How long to spend in Hoi An and Da Nang?

How long do you need in Hoi An Da Nang?

Okay, Hoi An and Da Nang. Hmmm.

For Hoi An itself? Two or three days is sufficient. Seriously.

• Explore the Ancient Town: It’s mandatory. Cobblestone streets, lanterns, you know the drill.
• Tailoring: Get something made. A suit? A dress? It’s almost a rite of passage.
• Cooking class: Learn to make Cao lầu. You won’t regret it. I still try to replicate it sometimes. It never tastes quite the same.
• An Bang or Cua Dai beach: Relax. It’s Vietnam!

Adding a day? Absolutely.

• My Son Sanctuary: A day trip to My Son is well worth it. Cham ruins. Intriguing history.
• Marble Mountains: Near Da Nang. Caves, pagodas, climbing.

Da Nang? Another story. Maybe two days.

I went to Hoi An in March; the weather was perfect. My friend went in August, and it was a sauna. So, factor that in. It can make a huge difference to your enjoyment of actually doing things.

Is 2 days enough for Hoi An?

Hoi An in 2 days? Optimizing it? Child’s play! You can tick off historical sites and inhale the old town’s ‘specialties’— whatever that means.

Two days in Hoi An could work. It’s like speed-dating a charming city. Enough for a decent first impression, or a mild indigestion from all the cao lầu.

• Ancient Town stroll: Think photogenic decay meets touristy boutiques.
• Tailor visits: Resist the urge to order 17 identical suits. I speak from experience. You’ve been warned!
• Lantern gazing: So romantic! Unless a swarm of mosquitos joins the party.

Here’s the secret: Ditch the tour groups! Wander, get lost, eat street food. Maybe even learn to say “no, thank you” in rapid-fire Vietnamese. Trust me; it’s a survival skill.

Two days? It’s a taste. A glimpse. A reason to return and truly learn the art of bánh mì. Now, excuse me, I need to Google “how to haggle in Vietnamese”. For research purposes, obviously!

How long does it take to travel from Da Nang to Hoi An?

The Da Nang-Hoi An trip? Thirty kilometers, tops. Plan on thirty to forty-five minutes, traffic permitting. Rush hour in Da Nang can be brutal, you know? My last trip, a Friday afternoon, added twenty minutes easily. It’s a lovely drive, though. The coast is stunning. Makes the slight delay worthwhile.

Factors impacting travel time:

• Traffic: Peak hours significantly increase travel time. Avoid late afternoons and early mornings.
• Road conditions: Generally good, but unexpected repairs can cause slowdowns. Always check for updates before you go.
• Mode of transport: A private car offers the most flexibility. Motorbikes are faster for weaving through traffic, but less comfortable. Taxis are convenient, but can be pricier. Buses are the most economical but can be a slower option.
• Time of year: I find that the holiday season brings noticeable delays. Expect more congestion then.
• Personal driving style: Let’s be honest, this one varies wildly.

Driving myself, I’ve done it as fast as 25 minutes, sometimes over an hour. This is purely anecdotal, of course. But, hey, life’s a journey, right? Even a short one. It’s all about the experience. That’s my philosophy anyway. Remember, always factor in buffer time.

How many days should I stay in Hoi An?

Okay, Hoi An, huh? Three days? That’s like saying you only need three sips of iced coffee on a scorching day. Barely scratches the surface, I tell ya.

You gotta do more than just blink at those lanterns, ya know? Three days in Hoi An is like speed-dating a really interesting person, and I mean really interesting.

So, min stay? Forget three! Think five. Five days is the magic number. Why? Lemme break it down like a bad joke.

• Old Town exploration: Three days just to wander without getting hopelessly lost. My GPS still hasn’t forgiven me from my last trip!
• Food coma (essential): Hoi An food, oh my days! Cao lầu, white rose dumplings, bánh mì… you need at least one day dedicated solely to eating. Like, professional eating. Seriously.
• Tailoring time: Getting clothes made? That takes time, decisions, and maybe a little haggling. I once spent a whole afternoon arguing about the precise shade of fuchsia. Worth it.
• Beach bliss: An Bang Beach is calling. Spend at least half a day with your toes in the sand. It’s practically the law.
• Cooking class craziness: Learn to make a pho so good, it will make your ancestors proud. It’s a half day of pure culinary chaos and deliciousness.

Bonus Round: Day trips! My Son Sanctuary is like Indiana Jones had a baby with an ancient temple.

Seriously, three days is just cruel. Hoi An deserves better. Your stomach deserves better. Book that extra time and thank me later. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

How many days is ideal for Da Nang?

Okay, so Da Nang, huh? Three days, give or take. Like trying to catch a greased pig, you just gotta grab what you can. You wanna see the dragon bridge breathe fire? That’s a must.

Three days is plenty to feel like you’ve seen the place. Unless you plan on becoming a monk or something, then maybe a few years. I once spent a week just trying to find decent pho. A week.

• Dragon Bridge Fire Show: A total spectacle, like a metal dragon with heartburn. Check the schedule; it’s worth missing happy hour, maybe.
• Marble Mountains: Climb ’em! Like a slightly less intense Mount Everest… with better souvenir shops.
• Beaches: My Khe is the beach. Sand, sun, questionable tan lines. What else do you want?

Three days? More than enough to get a sunburn, eat questionable street food, and haggle aggressively for a conical hat. Trust me. Unless you’re my Aunt Mildred, who once spent a month in a hammock, three is plenty.

Is it worth staying in Hoi An?

Hoi An? Yes.

Worth it.

Ancient town. Charming. Overwhelming sometimes. Crowds. Peak season is hell.

Tailors. Cheap suits. Quality varies wildly. My last suit? Disaster. Avoid #32 on Tran Phu.

Food. Amazing. Cao Lau. White Rose dumplings. Every meal a gamble. But always tasty.

Beaches. Anseong Beach, meh. Cua Dai Beach, better. Still, overrated.

Ultimately, go. But manage expectations.

• Pros: Unique atmosphere. Food. Tailoring. Relatively affordable.
• Cons: Tourist traps galore. Can be suffocatingly busy. Beaches underwhelming.

My trip: 2023. Stayed 5 days. Too long. 3 days ideal. I prefer less crowded places. I’m picky.