Where to stay in Hoi An with video and comparative table

I had my first trip to this beautiful town over 20 years ago. Back then it was easy to pick the best place to stay in Hoi An.

The selection was so minimal that you could literally check all of them in one morning.

The choice is so much wider now that I have decided to create a table that quickly and easily compares all the best areas to stay in Hoi An.

Moreover, I have made also a video on where to stay in Hoi An with so much information on what works better for families, or couples, or singles looking for nightlife.

Beside the old town, you can also decide to stay at the beach. But it will be a completely different experience and we will see why.

Where to stay in Hoi An – In a nutshell

Hoi An is one of the most beautiful places to stay and visit in Vietnam. I have been there on multiple occasions and I was never disappointed.

The table below compares the major areas/destinations based on average cost ($-$$$$$), bars/restaurants, the nature/beach and other factors (1-5 with 1 being the lowest score) . I added also links to suggested hotels in the area.

Click on the area name to read much more information about it, with an extended list of pros and cons of booking there, besides tips on hotels, cafes, restaurants etc.

Area NBHD	Best for	Avg. Cost	Suggested Hotel	Bars & Restaurants	Character	Nightlife
Old Town	History Character	$$$-$$$$	Nu Ni Homestay	3	5	1
An Hoi Island	Happening, First time	$$-$$$	Quynh Chau Homestay	4	3	3
Cam Pho	Budget	$-$$	Minh Phat Homestay	2	2	1
Cam Chau	Nature, Romantic	$-$$$	Hoian Tranquil Lodge	2	4 (Nature)	1
Beach	Quiet, Beach	$$-$$$$	KA Villa	3	2	1

  Following is a map with my best 5 areas to stay in Hoi An.

I really suggest booking your accommodation well in advance, because Hoi An is certainly a very requested destination. Most of the accommodations are very flexible with the cancellation policy, usually free of charge.

In this video, I show you all of these areas with more suggestions I have not covered on this guide.

By the way, this town is right in the centre of the country. Getting around Vietnam is super easy, you will find no issue to find a bus or a train (Da Nang station) ending in Hoi An.  

old town

• 🌎 Best area to stay in Hoi An for history 🏩 Nu Ni Homestay is the recommended accommodation in the area
• 👍 Pros: beautiful area, plenty of history, local market, bars & restaurants
• 👎 Cons: lack of accommodations, expensive
• 🍷 Best restaurants and bars: Streets Restaurant

The Old Town is absolutely the jewel of Hoi An.

A well-preserved port town that will make you think you are suddenly in the 16th century.

It’s literally an open-air museum, you will be open-mouth at every corner.

Surprisingly enough, the old town of Hoi An does not offer a wide choice of accommodations. In fact, just a bunch of small hotels, mostly family run.

The old town is more of a place to visit than a place to stay.

Keep in mind that if you stay on the island of An Hoi or in Cam Pho, you can easily walk to the Old Town in 10-15 minutes, sometimes even 5 minutes.

To enter the old town you need a ticket (valid for 10 days) at the cost of 120,000VND (approx $7).

You will be given a map with a list of attractions. Five of them, as well as an art show, are included in the ticket.

You can possibly trick the system and explore the old town without paying the ticket however this is all money that goes to the Cultural Center that use it to restore and improve the area.

The Cau Chua Pagoda, the Japanese Bridge, is the place to start your tour. This is the over 500 years old bridge that used to connect the Japanese to the Chinese districts of the city.

Keep walking to the Buddhist Temple of Pháp Bao and just wander around with the map included in the ticket.

For dinner, I suggest visiting the Streets Restaurant, a social enterprise that trains and run with disadvantaged people an amazing restaurant.

It’s more of a cultural project, however, do not think that the quality is not there. On the contrary, it’s actually one of the best eateries in Hoi An.

Hoi An beach

• 🌎 Best area to stay in Hoi An for beach time 🏩 KA Villa is the recommended accommodation in the area
• 👍 Pros: beach, relaxing, great for both families and couples
• 👎 Cons: the beach is not the most beautiful one, far from the Old Town
• 🍷 Best restaurants and bars: Tree Coconut

The beach is the perfect spot to stay in Hoi An if you are after a mixed experience of culture, sun and sea.

It actually works great if you are travelling with kids as you can spend the morning in the Ancient Town and the afternoon (the hottest part of the day) at the resort, with the pool and the beach.

As I previously said, the beach is not walking distance from the old town and you really need to pay attention to where you book your accommodation. Why? A couple of reasons:

• a few hotels advertise themselves as located on the beach side of Hoi An. The reality is that the beach is almost 30km long, so double check on the map the accommodation location as you may end up a really long way from the old town.
• beach erosion is an issue, another sign of global warming. A few hotels are indeed on the beachside however they do not have any beach at all, instead just huge rocks used to protect the hotel land from erosion. Again double check before booking

I may just add that the beach here, as in most of Vietnam, is not that idyllic.

It’s nothing to call home about, which is fine because the old town of Hoi An is the real gem, that’s the main reason to travel here.

It’s always difficult to decide if it is better to stay at the beach or in the Old Town in Hoi An. Who does not like to have a dive in the sea first thing in the morning, or later, at the end of a stressful day visiting Hoi An and the other attractions around.

I would personally suggest a couple of beach areas:

• Cua Dai: next to the Thu Bon estuary, unfortunately, the beach is almost gone here. This is the area to come for the pool and the views
• Cam An: the only real beach. There are some nice restaurants facing the sea. The Tree Coconut has fresh local food with honest prices. They do include also a sunbed if you eat there, which is a good bonus.

Both areas are around 5-7km from the Hoi An centre.

An Hoi island

• 🌎 Best area to stay in Hoi An for first time visitors 🏩 Quynh Chau Homestay is the recommended accommodation in the area
• 👍 Pros: perfect for first time visitors, very practical, street market, cafes/restaurants/bars, next to the Old Town
• 👎 Cons: Busy & Popular (book well in advance)

The island of An Hoi is the best place to stay in Hoi An for first-timers.

This is where you will have everything a step away from your accommodation.

Lovely restaurants, cute cafes and a great choice of shopping, especially for clothes.

Walk through the small bridge and you are in the old town

And at dark, you could launch your personal lantern in the water. 

Yes, true, you do not need to wait for the Lantern Festival (every month at full moon). Every night the festival is on.

And if you wonder if the Lantern Festival is only for tourists, probably you may guess already the answer, yes. 

We always talk about not polluting the water and probably this festival, although being truly beautiful, is not the best idea, especially considering the sea is just 4km away. Guess where the lantern will go.

Most of the nightlife is on this island too. There is not an incredible nightlife, however, you will be very likely to find a place to have a drink till late.

On the south side of the island, you can also find a few resorts with a pool, which come very handy in the hottest part of the day, just after lunch.

Cam Pho

• 🌎 Best area to stay in Hoi An on a budget 🏩 Minh Phat Homestay is the recommended accommodation in the area
• 👍 Pros: fantastic value for money, new bars/restaurants popping up
• 👎 Cons: 10-15 mins from the Old Town (add 10 mins for An Hoi Island), not much character (modern part of town)

Located north of the Old Town, Cam Pho is a quiet area of Hoi An meters away from the old town.

If you are on a budget then Cam Pho is the best area where you should look for your accommodation.

It does not have the character, neither the facilities of the previous districts however, on average, the hotel prices are lower.

On peak season, where everywhere else seems booked out, Cam Pho is where you will be more likely to find a bed.

New cozy restaurants and cafes are starting opening up so you don’t really need to walk far for dinner.

For more action at night, you just need a 10-15 minutes walk to the Ha Noi island.

Cam Chau

• 🌎 Best area to stay in Hoi An for seclusion 🏩 Hoian Tranquil Lodge is the recommended accommodation in the area
• 👍 Pros: green area, relaxing, chilled out, value for money
• 👎 Cons: far from the beach and the Old Town (5-10Km from both)

Cam Chau is a great place to stay on your second or third visit.

It’s located between the old town and the beach. Right in the middle

It’s also a fantastic place to stay in Hoi An if you are after a more relaxing experience, in the countryside.

Do not expect any hills, just flat green land with plenty of rice fields.

Even if you do not decide to stay in Cam Chau, I personally suggest to rent a bike and have a ride around this area. It’s a great experience, besides a good place for photos. 

You can organise a full day where you have a ride through Cam Chau to arrive at the beach.

Cam Chau is in this respect the green option, the relaxing option, in the land between.

Attention, since the construction of the Cau Cua Dai bridge the ferry route, starting from the Cua Dai pier, does not work anymore (although Google Map still shows it as active).

How to arrive in Hoi An [and how to move around]

The easiest way to arrive in Hoi An is by flying to the Da Nang Airport, about 30 km away.

There are plenty of services to take you to the old town, all waiting for you at the arrival level. 

If you catch a taxi just remind the driver to start the meter, in case they don’t do it.

Expect to pay $20-$25 for the trip.

There are buses from Da Nang town to Hoi An (~$13) however I do not find it a convenient option, especially if you travel with someone else and you can share the taxi fee.

If you arrive by train then you will end up at the Da Nang Station (there is no train stop in Hoi An) and from there by taxi to the old town.

And lastly, from anywhere in Vietnam you can catch a bus directly to the Old Town.

Hoi An is actually one of the most popular stops on the North-South route. The advantage here is that you will be left directly in the Hoi An.

Moving around Hoi An

The easiest way to move around Hoi An is on foot. It’s all quite close to each other. 

Once you want to explore the outskirts of the town then you can rent either a bike or a scooter. Sometimes the hotel provides bikes for free, otherwise expect $2/day.

You can also take a cyclo (tuk-tuk), book a driver or take a taxi.

Keep also in mind that there are a few tours organised in town. From city tours to Vietnamese Food preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best place to stay in Hoi An Old Town

This is the part of town that you have probably already seen in a few photos, with the Japanese Bridge, or Cau Chua Pagoda, the most famous attraction. Expect plenty of ancient buildings, pagodas and beautiful tiny lanes between. A real dreamy town that will take you back in time. Accommodations are rare in this area. Read more on my suggested hotels and Airbnb.

Where to stay in Hoi An beach

Hoi An is positioned along the river, not too far from the coast (around 5-8km) where you can find some decent beaches, however nothing spectacular. It’s the place to be if you want to have a mix of beach and culture. This is a favourite spot with families and kids as you will have a pool and a beach to have some fun with children. The question is: should you stay in Cua Dai Beach or Cam An Beach? Keep reading for the answer.

What is the best place to stay in Hoi An for first time visitors

An Hoi island is the epicentre of bars, restaurants and shopping options. It’s a great place to stay in Hoi-An for first-timers as you will have all the attractions walking distance. Connected to the ancient town with a small bridge. Book a bicycle, literally every second shop, to explore the surrounding area and the beach. 

Where to stay in Hoi An for backpackers

Cam Pho is the choice for a budget holiday. This is a quiet area walking distance west of the Old Town. Not as characteristic and not as busy with restaurants and cafes, however, also cheaper than everywhere else in town. You would have just to walk 10-15 minutes to the Ancient Town, add 5 minutes to the An Hoi Island.

What is the best place to stay for couples

Cam Chau for a green romantic option. Although Hoi An has literally exploded in tourism there is still the countryside that is running with the business-as-usual, mostly rice fields. Cam Chau is the area between Hoi An town and the beach. It can actually be very romantic and quiet. You definitely need a bike to move around, make sure you have a light for the night. The alternative is An Hoi Island.

Best area to stay in Hoi An for families with small kids

Cam An Beach is a lovely spot with still plenty of sands to build castles. Expect also many restaurants facing the sea, for a great dinner at night

Where to stay in Hoi An, Beach or Town?

  The quick answer is the Old Town, however there are pros and cons on this choice that I have expanded in this list of advantages and drawbacks.

Should I stay in Da Nang or Hoi An?

That is easier to answer. There are many places to stay in Da Nang, usually more sophisticated and luxurious. Hoi An is more of a boutique destination with usually family-run accommodations providing a small number of rooms.

What are the best organised experiences in Hoi An

• the Da Nang Airport to Hoi An shuttle service. This is not an experience by itself, but definitely a great way to start your trip (unfortunately there are no buses from the airport to Hoi An and you should avoid fighting with the taxi driver on price transportation, he will win LOL)
• a half-day city tour with a local guide that takes you on an eco-food trip, from the market to the cooking class, using also a basket boat, such a fun time
• Day Tour of My Son Temples and Marble Mountain, the spiritual centre of the former Champa Kingdom

Check availability for Airport Shuttle   City Tour by a local   My Son and Marble Mountain