Hoi An Vietnam: Old Town or An Bang Beach — Where to Stay in 2026

Hoi An is usually remembered for the colorful lanterns strung up over the water at night, but once you start actually booking a trip, plenty of people get stuck on where to stay — this small town really only has a handful of core areas, and each one delivers a noticeably different kind of trip, not just a different walking distance from downtown.

Old Town or An Bang Beach — how to choose

The first call to make is between staying inside Hoi An Ancient Town, packed with centuries-old wooden shophouses, tailor shops, and lanterns strung along every lane, or An Bang Beach, an open stretch of coastline about 3km away. The two areas feel almost like different towns, even though they're only a short drive apart.

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Who Old Town is a good fit for

If you want to walk the lanes at dawn before the tour groups arrive, or stroll back to your room after dinner without calling a car, staying inside Hoi An Ancient Town is the easiest option. The trade-off: most places here are small homestays or guesthouses without a pool or resort-style amenities, and the streets get genuinely crowded in the early evening — quieter than you'd expect, it isn't.

Who An Bang Beach suits better

If you want a trip that alternates beach downtime with days spent exploring the old town, An Bang Beach is the better call. Most properties here are resorts or villas with a pool, running a bit more per night than Old Town but with noticeably more room to spread out — a good fit for families or couples who don't want to rush out the door every morning. Just accept that getting into town for dinner means a 10-15 minute ride.

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The riverside stretch most people overlook

Beyond those two main areas, there's a scattering of accommodation along the Thu Bon River just outside the core Old Town zone — typically cheaper homestays, quieter, but still walkable or bikeable into the old town in under 15 minutes. If your budget is tight but you don't want to depend on a car for every trip in, this stretch is a better value than most people assume.

Getting from Da Nang Airport to Hoi An

Hoi An has no airport of its own — most visitors fly into Da Nang Airport and then take a 45-minute to 1-hour transfer into town. It's not a long distance, but check whether your hotel offers airport pickup or book a car in advance, especially on a late-arriving flight, so you're not negotiating a fare with a driver the moment you land.

Which months carry flood risk in Old Town

Something a lot of visitors don't realize: Old Town sits on low-lying ground right by the river, and October-November carries a periodic flood risk every year — some years the water rises over the main streets enough that people are genuinely wading through it. If you're planning a trip in that window, check the forecast close to your travel date and go in expecting your itinerary might need a last-minute adjustment. February through July runs drier and far more predictable.

Food worth trying while you wander Old Town

Cao lau noodles made with a broth and noodle recipe unique to Hoi An, banh mi that plenty of people rank as the best in Vietnam, and delicate white rose dumplings served at old town restaurants all over the core — all worth saving room for throughout the trip.

How this compares to staying in Da Nang instead

Not sure whether to spend the whole trip in Hoi An or split some nights in Da Nang itself? Worth comparing against our Da Nang hotel guide first — Da Nang has big-city amenities and a wider beach, while Hoi An offers an old-town atmosphere Da Nang simply doesn't have. A good fit if you want two distinct moods in one trip.

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Compare real-time rates across both Old Town and An Bang Beach — tap Book a Hoi An hotel to check availability and prices before planning your next Vietnam trip.