8 Best Things To Do in Hoi An With Kids: Family Guide by Age

Featured image: Alexkom000, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

8 Best Things To Do in Hoi An With Kids

Each pick below carries a best-age range and a skip-if note. Prices and hours checked November 2026, and they are reported rates in dong that shift by shop and season. Adults who want non-kid highlights should start with our main Hoi An guide. Our rule for families is one big outing per day, with the rest left slow.

1. Lantern making workshop

Silk lanterns are Hoi An's signature craft, and workshops hand you a pre-made foldable frame. Kids choose the fabric, glue and trim it to shape, then add a tassel. Expect about ₫95,000 per small lantern, and go in the morning when shops are quieter.

Best for ages 5 and up, since the gluing is fiddly. We'd skip it with under-fives, who tend to lose interest halfway. For the full-moon festival context, see our lantern festival guide.

2. Cam Thanh coconut basket boats

Round bamboo basket boats take you through a coconut palm plantation. Kids try crab fishing and leaf hat making, and boatmen spin the boat for fun. A full tour runs about 1.5 hours, and mornings are reported to be much calmer than afternoons.

Best for ages 4 and up who can sit still in a small boat. We'd skip it at midday, when there is little shade and the sun is fierce. Some cooking classes bundle a basket boat ride, so compare packages before you book.

3. Tra Que village farming and cooking

Tra Que is a patchwork of vegetable, herb and flower gardens between the Old Town and An Bang. Kids meet water buffalo, ducks and geese, and see how Hoi An's herbs are grown. Village experiences add hands-on farm work, then a cooking session with the harvest.

Allow a half day, and ask for the family price in writing before you commit. Best for ages 5 to 12 who like mud and messy hands. Skip it in the hottest part of the afternoon, and walk there only with older children.

4. Bike ride through the paddies to An Bang

Paths cross the rice fields between town and the coast, and An Bang Beach lies about 5 km north of the Old Town. Small kids can ride on a padded rear seat, while older children need a bike that fits them. Rental bikes are often basic, so bring your own helmets from home.

Drivers honk and expect cyclists to move aside, even on quiet lanes. Best for confident riders aged 9 and up, or toddlers riding behind a parent. Skip it if you cannot get helmets for everyone. A Grab ride covers the same route safely.

5. Thanh Ha pottery village

Thanh Ha is a terracotta pottery village, about 10 to 15 minutes by Grab from town. Kids shape a small pot on a spinning wheel, then paint it once it is fired. Village entry is reported at ₫35,000 for adults, with under-16s free.

Workshops charge about ₫50,000 per person, and shops down the quieter lanes see fewer groups. A boat back to the centre was quoted at ₫250,000 for 25 minutes. Best for ages 4 and up. Skip it if baggage is tight, since pots add up fast.

6. Lantern boat on the Thu Bon River

Evening boats glide past the lit riverbank, and the ride lasts about 10 to 20 minutes. Opening prices are inflated, and families reported paying ₫50,000 to ₫150,000 after haggling. Rowed boats near An Hoi Bridge have fixed prices but queues.

Kids can set a paper lantern on the water. Many parents think twice because of the litter. Best for all ages, ideally around 6pm. Skip it after 7:30pm, when the riverside is packed. Our evening plan for Hoi An covers what to add afterwards.

7. An Bang Beach day

An Bang has loungers, restaurants and shallow, warm water, so it suits a rest day between sightseeing days. Turn left along the sand for a quieter stretch. Coconut Beach is another calmer option, though food choices there are limited.

Sand gets very hot, so pack aqua shoes for small feet. One traveler reported poor conditions and some swimming closures from October to February. Best for ages 2 and up from spring to summer. Skip swimming plans in the winter months.

8. Early Old Town stroll

Hoi An Ancient Town is UNESCO-listed and spreads out from the Thu Bon River. Early morning is the calmest window, before heat and tour groups arrive. Buggies work here, which makes it our pick for toddlers.

Crossing the Japanese Covered Bridge by day needs a heritage ticket, which is reported free for kids. Try the quieter side lanes if the main streets feel crushing. Best for all ages for an hour or two. Skip midday, when it is hot and crowded.

Best Hours for Avoiding Crowds and Heat

In our editorial assessment, three windows work for families. Go to the Old Town at first light, return at about 6pm, and leave by 7:30pm. Parents report that evenings feel manageable at 6pm and too busy after 7:30pm. Weekends are busier because domestic visitors arrive, so keep Saturday and Sunday for the beach or a village. Crowds peak around the Japanese Bridge at sunset, so stay further along the river to keep your kids close.

Day Trips Worth the Effort

My Son is a ruined Hindu temple complex about one hour by road, and a private Grab round trip was quoted at ₫1,000,000. Plan about an hour on site, carry water and expect little shade. It suits ages 7 and up. VinWonders Nam Hoi An has a safari boat ride, a waterpark and rides with a 1.3 m height limit on some, so go on a weekday. Danang is about 30 minutes from Hoi An by road, and Ba Na Hills and Marble Mountains draw big tour groups. Cham Islands tours add jellyfish risk, so ask locally before booking. Skip all of these on a stay of two days or less, or with toddlers. Check current rules on the national tourism site.

Where to Stay and Getting Around With Kids

The Old Town itself has almost no lodging, so choose between the countryside, the beach and the edge of town. Grab rides are easy, and Thanh Ha is only 10 to 15 minutes from the center. Danang airport is about 30 to 45 minutes from Hoi An, and many hotels arrange transfers. Overnight sleeper buses are a poor fit for children.

Safety and Rainy-Day Backups

Pickpockets work the sunset crowds near the Japanese Bridge, so keep bags in front of you. Agree on a meeting spot with older kids before you enter the river area. Food allergies need care, because fish sauce and seafood appear in many dishes. Cao lau noodles, banh xeo and white rose dumplings are generally mild picks for children. When rain hits, switch to a cooking class, a pottery workshop or a lantern session, all of which run indoors.