Hoi An in 7 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)
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A full week builds on our 6-day plan with one more day, enough to add an optional trip to Hue, the former imperial capital, without giving up any of the slower craft-village pace. Tighter on time? The 4-day version covers the essentials.
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).
- Evening: Riverside cafe for egg or coconut coffee.
Day 3: Beach and basket boats
- Morning/Afternoon: An Bang Beach for the day (bike rental free-20,000 VND/day).
- Evening: Basket boat in Cam Thanh (~90,000 VND+/person), 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 destroyed by US bombing in 1969.
- 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).
- Evening: Optional stop at My Khe Beach or the Dragon Bridge before heading back.
Day 6: Craft villages and a slow day
- Morning: Cycle to Tra Que herb village for a farming and cooking morning.
- Midday: Cross to Cam Kim island for the Kim Bong carpentry workshops and the Thanh Ha pottery village.
- Evening: Last-minute shopping in the Ancient Town.
Day 7: Optional Hue day trip, or a slow departure
- Option A: An early departure via the scenic Hai Van Pass (about 3-3.5 hours each way) to Hue, the former imperial capital, itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a genuinely long day, so only take it if you’re comfortable with most of it being in transit, or plan an overnight instead of a same-day return.
- Option B: A relaxed final morning: pick up any last tailoring, a final walk through the Old Town, and departure from Da Nang in the afternoon.
Where to stay for 7 days
The Ancient Town keeps the first days walkable; switching to An Bang Beach for the back half suits a full week well. Book ahead if your dates land near Tet, when rates jump.
7-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 |
| Hue day trip (transport, Option A) | Bus, car, or overnight tour |
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: decide on the Hue day trip before Day 6, not the morning of. It changes how early you need to sleep the night before, and whether Day 6’s craft-village afternoon should end early.