Traveling from Da Nang to Hoi An?

Da Nang, a city along the coast with long stretches of beach is a great base to travel around Central Vietnam.

Just 18 miles away from Da Nang is the town of Hoi An — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with charming streets, rich history and beautiful lantern-filled boats along the river.

Hoi An is the most popular day trip option for travelers because it’s not that far to travel and explore for a day or even for a weekend getaway.

There’s many ways to get from Da Nang to Hoi An — 6 transport options, to be exact including private cars, rideshare apps, shuttle buses and more.

Matthew and I have made this journey several times, using 3 out of the 6 options available. We’ll help you pick the right option for your journey.

Whether you’re looking to save some cash, want the most comfortable type of transport or you’re traveling solo or with a group — you’ll find the best way to make this short and exciting trip between two of Vietnam’s iconic destinations.

Here’s our detailed guide on the 6 best transport options for travelers to get from Da Nang to Hoi An.

Quick Answer & Key Takeaways

In a rush? Here’s the gist of what you need to know, expect and our tips to make your journey from Da Nang smooth and comfortable.

Comparison Table For Transport Options

This is a quick table to help you understand the best modes of transport for you to get from Da Nang to Hoi An.

Transport Mode	Time	Price (USD)	Best For
Private Car Transfer	45 minutes	from $16-$20	Best Choice Overall
Grab	45 minutes	from $15-$20	Easy, Fair Prices
Regular Taxi	45 minutes	from $20	Convenient
Semi-Private Shuttle Bus	1.5 hours	from $6	Comfortable, Affordable
Public Bus	2 hours	from $1.30	On a budget
Motorbike	40 minutes	from $8 per day	Most independence

Best Way To Travel From Da Nang To Hoi An: Private Car Vs. Grab

The most comfortable option is to book a private transfer in advance. While Grab (Southeast Asia’s Uber equivalent) is convenient and affordable. The cheapest option will be the public bus but it takes longer and it’s quite a hassle.

Distance From Da Nang To Hoi An

Da Nang is 19 miles (30 kilometers) away from Hoi An, to be exact. It’s honestly not too far, the travel journey is very easy because the towns are close to each other.

How Long Does It Take To Travel From Da Nang To Hoi An?

The travel time from Da Nang to Hoi An takes about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on which mode of transport you choose to take.

Cars, taxis and motorbikes are the quickest options while the bus can take up to 1.5 hours due to other stops along the way.

Traffic isn’t too much of an issue until you get close to the Ancient Town but it’s usually a smooth journey the whole way.

Where To Stay While In Hoi An: An Hoi

An Hoi is an excellent area to stay in Hoi An. This is a prime location across the river within walking distance to most landmarks like the Japanese Covered Bridge and the charming streets of the Ancient Town.

These are great accommodation options for an overnight or weekend trip — H Boutique Hotel and Hoianan Boutique Hotel.

Staying Safe In Vietnam:

We wouldn’t travel to Vietnam without getting travel medical insurance first. A lot can happen.

SafetyWing is our go-to provider offering comprehensive coverage at affordable rates.

Their policies are flexible, allowing you to purchase coverage even if you’ve already started your trip.

With SafetyWing Nomad Essential, you can have peace of mind knowing you’re protected against unforeseen events. This is especially important when traveling in Southeast Asia, where healthcare systems may differ from what you’re used to at home.

Get An eSIM First

We don’t recommend getting a SIM card at Da Nang International Airport — our friends found the prices there to be significantly higher than elsewhere.

Personally, we like to use eSIMs in Vietnam. Specifically, Gigago because they have great plans at affordable prices depending on how long you stay.

This is an important part of getting from Da Nang to Hoi An, especially if you choose to use Grab.

How To Get From Da Nang To Hoi An — 6 Best Ways

These are the 6 ways to travel from Da Nang to Hoi An (and back). Find out which transportation option is best for you below!

From private to public transport, we are going to share the good and bad of each option.

1. Private Car Transfer

A private car transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An is the most comfortable and direct option for travelers. The car can pick you up from any location — whether you’ve just arrived at the airport or at your hotel in Da Nang. That’s true door-to-door service!

The best part about a private car? You can book in advance, pay online and the driver will have a sign with your name on it at the arrivals area to pick you up seamlessly. If you’re a planner and want to ensure everything is booked before you arrive — book a private car transfer early.

Matthew and I booked Welcome Pickups for our arrival in Da Nang. We had a sign with our name on it and a driver ready to take us to our private car. It’s so much more convenient than Grab and a taxi because you can book and pay in advance. No change in prices and no waiting for a Grab to arrive.

And we can’t forget about the air-conditioning which makes for a comfortable journey because it gets HOT in Vietnam. With a private car, you can ask the driver to make stops along the way — in case you need a snack or bathroom break.

The costs vary but range from $15 to $30 for a one-way trip for a 4-seater car. This is the best option for groups or families because the price is per car rather than per person.

Another reliable company is Hoi An Express which operates between Da Nang and Hoi An. With a 4.5 star rating, Hoi An Express is a safe, fast and comfortable option.

If you like this option, we recommend booking at least 3 days in advance. This makes it easy to communicate with your driver and get sorted before you land.

Book your private transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An here.

2. Grab

Our favorite way to get around Vietnam is Grab — whether in Da Nang, Hoi An or Ho Chi Minh City.

Grab is a ride-share app (similar to Uber) across Southeast Asia. Download the app on any app store (eg. Apple or Android) then register your details.

From here, you can choose a pickup point and a drop-off location. Once you do that, you get an estimated fare price — upfront before clicking “book”. Traveling from Da Nang to Hoi An via Grab costs anywhere from $15 to $25 USD. If you’re happy with the price, click “book” and wait for your Grab driver to arrive.

This works best if you’ve already bought a SIM card in Vietnam. We suggest buying a Gigago eSIM which has affordable plans and it only takes 5 minutes to set up when you land in Da Nang International Airport.

TTA PRO TIP: With an eSIM, you can easily book a Grab car from the airport and they will pick you up. However, be careful of people posing as your Grab driver because most likely they’re not. Head to the Grab pick-up area near the parking lot. Lots of people came up to us trying to confuse us — double-check the number plates before getting in.

Take a Grab from Da Nang to Hoi An is convenient while being budget-friendly. You still get your own car like a private transfer for a more affordable price.

The only downside is that you won’t have anyone waiting for you at arrival. Instead, you’ve got to go looking for your Grab car and deal with other people constantly coming up to you.

The best part about Grab? No need to negotiate a price! The app handles all communication and payment for you.

3. Regular Taxi Service

Regular taxis are available at the Arrival area of Da Nang International Airport. Just exit the building and you will see lines of them that can take you directly from Da Nang to Hoi An.

The price for a regular taxi is typically higher and it often depends because some taxis may (or may not) use the meter or others want to negotiate the price. It’s important to agree on a price before driving off!

Personally, we don’t recommend using regular taxis. We just don’t like haggling when you’ve just gotten off a flight or being surprised with the price at the end.

However, it is the most flexible and convenient option if you don’t want to plan ahead and don’t mind paying the fare.

BONUS: Private Driver On WhatsApp

When we traveled from Hoi An to Da Nang to watch a movie, we ordered a Grab to get there. Before we arrived, he gave us his WhatsApp number and said he could wait to pick us up to go back to Hoi An from Da Nang.

We texted him and he picked us up for a cheaper price back than Grab was showing. From there, we simply texted him when we needed to get to the Airport from Hoi An.

If you want to use our driver, just email us or DM on Instagram so we can share his details with you! He was fairly priced and available whenever we messaged. Just text a few days in advance!

4. Semi-Private Shuttle Bus

A semi-private shuttle bus is similar to a private transfer except it’s a bigger van and you have to share it with other passengers.

This is a budget-friendly option perfect for backpackers or solo travelers looking to save some cash and travel with other people from Da Nang to Hoi An.

These shuttle buses run regularly between Da Nang and Hoi. With this specific company, these are the departure times from the airport:

From Da Nang Airport To Hoi An	From Da Nang City To Hoi An
7:00 am	7:00 am
8:15 am	8:30 am
10:15 am	10:30 am
11:15 am	11:30 am
1:15 pm	1:30 pm
2:15 pm	2:30 pm
4:15 pm	4:30 pm
5:15 pm	5:30 pm
7:15 pm	7:30 pm
9:15 pm	9:30 pm
10:15 pm	10:30 pm

This mini-bus service also departs from a specific location in Da Nang City if you’re already in the area.

The cost for a shuttle bus is around $6 to $10 USD per person from Da Nang to Hoi An. As this is a shared transport option, the downside is that it takes longer to get to Hoi An — about 1.5 hours (instead of 45 minutes) as there may be more stops along the way!

Shuttle buses are the perfect middle ground between private transfers and public buses. They’re much more comfortable than public buses but cheaper than private car transfers — especially if you’re traveling solo.

Book a shuttle bus from Da Nang to Hoi An here.

5. Public Bus

Taking a local, public bus is the most cost-effective transport option to travel from Da Nang to Hoi An. It’s very very recent but an exciting step forward for Vietnam!

The bus service is called line LK02 (run by Danabus) which launched only in April 2024. You can catch this specific line from Da Nang bus station to Hoi An bus station. It’s not a direct journey, as it stops at different locations along the way.

The price is CRAZY cheap at only 35,000 VND (approx. $1.50 USD) per person, one-way. Riding the local bus also means it will take much longer to arrive in Hoi An — travel time is around 1.5 hours, not including the time it takes to get to the bus station.

The drawback? The bus can get crowded and you have to figure out how to get to and from the bus stations — it’s not door-to-door service.

You can use Grab to get a car to take you to the station but again, it might be easier if you have a little extra cash to just take the Grab car all the way.

6. Motorbike

Already in Da Nang?

Getting around is easy with Grab but if you want full independence, renting a motorbike is going to give you the most freedom.

This transport option is not for everyone as Vietnam’s traffic can be chaotic so we encourage you to have ridden a motorbike in Asia before driving one in Vietnam.

That’s why we hired a motorbike for a month. It was easy to tick off all the things to do in Da Nang and travel to Hoi An for a day trip (which we did twice).

Driving a motorbike from Da Nang to Hoi An is the fastest option — only takes about 45 minutes as you can also weave through traffic.

A motorbike rental costs approximately $5 to $10 USD per day. For a monthly rental, we paid $79 USD. If you want to rent a motorbike, we got ours from Qua Nga Motorbike Rentals and we can recommend them. You can try to negotiate if you want!

You can take the coastal route which is a beautiful, wide road to drive through. The other route is further inland which may be quicker but there’s more traffic and stop lights to drive through.

Before renting a motorbike, make sure to check the bike’s condition and go for a test drive. Another must-have is travel medical insurance — don’t go without it! Our go-to provider is SafetyWing, offering wide coverage for affordable rates.

The best part? You can buy this travel medical insurance even while in Vietnam. In case, you forget to do so before you leave your home country — SafetyWing allows you to buy while already in Vietnam.

Where To Stay While In Hoi An

Now you’ve made it to Hoi An!

But where’s the best place to stay in Hoi An?

Each area has its own unique charm and there’s something for everyone in Hoi An. These are the coolest neighborhoods in Hoi An:

• An Hoi — Best Overall
• Old Town — Best For First-Timers
• Cam Pho — Best On A Budget

Here are some of our favorite hotels we’ve stayed in Hoi An:

• H Boutique Hotel
• Hoianan Boutique Hotel

Check out our complete where to stay in Hoi An guide first before booking for more tips and details.

Conclusion: Traveling From Da Nang To Hoi An

Which way will you choose to travel from Da Nang to Hoi An?

In this article, we’ve explored the 6 different transport options. Each option has its perks and downsides, so it’s important to pick what fits your travel style and budget.

The best option overall is a private car transfer because you can book and pay in advance. Plus the price is very similar to a Grab car.

The budget-friendly options are the shuttle bus and the public bus. If you’re a couple like us, we think Grab car and the semi-private shuttle bus are the best value for money.

We have tried these options and our personal recommendations would be a private car transfer, a Grab car or a motorbike. These transport options are comfortable and convenient thatget you to Hoi An in less than an hour.

No matter how you travel, Hoi An is a must-visit destination in Central Vietnam that’s worth the journey. From the ancient streets to delicious local cuisine, Hoi An will charm you!