What Hoi An offers
Hoi An is the trip highlight for a lot of travelers: a small, traffic-calmed old town of lanterns, brilliant central-Vietnamese food, tailor shops and a cluster of easy day trips. It is where you slow down. See things to do for the shortlist.
What Hanoi offers
Hanoi is the chaotic, atmospheric capital, all motorbikes, lake walks and the dense Old Quarter. It is the base for Halong Bay, Sapa and the north, and the food leans toward pho and bun cha. It is louder and faster than Hoi An.
Fit both
Most Vietnam itineraries include both, flying between Hanoi and Da Nang, the airport for Hoi An. Use Hanoi for the north and the city buzz, and Hoi An for the calm middle with a cooking class and the old town. Our Hoi An itinerary helps plan the stay.
Make the most of Hoi An
Start with the top-rated cooking class, then wander the lantern-lit old town.
Questions fréquentes
Hoi An is calmer, prettier and easier to walk, with a famous old town and food scene. Hanoi is the busy, characterful capital and the base for the north. Most travelers enjoy both for different reasons.
They are at opposite ends of the country. It is about 800 km, so people fly between Hanoi and Da Nang, the airport for Hoi An, in roughly 75 minutes.
A common split is two to three days in Hoi An and two to three in Hanoi, plus time for day trips like Halong Bay in the north and the Golden Bridge in the centre.
