Hoi An Half-Day Tours: Guide to Half Day Trips From Hoi An

Top attractions near Hoi An require a couple of hours or half a day, to get there and visit around. The reason is that all have many things to see, do, watch and photograph, and to know them, travelers need to walk many (mountains). If would like to deepen the understanding, more time and sure, a local guide is necessary. The classic itinerary for half day trippers is walk – see – learn something – take pictures and repeat. Experience to the Golden Bridge provides a cable car ride that is known as the longest in the world. Also in Da Nang, the Marble Mountains boasts of both artificial and natural monuments. Around the holy valley of the Hindus, My Son’s temples and ruins are wonderful to explore a new culture (kingdom) that no longer exists. At the furthest point to the north, travelers have a full-of-joy ride along spectacular Hai Van Pass. Of course, more fantastic things await to hit on.

This traveler guide aims to introduce the best Hoi An half day tours, guided only. We recommend reading the article for day tours from Hoi An, to easily find out the best option for yourself. If you just need a private tour, text us in whatsapp number +84968009827.

Quick Introduction about Hoi An Ancient Town

Main article: Hoi An Ancient Town Travel Guide

Hoi An ancient town is a Unesco world heritage site by the Thu Bon river, in the heart of Hoi An city. From 15^th to 19^th centuries, it’s one of the favourite stopovers of merchants who sought silk, spices and valuable things to bring home for sale. They come from many countries all over the world, and now their traces are still visible around. This is the best preserved Asian traditional trading port in Vietnam and throughout South-east Asia. Today, visitors love to roam around its streets and visit historical landmarks, museums, markets, shop houses and of course, tailors to get a custom made suit. At night, uncountable lanterns are lit and hung up, making the town so fabulously impressive and mind blowing. During the full moon, a lantern festival is held. It is the greatest chance to take the most iconic, memorable pictures about Hoi An.

Itinerary of Half Day Hoi An Ancient Town Tour

Inclusions: roundtrip transfer by taxi, entrance ticket, local guide, a bottle of water, recommendations for next traveling days

Within a couple of hours, your knowledgeable tour guide shows all highlights of Hoi An Ancient Town and explains everything around each. The tour is in walking streets of the world heritage only. The entrance fee covers 5 places amongst well-protected historical sites, museums and art theatre. Above all, the Japanese covered bridge – the emblem of the town and traditional performances in the theatre are a must, because both are one of a kind. 3 remaining places include the finest one of Chinese assembly halls, old Vietnamese houses and museums. There are plenty of photo opportunities, apart from lots of knowledge learnt from the guide. Definitely on the way from one attraction to the another, visitors have many times to see dependable tailors to make their own custom made garments, buy souvenirs and taste local foods. Free spots such as markets, galleries, temples and more, will be combined to make the half day “fully covered”.

If spending a half day in the town, the morning provides a cooler time while the afternoon can be continued with colorful lantern-lit Hoi An at night. Text us in whatsapp number +84968009827 to book.

Hoi An Half Day Tour to My Son Sanctuary

A Quick Introduction about My Son Sanctuary

Main article: My Son Sanctuary Travel Guide

50 km west of Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary comprises many groups of Hindu temples hidden away in a tropical forest. The first building here was constructed in 4^th century, dedicated to worship of Shiva god. For the next 900 years, this Unesco world heritage still kept its role as holy land. The owners are emperors who ruled Champa kingdom during the time and they meant to use it as emergency capital when wars occur. After the marriage between one of them and Vietnamese princess in early 14^th century, it’s abandoned. In 19^th century, a French solder discovered the sanctuary again and its secrets gradually are revealed by scientists. Throughout the Vietnam war, American air force dropped bombs into this area and its biggest temple was fallen, now has been reconstructed.

My Son’s temples and ruins are the best remains of what Champa kingdom left in the country. The Hindu-followed state dominated the central coast in 17 centuries. Therefore, it’s worth a visit to this place.

Half Day My Son Sanctuary Tour

The morning or afternoon to start the tour is your choice. After the greetings in the hotel, the bus/car moves straight away to My Son Sanctuary. It takes over 1 hour. In different groups of temples, your knowledgeable guide will explain history, culture, religion and stunning stories only known by locals. By that, you understand more about one of the major ancient kingdoms in contemporary Vietnam. Building techniques in brick towers are not fully discovered yet. Another highlight is lively traditional performances of Cham artists on the public stage. They beat the drums just like in festivals, blow the long trumpet or do Apsara dancings. On the way back, visitors walk across lush forests with bird songs. It’s possible to stop in a restaurant to try local food as your lunch.

Sunrise and sunset tours allow visitors to avoid the heat and crowds. Both are available on a half-day basis, both private and small groups. Text us in whatsapp number +84968009827 to book.

Hoi An Half Day Tour to Golden Bridge (or Ba Na Hills)

About Ba Na Hills and its Golden Bridge

Ba Na Hills is a nationally famed hill station, entertainment complex in Vietnam. It’s located on the top of Da Nang – Nui Chua summit at an elevation of nearly 1,500 meters, and surrounded by virgin forests of a nature reserve. Established by French colonists and abandoned when they left, this weather jewel was revived after efforts from city council and a private company. Nowadays, everybody knows it’s amazing cable cars which hold some world records. The latest addition – the Golden Bridge opens to the public in June 2018 and quickly became a hit in social media. It’s a dream place to go for many travel lovers.

Half Day Ba Na Hills or Golden Bridge Tour from Hoi An

You can choose to begin your half-day tour to Ba Na Hills and its Golden Bridge, in the beginning of the day or afternoon. After greetings, it takes over 1 hour to transfer to the cable car stations. Depending on rescheduling of the network, you may be lifted up straight to the bridge or a station that other transports and walking needed. Your guide knows well how to get your favourite places or instagrammable spots, let him/her know what you like. Lunch is served in a buffet restaurant inside French village on a separate hill with the Golden Bridge. It starts from 11 a.m but you can skip it if preferring another restaurant in Hoi An. Although a half day is not too much to explore every corner in the whole area, highlights (the bests) are still not missed.

During the high seasons, crowds of tourists and long queues anywhere are not strange in the Ba Na Hills. Visiting around the sunrise and sunset is the best way to exclude them in your trip. Text us in whatsapp number +84968009827 to book.

Marble Mountains Half Day Tour

See details in Half-day Marble Mountains Tour

A visit around the Marble Mountains is one of the most popular half day tours in Hoi An. This place gets firstly known by its appearance of 5 hills that suddenly from the surroundings. According to the local legend, each is a piece of a broken dragon egg. In 19^th century, a king renamed this complex “Five Elements mountain” and the largest one (“water mountain”) is a tourist draw today. It’s needed to climb hundreds of stairs if visitors like to sightsee all highlights – old Buddhist temples, majestic caves and summits. While so much knowledge is given from the knowledgeable guide, cave explorations and hikes to the peaks are really fun. The highest point is 106 meters asl, famous for beautiful panoramic views and cool breezes from the sea. Around the hillfoot, there is a wealth of stone sculptures and accessories to buy. Locals carved the first in 16^th century.

Sunrise and sunset tours to Marble Mountains are the best fit for those who like to visit without strong heat and too many people around. Text us in whatsapp number +849686009827.

Cam Thanh Coconut Village Experience

10 minutes drive from Old Town, Cam Thanh aka the Coconut Village, is an ecotourism community with the core (best sight) as its enormous water palm forest. There, visitors will travel around by a basket boat which was invented by Central Vietnamese fishermans and only seen in the region. This round vessel suits a small, shallow and interlaced network of waterways in the forest. Vietcong communists made full use of the difficult accessibility and hide during the American war. During the ride, people show skills to catch fish or crab like how they do daily, or make accessories by palm leaves. The performance of traditional singing and exciting “dancing” (spinning the boat) with music, also occur on the water. After landing, visitors learn some local food recipes in the house of a local family (like pancake by skillet) and enjoy a massage, to well complete a half of day. A visit in Cam Thanh village allows to understand better life of people and the nature of the countryside in Hoi An. To book, text us in whatsapp number +84968009827.

Cam Kim Island Bike Tour

On the opposite bank of the Old Town, Cam Kim island is a nearly untouched countryside. It owns tranquil villages surrounded by rice fields and lush gardens. People there have been living with authentic rural ways of life, and making different handicrafts. The best way to know and experience all is by a bicycle and with a local guide who helps to interact with islanders. Backroads are the priority to allow visitors to stay away from busy traffic and noise. In addition, will visit hidden places that self-guided trippers never know. To book a half day Cam Kim island bike tour, text us in whatsapp number +84968009827.

Tra Que Vegetable Village Experience

A half day experience in Tra Que vegetable village is easiest to make in Hoi An. This countryside requires only a few minutes to get from the city center. There, visitors not only have the chance to visit organically-grown gardens, but also participate in interesting and hands-on activities. There are getting dressed like a farmer and learning how to grow plants by traditional techniques or cooking Vietnamese foods. Locals also make the way to tour around and introduce different species of herbs, from name, fragrance, taste to uses. If traveling with kids and childrens, we recommend taking this. To book, text us in whatsapp number +84968009827.

Hoi An Half Day Tour to Hai Van Pass

Hai Van Pass is amongst the most visited attractions near Hoi An, it’s 50 km to the north. Appeared in the Top Gear – a world-famous motoring programme, this wonder provides a long ride across the Annamite range. Not a boring one, it’s full of fun, adventuring vibes and picturesque sceneries that mesmerize lots of travelers. Hairpin-like bends, panoramic outlooks along the pass route and ancient remains on the top, are really iconic. Of course, there are plenty of photo opportunities during the cruise. By its northern side, Lang Co Lagoon is another mind-blowing place and sure, the next stop. It’s a turquoise shallow body of water dotted with oyster farmer’s stilt houses, at the foot of towering mountains with peaks hidden in the cloud. Visitors can have seafood lunch by themselves here. To book a half day tour from Hoi An to Hai Van Pass, text us in whatsapp number +84968009827.

Hoi An Half Day Tour to Son Tra Mountain (Peninsula)

See details in Da Nang at a glance from Hoi An

Most tours to Son Tra Mountain include 67-meters Lady Buddha – Vietnam’s tallest one of the same type and nearby Linh Ung Pagoda – Da Nang’s biggest Buddha worshipping temples. Both these famous sights are on the southern coast, facing the city and have a ground filled with bonsai and bodhi trees. Monkeys coming from behind forests are naughty and curious, giving funs into the peaceful atmosphere. In the late afternoon, a killer sunset can be seen from here.

To complete a half day, the Marble Mountains between Hoi An and the peninsula is the most popular choice. This nationally famed place has 5 staggering marble hills soaring suddenly on the surroundings. Apart from amazing caves and high peaks with 360^o view, people also added Buddhist temples on different terraces and folk-religion shrines into the grottoes. Thanks to being interconnected, Vietnam communists (Vietcong) stayed in the caves during the American war. Visitors also have the chance to see a plenty of beautifully-crafted stone sculptures and learn about local handicraft tradition.

To book this tour, text in our whatsapp number +84968009827.

Hoi An Private Tour Guide

To understand better attractions in and near Hoi An, visitors should travel with a local, knowledgeable guide. This buddy speaks English fluently and introduces every side of the places in the itinerary. If would like to book transportation by yourself, he/she may help to design a perfect plan that fits to your own requirements only.