In this blog, we will show you the best ways to travel from Da Nang to Hoi An, Vietnam.
The beautiful, quaint old city of Hoi An is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Central Vietnam and it is definitely somewhere that you should be including on your travel itinerary (it even has a beach!).
But, if you are planning your route through Vietnam you may have noticed that there is no airport or train station in Hoi An. For this reason, many visitors first stop at Da Nang before continuing their journey from Da Nang to Hoi An.
Da Nang has a modern airport with international and domestic terminals and is the ideal port of call for anyone on a short Vietnam itinerary and the best airport for Hoi An.
Da Nang is also on the main rail line with trains going through to Ho Chi Minh City in the South and Hanoi to the North (although both those journeys take some time).
The distance from Danang to Hoi An is 30 km, so getting between the two is relatively straightforward. In the blog below we will show you how to get to Hoi An from Danang.
The Best Ways to Get from Da Nang to Hoi An
As mentioned above, there is no airport or railway station in Hoi An so you will need to do the journey from Danang to Hoi An by road.
There are a few different ways to do this with the main difference being the cost and the level of comfort that you can expect. Travel in Vietnam is very cheap and all of the options between the two cities offer great value.
Danang to Hoi An – Private Car Transfer
A private transfer is the quickest, easiest and most comfortable way to travel between Danang and Hoi An. We think that it is the best way to travel from Da Nang to Hoi An, especially if you are going from Da Nang International Airport to Hoi An.
It is easy to arrange a direct transfer from the airports, railway station or your hotel direct to where you need to get to in Hoi An. This makes it ideal for families or anyone with lots of luggage that doesn’t want to have to traipse around finding the right bus stop.
When you make a booking you can specify the size of the car to suit the size of your group, and you can even specify the vehicle type and pay a bit more for a nicer car if you wish.
Whilst this is possibly the most expensive way to get from Danang Airport to Hoi An, it is still incredibly cheap compared to most destinations around the world (way cheaper than Thailand for example).
Transfers can be booked and paid for in advance so you don’t need to worry about any unexpectedly high fares, explaining where you are going, or finding the right change.
This makes it the most stress-free way to travel and as you will be met by your driver you don’t have to worry about haggling with touts or other drivers that hang around at the airport or train station.
Da Nang to Hoi An – Taxi
The next easiest way and another comfy option is to take a taxi to get to Hoi An from Da Nang. Taxis are all over the place in Vietnam so it should be pretty easy to find one.
All taxis should run a meter so be sure to ask them to use this so you know that you are paying a fair rate. If they refuse just find another taxi, it shouldn’t take long to find another one.
The advantage of a taxi over a pre-arranged transfer is that you can just grab it when you need it so it could be a good option if you have stayed in Da Nang city and don’t know how long you will spend eating breakfast, rather than having just arrived by train or plane at a scheduled time.
There are three main taxi companies in the area, they all have similar standards:
Mai Linh Taxi – They are the biggest and most reputable company and you will see their green cars everywhere. They have their own app that you can use to book cars. You don’t have to use this but it will give you a price estimate.
Faifoo – Yellow cars with Faifoo written on the side.
VinaSun – White cars with a logo that shows red and green arrows in a circle.
The journey from Danang to Hoi An by taxi takes around 30 – 45 minutes and will cost you from 15 USD to 23 USD (depending on traffic and where your hotel is)
An alternative to a standard taxi is to use Grab. This is an app that is just like Uber but that is more popular in Southeast Asia. It is really easy to use and we have found that you get good prices this way. The only problem is that you will need to connect to Wi-Fi or use data on your phone.
We had lots of frustrating experiences trying to use airport or café Wi-Fi for this purpose so it is probably worth getting a local SIM card that gives you some data usage and avoids hefty roaming charges on your normal SIM.
Uber is now also available in Vietnam so you could try this too. Both Grab and Uber offer the option of taking a motorbike taxi. This only really works for solo travellers with limited luggage.
You will be given a helmet but bear in mind that helmet quality isn’t the best and that road accidents involving motorbikes are quite common in Vietnam.
Da Nang to Hoi An – Public Bus
Travelling by local bus is the cheapest way to get from Danang to Hoi An. As you might expect, it takes a bit longer than going in a private car, you can expect a journey time of around 45 minutes to an hour, which isn’t too bad.
It is not such a good option if you are travelling from Da Nang Airport to Hoi An as the nearest bus stop is a couple of miles away.
We recommend getting a private transfer or taxi if you are travelling from the airport.
It is possible to catch a local bus on the road past the airport into Da Nang and change buses there, but it is quite a bit of hassle for not much saving. If you don’t want to pay for the private transfer the express shuttle bus described below is a better bet.
If you are staying in Da Nang or have arrived on the train, the Danang to Hoi An bus can be a convenient option. The bus stop that is nearest the train station is at 162 Ong Ich Khiem which is about 10 minutes’ walk from the station.
You can buy your ticket onboard the bus. It should be 16,000 VND (approx 0.70 USD) but sometimes people are asked to pay a tourist price of 50,000. Try and have the correct change if you want to pay the lower price. If you have big bags you will be asked to buy an extra ticket for your bag.
The buses are yellow and you will need route number 1. The buses are small, don’t have air conditioning, and it can be difficult if you have a lot of luggage. Google maps is a convenient way to find bus stops and check bus times.
When you get to Hoi An, the bus station is 2km from the Old Town. There will be taxis here to take you to your hotel. It is easy enough to walk into the old town if that is where you are staying (but remember that it will be hot and you may have lots of luggage)
All in all, this isn’t a great option for families. By the time you have bought all your tickets and paid extra for your luggage and a taxi at the end, you have probably spent the same as you would have on a private transfer or taxi door to door.
It is good value for budget solo travellers, especially if you have packed light and can walk from and to your hotels at either end.
Da Nang to Hoi An – Tourist Bus
If you fancy taking the bus from Hoi An to Da Nang but want a little more comfort (and aircon) then you could try the Sinh Tourist bus which departs at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm. It costs from 80,000 to 100,000 VND (3.5 to 4.30 USD) and there are various pick-up points around the city.
These buses are best arranged locally at your hotel or with a local agent who can advise you of the best place to board the bus.
Da Nang Airport to Hoi An
For families, groups, or anyone not on a tight budget the best way to get from Danang Airport to Hoi An is to arrange for a private transfer. It is not expensive and is a great value way to get your visit to Hoi An off to a smooth and hassle-free start.
You can book a private transfer HERE
If you don’t like to book in advance then you can arrange a taxi or Grab when you arrive.
Da Nang to Hoi An Express Airport Shuttle
Solo travellers arriving at the airport may want to consider the Hoi An Express minibus as a cheap way to get to Hoi An from Danang Airport. You can book this in advance and will be met at arrivals by someone who has a sign with your name on.
They will take you to the vehicle so you avoid the stress of trying to find the right minibus out of hundreds! It costs less than 5 USD so it is good value but as the charge is per person it is only really worth it for solo travellers and couples (just about).
There is a shuttle every hour, you might be able to arrange it on arrival, but it is safer to book in advance, which you can do HERE.
Hotels in Hoi An
Of course, when you get to Hoi An you will need somewhere to sleep. We have written a detailed guide to where to stay in Hoi An. Below are our top hotel choices:
Little Hoi An Boutique Hotel & Spa– A charming place to stay right by the river in central Hoi An.
and
Hoi An Coco River Resort & Spa – This is where we stayed, a bit out of town with a lovely rural setting by the river (free shuttle to town and the beach).
Final Thoughts on Travelling from Da Nang to Hoi An
We hope that you have enjoyed reading our guide to the best ways to get from Da Nang to Hoi An and you now have a better idea of how to get to Hoi An from Danang.
We have covered all of the options that you can choose to get from Da Nang Airport to Hoi An but we definitely recommend that you arrange a private transfer.
It is quick, easy, comfortable and very affordable. We have spent plenty of time saving every penny by taking public transport but for this particular journey, it is not worth it. Solo travellers can get good value by taking the Express Shuttle.
If you are travelling from the Danang Train Station to Hoi An or from Danang Town to Hoi An then you may want to consider the option of taking the bus. But, for family travellers, we again suggest keeping it simple and taking a private transfer.
The link below takes you to Get Your Guide who provide a really simple booking system, free cancellation and online support so you can book you transfer with confidence (they also do some great tours in the area).
>>> Book Your Danang to Hoi An transfer