How to Choose Which Sites to Visit on a Hoi An Old Town Ticket

When you need the current scope or ticket arrangements, check the heritage management body’s ticket update and the notice for your travel date.

Why you should not rely on ticket figures from memory

The old-town sightseeing ticket is a heritage management tool of the local authorities, so how it is calculated, where it applies and the list of sites can be adjusted from one period to the next. Some of what you read online, including older articles, may be out of date or may mix up different rules.

So this guide does not give the number of sites per ticket, the price or where to buy. Instead it shows which information you need from official sources and how to use it to choose sites.

What to get from official sources

Before you plan, check the current announcement of Hoi An’s heritage management body, or ask at an official ticket counter, about:

• scope: which areas need a ticket to walk in, at what times, and for which types of site inside;
• how many sites each ticket lets you choose and how that is counted for each group of sites;
• prices by visitor group, exemption or reduction rules and the documents to bring;
• how long the ticket is valid and where it is sold;
• closing days, opening hours and which sites are temporarily closed for restoration.

These details change over time, so note the date you checked.

Choose sites by interest

Once you know how many sites you may choose, pick what you actually want to see rather than working through the whole list:

• Traditional residential architecture: the group of private old houses. It suits you if you are interested in the tube-house layout, skylight courtyards, timber doors and carved wooden furniture.
• Beliefs and communities of settlers from the same home region: the assembly halls, communal houses, temples and clan ancestral halls, which show community life in the former trading port.
• History, culture and artefacts: the group of museums. It suits you if you want some background before you walk around, or when the weather is poor for being outdoors.
• Landmark structures: prominent sites may have their own ticket or visitor-flow rules; check how each one is counted rather than assuming.

The list of open sites changes, so each site you plan to visit needs to be checked for whether it is open and whether it is still covered by the ticket.

Fewer sites, but enough time

Trying to use up every site on the ticket in one session usually makes the day rushed and hard to remember. A more sensible approach:

• choose the number of sites that matches the time you really have, after subtracting walking, queueing and rest time;
• favour sites close to each other to reduce walking and save time;
• take time to read the information boards or listen to the guide on site instead of only taking photos;
• keep a spare site in case your main choice is crowded or closes unexpectedly.

Check closing days, opening hours and how to get there

Some sites may close on certain days, for an owner’s event or for restoration, and opening hours can differ from site to site. Check the hours of each site for the day you go.

If you are coming from Da Nang, send a route check request for the private car from Da Nang to Hoi An with your expected arrival time so that the pickup and drop-off points can be arranged. Reference rates by vehicle size are in the private car rates by route and need confirming for the specific trip.

Frequently asked questions about the Hoi An old town ticket

Do I need a ticket just to walk around the old town without going inside any site? +

Do not assume either way. Where a ticket applies by area and by time can change. Check the current announcement of Hoi An's heritage management body or ask at an official ticket counter before you go, and note the date you checked.

How many sites does one ticket cover? +

This number is set by the managing body and can change, so the guide does not give a fixed figure. When you ask, also ask about how the count works for each group of sites and how long the ticket is valid, so that you can plan correctly.

How are old houses, assembly halls, museums and landmark structures counted in the ticket? +

Each group of sites may be counted differently, and some sites have their own rules. Check the current list of sites and confirm that the ones you want are open, since some may be temporarily closed for restoration.

Are children and special groups exempt or given a reduction? +

Exemption and reduction policies, and the documents required, are set by the managing body and may change. Confirm at an official ticket counter before you buy, especially if your group includes young children, older people or people with disabilities.

Where do I check prices, where tickets are sold and when they can be used? +

Use the official information channels of Hoi An's heritage management body or an official ticket counter, and check again close to your travel date. Sun Travel does not sell sightseeing tickets and only helps with route checks, pickup points and drop-off points.