The hoi an night market is the single most photographed evening experience in central Vietnam — a 300-meter ribbon of glowing silk lanterns, sizzling street food, and handmade souvenirs that opens every night from 5:00 PM on Nguyen Hoang Street, just across An Hoi Bridge from the UNESCO Ancient Town. If you only have one evening in Hoi An, this is where you spend it.
This 2026 guide is written for foreign travelers and expats based in Vietnam. We cover exactly what to eat (with current VND prices), what to buy, how to bargain without offending vendors, lantern boat rates, opening hours by season, and the rookie mistakes that cost tourists money. Everything below has been cross-checked against Vietnam National Administration of Tourism data and our team’s most recent visit in May 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Open nightly, year-round from 5:00 PM to ~11:00 PM on Nguyen Hoang Street, An Hoi islet.
- Free entry, but the entire Hoi An Ancient Town requires a 120,000 VND (~$4.80) ticket if you cross to the Japanese Bridge side.
- Street food starts at 20,000 VND (~$0.80) for banh mi; lantern boat rides cost 50,000–150,000 VND (~$2–$6) per person.
- Best souvenir: collapsible silk lanterns (80,000–250,000 VND) — fold flat for your suitcase.
- Bargain politely: expect to pay 60–70% of the first quoted price on souvenirs (never on food).
- Best time to visit: 6:30–8:30 PM for lantern photos; arrive at 5:30 PM in peak season (June–August, December–January) to beat crowds.
Hoi An Night Market at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Nguyen Hoang Street, An Hoi Islet, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province |
| Opening hours | Daily, ~5:00 PM – 11:00 PM (peak 7–9 PM) |
| Entry fee | Free (Ancient Town ticket 120,000 VND only needed to cross to old quarter) |
| Stalls | ~50 food vendors + 100+ souvenir/lantern stalls |
| Price range | 20,000 VND banh mi → 500,000 VND large silk lanterns |
| Best time | 6:30–8:30 PM, especially on the 14th day of each lunar month (Lantern Festival) |
| Payment | Cash preferred (VND); a few stalls accept MoMo/ZaloPay; almost none take card |
| Nearest landmark | An Hoi Bridge / Japanese Covered Bridge (5-min walk) |
What Is the Hoi An Night Market and Why Is It Famous?
The hoi an night market opened in 2009 as a tourism initiative by Quang Nam province to extend evening visitor stays beyond the Ancient Town’s 9 PM closing time. Today it draws an estimated 1.5 million visitors annually, according to figures published by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, which lists Hoi An Ancient Town as a protected site.
What makes it special is the lantern economy. Hoi An has produced silk lanterns since the 16th century, when Japanese and Chinese merchants settled here. The market is the only place in Vietnam where you can buy a handmade lantern directly from the family that stitched it — and watch them stitch a replacement at the next stall. That authenticity is why the market consistently outranks larger Saigon markets like Ben Thanh in cultural-experience surveys.
If you are flying in via Ho Chi Minh City first, pair this trip with our Saigon itinerary for a balanced south-to-central Vietnam route.
How to Get to Hoi An Night Market
The market sits on Nguyen Hoang Street on An Hoi Islet, directly across the Thu Bon River from the Ancient Town’s Japanese Covered Bridge.
- From Da Nang Airport (DAD): 30 km / ~40 minutes by Grab car (~450,000 VND / $18) or pre-booked private transfer (~600,000 VND / $24).
- From Hoi An Ancient Town: 5-minute walk across An Hoi Bridge.
- From most Hoi An hotels: 5,000–15,000 VND by free hotel bicycle (most homestays loan them).
- From Da Nang city center: 1 hour by Grab (~350,000 VND) or 25,000 VND on the local yellow bus #1.
Parking for scooters costs 5,000 VND (~$0.20) at the marked lot on Nguyen Phuc Chu Street. Cars are not permitted on Nguyen Hoang Street after 5 PM.
What to Eat at the Hoi An Night Market
Hoi An’s central-Vietnamese cuisine is distinct from the Saigon street food you’ll find on a Ho Chi Minh City food tour. Three dishes are essentially mandatory:
1. Cao Lau (40,000–60,000 VND / $1.60–$2.40)
Hoi An’s signature noodle dish — thick rice noodles, pork char siu, crispy croutons, and herbs. Authentic cao lau is only made with water from the ancient Ba Le well, so quality varies wildly outside Hoi An. The stalls near stall #15–20 are reliable.
2. White Rose Dumplings / Banh Bao Vac (50,000 VND / $2)
Translucent shrimp dumplings shaped like roses. A family monopoly produces all the wrappers in town — every restaurant buys from the same source, so quality is consistent.
3. Banh Mi (20,000–35,000 VND / $0.80–$1.40)
Anthony Bourdain famously called Hoi An’s banh mi “a symphony in a sandwich.” The night market stalls won’t match Banh Mi Phuong (a few blocks away) but are 30% cheaper.
Drinks & Desserts
- Che (sweet dessert soup): 15,000–25,000 VND
- Fresh coconut: 30,000 VND
- Hoi An craft beer: 40,000 VND for a cold pint at the river-facing bars
Insider tip: Eat before you shop. Vendors at the food end of the market are noticeably less aggressive than the souvenir side, and prices are fixed — no bargaining on food.
What to Buy at the Hoi An Night Market
Souvenir stalls dominate the western half of the market. Quality ranges from mass-produced trinkets to genuine artisan work — here is how to tell the difference.
Silk Lanterns (80,000–500,000 VND)
The star product. Collapsible bamboo-frame lanterns covered in silk fold flat for luggage. Look for tightly stitched seams and bamboo (not plastic) ribs — tap the frame; bamboo has a hollow wooden sound. A 25-cm lantern should cost 80,000–150,000 VND after polite bargaining.
Tailored Clothing Vouchers
Many stalls double as agents for Hoi An’s 400+ tailor shops. Custom silk dresses start around 1,200,000 VND ($48); linen suits run 2,500,000–4,000,000 VND. Order on night one so you have time for two fittings before leaving.
Conical Hats (Non La), Embroidery, and Coffee
- Hand-painted conical hats: 100,000–200,000 VND
- Embroidered tablecloths: 250,000–800,000 VND
- Vietnamese drip coffee filter (phin) + 250g robusta: ~150,000 VND
What to Avoid
- “Genuine” North Face / Patagonia (counterfeit)
- Mass-produced fridge magnets (same product available in any Vietnamese airport)
- Pearl jewelry without certification
Lanterns and the Hoi An Lantern Festival
The lanterns are why most travelers come. Three things to know:
- Every stall lights their lanterns at sunset (5:30–6:00 PM in winter, 6:15–6:45 PM in summer).
- Lantern boats float paper lotus lanterns on the Thu Bon River. Standard rides cost 50,000 VND per lantern + 150,000–200,000 VND for a 20-minute rowboat (negotiate before boarding).
- Full Moon Lantern Festival happens on the 14th day of every lunar month. Electric lights across the Ancient Town are switched off, and only candle-lit silk lanterns remain. In 2026, the dates are: June 28, July 27, August 26, September 24, October 24, November 23, December 22.
For festival-night photography, the bridge view from Cau An Hoi at 7:30 PM is the iconic shot — but arrive by 6:45 PM to secure a spot at the railing.
Bargaining and Etiquette: A Foreigner’s Survival Guide
The hoi an night market is friendly but pricing is fluid. Use this framework:
- First quote → counter at 50% → settle around 60–70% of first quote.
- Smile, never argue — losing face ends the deal instantly.
- Walk away once; if the vendor calls you back, you’ve found the floor price.
- Pay with small bills (50,000 / 100,000 VND notes). Vendors often “lack change” as a soft upsell tactic.
- No bargaining on food, drinks, or boat tickets bought from the official kiosk.
If a vendor is rude or aggressively follows you, the market has an official complaints booth at the bridge entrance (red Quang Nam tourism logo).
Hoi An Night Market vs. Saigon’s Ben Thanh and Binh Tay
Travelers often compare Vietnam’s famous markets. Here is the honest verdict from our editorial team:
| Market | Best For | Crowd Level | Bargaining Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoi An Night Market | Lanterns, photos, food | Medium | Mild–medium |
| Ben Thanh Market (Saigon) | Souvenirs, central location | Very high | Aggressive |
| Binh Tay Market (Saigon Chinatown) | Wholesale, authentic local | Low (tourist-wise) | Low — locals shop here |
Binh Tay is genuinely better than Ben Thanh if you want to see how Saigonese actually shop — it’s a wholesale market in Cholon serving real households. Ben Thanh wins for convenience and souvenir variety. Hoi An’s market beats both on atmosphere and lanterns but offers less product variety.
Best Time to Visit the Hoi An Night Market
- Time of day: 6:30–8:30 PM (lanterns lit, crowds manageable).
- Day of week: Tuesday–Thursday are calmest; weekends draw domestic tourists.
- Time of year:
- Feb–May: dry, 24–30°C — ideal.
- Jun–Aug: hot (32–36°C), busiest with domestic tourists.
- Sep–Nov: rainy season; flooding occasionally closes parts of An Hoi Islet — check forecasts on the Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration site.
- Dec–Jan: cool, dry, and lantern light looks best in the misty evening air.
Where to Stay Near the Hoi An Night Market
The market sits inside Hoi An’s walkable core, so anywhere within 1 km is walkable. If you’re combining Hoi An with Saigon (most travelers do), a 3–4 night base in District 1 makes domestic flight connections easy via VietJet or Bamboo Airways (45-minute flight to Da Nang).
For your Saigon leg, see our guides to the best District 1 homestays and our 3-day Saigon guide — both are designed for foreign visitors using Hoi An as part of a longer Vietnam trip.
Common Mistakes Foreign Visitors Make
- Paying ATM card prices in USD. Always pay in VND. USD prices are inflated 15–20%.
- Not carrying small notes. No vendor wants to break a 500,000 VND bill for a 30,000 VND coconut.
- Missing the Ancient Town ticket. If you cross An Hoi Bridge to see the Japanese Covered Bridge, you need the 120,000 VND ticket — sold at booths on both sides.
- Bargaining on food. It’s rude. Prices are already low and fixed.
- Buying lantern boats from touts on the bridge. Use the official kiosk near the river steps — same price, no scam risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Hoi An night market every night?
Yes — the hoi an night market operates 365 days a year, including Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), though stall numbers drop by roughly 40% on Tet’s first three days. Standard hours are 5:00 PM to about 11:00 PM, with peak activity between 7:00 and 9:00 PM. Heavy rain during the September–November flood season occasionally shortens hours.
Do they light lanterns every night in Hoi An?
Yes, vendors light their silk lanterns every single evening at sunset (between 5:30 and 6:45 PM depending on season). The special Hoi An Lantern Festival — when all electric street lights are switched off and the town glows only by candlelight — happens on the 14th day of each lunar month, roughly once a month. Check the lunar calendar before booking.
Is Binh Tay Market better than Ben Thanh Market?
For an authentic local experience, yes — Binh Tay in Saigon’s Cholon (Chinatown) is a working wholesale market with real local shoppers, lower prices, and almost no tourist hustle. Ben Thanh is better for one-stop souvenir shopping, central location, and English-speaking vendors. Most foreign visitors should see both: Ben Thanh for convenience, Binh Tay for character.
What to buy at Hoi An night market?
The top three buys are collapsible silk lanterns (80,000–250,000 VND), custom-tailored clothing vouchers redeemable at partner tailors, and Hoi An specialty foods like dried pho noodles, Quang Nam coffee, or pepper from the highlands. Skip counterfeit branded clothing, mass-market magnets, and uncertified pearl jewelry — these are widely sold but rarely worth the asking price.
Ready to Plan Your Vietnam Trip?
Most foreign visitors fly into Ho Chi Minh City, base themselves in District 1 for 3–4 nights to acclimatize, then fly to Da Nang for the Hoi An leg. District 1 is about 10 minutes from Ben Thanh Market and 15 minutes from Tan Son Nhat airport, which keeps the connection to Da Nang and Hoi An simple.
Safe travels, and may your lanterns light the way.