Visiting Hoi An Ancient Town on a Full-Moon Night: Lights-Off Hours and Parking Tips

Hoi An’s ancient town during Tet takes on the old, vivid beauty typical of the Quang Nam coast. From the days before Tet, when the spring flower market along the Hoai River is awash with the golden kumquats of Cam Ha, to the dreamy spring nights under thousands of silk lanterns, the town has long been a favourite spring outing for many generations of families. Booking a private car with a driver for return transfers between Da Nang and Hoi An lets you wander and enjoy the sights at your own pace, fix pick-up points at the gateway car parks, and avoid the crush or the difficulty of finding a ride late at night.

The traditional Tet atmosphere in Hoi An’s ancient town

Unlike the bustle of modern cities, Tet in Hoi An keeps a calm, nostalgic quality. Along the old houses with moss-covered tiled roofs and yellow walls, families hang new lanterns, put up red couplets by the door and set out bright yellow chrysanthemums to welcome spring.

A spring visit to Hoi An during Tet offers a range of traditional cultural experiences:

• Bach Dang spring flower market by the Hoai River: Running from about the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month until the afternoon of the 29th, the market brings together hundreds of garden growers. They bring Cam Ha kumquat trees, heavy with fruit as a symbol of prosperity, along with Central Vietnamese yellow apricot blossom and bright mam xoi chrysanthemums reflected in the river.
• Brightly lit lantern streets of the old town: Main streets such as Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Bach Dang and An Hoi Bridge are lit by tens of thousands of coloured silk lanterns, creating a romantic scene once night falls.
• Early-spring worship customs: Visitors and locals often offer incense for good fortune at the start of the year at the Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau), Quan Cong Temple (Chua Ong), and the old temples and assembly halls of the Fujian, Chaozhou and Cantonese communities.
• Folk games and traditional entertainment: The An Hoi Sculpture Garden and the crossroads of the pedestrian streets are lively with festival drums, the playful calls of bai choi, a traditional game, and folk games such as breaking clay pots and stilt-walking, all filling the spring days with laughter.

Driving from Da Nang to Hoi An at peak Tet times

The distance from central Da Nang to Hoi An is about 30 km. A car usually takes 45 to 55 minutes, depending on the route you choose:

1. The coastal route (Vo Nguyen Giap – Lac Long Quan)

This is the widest and most scenic road. Cars run along My Khe and Non Nuoc beaches and join Lac Long Quan road to enter Hoi An’s eastern gateway. The route has solid central dividers and few complicated urban junctions, which makes it the ideal choice for relaxed spring trips.

2. The city route (Le Van Hien – Tran Dai Nghia)

Provincial road DT607 links Ngu Hanh Son district with Hoi An via Tran Dai Nghia road.

Parking rules and pick-up points at the gateway of the old town

To preserve a quiet and safe space for pedestrians, the Hoi An City Culture and Sports Centre keeps strict time slots that ban motorbikes and cars from the core of the old town. Tourist cars may only stop, pick up or drop off passengers at the designated car parks on the outer ring:

When you book a private car for pick-up and drop-off, arrange with your driver to meet at the Hoai River Square car park or on Ly Thuong Kiet street. When you are ready to leave the old town, call your driver 10 to 15 minutes ahead, so the car can come into the pick-up lane.

Planning a relaxed spring visit to Hoi An

To keep the trip relaxed and avoid tiredness on the crowded Tet days, consider these practical suggestions:

• Good departure time: If you want to combine the sunset with a stroll through the lantern streets at night, leave Da Nang at about 15:30 to 16:00. By then the sun is softer, the old town starts to light up, and you have time for dinner and local specialities such as cao lau and Mi Quang before the peak hours.
• Arranging the return pick-up: The period from 20:30 to 21:30 is when the crowds start leaving the old town to return to their hotels. Having a private car booked for the car park lets your family leave at the agreed time and avoids ride-hailing apps becoming overloaded or prices suddenly rising.
• Small cash: Street food stalls, tailors, flower-lantern boats and bai choi games often prefer cash on the first days of spring, as a token of good luck.

For full details of the private car services for pick-up and drop-off at the door, see the private car from Da Nang to Hoi An page, and read about transport from Da Nang airport to Hoi An to choose the best option for your spring trip.