Best time of day to visit Hoi An Ancient Town to avoid heat and crowds

If you want to see the old town in daylight but avoid the worst heat, arriving around 4:00 PM and staying until about 9:00 PM works well. Don’t leave it too late though: it starts getting dark around 6:30 PM, so it’s best to allow at least 3 hours for the walk, and some visitors end up spending up to 5 hours there.

Arriving right at opening, around 7:00 AM, helps avoid the midday peak, but it may still already be fairly busy. The heaviest crowds build closer to noon.

A good strategy is to arrive in the morning when it's less crowded, then stay into the evening after 5 PM when the heat eases. The old town stays lit and lively well past 8 PM.

A lantern festival is scheduled in Hoi An on June 28 — visiting on that date makes an evening walk especially worthwhile.

After 5 PM the temperature drops noticeably and locals and tourists come out. The light is soft and great for photos, and the town feels alive.