3 Days in Hoi An: First-Timer Plan
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Three days adds a full countryside-and-beach day to the essential Hoi An plan: the Ancient Town and a tailor fitting, an early My Son sunrise tour, then Tra Que village and a Cam Thanh basket-boat ride. For less time, see the 2-day version; for more, 4 through 7-day plans add Da Nang, Hue, and Cu Lao Cham island.
Book these before you go
- A My Son sunrise tour : book the early slot, it sells out first
- A basket-boat experience in Cam Thanh : ask for a quieter departure time
- Your Hoi An hotel : book ahead, especially Sep-Nov flood season
- A tailor measurement slot on day one, so there’s time for a fitting before pickup
This 3-day plan, at a glance
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Town heritage walk, a tailor measurement, a lantern evening |
| 2 | My Son sunrise tour, tailor fitting |
| 3 | An Bang Beach, Tra Que village, a Cam Thanh basket-boat ride, tailor pickup, departure |
Day 1: The Ancient Town
Arrive via Da Nang International Airport (roughly 250,000-350,000 VND by Grab, 30-45 minutes), then spend the afternoon in the Ancient Town : the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, and a merchant house like Tan Ky. Walking is free; the roughly 120,000 VND coupon booklet only matters for entry to specific sites. Get measured for a tailor order after lunch, order one test item and pay a modest deposit, then join the lantern-lit streets in the evening and float a candle lantern down the Thu Bon before dinner.
Day 2: My Son and a tailor fitting
Head out early to My Son Sanctuary , a separate UNESCO site about 40km and an hour away, Cham Hindu ruins partly destroyed by bombing in August 1969. Go early for both the heat and the crowds. Back in town by early afternoon, return to your tailor for a fitting, and consider a cooking class in the evening if you have the energy.
Day 3: Beach, herbs, and a basket boat
Cycle or take a short ride to An Bang Beach in the morning, then continue to the Tra Que herb village for a look at the farming that supplies half the town’s kitchens. In the afternoon, take a Cam Thanh basket-boat (thung chai) ride through the water-coconut palms, ask for a quieter departure time to avoid the touristy boat-jam version with its staged spinning “dance.” Collect your finished tailor order before heading to Da Nang Airport for departure.
One concrete tip: don’t schedule your tailor pickup for the morning you fly. Fittings run behind, and a same-day scramble to collect a finished order has ruined more than one departure.