Hoi An is the town everyone falls for. A former trading port on the central coast, its honey-coloured Ancient Town glows with silk lanterns after dark, its tailors can dress you head to toe, and its beaches and rice paddies are a short bike ride away. It is walkable, romantic and endlessly photogenic, and it rewards a slower pace. Here is how to get it right.

The Ancient Town after dark

The Ancient Town is a UNESCO-listed maze of merchant houses, temples and assembly halls, and it is at its most magical in the evening, when the traffic thins, the lanterns come on, and the whole place seems to glow. Wander the riverside, cross the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, and float a paper lantern down the Thu Bon River for a small wish. Once a month, at the full moon, the town switches off its electric lights for a lantern festival that is pure magic.

By day the same streets are quieter and good for shopping, coffee and ducking into the old houses. A town ticket covers entry to a selection of the historic buildings, and it is worth it to see a couple from the inside.

The Japanese Covered Bridge reflected in the river at dusk in Hoi An Ancient Town, Vietnam

Getting clothes tailor-made

Hoi An is Vietnam’s tailoring capital, and having something made to measure is almost a rite of passage. Hundreds of shops can turn out suits, dresses, shirts, coats and shoes, often within a day or two. To do it well, start early in your stay so there is time for a fitting or two, pick a well-reviewed shop rather than the cheapest quote, bring a photo of exactly what you want, and be clear about the fabric grade. Done right, you leave with something genuinely bespoke for a fraction of what it would cost at home.

The beaches

Hoi An is not only lanterns and silk, it also has a lovely stretch of coast. An Bang Beach is the most popular, an easy cycle or Grab ride from the centre, with soft sand, sun loungers and a string of relaxed beach bars and seafood shacks. Cua Dai Beach nearby is quieter. Rent a bicycle, pedal out through the rice paddies, and spend an afternoon swimming and eating grilled seafood by the water. It is the perfect counterpoint to the town.

Make the countryside part of your tripA basket-boat ride or a bike tour through the paddies is the side of Hoi An most visitors miss

Food and cooking classes

The central-Vietnamese kitchen has its own specialties, and Hoi An is the place to try them. Seek out cao lau, thick noodles with pork, greens and crunchy croutons made only here, white rose shrimp dumplings, and crispy banh mi that some travellers rate as the best in the country. The town is also one of Vietnam’s great spots for a cooking class, which usually begins with a market walk and often a boat ride, then teaches you the dishes you have been eating all week.

Getting around and beyond

The Ancient Town is made for walking, and a bicycle is the classic way to reach the beach and the paddies. For longer trips, use the Grab app or hire a driver. Hoi An sits close to Da Nang, about 45 minutes away, which means the nearest airport, the beaches of My Khe, and the Marble Mountains are all within easy reach for a day trip. Many travellers pair the two, using laid-back Hoi An as their base and dipping into Da Nang’s bigger-city energy when they want it.

Cyclists riding past bright green rice paddies near Hoi An on the central coast of Vietnam

When to go

The central coast is driest and sunniest between February and August, which is prime beach and blue-sky season. The town keeps its charm year round, but the wet season from roughly September to December can bring heavy downpours and occasional flooding in the low-lying old streets, so pack accordingly if you visit then. Whenever you come, time your trip around the monthly full-moon lantern festival if you can.

The short version

Wander the Ancient Town after dark when the lanterns glow, order at least one thing made to measure early in your stay, cycle out to An Bang for a beach and seafood day, and take a cooking class. Try cao lau and the local banh mi, base yourself here and day-trip to Da Nang, and aim for the dry season or a full moon. Hoi An is the town you will be plotting your return to before you have even left.

If you are still shaping the wider route, Hanoi at the other end of the country is the natural counterweight to all this quiet, and it comes with its own day trips out into the northern karsts. For something different again, the highland town of Da Lat trades the coast for pine forest and cool evenings.