Hoi An in 2 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
Heads up: some links here are affiliate links. Book or buy through them and we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only point you to things we would actually use.
Two days is tight but workable: one day for the Ancient Town and lanterns, one for tailoring and the beach. This plan assumes you fly into Da Nang, since Hoi An has no airport of its own. Need more time? See the 3-day or 4-day version instead.
Book these before you go
Before you land: most nationalities need an e-visa via the official evisa.gov.vn portal, not a copycat site, and Hoi An’s tap water isn’t potable, so budget for bottled water.
Day 1: Ancient Town and lanterns
- Morning: Land at Da Nang International Airport (DAD) and transfer to Hoi An, 30-45 minutes by Grab (roughly 250,000-350,000 VND) or taxi. Check in and drop your bags.
- Midday: Walk the Ancient Town’s pedestrianized core. See the 18th-century Japanese Covered Bridge (recently restored, expect brighter wood than old photos) and at least one Chinese assembly hall, like the Phuc Kien (Fujian) hall.
- Lunch: Cao lau or banh mi from a Central Market stall, around 30,000-50,000 VND.
- Afternoon: The Old Town coupon booklet (roughly 120,000 VND, verify) covers 5 heritage sites if you want to go inside the merchant houses and museum; walking the streets themselves is free either way.
- Evening: Watch the lanterns come on at dusk, then float a candle lantern on the Thu Bon (20,000-50,000 VND).
Day 2: Tailoring and the beach
- Morning: Get measured for a tailored item. Order one test piece first, get 2-3 quotes, and insist on an in-person fitting before committing to a full order; a genuinely bespoke item needs 3-5 days, not the “24-hour suit” some shops advertise.
- Midday: Cooking class with a market visit (roughly 350,000-700,000 VND), or a quicker lunch if you’d rather spend the time at the beach.
- Afternoon: Cycle or Grab out to An Bang Beach (bike rental free-20,000 VND/day) for a few hours by the water.
- Evening: Ride a basket boat in Cam Thanh (roughly 90,000 VND+ per person; ask for the calmer version rather than the loud tour-group “spinning dance” boats) before heading back for your last night in the Old Town.
Where to stay for 2 days
Staying inside the Ancient Town keeps everything walkable, though it’s the noisiest option; An Bang Beach is quieter but means a short ride in each day. Compare rates for both before you book, since prices rise fast around Tet and holiday weekends.
2-day budget snapshot
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Da Nang transfer (one-way) | 250,000-350,000 VND |
| Old Town coupon booklet | ~120,000 VND |
| Meals (per day) | 100,000-200,000 VND |
| Cooking class | 350,000-700,000 VND |
| Basket boat ride | ~90,000 VND+ |
Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1999 (official listing ). A concrete tip for tight timelines: do the tailor fitting first thing on Day 2, not last, since anything you need altered or picked up later adds a return trip you won’t have time for in two days.