Hoi An in 4 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
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Four days is enough to add a Da Nang day trip on top of our 3-day plan , so you get the Ancient Town, tailoring, My Son, and the Golden Bridge without rushing any of them. Shorter on time? See the 2-day version instead.
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 visiting September-November, check conditions first since the Thu Bon genuinely floods the Old Town in a bad year.
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 a “24-hour suit.”
- Midday: Cooking class with a market tour (350,000-700,000 VND).
- Afternoon: An Bang Beach for a few hours (bike rental free-20,000 VND/day).
- Evening: Basket boat in Cam Thanh (~90,000 VND+/person), the calmer version rather than the loud group boats.
Day 3: My Son Sanctuary day trip
- Morning: Early departure (about 1 hour each way) to My Son Sanctuary, a Cham Hindu temple complex and separate UNESCO World Heritage Site from the Ancient Town. Much of it was destroyed by US bombing in 1969, and the craters are still visible. Go early to beat the heat and the tour buses.
- Afternoon: Return to Hoi An, rest, or pick up your tailored order.
- Evening: Com ga (turmeric chicken rice) or mi quang for dinner.
Day 4: Da Nang, Marble Mountains, and the Golden Bridge
- Morning: Head to Da Nang (30-45 minutes) and climb the stone stairs of the Marble Mountains, five limestone hills with caves and pagodas.
- Midday: Continue to Ba Na Hills for the Golden Bridge, the giant stone “Hands” bridge. It’s a manufactured, ticketed spectacle (full-day tickets with the cable car run well over 1,000,000 VND), and it’s worth it for the photo even knowing that.
- Afternoon: Optional stop at My Khe Beach or the Dragon Bridge in Da Nang before heading back.
- Evening: Final dinner in Hoi An before departing from Da Nang the next day.
Where to stay for 4 days
The Ancient Town keeps Days 1-3 walkable; An Bang Beach is quieter for sleeping but adds a short ride each day. Either works, since Day 4 starts from Hoi An regardless. Book ahead if your dates land near Tet, when rates jump.
4-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 |
| My Son guided tour | ~$15-25 per person |
| Ba Na Hills / Golden Bridge (with cable car) | 1,000,000+ VND |
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: buy Ba Na Hills tickets online before Day 4, since same-day queues at the cable car base can eat an hour you don’t have to spare.