Things to Do in Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An survived the Vietnam War bombing campaigns completely intact—making it Vietnam's best-preserved historic town. This UNESCO site along the central coast features genuine centuries-old architecture where yellow colonial buildings lean over narrow streets and paper lanterns light up every evening. The town manages to feel authentically Vietnamese and accessible to travelers simultaneously, with famous tailor shops, riverside cafes, and that nightly lantern ritual transforming the Thu Bon River into something almost too picturesque to believe.

Hoi An's signature dishes don't exist anywhere else in Vietnam—particularly cao lau thick noodles with pork and herbs, plus white rose dumplings. Street food stalls cluster around the central market. Nguyen Thai Hoc Street mixes local restaurants with international options, and this town has developed surprisingly good Western food, probably due to the long-term expat community.

February through April offers the ideal weather window with comfortable temperatures and minimal rainfall. Hoi An has a microclimate that stays more pleasant than surrounding areas year-round. The rainy season from September through January can be intense with occasional flooding, though the town looks particularly atmospheric during light rain—summer months get hot and humid but evening river breezes provide relief.