Hoi An Ancient Town - Night Market Street Food Tours by Night

This was our free day on the tour, and we spent it exploring the ancient town markets, wandering through vibrant stalls, buying souvenirs and soaking in the charm of Hội An. As the sun set, the town transformed - and suddenly, we found ourselves living inside a scene straight out of Disney’s Tangled. It genuinely felt like stepping into a fairytale. The highlight of the evening was the floating lanterns that illuminated the Thu Bồn River. As night fell, hundreds of colourful lanterns drifted gently across the water, casting shimmering reflections that danced beneath the historic bridges. The riverbanks glowed with warm light from lantern shops, each one displaying handcrafted designs in every colour imaginable. Locals and travellers gathered along the water, releasing lanterns with quiet wishes, creating a magical atmosphere that felt both intimate and celebratory. The soft glow, the gentle movement of the river and the hum of music and laughter made the entire experience unforgettable - romantic, peaceful and deeply symbolic of Hội An’s cultural soul. It was a night that captured everything special about Hội An Ancient Town - beauty, tradition, community and a touch of magic. A perfect way to spend a day to ourselves.

Unlike the dynamic Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An Old Town seems to aside from the busy development of the country, remaining its ancient beauty from its roads to its architectural works. About 30km south of Da Nang city, and roughly 120 km from Hue, Hoi An old town is really a great place to really get up close and personal with the real Vietnam, her people and past as well.

A wonderful cozy town with a nice vibe. Exploring the ancient town was a wonderful experience. Recommend a stay for atleast 2-3 days.

An absolute must visit, one of a kind experience, which I feel is very difficult to get and the market and food was awesome here.

At night, overcrowded, Disney-esque riverside, everywhere hustlers nipping at your pockets. I couldn’t wait to get away. Really, the hope and expectation was huge, the reality a sad let down. It has all the charm of an overcrowded Venice.

OMG..,if you love Disneyland you might like the crush and extreme commercialism of Hoi An old town at night. We tourists are killing it. Garish, noisey, saturated with humanity…such a pity. UNESCO needs to take another look. In the early morning it’s another place altogether… my advice quickly move in, look and leave for calmer waters.,.

You should watch his valuables, my wife would have her wrist chain stolen. Only trimmed to touristism. Not recommended.

Such a small place yet so BEAUTIFUL at night. A lot of great stuff to buy, in a very cheap price, with friendly sellers (they even give freebies) so amazing people! As we continue to enjoy the night, while walking, we saw a girl selling colorful floating candles. So, we bought a few, made a wish as we light it, and let it flow along the river. It was so amazing seeing so many people making wishes that light up the river at night! While killing time, we stopped by a cafe along the road, had great desserts and hot drinks, as we watch people enjoying the boat ride and the colorful lanterns.

A great city that has unfortunately lost some of its charm. Of course, nothing has changed in the topography of the place. The numerous, very charming waterways with their houses, which hug the banks with their few floors and of course also the bridges that connect these banks are simply a pleasure. But what has changed are people. Vietnamese have become rare here and for an easily explained reason: These people left when years ago the prices skyrocketed due to tourists and this also affected tenants. Those who owned a house turned their ground floor into a boarding house or restaurant for the numerous, high-paying tourists. Follow: Those still alive here were ‘left behind’ and developed a anger at the cause – ultimately the tourists. It is no longer Vietnam with its friendly people and homely urbanities. Rather, this is now an 08/15 – seaside resort with people who cultivate their native life forms here and who have tamped a formerly great flair into the ground here. This is most evident at Hoang Dieu Bridge. If you look at the other side from the south bank in the morning, you see crowds of people packed in groups entering the old town. If you are already there, you are literally overrun. It gets loud here and even in the temple complexes nothing of some sensuality or tranquility can be seen. Those present are busy with their selfie cameras, looking for statues of the ‘awakened’, with whom they then also take pictures. All this in a dressing room that is actually awkward for a temple visit. Shame if the guide doesn't say anything about it. If you stand in front of the Hoang Dieu bridge in the evening, you can go left or right and you will also find yourself among crowds. On the eastern line - Ven song Cam Nan - the noise swells even more clearly. This is where numerous houses line up, with restaurants on the ground floor and music groups also playing. On the street, youth groups are under the influence of heavy alcohol and cheering each other. To eat a little something we and one of these places settled down. But we had to flee because of the noise. But we found a very nice place in front of the restaurant and sat under trees. But here, too, we fled the noise after dinner. Among German-speaking people, I heard the term ‘ballerman’ very often. Conclusion: A depressing place for someone who still knows the scenario from before. Since 2000, we had been here for the fourth time in 2025 and we are actually aware that this was probably our last visit to this destination, which is now flooded by masses of tourists. What do you think about the high season?

This was a good discovery when we visited Hoi An. The town itself is so quiet and locals are really nice. This was about 15-20 motorbike ride. The area is beautiful - best to go there at night so you can see all lanterns are lit up. Many restaurants and cafe to choose from also. There’s a lot of kiosks that sells souvenirs but most of them only accept cash. Some merchants accepts credit card but there’s an add on amount 10000 bank charge they said.