About the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An
Ho Chi Minh City lies in the south and Hoi An around 900 kilometers north on the central coast. Hoi An is a small town without an airport or railway station, so both flying and the train pass through Da Nang, the nearby city 30 kilometers to the north. The fastest way to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An is to fly into Da Nang and finish by road, a matter of a few hours, whereas the overland routes fill most of a day or more. Your choice really depends on your budget and how you feel about a long journey. Saigon, where the trip begins, is the frenetic heart of the south, and our Ho Chi Minh City travel guide covers it if you are still filling out your days there.
Hoi An is a small, walkable town on the central coast, and for many travelers the highlight of their trip. Its old quarter, a former trading port closed to cars, is a cluster of ochre shophouses, temples, and narrow lanes strung with lanterns, well known for its tailors and its riverside restaurants. Beaches and rice paddies sit a short cycle from the center. After the noise and rush of Saigon, it is a gentle, unhurried change of pace. Our Hoi An travel guide sets out what to see and how to plan your days.
Option 1: By flight, via Da Nang
Why choose the flight
For a trip this long, flying is far and away the quickest and simplest way to reach Hoi An. As Hoi An has no airport, you fly into Da Nang, half an hour up the road, on one of the busiest and cheapest domestic routes in the country. For most travelers, nothing else comes close on time.
How it works
You fly from Tan Son Nhat Airport in Saigon to Da Nang Airport, then finish the 30 kilometers to Hoi An by road, a drive of about 45 minutes. The flight lasts around 1 hour 35 minutes, with departures throughout the day on Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air, and Sun PhuQuoc Airways. Vietnam Airlines often has the lowest fares, sometimes from about 950,000 VND (roughly $38) for a hand-luggage ticket, with checked-bag fares and the other carriers costing more. Once you land, our guide on getting from Da Nang to Hoi An sets out the transfer options, and our domestic flights guide covers the flying side.
Who it is for
The flight is the right call for nearly everyone, thanks to the frequent departures and low fares. Even with the transfer from Da Nang added on, it beats any overland route by many hours. Travelers who would rather take it slow, or spend as little as possible, have the two options below.
Option 2: By train, to Da Nang
Why choose the train
Of the two overland routes, the train is the one to pick. It is roomier and more scenic than the bus over a similar stretch of time, and you can lie flat in a sleeper overnight. As Hoi An has no station, the train takes you as far as Da Nang, from where a short transfer finishes the trip. It is slow, but a relaxed and comfortable way to cover the distance.
How it works
Trains leave Saigon Railway Station and run north up the coast to Da Nang Railway Station in about 16 to 19 hours, mostly overnight, before the short road transfer on to Hoi An. Classes run from a soft seat to a four-berth soft sleeper, and a berth is well worth it on a trip this long, from around 1,200,000 VND (roughly $48). The coastline keeps you company through much of the ride, particularly near Nha Trang. Foreigners book on 12Go, Baolau, or Vexere. See our train travel guide for the classes.
Who it is for
The train suits travelers who would rather not fly and want the overland leg to be comfortable and worth the time. It is a natural pick if you enjoy rail travel, or plan to stop at the coastal towns below. Anyone in a hurry should fly.
Option 3: By bus
Why we don’t really recommend it
The bus is the cheapest route north, but it is a long slog that only really makes sense on a rock-bottom budget. A lot of services are not direct either, changing in Da Nang, and the trip can stretch from about 17 hours to well over a day. For much the same time the train is far more comfortable, and a budget flight costs only a little more once you value the hours you save.
How it works
Direct and connecting buses run from Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An, taking roughly 17 to 19 hours on a through sleeper and longer with a change in Da Nang. Vehicles are sleeper and cabin buses, with fares from around 810,000 to 1,500,000 VND (roughly $32 to $60) by service. An Phu Hoi An Travel is among the operators, bookable through 12Go or Vexere. Keep anything valuable on you during the overnight leg. Our bus travel guide explains the coach types.
Who it is for
The bus is worth it only for travelers on the very tightest budget who cannot manage the train or a flight. For most people the train is the better way to go overland, and the flight far faster. Given the alternatives, this is the option to skip if you can.
Stops to add on the way to Hoi An
Rather than push through in one long stretch, many travelers break this route into stops. There are two very different ways to do it: up the coast, or inland through the highlands.
The coastal route, by train
The coastal cities all sit on the north-south railway, so you can travel between them by train, pausing where you please on the way north. Heading up from Saigon, you reach them in this order.
Mui Ne is the first, a relaxed beach town a few hours out of the city, known for its red and white sand dunes and its kitesurfing. Our Mui Ne guide has the detail.
Nha Trang comes next, the largest beach resort on the coast, with a long strip of sand, offshore islands for diving and boat trips, and a busy nightlife scene. It is livelier and more built-up than the others, for better or worse. See our Nha Trang guide.
Tuy Hoa follows. The town has little to hold you, but the Phu Yen coast around it, now part of Dak Lak province, is some of the most beautiful and unspoiled shoreline in the country, from long empty beaches to the basalt columns of Ganh Da Dia. More in our Tuy Hoa guide.
Quy Nhon is the last of the four before Da Nang, an easygoing coastal city whose highlights lie just outside it: clear water at Ky Co, the rocks of Eo Gio, old Cham towers, and superb seafood. Our Quy Nhon guide covers it.
The Central Highlands route, by road
For a completely different trip, you can head inland through the Central Highlands instead. There is no railway up here, so this leg is by road only, whether by bus, private car, or motorbike, often as a multi-day Easy Rider tour. In place of beaches you get mountains, coffee country, and hill-tribe villages that few travelers ever see. The route climbs from Saigon up to Dalat, then north through the coffee city of Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku in Gia Lai, and Kon Tum before dropping back to the coast near Hoi An.
Conclusion: what is the best option for Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An
The best way from Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An comes down to your time and budget.
Fly via Da Nang for the fastest trip, a flight of around 1 hour 35 minutes on a cheap, frequent route, then a short transfer on to Hoi An. It is the sensible choice for almost everyone.
Take the train for the best way overland, comfortable and scenic up the coast in a sleeper, and a clear step up from the bus for a similar time.
Take the bus only on the tightest budget, since it is long, often not direct, and hard to recommend over the train.
And if you have the days, break the journey: hop up the coast between Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa, and Quy Nhon by train, or head inland instead through the Central Highlands by road, up past Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku, and Kon Tum.
