Hoi An in 6 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
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Six days lets you slow down: everything in our 4-day plan , plus a full day in the quieter craft villages instead of rushing them between bigger trips. Only got a weekend? Start with the 2-day version.
Book these before you go
Before you land: most nationalities need an e-visa via the official evisa.gov.vn portal, and September-November is genuine flood-risk season for the Old Town, so build in flexibility if you’re traveling then.
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) for 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 and cooking
- Morning: Tailor fitting. Get 2-3 quotes, order one test item first, and expect 3-5 days for genuinely bespoke work.
- Afternoon: Cooking class with a market tour (350,000-700,000 VND), learning cao lau or white rose dumplings.
- Evening: Riverside cafe for egg or coconut coffee, then an early night.
Day 3: Beach and basket boats
- Morning/Afternoon: An Bang Beach for the day (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 4: 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 among the standing towers.
- Afternoon: Return to Hoi An and rest, or pick up your tailored order.
- Evening: Com ga or mi quang for dinner.
Day 5: Da Nang, Marble Mountains, and the Golden Bridge
- Morning: Head to Da Nang (30-45 minutes) and climb the Marble Mountains’ stone stairs to the caves and pagodas.
- Midday: Continue to Ba Na Hills for the Golden Bridge (full-day ticket with cable car, well over 1,000,000 VND); a manufactured spectacle, but it delivers the photo.
- Evening: Optional stop at My Khe Beach or the Dragon Bridge before heading back to Hoi An.
Day 6: Craft villages and a slow last day
- Morning: Cycle to Tra Que herb village for a farming and cooking morning (free-20,000 VND for the bike; small fee for a hands-on session).
- Midday: Cross to Cam Kim island for the Kim Bong carpentry workshops and the Thanh Ha pottery village, both low-key and cheap to visit.
- Afternoon: Last-minute shopping in the Ancient Town, or a final basket boat or lantern float if you skipped it earlier.
- Evening: A final dinner before departure the next day.
Where to stay for 6 days
The Ancient Town keeps the first few days walkable; switching to An Bang Beach partway through for the quieter back half works well on a longer trip. Book ahead if your dates land near Tet, when rates jump.
6-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 |
| Craft village entry fees | Small, per site |
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: save the craft villages for your last full day, not your first. By Day 6 you’ll actually want the slower pace instead of feeling like you’re missing the “real” sights.