31/08/2026
**Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Da Nang & Hoi An 🇻🇳**
*Or: Things I Learned After Doing Them the Hard Way 😂*
There are some things you research before a trip.
And then there are the things you only learn after you’ve arrived, walked 20,000 steps, gotten slightly sunburned, eaten way too much, and thought, *“Okay… I should have known this.”* 😂
After spending time in Da Nang and Hoi An, here are a few things I wish someone had told me beforehand.
🌴 **1. Da Nang and Hoi An are close, but they have completely different personalities.**
Da Nang feels like the cool, easygoing city friend who has their life together. Wide roads, beaches, cafés, seafood, modern hotels…
Then there’s Hoi An — the charming friend who owns too many linen shirts, drinks coffee slowly, and somehow makes you want to stay another three days. 😂
They’re close enough to combine in one trip, but don’t expect them to feel the same.
🏮 **2. Hoi An is a completely different animal after sunset.**
During the day, it’s beautiful.
At night? *Oh.*
The lanterns come on, the streets get lively, and suddenly you understand why everyone keeps talking about Hoi An.
My advice: don't treat the Old Town as a quick daytime sightseeing stop. Stay until evening. Wander around. Stop for a drink. Take the long way back.
And yes, you will probably take approximately 847 photos of the lanterns.
☀️ **3. The weather has its own itinerary.**
You can have a perfectly planned day and then the weather casually says:
**“No ❤️.”**
So don't build your entire trip around one outdoor activity. Leave a little room for spontaneity.
Sometimes the rainy afternoon you didn't plan for becomes one of your favorite memories.
🛵 **4. Getting around is surprisingly easy.**
In Da Nang, Grab became my little travel assistant.
No negotiating. No trying to explain where I'm going with my questionable pronunciation. Just type the destination and go.
In Hoi An, though, walking is half the fun.
You’ll start with, *“Let's just walk around for a little while.”*
Two hours later:
*tired feet, random café, three snacks, 147 photos.*
Worth it.
🍜 **5. Come hungry. Seriously.**
Central Vietnam did not come to play.
Mì Quảng. Cao lầu. Bánh mì. Seafood. Vietnamese coffee.
I quickly stopped asking, *“Should we eat?”*
The question became:
**“What are we eating next?”**
Travel tip: don't make the mistake of filling yourself up at breakfast just because breakfast is included. 😂
👟 **6. Comfortable shoes > cute shoes.**
I know. I know.
You want the cute travel photos.
But Hoi An will have you walking down little streets, across old bridges, through markets, along the river…
Your feet will eventually have opinions.
Bring the cute shoes.
But also bring the shoes that have been through things.
🌅 **7. Leave some blank space in your itinerary.**
This might be the biggest thing I learned.
Not every hour of a trip needs a destination.
Some of my favorite moments were the completely ordinary ones — sitting in a café, watching people pass by, getting lost down a quiet street, stopping for something to eat because it smelled good.
Sometimes the best travel memories aren't the places you planned to see.
They're the moments you didn't plan at all.
❤️ **8. Don't rush Da Nang and Hoi An.**
You *can* see both quickly.
But I don't think you should.
Give yourself time to wake up slowly. Have a long coffee. Wander without a destination. Watch the sunset. Eat one more thing you definitely don't need.
Because eventually, every trip ends.
And somehow, when you're packing your suitcase, you always think:
**“Wait… I should have stayed longer.”**
So that's my little list of things I wish I knew before visiting Da Nang & Hoi An.
Would I go back?
Absolutely.
Would I pack more comfortable shoes?
Also absolutely. 😂
**Have you been to Da Nang or Hoi An? What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before your trip?**
