Best Time to Visit Hoi An

The 14th day of each lunar month sees Hoi An celebrate a Full Moon Festival, wherein streets get flooded with lit paper lanterns, food stalls and souvenir vendors, with traditional performances of song and dance held throughout town. The two best months to visit Hoi An are February and March, when temperatures are at their most comfortable. Heat starts to set in following April, and it gets progressively hotter until July, when the rainy season begins.

Passport / Visa

Short stays that do not require a visa (some as short as 15 days) are possible for citizens of Cambodia, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, The Philippines, Brunei, Myanmar, Belarus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Citizens of Chile can enter the country for 90 days, visa-free. Citizens of a further 46 world countries, including most countries in the Americas, Eastern Europe and Australia, are eligible for an E-visa as of February 2017. These are granted for a period of 30 days. To confirm whether or not you will need a visa to enter Vietnam, please contact your local consulate. Different rules may apply to cruise ship passengers on shore excursions. In late 2019, temporary visa slips could be obtained directly on board for a very small fee (under the condition that Vietnam is only visited as part of a cruise itinerary with a final destination elsewhere).

Da Nang International Airport

Da Nang International Airport is the air hub closest to Hoi An, located around 40km from town, which makes for just under an hour's drive. The best options for reaching Hoi An from here include a pre-arranged transfer (some hotels offer this service), getting a taxi upon arrival (make sure to agree on the fare prior to starting the journey), or a shared shuttle bus offered by several local operators. GetByBus: getbybus.com/en-gb/ Hoi An Express: hoianexpress.com.vn/st_activity/shared-shuttle-bus-from-da-nang-to-hoi-an-city-center/ Bookaway: www.bookaway.com

• Web:

  www.vietnamairport.vn/danangairport/en/

• Address:

  Da Nang International Airport, Da Nang

• Phone:

  +84 236 3539 555

Boat

Rowing and motor boats can be hired privately for excursions; boats are normally docked along the riverfront between the Cam Nam and An Hoi Bridges in central Hoi An.

Electricity

220 V /50Hz, plug types A, C & F Most plugs with two pins (both flat and round) will work in Vietnam; three-pin plugs will require an adaptor.

Getting Around Hoi An

Cycling is by far the easiest and cheapest way of getting around Hoi An during daylight hours, especially if your destination is not within walking distance (although this is rarely the case within town limits). When heading further afield (or after dark) you will most likely require a cab. There have been reports of local drivers refusing to turn on the meters or even refusing trips altogether for short distances, in which case you can either walk further down the road and try a different cab or call an operator to order the cab to come pick you up (although this may be difficult if you don't speak the language). You could also try negotiating a fare that suits both in advance. Mai Linh is known to have been a reliable company, although they have been getting mixed reviews lately. Grab is the local equivalent of Uber and is another option for getting around, but not speaking then language can be an obstacle here, too: it's best if you have your hotel's business card and/or a working map on your mobile to ease communication with drivers. As a last resort there are the 'xich lo' pedicabs, although these are much better suited for leisurely sightseeing tours rather than a functional way of getting from point A to B. This one is exclusively used by tourists.