Hoi An in 3 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
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Three days is enough for the Ancient Town, a tailoring order, the beach, and a proper day trip to My Son. This builds on our 2-day plan by adding the My Son day trip; if you’ve got more time, the 4-day version adds Da Nang too.
Book these before you go
Before you land: most nationalities need an e-visa via the official evisa.gov.vn portal, and if you’re traveling September-November, check conditions first since the Thu Bon genuinely floods the Old Town most years in that window.
Day 1: Ancient Town and lanterns
- Morning: Land at Da Nang International Airport (DAD), transfer 30-45 minutes to Hoi An (Grab roughly 250,000-350,000 VND), and check in.
- Midday: Walk the pedestrianized Old Town core, see the Japanese Covered Bridge (recently restored) and the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall.
- Lunch: Cao lau from a Central Market stall, 30,000-45,000 VND.
- Afternoon: Old Town coupon booklet (~120,000 VND, verify) if you want the merchant houses and museum; the streets themselves are free.
- Evening: Lantern-lit streets at dusk, then a candle lantern float on the Thu Bon (20,000-50,000 VND).
Day 2: Tailoring, cooking, and the beach
- Morning: Tailor fitting. Get 2-3 quotes, order one test item first, and expect 3-5 days for genuinely bespoke work, not the “24-hour suit” pitch.
- Midday: Cooking class with a market tour (350,000-700,000 VND), usually covering cao lau or white rose dumplings.
- Afternoon: An Bang Beach for a few hours (bike rental free-20,000 VND/day to get there).
- Evening: Basket boat in Cam Thanh (~90,000 VND+/person); ask for the calmer version over the loud group boats.
Day 3: My Son Sanctuary day trip
- Morning: Early departure (around 1 hour each way) to My Son Sanctuary, a Cham Hindu temple complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site separate from the Ancient Town. Much of it was destroyed by US bombing in 1969, and the craters are still visible among the standing towers. Go early to beat the heat and the tour buses.
- Midday: Lunch near the site or back in Hoi An, depending on your tour’s schedule.
- Afternoon: Last-minute souvenir shopping or a tailor pickup in the Ancient Town.
- Evening: A final dinner of com ga or mi quang before departure the next morning.
Where to stay for 3 days
The Ancient Town keeps Days 1 and 2 walkable; An Bang Beach trades that convenience for a quieter night’s sleep. Book early either way if your dates land near Tet, when rates jump.
3-day budget snapshot
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Da Nang transfer (one-way) | 250,000-350,000 VND |
| Old Town coupon booklet | ~120,000 VND |
| Cooking class | 350,000-700,000 VND |
| Basket boat ride | ~90,000 VND+ |
| My Son guided tour | ~$15-25 per person |
Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, inscribed in 1999 (Hoi An listing , My Son listing ). A concrete tip: book the My Son tour for sunrise departure, not mid-morning. The site has almost no shade, and the heat by 10am changes the visit completely.