September 2, 2024

5 Best Day Trips From Hoi An and How to Get There

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Hoi An is a great jumping off point for discovering other central cities and popular locations in Vietnam. There are several fun day trips from Hoi An that are just one to three hours away. You can escape to an island, explore temple ruins, spend a day at an amusement park, or visit cultural sites – there’s something to suit every interest. Here are the five best Hoi An day trips, along with how to get there and the main attractions in each place.

Table Of Contents
  1. My Son Sanctuary
  2. Cham Islands
  3. Da Nang
  4. Ba Na Hills
  5. Hue
  6. More resources for traveling Vietnam

My Son Sanctuary

  • Travel time: 1 hour
  • How to get there: Motorbike, taxi/private car, or with a tour.
  • Best for: Seeing ancient ruins.
Orange stone temple with white flowers in the foreground in My Son Sanctuary

My Son Sanctuary is a great half-day trip that’s very close to Hoi An. The UNESCO World Heritage Site dates back to the 4th to 13th centuries and was built by the Cham people, serving as “the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom.” My Son consists of many Hindu temples that you can enter and explore – similar to the much more famous Angkor Wat.

You can visit My Son on your own and get the audio guide, or you can go with a tour. A ticket for foreigners costs 150,000 VND (~$6 USD). If you don’t know how to drive a motorbike, I recommend joining a tour since it includes transportation to and from, your ticket fee to My Son, and an English-speaking tour guide. Early morning tours, like the one that I took, will also include breakfast.

If you decide to go to My Son, it’s best to do so in the morning or early afternoon. Since the temples are out in a field, there’s no shade and it gets hotter as the day goes on. While the thought of waking up early for a sunrise tour isn’t appealing, you’ll avoid the heat and be one of the first tourists there.

Cham Islands

  • Travel time: 30 min – 2 hours (not including the time it takes to get to the port)
  • How to get there: Speedboat, ferry, or with a tour.
  • Best for: Relaxing on the beach and spending time in the water.

The Cham Islands are located across the shore of Hoi An, making it a convenient and close day trip that can be an alternative to checking out the beaches in Hoi An. Snorkeling, scuba diving, and laying on the beach are the most popular things to do there. Bai Chong, Bai Ong, and Bai Xep are the most popular beaches.

Although not the main attraction, you can visit the free Cham Museum – a small museum where you can see preserved marine animals and learn about the local fishing village. There’s also two temples you can visit: Chùa Hải Tạng and Tịnh xá Ngọc Truyền.

Note: There aren’t any ATMs on the island, so make sure that you withdraw any cash that you’ll need before leaving Hoi An.

The most convenient way to get to Cham Islands is either via a tour or by speedboat. By taking a tour, you’ll have all transportation arranged for you. If you decide to go on your own though, you’ll need to go to the Cua Dai port and then take either a speedboat or the public ferry. By speedboat, it only takes about 20 minutes to get to the island, but it’ll be a bumpy and more expensive ride. The public ferry only costs 350,000 VND (~$14 USD) roundtrip or 150,000 VND (~$6 UDS) one way. It takes at least 45 minutes, but the big downside is that it leaves once a day at 8 AM. If you choose the ferry, make sure you get to the port early.

Da Nang

  • Travel time: 1 hour
  • How to get there: Motorbike, minibus/van, or taxi/private car.
  • Best for: A variety of cultural attractions and sights.
Green and purple pagoda and a bridge in the Marble Mountains

Tourists often pass through Da Nang on their way to Hoi An since it has the closest international airport and train station to Hoi An. Da Nang is mostly known for its beaches and quick access to several cultural sites, but it lacks the charm and picturesque streets that Hoi An has. If you decide not to stay in Da Nang on your trip, it’s an easy day trip from Hoi An that only takes about an hour to get to. The cheapest ways to get to Da Nang are to either rent a motorbike or book a minibus/van. Minibuses run often so you can book one last-minute.

Da Nang is a nice city to walk around and has a few points of interest, like the Dragon Bridge, Love Lock Bridge, Da Nang Cathedral, My Khe Beach, Ho Chi Minh Museum, Han Market, and Museum of Cham Sculpture. However, the most popular attractions are just outside of the city center:

You can visit these through a guided tour, or order a car through the Grab app once you’re in Da Nang. The best option though is to rent your own motorbike. This gives you the most flexibility and freedom so you can see what you want and spend as much time as you like in each location.

Ba Na Hills

  • Travel time: 1.5 hours
  • How to get there: Motorbike, taxi/private car, or with a tour.
  • Best for: Taking photos and enjoying amusement park rides.

Ba Na Hills (or Sun World Ba Na Hills) is a part of the Sun World Amusement Park Group and one of the country’s top tourist resorts. The amusement park draws both foreign and domestic visitors for several reasons. It’s best known for its iconic Golden Bridge, a bright yellow bridge that looks like it’s held up by two large hands, and its cable car system that has set four Guinness World Records. The park also has a quaint French Village, wine cellar, pretty gardens, and fun amusement rides.

Although there are tours to Ba Na Hills, this is a day trip that’s best done on your own. Either get a motorbike to drive over or arrange for a private driver through the Grab app or your accommodation.

Ba Na Hills is notoriously touristy and can get very busy. If you want to take photos with the least amount of people in the background, especially on the Golden Bridge, it’s best to go early. Visitors who end up disappointed by Ba Na Hills typically aren’t aware of how crowded it can be or that it’s an amusement park. So if you’re looking for a day trip that’s more “authentic,” skip Ba Na Hills and go for one of the other options listed here.

Hue

  • Travel time: 2.5 – 3.5 hours
  • How to get there: Motorbike, bus, taxi/private car, or with a tour.
  • Best for: Experiencing cultural and historical sites.

The historical city of Hue was once the capital during the Nguyen dynasty. It’s best known for its Imperial City (also known as the Imperial Citadel), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The large complex contains buildings where the royal family lived, gardens, gates, and temples. Although the Imperial City gets a lot of attention, there are many other attractions in Hue, so you shouldn’t have any issues filling an entire day there. Here are some of the most notable places to visit and see:

Taking the bus is going to be the easiest way to get to and from Hue. It typically takes three to 3.5 hours and there are frequent departures in both directions. Since Hue is a popular Hoi An day trip, you can also book a tour that will take you to a few of the most well-known sites. Some of these tours also include Da Nang so that you can hit up two places in one go. My personal recommendation is to DIY this day trip though since booking transportation is straightforward and you’ll have the most flexibility over how you spend your day and how long you stay in Hue.

More resources for traveling Vietnam

Best Day Trips From Hoi An

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Hi, I’m Felicia. Ever since studying abroad in college, I’ve had a growing passion for travel. I love sharing those experiences with others, so you’ll find travel guides, packing lists, tips, and more here!