Is Hoi An still worth it? Our tips on how to experience Hoi An intentionally

Hoi An is one of the most talked-about destinations in Vietnam. But is it still worth visiting, or has it become too crowded to enjoy?

Hoi An, Vietnam is one of our favorite places in the world. We’ve visited many times and spent over 300 days in this UNESCO-recognized destination.

In this post, we’ll share our honest take and exactly how we experience Hoi An in a way that still feels meaningful.

Is Hoi An still worth it? Our honest take

We first came because of Hoi An’s reputation (and the show No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain).

The Ancient Town was already busy.

But we could feel it: This place is special.

Over the past decade, we’ve returned again and again. Each time, we’ve seen more development. More visitors. More tour buses.

Some of that growth feels natural—word spreads, people share experiences, and destinations evolve.

But some of it feels… unnatural. Large tour groups arrive by the busload, flooding the narrow streets of Ancient Town. At times, it can feel less like a historic UNESCO heritage town and more like a theme park.

And yet… even an overcrowded tourist city like Hoi An is still worth visiting because the heart of what makes this place special isn’t what’s its most known for (in this case: Ancient Town at night).

What makes Hoi An special (and the reason we keep coming back) are the experiences you have to intentionally seek outside of the central tourist area.

Tip #1: Get out of town (just a little)

You may think that it’s more convenient to be in the heart of a city, to be as close as possible to all the action of a popular destination. Great. But that hasn’t been a good fit for us.

One of the strategies that Michelle often uses in our travel planning is to stay on the outskirts of a popular tourist area.

Staying on the outskirts has these benefits that are important for the kind of travel we like to do:

• It’s more affordable. Staying more central in any city/popular destination almost always means you’re paying more for that location.
• It’s quieter. We love a good night’s sleep and busier areas mean a lot more noise.
• Popular areas are still accessible. Staying on the outskirts usually still means that Michelle and I can walk 10 minutes and still get to popular areas. If we’re visiting a big city like Lisbon or Tokyo, we look for accommodations outside of the center but near a metro or subway line.
• It’s more authentic. When we travel we want to live and experience life as a local. We love that in Hoi An, just a couple blocks outside of the tourist areas you can find shops, restaurants, and cafes that locals actually visit daily.

When we travel, we’re not just visiting a place. We’re trying to experience it. And where you stay shapes that more than most people realize.

Tip #2: Choose better tours

One of the most frustrating things in Hoi An is the volume of large group tours.

You’ve probably seen them: 40 people following a guide with a flag and microphone, moving as one unit through already-crowded streets.

We’re not anti-tour. But we’re not fans of that kind of tour.

Some of our best experiences across Vietnam have been with local guides who offer smaller, more intentional experiences.

Here’s what we look for:

• Group size matters. Smaller groups almost always mean a better experience.
• A thoughtful schedule. If the itinerary is overpacked, the day just feels rushed.
• Local connection. Are you meeting people? Learning something? Or just being moved from stop to stop for photo opps?
• Real reviews. Pay attention to recent and critical feedback—not just the highlights.

Exploring Areas Outside of the City

Our friend, Phu, has been leading motorcycle adventures for over two decades throughout Vietnam.

We have done several different kinds of short trips with him using Hoi An as a base.

From here, we’ve done a long day trip visiting several villages up and around the coast line. We’ve gone into the mountains on the Ho Chi Minh trail and stayed overnight in a town few foreigners have seen.

And though we could have tried to do these experiences on our own, Phu’s local knowledge of the area, roads, people, and food made those trips more meaningful.

His trips are designed to have you get a glimpse of everyday life and see epic scenery on the backroads of Vietnam.

Request a motorbike tour with Phu here

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for things we’ve tried ourselves and loved. If you make a purchase through one of our links, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Exploring Areas in and Around the City

Our friend “Harry” (his English chosen name) hosts two guided experiences with his team in and around Hoi An.

The first is a tour that takes guests to surrounding villages by car or motorbike, meeting with local producers and learning about traditional ways of life.

What we love about this experience is you get to see people making things from their homes (rice noodles, rice wine, sleeping mats, coffee, etc…) and how important these products and people are to their community.

At each stop you’re graciously invited into their lives, workshops, and sometimes literally into their homes. Harry and his team provide some background stories and there is no pressure to purchase anything at any of these stops.

You’re invited to learn, and the hosts seem genuinely happy to share a small bit of their lives with us the visitor.

Book the Real Rural Tour here

The second of Harry’s tours is a walking food tour around the city of Hoi An – on the outskirts of ancient town.

You get to experience family-run businesses that are the heart of the city. These are the kinds of things most visitors don’t even realize are happening.

You start early, no exceptions. Because early morning is the authentic, actual time that local producers in Hoi An are working.

The tour is designed around the people who live and work here. They are not asking people who live and work here to change their lives for tourists. 

Book this Hidden Gems Hoi An Food Tour

Tip #3: Go early

One of our favorite strategies for enjoying a popular and overcrowded destination is to do things earlier than others would.

In the morning, Hoi An’s Ancient Town is lovely compared to the evening.

Similarly, many of the open markets in Vietnam happen in the morning (including lots of great street food).

After 10am, you’ve already missed a major part of daily life that is fascinating to experience.

It also helps to visit a popular destination when it first opens in the morning. Opening hours are sometimes the only chance to have attractions to yourself – around Hoi An this includes Ancient Town streets, My Son temple ruins, and Marble Mountains.

There’s also a practical side:

• Cooler temperatures
• Better light
• Fewer crowds

Lean into jet lag. If you wake up early in Hoi An, go out. Walk. Explore. Observe.

Tip #4: Learn how to find real local gems on your own

You won’t find hidden gems by doing what everyone else is doing. Checking off the “must see” spots is exactly how you can end up thinking that Hoi An is overrated.

But filtering through all the suggestions that the internet will throw at you is easier when you have a strategy.

Whether we’re in Hoi An, Barcelona, or my hometown of Honolulu, we use the same approach to find places and experiences that actually feel worth our time.

Instead of relying on top-10 lists or whatever shows up first on Google, we look for signals like:

• Is this place popular with locals or mainly visitors?
• Is there a story, a local family, or a purpose behind it?
• Does it match how we like to travel, not just what’s trending?

We’ve found some of our favorite local experiences in Hoi An through our own research.

And the good news is: you don’t need to have local friends already to do this well. You just need a repeatable way to sort through the noise and make better-informed decisions.

This is what we teach Intentional Travelers Toolkit members through our Hidden Highlights course.

In Hidden Highlights, Michelle has taken everything we’ve learned—through trial, error, and years on the road—and turned it into simple, repeatable strategies to help you:

• Skip hours of overwhelming research
• Confidently choose places that match your style
• Spot tourist traps before they waste your time or money
• Build an itinerary you’re genuinely excited about

If you’re unsure how to find those special places or experiences, that is exactly what Hidden Highlights shows you, step by step.

Final thoughts

Popular destinations are popular for a reason.

But what makes them personally meaningful is almost always found outside the obvious.

For us, in Hoi An, that means:

• Meeting people in their homes and villages
• Seeing everyday life up close and actually taking part in it
• Understanding how the city truly works beyond the surface

Those are the experiences we would have missed if we only stayed in Ancient Town. And that’s why we keep coming back.

We’d love to hear from you! What are your strategies for visiting crowded destinations—and finding your own hidden gems? Let us know in the comments below.

For further reading about Hoi An:

–Our Ultimate Hoi An Travel Guide + Curated Map
–Best food in Hoi An: Our favorite restaurants
–Where to stay in Hoi An
–What NOT to do in Hoi An
–5 Best day trips from Hoi An
–3 Day Hoi An Itinerary and Self-Guided Walking Tour Map
–Hue to Hoi An Motorbike Tour/Transfer

For other Vietnam destinations:

–Suggested Vietnam Itineraries: 10+ Days in Vietnam
–Best Central Vietnam Destinations
–Unique Things to Do in Da Nang Vietnam
–A budget guide to Ninh Binh
–A budget guide to Hue
–A budget guide to Hanoi
– Dalat Vietnam Itinerary
–A budget guide to Mai Chau Vietnam

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