I first visited Hoi An back in 2015 during a 3 week holiday from work, travelling from north to south in Vietnam. From the places I visited across the country, Hoi An was my favourite so I was keen to come back here during my second trip to Vietnam.
This time it wasn’t just for sightseeing though, I was working while on the road and I figured the strong café culture in Hoi An would make it a good location to get some work done while enjoying the town.
In this post I’m going to detail things to do in the area as well as some coworking spaces and cafes which are good to work from.
About Hoi An
Located in Central Vietnam, Hoi An was one of the most important ports of trade in South East Asia for several centuries with traders from Europe, East Asia and elsewhere stopping here. While Hoi An prospered, it developed into one of the most photogenic towns in Vietnam, mixing Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese and Western design.
Between the 18th and 19th century, Hoi An declined in importance, initially due to a rebellion that was opposed to foreign trade and torched the city. Later on, the rebellion was defeated and Hoi An was revived but then the river silted up, making the port inaccessible to larger boats, which led to the majority of international trade heading to the nearby city of Da Nang instead.
Fast forward to more recent history and Hoi An, which was a backwater town by this time, was relatively untouched by the bombing which wrecked much of the country during the Vietnam War. Because of this, the old town is remarkably well preserved and it was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Since then, it has become a hotspot for tourism and Hoi An has thrived again.
Getting around Hoi An
Being a small city, you can get around most of Hoi An on foot or by bicycle. Scooter rentals and taxis are available for longer trips. Grab (similar to Uber) as well as normal metered taxis operate in Hoi An.
Working Remotely in Hoi An
Hub Hoi An Coworking Space
This is the only coworking space (at least the only ‘proper’ one – see my comments on Vietnam Sustainable Space further down) in Hoi An and, while I only used it for one day, it made a good impression on me. The owner, Sarah, was very welcoming, Wi-Fi is fast and there’s both an indoor room (with good air con) and garden to work from.
They also offer a community lunch (100,000 VND per person) which was tasty and a great way to meet people. Despite only spending a day at Hub Hoi An, I met a few people during this lunch and I could tell the more long term members had built good relationships with each other. For reference, 100,000 VND translates to £3.30, €3.67 or $4.32 (US) at the time of writing.
By Vietnamese standards, the price for a day pass is expensive at 210,000 VND. If you’re planning a long stay in Hoi An, the monthly pass at 4,000,000 VND is better value for money and includes 24/7 access. On a day pass, the opening hours are Monday-Friday 9am-5pm which is a bit limited but, in practice, I was able to stay a bit later while one of the members was still around and left about 6pm.
The location of Hub Hoi An isn’t ideal. Around 4km away from the old town, you’ll need to drive, cycle or take a taxi to get here. It’s a short, cheap journey so this isn’t a big issue but being around the old town would be more convenient. On the plus side, Hub Hoi An is surrounded by rice fields so the location has some perks!
One other negative – if you need to use the scanner, this is a headache. The actual quality of the printer/scanner is fine, but the laptop it’s connected to is ancient and it took several people to figure out how to get it to work with the scanner. I eventually worked it out, but I must have wasted at least an hour and a number of other people spent time trying to help.
If you’re considering a long stay in Hoi An, getting a monthly pass here is a good option. It’s a welcoming, comfortable place to work from and it was clear that many of the members had become friends with each other.
Vietnam Sustainable Space
I came across this ‘coworking space’ online while doing some pre trip research. This is a non-profit organisation which intends to raise environmental awareness and introduce sustainable living styles. Situated by the old town, this is more conveniently located than Hub Hoi An and, from what I have read, there is no day pass to pay for – you simply need to buy a tea for a fraction of the cost (I believe you make a donation rather than paying a fixed price for the drink). While this place isn’t specifically aimed at digital nomads, I understand it is fine to sit at one of the tables with your pot of tea and get on with work.
This all sounded promising… until I went along and saw it was closed, with a sign outside giving a phone number to call to arrange a visit. This was my last full day in Hoi An so I didn’t have a chance to arrange this. If you are interested, it’s probably easiest to email them at sustainablespace.se@gmail.com in advance. They also have a space in Hanoi.
5 Cafes & Restaurants to work remotely from in Hoi An
1. Aha House
Opening hours: 6:30am to 10:30pm every day.
Located by the Ba Mu Temple, this was surprisingly quiet given its proximity to a tourist attraction. Aha House specialises in tea but has coffee and ice cream on offer to. I’d suggest sitting upstairs – it’s peaceful, there a several tables near power sockets and you get a nice view of the temple gate. There’s no air con here, but enough fans to keep the temperature down. Of the cafes I tried, this had the fastest Wi-Fi (see the Wi-Fi Speeds table further down).
2. Rosie’s Café
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm on weekdays, 8am to 3pm Saturday, closed Sunday.
About a 15 minute walk north of the old town, this café is popular with remote workers. It was busy when I visited around lunchtime and, as all of the tables by a power sockets were in use, the staff provided an extension cord so I could plug in. It’s relatively pricey for Vietnam but they have a good all day breakfast available. As the café is outdoors, there is no air con but they have fans.
Note for users of the maps.me app, the first location which appears for Rosie’s Café is out of date – there is a second listing titled ‘Rosie’s Café Right Location’ which is accurate. Google Maps has the correct location.
3. 3A Café
Opening hours: 6:30am to 10pm every day.
Situated a few minutes’ walk away from Rosie’s Café, this is quite large with space on the ground floor, plus a second floor with tables inside shipping containers. While I was there, it also looked like they were building up another level or making a rooftop area. Coffee and desserts were available here and the prices were low – a coconut coffee cost just 29,000 VND.
4. Le Fe Dining Place
Opening hours: 10am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm every day.
Hidden away in the old town, this restaurant has excellent food and is a nice spot to work from. This is the most expensive place I have listed (most of the main courses are around 200,000 VND) but it offers more of a fine dining experience. The garden is nice to work from – it’s peaceful, there are power sockets by the tables at the back and there are a lot of fans to keep cool.
The main drawback for working here is the fact that it closes from 2pm to 5pm – coming for the morning to work, staying for lunch and then heading to a coffee shop for the afternoon works well.
5. Trip Nguyen Restaurant Cafe
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm every day.
This isn’t really among the best options for working but it has something special on offer – Beer Hoi! Beer Hoi is a Vietnamese draught beer brewed daily that is known for being extremely cheap – the normal price for a glass (roughly half a pint) is 5,000 VND, which at the time of writing, translates to just £0.16. While the quality isn’t that high, it is ok and the beer is ridiculously cheap. I’ve seen Beer Hoi vary in price from 3,000 VND to 8,000 VND. The typical price is 5,000 VND and this is what Trip Nguyen charge although you must order food as well – I tried white rose dumplings here, where is a dish local to Hoi An. There are some other places in Hoi An, including one next to Trip Nguyen, which also offer Beer Hoi for 5,000 providing you order food as well.
I worked here for a couple of hours one afternoon, had lunch and enjoyed some beers while working. There are power sockets in reach of a couple of the tables and fans to keep cool.
While the Wi-Fi speeds here were adequate (see the table below), the network here did have a jitter rate of 311ms and I had issues with it freezing as a result.
Wi-Fi Speeds
| Download | Upload | |
| Hub Hoi An | 92.1 Mbps | 93.9 Mbps |
| Aha House | 91.6 Mbps | 93.2 Mbps |
| Rosie’s Cafe | 39.0 Mbps | 36.6 Mbps |
| Cafe 3A | 35.5 Mbps | 23.9 Mbps |
| Le Fe Dining | 29.8 Mbps | 10.6 Mbps |
| Trip Nguyen | 22.5 Mbps | 11.9 Mbps |
The above is based on a test I did on my phone at each location using the Speedtest app. As noted previously, the test for Trip Nguyen showed a jitter rate of 311ms and I had issues with the network freezing. I had no issues with Wi-Fi in any of the other places listed.
15 Things to do in and around Hoi An
1. Wander around the Old Town
One of my favourite things to do in Hoi An is simply to walk around the old town. Unlike a lot of Vietnam, it escaped most of the bombing during the Vietnam War and has been incredibly well preserved as a result.
Along the photogenic main streets and narrow alleyways you will come across countless ancient houses, temples and more.
There are plenty of coffee shops around this area if you want to stop for a while and relax. Try Faifo Coffee for a rooftop view and watch life go by on the street below.
Note: Technically, you cannot enter the old town without buying a ‘Hoi An Ancient Town’ ticket for 120,000 VND. This ticket also allows you to enter five sightseeing places of your choice (from over 20 options) without paying their individual admission fees. In practice, this system is a mess and most visitors, including me, walk into the town without even being aware that the ticket exists (although, as I did, a lot of people will wind up buying it at a ticket booth for one of the attractions anyway). Of the many times I’ve walked into the old town, nobody has ever asked to see my ticket – the only times I’ve been asked is when entering one of the attractions covered by it. The ticket is valid for the duration of your stay.
Scam warning: At some point while exploring, you will probably be asked by a local if you want to take a photo either of them or yourself carrying a traditional Vietnamese bamboo shoulder pole – they might say it’s free when encouraging you to take the photo, but they’ll soon change their minds afterwards!
How to get here: The old town isn’t that large and cars are blocked off from the area. Depending on where your accommodation is, walk, cycle, drive or take a taxi to the start.
2. See the Japanese Covered Bridge
One of the focal points of the old town. As mentioned earlier, Hoi An historically had Japanese and Chinese communities due to its prime trading location. Back in the 16th century, the Japanese decided to build a bridge across the river for the purpose of connecting the Japanese and Chinese quarters. As the bridge was built to be both a physical and metaphorical bridge between cultures, it blends elements of Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese design.
Note that this is also a pagoda and you might come across references online to a place called Pagoda Bridge. This is the same as the Japanese Covered Bridge, it just goes by more than one name.
How to get here: This is within the old town.
3. Take a break by Ba Mu Temple
Also referred to as the Tam Quan Gate and recently renovated, this has become a popular spot for locals and visitors. There isn’t much to do here beyond taking photos but it’s a nice area for to sit down and relax in, as I did during a couple of evenings with some people from the hostel I was staying in.
How to get here: This is within the old town.
4. Visit Phung Hung Old House
Near the Japanese Covered Bridge, this was originally a merchant house built in 1780. The house is still owned and resided in by the same family – the current owner is the eighth descendant of the original owner. As a famous architectural building in Hoi An, it is open to tourists to visit and look around, part of the house is also now used as a workshop for making commercial embroideries.
Note: There is a small admission fee for entry here, which is covered by ‘Hoi An Ancient Town’ ticket (as one of the five sightseeing places permitted with the ticket).
How to get here: This is within the old town.
5. Visit the Fujian Assembly Hall
There are five historic assembly hall’s around Hoi An for the Chinese communities that settled in the area. This is the most impressive of the five and is well worth a visit while exploring the old town.
Note: There is a small admission fee for entry here, which is covered by ‘Hoi An Ancient Town’ ticket (as one of the five sightseeing places permitted with the ticket).
How to get here: This is within the old town.
6. Get tailored clothes made
Hoi An is famous in Vietnam for its textile industry and tailored clothes – in total there are over 400(!) tailor shops in town. If you want to get tailored clothes made while in Vietnam, this is the place to do it. Make sure to haggle on price as the tailor is likely to quote a high price initially.
On my first trip to Vietnam, I had a tailored suit made for less than a cheap off the rack suit costs back home in England. I got decent use out of it for work (in my pre backpacking days) until it started getting a bit tight for me, something which I take no responsibility for and blame entirely on the tailor…
7. Go shopping
In addition to the tailor shops you’ll find plenty of shopping options around Hoi An, including local arts, handicrafts, leather goods and lanterns. Hoi An is famous for its lanterns as the old town is still lit up at night by them, there is also a dedicated Lantern Market. Again, make sure to haggle on prices.
Living and working out of two backpacks, I don’t do much shopping beyond essentials and the occasional gift to send home. However, there are plenty of opportunities to buy souvenirs in Hoi An if you have the luggage space.
8. Take a cooking class
There are many cooking classes/tours available in Hoi An – the one I did made for a fun half day out. The tour started by taking us to a local market in Hoi An where the guide talked through some of the food and bought ingredients for the class.
We were then taken to a boat for a short ride to a nearby island where the tour company had their cooking school. Once we arrived, it was time to start making a couple of Vietnamese dishes – Gui Cuon (Vietnamese fresh spring rolls) and Banh Xao (a type of crepe). My efforts probably weren’t the best (they certainly weren’t the most aesthetically pleasing) but the dishes still tasted good! After everyone finished eating, each person was giving a gigantic set of chopsticks as a souvenir then it was back to the boat for the trip back to Hoi An.
9. Enjoy the local food
Vietnamese food is among my favourite cuisines in the world. All around Vietnam you can find cheap, tasty meals.
Banh mi, a Vietnamese style sandwich, is a popular street food option all over Vietnam. Hoi An has become particularly notable for them since the late great Anthony Bourdain described the version offered by a place in town called Banh Mi Phuong to be the best in the world. I didn’t get a chance to try them here (read: I was put off by the massive queues) though you can find quality banh mi around Hoi An. My favourite was at a place called Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen though I also had some really good banh mi from random street vendors. Expect to pay around 20,000 VND for one – slightly more in the well-known places and a bit less from street vendors.
A dish local to Hoi An worth trying is Cao Lau. This is a dish featuring marinated pork slices and fresh green vegetables on top of rice noodles. It’s difficult to find Cao Lau outside of Hoi An due to the dish using ingredients specific to the region.
While on the subject of food, a restaurant I recommend trying out in the Old Town is Bup Café. Given its prime location and popularity, they could easily put prices up buy they are kept low and Bup (the owner) is extremely friendly despite being rushed off his feet. I went twice for dinner and noticed how he would briefly chat and joke with customers while rushing around – the second time he recognised me from a few nights before and seemed happy for the repeat custom. The café also run a cooking class.
10. Party by the riverside
Given Hoi An’s popularity with visitors, it should be no surprise that there is a lively scene at night. Most of the bars are located around the riverside and are fairly similar. Have a wander along the river and sample whichever bars you like the look of/have space.
Before drinking, you might want to take a short boat ride along the river. Simply approach one of the ladies offering trips by the river, haggle on price and hop on! If you’re in Hoi An during the monthly lantern festival, you’ll see many lanterns floating down the river at night. It looks nice but I was wondering what happened to all of these lanterns after – apparently people are employed to pick them out of the river every morning, so hopefully this event isn’t creating any environmental problems.
How to get here: the riverside district is next to the old town.
11. Chill out at An Bang Beach
It started raining when we visited so I don’t have the best memories here, though the Vietnamese lady that shouted “come here, my food is better!” at us when we were sitting down in the restaurant next to hers was amusing.
The beach stretches for 4km and offers some water sports and plenty of bars to chill in. If you want to rent a sun lounger, you can get one for ‘free’ simply by buying a drink.
How to get here: This is around 4km from the old town so drive, cycle or take a taxi. There are plenty of accommodation options near the beach if you want to stay within walking distance.
12. Take a trip into the countryside
There is plenty of countryside and rice fields around Hoi An, get a bicycle or scooter and you can ride out into this in no time. There isn’t one particular area to visit for this – an easy option is to go along Hai Ba Trung, which is the main road connecting the old town to An Bang Beach, then turn off at one of the paths into the surrounding countryside and explore! If you want to be more organised, there are tours available, including sidecars tours if you don’t want to cycle or drive.
13. Take a day trip to Da Nang
Da Nang is a city located near Hoi An. There’s more than enough to see here to justify a longer stay but, if you prefer not to or have limited time, you can easily visit from Hoi An for a day and see some of the highlights. Da Nang is also a good option for working remotely in Vietnam and offers more choice in terms of coworking spaces, though I prefer being in Hoi An. I have written a separate post about Da Nang which you can read here.
How to get here: There’s a public bus (number 1) which goes between Hoi An and Da Nang or you can drive/take a taxi.
14. Visit the Marble Mountains
This is a group of five limestone and marble hills. Of these, Mt. Thuy is accessible to the public. There are a number of shrines and caves around Mt. Thuy, along with lots of stairs to walk up – make sure you check out the view from the summit! Note that there is a glass lift at the base of Mt. Thuy, which, for a small fee, takes you partway up the mountain. The Marble Mountains are one of the most popular attractions in the area so I suggest getting here early if you don’t want to be walking through large crowds.
Note that this is between Da Nang and Hoi An (slightly closer to Da Nang, but not a long journey regardless). If you’re going to be staying in both places, arranging a driver that takes you from Da Nang to Hoi An (or vice versa) with a stop at the Marble Mountains works well.
How to get here: rent a scooter, get a taxi or book a tour. There is also a public bus (number 1) which stops here. The mountains are approximately a 30 minute drive from Hoi An.
15. Take a half day trip to My Son Sanctuary
Pronounced Me Sun, this is a collection of ancient Cham ruins that were left to decay for centuries, then suffered further damage from bombing during the war between Vietnam and the US. It’s best to visit shortly after opening time to beat the crowds or, if you can handle the midday heat, early afternoon once the crowds have gone.
How to get here: rent a scooter, get a taxi or book a tour. Note that it is around a 1 hour drive by car, so arranging a taxi to get there, wait for you and take you back could get expensive. Joining a group tour will be cheaper.
Accommodation
I stayed in one hostel during my last trip to Hoi An called BackHome Hostel. There wasn’t anything special about this place but it was very good value for money at roughly 5 USD per night for a dorm bed, including breakfast and free drinks for one hour per night. The hostel is also fine for working from although the common area gets loud at night. There is a large common area on the ground floor with meals/drinks available and some of the tables are near power sockets. The Wi-Fi speed when I ran a test was 46.1 Mbps download and 46.2 Mbps upload.
Getting to/from Hoi An
There is no airport or train station in Hoi An. Most people arrive either via Da Nang or by a sleeper bus from further away in Vietnam.
Sleeper Bus – Probably the most popular method for backpackers to get around Vietnam, you can catch a sleeper bus from many locations to Hoi An. The sleeper buses aren’t just for long distance trips – you can catch them for relatively short journeys like Hue to Hoi An (approximately 4 hours).
From/to Da Nang – Close enough for travel by taxi or public bus, you can get bus number 1 between Hoi An and Da Nang. As suggested earlier, hiring a driver and making a stop at the Marble Mountains is a good option – there are tour companies in both Da Nang and Hoi An that offer this. Da Nang has both an airport and a train station so, in addition to sleeper buses, you can reach Da Nang by air or rail. Airport transfers to Hoi An can be booked and take between 40-65 minutes.
Finally, is Hoi An a good destination for digital nomads?
Absolutely! As a backpacker, Hoi An is my favourite place to visit in Vietnam. While there is only one real coworking space available, it’s a nice place to work from and, if you prefer working from cafes, there are plenty of options in town to try. When you’re not working, Hoi An is a peaceful place to be and there is lots to do, both in Hoi An and nearby.
The nearby city of Da Nang has more options in terms of working spaces, but I simply enjoy Hoi An more.
[…] Hoi An is my favourite place in the country and I recommend staying for several days but, if you prefer not to, you can easily visit from Da Nang for a day and see some of the highlights. I have written a separate post about working remotely and things to do in Hoi An, which you can read here. […]