for getting around, but not speaking then language can be an obstacle here, too: it's best if you have your hotel's business card and/or a working map on your mobile to ease communication with drivers. As a last resort there are the 'xich lo' pedicabs, although these are much better suited for leisurely sightseeing tours rather than a functional way of getting from point A to B. This one is exclusively used by tourists.

Da Nang International Airport is the air hub closest to Hoi An, located around 40km from town, which makes for just under an hour's drive. The best options for reaching Hoi An from here include a pre-arranged transfer (some hotels offer this service), getting a taxi upon arrival (make sure to agree on the fare prior to starting the journey), or a shared shuttle bus offered by several local operators. GetByBus: getbybus.com/en-gb/ Hoi An Express: hoianexpress.com.vn/st_activity/shared-shuttle-bus-from-da-nang-to-hoi-an-city-center/ Bookaway: www.bookaway.com

+84 (country code) 235 (Hoi An code)

220 V /50Hz, plug types A, C & F Most plugs with two pins (both flat and round) will work in Vietnam; three-pin plugs will require an adaptor.