Hoi An Night Market: A Thing to Do in Hoi An at Night

One of the most visited attractions in Hoi An is its night market. Because it is located right near the Old town, first-timer travelers commonly explore both top sights in one trip. Local foodies all know this food paradise, thanks to its variety of dishes and not expensive selling price. Instagrammers all note its lantern shops in their itinerary, to create nice social media posts. There, visitors also have many choices to buy gifts to bring home as reminders or to give to family and friends. Besides lanterns, it’s possible to seek a handcrafted object or banana shirts to wear with fellow travelers. In the surroundings, restaurants, pubs, bars and spas are also many to select for dining, party or rejuvenation. Thus, an evening experience in this part of the city can’t exclude Hoi An night market. Now, all you need to know about it is summarized.

Where is Hoi An Night Market?

Hoi An Night Market is entirely Nguyen Hoang St in An Hoi islet, opposite the Unesco-listed Hoi An Old Town. Meaning that it’s located within a walking distance from anywhere in the centre of the city. The distance from its entrance to An Bang beach, Cam Chau (Ba Le Market area) and Cua Dai beach is 5,5 km, 3,5 km and 6 km respectively.

Get to Night Market from Different Parts of Hoi An

Because of being near the Old town, just walk if you are somewhere around lantern streets. In the surroundings (of the city center), only a short walk is required as well. Hoi An is a bicycle-friendly destination, so from any parts of it, travelers can transfer by their own bike and park in a place close by the entrance. If prefering to ride a motorcycle, parking lots are many to choose from. See details for parking below. It takes 10 minutes from An Bang beach and 15 minutes from Cua Dai beach by motorcycle.

Taxi is the next vehicle that is possible to get to the Night Market. Its fare is around 15,000 VND for a kilometer, so no matter where travelers stay over in Hoi An, the cost will be not more than 100,000 VND. For groups or big families, the Hoi An Shuttle Bus provides options to pick up at the hotel, by a 6-to-8 seater buggy. A ride under 3 km charges 50,000 VND, and it’s 100,000 VND and 150,000 VND for 3 to 5 km and above 5 km respectively. Don’t forget to ask for the free shuttle bus in your hotel. Thanks to starting from one pier to the other, getting by a boat is absolutely feasible. Many travelers choose to cruise on Thu Bon river to visit craft villages, see sunset and then arrive at it.

From Da Nang to Hoi An Night Market

Distance from Da Nang to Hoi An night market is some 30 km to the south, so personal vehicles are the best transport. Motorcycles are the favourite choice of locals who may come to visit for a while and return. It takes around one hour and the drive is quite easy. If starting earlier, someone may visit the Marble Mountains halfway. Tourists can hire a motorcycle in the hotel or online, with a price between 100,000 and 250,000 VND (without fuel).

Getting in a car or taxi is another convenient choice, available anytime of the day. Because of the long ride, taxi costs will be more expensive than private car rental. To return to Da Nang, there are still several choices of rider, when a late night party is made before. A car ride is safer than whatever else. Da Nang Hoi An bus provides the last transfer (pick up) at 6 p.m, and after it arrives Hoi An, the passengers can take a short ride by taxi or motorcycle taxi or even walk to the Market. For going back to the hotel, again a taxi is the best choice.

Parking Lots and Fee

Travelers can choose to park their own bike outside of Hoi An Old Town’s pedestrian streets or somewhere near the Night Market. If you like to walk through lantern-lit quarters first, find the best location for your own vehicle by intersections in Phan Chu Trinh St. Make up your mind carefully to park there when you plan to finish the visit late at night. In common, the service stops around 10 p.m. If prefering to find somewhere as close to the market as possible, parking lots in the end of La Hoi, Nguyen Phuc Tan, Nguyen Phuc Nguyen streets are the choices. Shouldn’t put the bikes near Cao Hong Lanh street’s bridge, you may walk quite far then to see the stalls. No matter where, the fee is about 5,000 VND and may be more expensive in Vietnamese public holidays.

Hoi An Night Market Food

Street Foods

Street food is a featured side of local culinary culture. Lots of visitors call Hoi An Night Market a “street food market”, so definitely it’s a highlight of the attraction. There is a variety of choices in stalls, including with and without tables. “Without table” stalls may sell snacks, barbecues, fresh fruits, banana pancakes, ice cream rolls (kem cuon), ice cream sticks (kem que), banh mi sandwiches, caramelized seafoods, sweet soups, tofu and more. Favourite dishes to local foodies are grilled pork skewers served with fresh rice papers, raw vegetables and peanut sauce, or banh trang nuong (grilled rice papers with different toppings). The second is nicknamed as “Vietnamese pizza” by a couple of places, but the taste is different. If seeking barbecues, seafood and various kinds of meat are also seen. At the end of the street, visitors can sit to try, enjoy breezy air (from the river) and a quieter atmosphere than nearby corners.

Hoi An Food Specialties

Hoi An food specialties such as cao lau, mi quang, banh mi sandwich, fried wonton, pho noodle soup and grilled pork skewers, are all possible to see in the Night market. Bowl and roll dishes are often served in places with tables and low stools. One of the best local-styled Pho noodle soup, Pho Lien, recently moved to the area from the heart of Old town. Most authentic recipes and flavours can be expected there. Caramelized seafoods are another real Central Vietnamese cuisine, featuring cochineal pieces contained in metal pots. Look at food names with “rim”, it’s much easier to recognize. In seafood seasons, leftovers are often quite large. Smartly, fishermen sun dry them then cook with cane sugar and spices as a reserved food.

Restaurants in Hoi An Night Market

Pho Lien

This well-known restaurant serves its authentic and tasty local-styled Pho noodle soup from 6 a.m to 9 p.m, at 2B La Hoi. It has a couple of tables arranged in the veranda of a local house, and a cabinet to place ingredients in the front. The best seller in the menu is rare beef noodle soup, served with herbs, raw vegetables, sliced pickles and blanching bean sprouts.

Belleville Restaurant

This market-facing restaurant owns a French and Vietnamese menu, with live music every night. When passing by, it’s without difficulty to notice the active atmosphere and upbeat music here. Beside classic Hoi An’s food specialties, visitors can choose homemade Pho noodle soup for their dinner. In the bar, its bartender serves a long list of beverage options, from canned and bottled drinks, cocktails, mocktails, spirits to wines.

Mango Mango

At 45 Nguyen Phu Chu (riverside road), this eclectic restaurant provides seating to the shimmering Hoi An river at night. It’s a member of a chain with a professional kitchen headed by chef Duc Tran who had experiences in different countries. In the contemporary menu, he introduces authentic Vietnamese flavours such as fish sauce, Ly Son island’s garlic or turmeric from mountains. Beverage menu is extensive, covering both alcoholic and nonalcoholic selections. In the entrance, look at the white board, visitors may find some best recommendations for the day.

Vy’s Market Restaurant & Cooking School

Opening the doors from 8:30 a.m to 9:30 p.m, location of this restaurant is at 3 Nguyen Hoang St. Not only serving delicious Vietnamese foods, it also provides an experience in which visitors can see beguine ingredients and how to prepare traditionally. After watching, there are many tables nearby to choose from and starting tasting nice flavours. Here, several cooking classes are held daily, including classes for those who have experience in professional kitchens.

Red Gecko Restaurant

Opening from 10 a.m to 10 p.m, visitors can expect a cozy atmosphere in this local family-run restaurant. It owns a handful of wood tables and fans mounted on the walls. Highlights of Vietnamese cuisine and local food specialties will be seen in the menu. All are affordably-priced and come to the table with yummy flavours. Cold beers, basic cocktails, juices, soft drinks and more are available to enhance the taste. Thanks to being located at the end of the market, the ambience here is calmer.

What to Buy in Hoi An Night Market?

Souvenirs and Trinkets

Souvenirs in Hoi An Night Market are in abundance, including lanterns, paintings, statues, trinkets, readymade clothings, conical hats, household utensils, footwears, and more. These products are varied in material, including bamboo and locally-sourced ones, such as from Kim Bong carpentry village or Thanh Ha pottery village. One of the most favourite things to buy here is lanterns, the best reminder about Hoi An town. See information below for further details. Generally, the quality is diverse, so should come to several shops and see the same things, to choose the best ones. Due to poor English, sellers may inform you not in detail or wrong, but should being patient sometimes. A handheld computer or fingers is used to show how much for the object, instead of speaking.

Lanterns

Hoi An Night Market is also known as the Hoi An’s lantern market, because there are many lanterns sold in it. To see the most options, come to the shops near the entrance (the left passage). There, it’s possible to see and buy lanterns varying in size, shape, color, material, pattern and price. Typical ones are commonly made by a bamboo or wood frame and fabric cover. Circle (pomegranate), sphere (pumpkin), oblong (shallot), diamond, and octagonal are popular shapes. Worrying about how to pack in the luggages? There are many foldable lanterns available. If buying, your photos with colorful lantern background are free of charge.

Prices and Tips

Selling price of things in Hoi An Night Market is diverse, from cheap to expensive and overpriced rates. It’s possible to buy some objects with a price of only 20,000 VND but many others charge much more. Like any markets across Vietnam, the first price is often higher than common, so local people bargain with sellers to gain better deals. If feeling that what you pay is more than expected, do it to make the price lower. Should keep being polite while bargaining, because local sellers only know basic English and sometimes speak too strong. When you don’t feel happy, just say thanks and leave, you may find something similar in nearby places.

Lantern Boat Ride and Release Paper Lanterns

Available in the Old town and Night market, this is a must-do activity. During the experience, visitors will have the chance to view and photograph the river and the surroundings in light of uncounted lanterns. On the waters, candle lanterns floating slowly with lighting candles, are dropped by locals who pray for themselves and family before. The scene is iconic to Hoi An, and loved by travelers all over the world. If would like to get on a boat, ask the owners by the riverfronts. An affordable price is from 50,000 to 100,000 VND per person, or 200,000 to 300,000 VND per boat. The time may be around 30 minutes. See more information in Hoi An lantern boat ride on Hoai river

Shows of the Hoi An Lune Center

Inside the Dome at the end of Nguyen Phuc Chu St, Hoi An Lune Center provides featured cultural shows every night. Each performance tells the story of Vietnamese culture from different perspectives, from countryside to urban lifes. It’s carried out by professional dancers, on traditional music mixed by sound from over 15 instruments. Visitors can book online and at the theatre.

Nightlife Spots

The Pub Street Nguyen Phuc Chu

Nguyen Phuc Chu Rd features a riverside park on one side and pubs and bars on the other. When walking across the An Hoi bridge from Old town, staff from the nightlife venues may give visitors promotion papers, and don’t mind taking them there if requested. Information on the papers is for different group sizes, hours, sex, dresses and more. The Pub street’s alcohol spots are nice for thirsty souls, party seekers and simply, visitors who come to unwind and get a cold beer. Moreover, the bars also provide entertainments like pool games, drinking games, music from Djs to dance, and so on. Due to city regulations, opening times are up to around midnight. On the outside, banh mi stalls sell tasty sandwiches to drunks, with a price beginning from 20,000 VND.

The Deck Hoi An

This highest bar in Hoi An is on top of Hotel Royal at 39 Dao Duy Tu St. Opening from end of the afternoon until midnight, it provides the best view down to Hoi An at night. Happy hours are from 5 to 7 p.m when the sunset occurs and cool breezes blow around the hairs. Here, the swimming pool is one of the highlights. It’s just next to seatings and lounges, allowing visitors to soak in waters with an awesome average on hands. See other Hoi An’s top bars in our article centralvietnamguide.com/bars-in-hoi-an.

Other Hoi An’s Night Markets

Hoi An Central Market

When the sun disappears, street food and souvenir stalls outside of Hoi An’s central market open. Visitors can expect delicious snacks, food specialties, fruits, and reasonably-priced things to buy. These are not different from what is for sale in Nguyen Hoang night market, from design to quality. However, due to being quieter, the selling price here is cheaper and closing time is earlier. Many visitors plan to stroll around this area before coming to the bigger one on the opposite river bank.

Tan Thanh Flea Market

South of An Bang beach, stores and activities in Tan Thanh Flea Market are from the sunset to 9 p.m every weekend. All are arranged on a 200-meters-long street. Visitors have no difficulty finding a place to park near its entrance, the Five Rose Villas or Santa Sea Hoi An Villa. In addition to souvenirs to buy, seafront restaurants with a diverse menu and bars with fun games, please visitors also. Sandy beach is just close by, and over there, parents can lounge in the sun and childrens can run around with sand and water. If wanting to know more about Tan Thanh beach, read our article via centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-beaches.