If you’re planning a trip to Vietnam, there are two places that really must be included on your itinerary: Da Nang and Hoi An. Da Nang, with its mix of old and new architecture, and history as a French colonial port, has so much to see and do, and it boasts gorgeous white sand beaches and clear blue waters if you fancy a few days of relaxation too. Then there’s Hoi An, with its wonderful historic district. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hoi An’s trading port dates from the period between the 15th and 19th century and is very well preserved. Be sure to see the Japanese Covered Bridge and stroll its ambient streets. Being so close together, it’s easy to visit both of these destinations even if you only have a short time to spend in Vietnam.
Options for Getting from Da Nang to Hoi An
Getting from Da Nang to Hoi An is quick and easy because these two cities are separated by only around 30 kilometers (19 miles). Hoi An sits just to the south of Da Nang, and you can take the scenic coastal road to travel there, or choose one of the roads that goes a little more inland. You can make the journey by public bus or by taxi which includes private taxi companies that operate vans, minivans and sedans, or you could rent a car or a motorbike and drive yourself. Renting a car could be good if you’re planning to take a slow drive and you’re perhaps thinking of traveling onwards to another destination, but when compared to the reasonable cost of taking a private taxi, renting a car may not be worth the extra expense. A motorbike, however, is far more reasonable and can be fun, but not advisable if you’ve never ridden one before and aren’t familiar with Vietnamese roads.
Public Bus from Da Nang to Hoi An
A large majority of travelers opt for the public bus service and there are several reasons for this. First, the bus is definitely the cheapest way to travel so if you’re traveling on a budget and are watching every penny you spend, the bus is bound to be your best option! The second reason for taking the bus is cultural. Public buses are there for the public, not just for tourists, so if you’re excited by sharing a bus with locals and immersing yourself a little more in their culture, you’ll love this option. The third reason for taking the bus is that they do depart frequently from Da Nang to Hoi An so you’ll never have to wait very long for the next bus, giving them a level of convenience not always seen with public buses in Asia!
So, which bus do you take? Well that will depend on where you’re starting from. You may have arrived at Da Nang Airport and plan to go directly to Hoi An; in this case the bus is not the best option because the closest stop is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) distant from the airport so if you had to take a taxi to the bus stop you’re not really going to be saving any money! From Da Nang itself though, it’s a different story. There are plenty of bus stops and it’s easy to remember which number bus you need as it’s Number 1! The buses are easy to spot as well because they’re bright yellow and they depart every 20 minutes between 5:30am and 6pm.
The journey by bus from Da Nang to Hoi An will take longer than by taxi – it should be around 70 to 80 minutes – but for the cheap price of a ticket, the extra time spent on a bus could be well worth it!
Tour Company Bus from Da Nang to Hoi An
For just a little more money you could travel with air conditioning and comfier seats if you opt for the tour company bus that departs from the bus station in Da Nang. This is on The Sinh Tourist Bus and it takes around 90 minutes to get to Hoi An.
Private or Shared Taxi to Hoi An from Da Nang
If you’re someone who prefers to travel more luxuriously, then a private taxi could be just what you need to get from Da Nang to Hoi An! Taxis are definitely more expensive than the public buses, but when you’re sharing the taxi with several other passengers, they’re really very affordable. With a taxi you also have greater flexibility to work around your existing schedule, and with pick-ups that can be arranged directly from Da Nang Airport, taxis can be a far better option than the public buses as you’ll get picked up right outside the terminal rather than first having to make your way to the bus stop.
Private taxi companies include Dichung Taxi and Tiim Charter. Both of these companies offer pick-ups from the airport and from the center of Da Nang, so they can come directly to your hotel if you’re staying in Da Nang for a few days before heading to Hoi An. Prices are comparable between these two companies also, so there’s not much to set them apart. One difference is that Dichung Taxi provides service in three different vehicle types: a 9-passenger van, a minivan that can take 4 passengers, and a sedan which would hold two to three passengers. Tiim Charter also has the large vans and minivans but no sedans.
The journey time quoted for travel from Da Nang to Hoi An is one hour although you could well find that you get to Hoi An faster than this, depending on whether the taxi is making any other pick-ups along the way, and depending on where exactly in Da Nang you’re starting from. Being a shared taxi, you could be sharing it with strangers so if you’d rather not do this you can always catch a standard taxi from the airport or from the center of Da Nang to Hoi An.
Van from Da Nang Airport
And finally, there’s some options if you’re going straight from the Da Nang Airport, and that’s the Hoi An Express, Dichung Taxi, and Tiim Charter. Those private company operates large, modern vans that you can share with other passengers, or you can choose one of their smaller vehicles if you want to travel on your own. They are reputedly very affordable and safe so could be another good option to get you from Da Nag to Hoi An.
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