The ancient port town of Hoi An is a magnet for culture seekers, who love strolling its photogenic shophouses and assembly halls, and diving for treasures in its craft shops and boutiques. But what about the area all around Hoi An? Many exceptional sites are sprinkled throughout Quang Nam Province, just waiting to be uncovered.

Save a day to explore these lesser-known areas, and you’ll come back with a deeper knowledge and appreciation of Central Vietnam. Here are five day trips from Hoi An that are worth your time.

TIP: To organize any of these day trips, ask your hotel or homestay to help you hire a car with a driver, or book a customized tour with a company in Hoi An. You can also drive a motorbike if you have an international drivers’ license and are familiar with Vietnamese traffic. All these sites are within a 90-minute drive from Hoi An.

Duy Xuyen: Lotus lagoons, My Son Sanctuary, museums

Duy Xuyen is a large district southwest of Hoi An. In the Tra Ly lotus fields, Vietnam’s national flower blooms beautifully in huge fields from April to August. For a small fee you can walk all around this dream-like landscape, and talk to the hardworking lotus farmers who grow the lotus for its delicious seeds. About 30 minutes away you’ll come to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of My Son Sanctuary. The excellent museum is a must-see before you take in what’s left of this ancient temple complex, built by the Cham between the 7th and 14th centuries.

If you’re interested in the history of Central Vietnam, pay a visit to the Museum of Sa Huynh and Cham Culture, which sheds light on two of the earliest civilizations to settle in Quang Nam. On display are fascinating exhibits of Sa Huynh pottery and burial jars, as well as sculptures found in My Son and depictions of the former Cham capital of Tra Kieu. If you like, extend your day trip with a stop at the Duy Xuyen’s sedge mat weaving villages to see how these brightly colored mats are made by hand using natural materials and a unique, two-person loom.

Tam Ky: Boat rides, wartime tunnels, fishing villages

Tam Ky City is the capital of Quang Nam Province, and this is where you’ll find the Quang Nam Museum, Confucian Temple of Literature, and government offices. On the Dam River, a community of local boatmen have set up a new, eco-friendly sampan tour. The Dam River is a placid nature spot used mainly for fishing, but in the summer the banks of the river are strewn with lovely lotus blossoms. Just after sunrise is the best time to be on the Dam River, when you can see wild birds, families of ducks, and friendly water buffalo.

Just 10 minutes away from Dam River, a historic site is hidden beneath humble Thach Tan Village. The Ky Anh Tunnels are testimony to the guerilla warfare that took place during the American War. Spanning 32 kilometers, Ky Anh is the third largest tunnel system in Vietnam, and was built by revolutionaries from the village and surrounding areas as a base for guerilla attacks on American troops, who gathered at nearby Chu Lai Airport. Mr. Ta, a former soldier, leads tours of the site, and tunnel sections that are still open. On the way back to Hoi An, stop by Tam Thanh Mural Village to see cheerful paintings done by Korean and Vietnamese artists on locals’ homes, and take a swim in Tam Thanh Beach.

TIP: To book a boat ride in Dam River and/or a guide for the Ky Anh Tunnels, visit or call the Quang Nam Tourist Support Center (49 Phan Chau Trinh, +842353666333). The boat tour costs 250,000 to 300,000 VND for an hour.

Cham Islands: Snorkeling or diving, seafood, beaches

The Cham Islands deserve more than a day trip, but if a day is all you have, you can still get a sense of this beautiful archipelago and its history. Granted World Biosphere Reserve status by UNESCO in 2009, this group of eight islands just 12 kilometers off the coast of Hoi An is known for its diverse marine life and rainforest ecosystem. Rare species of fish, seaweed, and coral thrive in protected areas around the island, making the Cham Islands the perfect spot to go snorkeling or scuba diving on your trip.

Most travelers book a diving or snorkeling trip on the Cham Islands with tour companies based in Hoi An. These day trips typically include speedboat transfers, two or three snorkeling spots, a stop in the museum or a pagoda, time on the beach, and lunch on the sand. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also explore the islands on your own. Ask your hotel for help to buy a ticket on the speedboat from Cua Dai Wharf to Bai Lang, which leaves at 8am and returns at 1pm. On the islands you could rent a wooden boat to go to the snorkeling spots, or walk to Bai Ong and Bai Chong beaches for a few blissful hours by the water.

Dong Giang: Tea hills, Co Tu culture, ethnic crafts

The forested hills of Dong Giang hold wonderful adventures for culture and nature seekers. The gently rolling tea hills in Dong Giang are ideal for walking. Dirt paths climb around and over the hills, revealing breathtaking views at each turn. Ask your tour provider to arrange a visit at the house of Y Kong, an elder and respected leader of the Co Tu ethnic minority in Dong Giang. Y Kong’s house is a miniature museum of Co Tu culture, and he is happy to answer questions about his people. Listen to stories about hunts in the forests, admire amazing wood carvings, and hear Co Tu music played on bamboo instruments and animal-skin drums.

Half an hour’s drive from Y Kong’s house, the Co Tu village of Bho Hoong is situated across the Kon River. This village is one of many Co Tu settlements in western Quang Nam, but its Moong thatched houses and Guol communal house are in top condition. The villagers welcome visitors who are interested in understanding Co Tu culture. You’ll have a chance to dine on ethnic dishes, tour the village lanes, witness Co Tu brocade and rattan weaving, and immerse yourself in village life.

TIP: Visits to Bho Hoong and Y Kong’s house can be arranged with ACu Homestay, a Co Tu-owned business that runs community-based tours to Dong Giang.

Loc Yen: Rural villages, memorial houses, creek swimming

Loc Yen is one of four Ancient Villages listed by the Vietnamese government. Nestled in the foothills of Tien Phuoc District, eight ancient houses built from jackfruit wood – some more than 200 years old – sit surrounded by fruit trees and exotic flowers. The magic of Loc Yen is in its gardens, which the locals have created over the decades as a type of living art, adorned with fountains and fish ponds, and encircled by mossy rock paths that wind through rice fields and between spindly pepper trees.

TIP: Guests staying at TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An in Nui Thanh can easily arrange tours of Loc Yen Ancient Village by booking at the resort’s front desk. Because the ancient houses in Loc Yen are still private property, travelers coming from Hoi An should contact the Hoi An Visitor Center at 49 Phan Chau Trinh to set up a guided tour with the help of the tourism office in Tien Phuoc District.

Near the village, Lo Thung Creek is a lesser-known nature spot ideal for a refreshing swim. For a deeper look into Tien Phuoc’s history, visit the Huynh Thuc Khang Memorial House. This graceful building was the home of Huỳnh Thúc Kháng, a scholar, statesman, and journalist who served as Acting State President of Vietnam in 1946. The house itself merits a tour, and inside you’ll find artifacts and documents detailing the life of this Vietnamese revolutionary hero.

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