Where to Stay in Hoi An

Where to stay in Hoi An: the Ancient Town, An Bang or Tan Thanh

Hoi An's three main accommodation areas sit within 5 km of each other but serve three different kinds of trip: the Ancient Town for short visits where everything is walkable, An Bang Beach for families and groups, and Tan Thanh Beach for longer stays.

This page compares them on concrete criteria, then gives a way to choose by group and by season.

Quick answer by group

The three areas compared

Staying in Hoi An Ancient Town

The Ancient Town is the right choice when the trip is short and the Old Town itself is the point. The Japanese Covered Bridge, the assembly halls, the heritage houses, the tailors and the night market are all minutes away on foot, with no travel time and no dependence on a vehicle.

Real advantages:

•     Every sight within walking distance, no need to rent transport

•     Dense food scene, open late

•     Well suited to solo travellers and couples on short stays

•     The evening lanterns are unique to this area, and staying inside it means seeing them nightly rather than once

Real drawbacks:

•     Noisy until late, especially the streets near the night market

•     Very few places with a private kitchen; mostly hotel rooms

•     The riverside blocks flood in October and November, usually for one to three days

•     Difficult by car, with streets closed during pedestrian hours

•     No beach

Staying at An Bang Beach

An Bang suits groups of four or more staying three nights or longer, because this is an area of whole houses rather than hotel rooms. You rent the entire property, with a kitchen and a garden, and for a larger group the cost per person usually comes in below the equivalent number of hotel rooms.

Real advantages:

•     Private pool villas from three to six bedrooms, sleeping 6 to 12

•     A kitchen and a shared living room — the decisive difference for groups and for families with children

•     Public swimming beach, beach bars and restaurants on the sand

•     10 to 15 minutes to the Old Town, easy to visit and return the same day

Real drawbacks:

•     Narrow lanes; a seven-seater cannot always reach the gate

•     The busiest of the three areas in summer

•     No swimming in October and November

•     A residential area with people living in it — mornings bring ward loudspeakers and boat engines

Staying at Tan Thanh Beach

Tan Thanh suits stays of a week or more, particularly for people working remotely. It is a coastal resettlement area, quieter than An Bang, and where Hoi An's resident foreign community has gathered.

Real advantages:

•     The quietest of the three areas

•     Parking at the gate of most properties — the biggest practical gap versus An Bang

•     Apartments and studios with kitchens and washing machines, built for longer stays

•     Plenty of yoga, massage and spa options in the area

•     A five to seven minute walk to An Bang, so its restaurants are usable too

Real drawbacks:

•     Fewer places to eat than An Bang

•     Only one private pool villa option

•     Not worth it for a one or two night stay

•     Slightly further from the Old Town than An Bang

Choosing by season

Season matters more than people expect, and October to November is when the gap is clearest.

On a stay of 4 nights or more, should you split?

Rarely mentioned anywhere: on a trip of four nights or longer, splitting between two areas is often better than staying put. Two nights in the Ancient Town to cover the sights without commuting, then out to the beach for the rest.

The cost is half a day lost to moving and two bookings instead of one. It works well for couples and small groups, less well for families with a lot of luggage or for larger parties.

Three things that matter more than the area

1.  Whether there is a kitchen. For four or more people staying three nights or longer, a kitchen changes how the whole trip runs — and it is the biggest difference between the beach and the Old Town, bigger than the 5 km.

2.  Whether a car reaches the gate. Ask for the largest vehicle that fits, not whether parking exists.

3.  The distance to the sand in metres. "Near the beach" at An Bang can mean 10 metres or 400, because the lanes bend.

FAQ

Where should I stay in Hoi An?

It depends on the length of the trip. For one or two nights, the Ancient Town, because everything is walkable. For three nights or more with a family or a group, An Bang Beach, for the whole houses with kitchens. For a week or longer, especially working remotely, Tan Thanh Beach.

How long does it take to get from An Bang Beach to Hoi An Ancient Town?

About 4 to 5 kilometres, 10 to 15 minutes by motorbike. From Tan Thanh Beach it is about 5 kilometres and 12 to 17 minutes.

In the rainy season, is the Old Town or the beach better?

The beach. The riverside blocks of the Ancient Town typically flood in October and November, one to three days at a time. An Bang and Tan Thanh sit about 5 km away and are far less affected.

Is An Bang or Tan Thanh quieter?

Tan Thanh, noticeably. An Bang has the public swimming beach and more beach bars, so it is busier, especially in summer. The two are 300 to 500 metres apart, a five to seven minute walk.

Where should a family with children stay in Hoi An?

An Bang or Tan Thanh, where you can rent a whole house or an apartment with a kitchen and private space. The Ancient Town is mostly hotel rooms, with few kitchens and noise until late.

Do you need to rent a motorbike in Hoi An?

Not if you stay in the Ancient Town. If you stay at An Bang or Tan Thanh and want to visit the Old Town daily, rent one or budget for taxis.