Hoi An is 30 km south of Da Nang. Close enough for a day trip, far enough that a sloppy transfer eats the afternoon. The distance is simple. The menu of rides is not. Here is every way to get there, what each costs in 2026, and which one I would pick depending on bags, budget, and how many people are splitting the fare.
Quick facts
- Grab (GrabCar): ₫200,000–350,000, 40–55 minutes. Best for most travellers.
- GrabBike: ₫80,000–120,000, 40–50 minutes. Solo, no luggage only.
- Bus LK-02: ₫30,000–35,000, 60–90 minutes. Cheapest, and it asks for patience.
- Private car/transfer: ₫350,000–500,000, 40–55 minutes. Best for groups, or a Marble Mountains stop.
- Motorbike rental: ₫150,000–250,000/day. Scenic, for confident riders only.
- Easy Rider (guided pillion): ₫400,000–600,000. The scenic option without you steering.
Grab: the standard option for most people
For most travellers, book a GrabCar. The price is locked before you commit, the car is air-conditioned, and driver supply on the Da Nang to Hoi An corridor is reliable. This is my default when there is a suitcase involved.
GrabCar (standard 4-seater) from Da Nang city or My Khe Beach to Hoi An Ancient Town runs ₫200,000–350,000 in 2026. Journey time is 40–55 minutes on the coastal road in normal conditions. Surge pricing can push fares toward ₫400,000 on rainy afternoons or during the 5–8 pm peak. If the clock is flexible, booking at 10 am or mid-afternoon avoids most of it. Rain is not a surprise on this coast. The fare spike is.
GrabBike (motorbike taxi) runs ₫80,000–120,000 for a solo traveller with a day pack. It is not practical with a suitcase, and it is the wrong call if you do not want the back of a motorbike on a 30 km highway. For one person travelling light, it is very cheap and only a little slower than a car.
Practical notes:
- Pick-up in Da Nang city centre is straightforward. On the My Khe Beach strip, driver availability thins slightly mid-morning, so give yourself five minutes.
- Hoi An drop-off: most Grab cars stop in the buffer zone around the Old Town perimeter, typically on Nguyen Duy Hieu or Tran Hung Dao streets, a 5–10 minute walk from the Japanese Bridge. The Ancient Town core restricts vehicle access, so the last stretch is always on foot. Confirm the drop-off point with the driver before you set off.
- Return from Hoi An: Grab supply in Hoi An is noticeably thinner than in Da Nang. Book 15–20 minutes before you need the car, and do not leave it to the last minute before a flight. If Grab is slow, local meter taxis queue along Phan Chu Trinh Road near the Old Town.
Bus LK-02: the cheap option
The public LK-02 bus connects Da Nang and Hoi An for around ₫30,000–35,000, roughly $1.20–1.40 USD. It runs every 15–30 minutes from 5:45 am to 6:00 pm daily. Journey time is 60–90 minutes with stops. The price is the argument. The stops are the counter-argument.
How to catch it from Da Nang:
The LK-02 starts at Vietnam-Korea University Bus Station (Dai hoc Viet Han) in north Da Nang and runs south along Nguyen Tat Thanh road toward Hoi An. If you are staying on the My Khe Beach strip or in the city, board at any stop on Nguyen Tat Thanh. Use Google Maps for the nearest stop to the hotel. The Da Nang Main Bus Station (Ben Xe Da Nang) on Ton Duc Thang is a different terminal, for long-haul intercity routes. The LK-02 does not pass through it. Do not stand there with a hopeful expression.
The LK-02 does not stop at Da Nang Airport. The nearest stop is on Nguyen Tat Thanh, a short Grab from the terminal. Most airport arrivals heading straight to Hoi An are better on a direct Grab or a private transfer.
The Hoi An end: The bus calls at Hoi An Bus Station on Hoang Dieu Street (about 1.5 km west of the Old Town) and then continues to its final stop at Cua Dai Port parking area. Getting off at Hoi An Bus Station is the practical choice for the Ancient Town. From there it is a ₫30,000–40,000 Grab or a 20-minute walk. Some passengers get off at stops nearer the Old Town buffer zone on Nguyen Tat Thanh. Ask the conductor when you board, before the bag is in the rack.
Who this works for: Budget travellers with time to spare and almost no luggage. Moving cities with bags? Use Grab or a private transfer. The bus fare will not console you at the third stop.
Private car: best for groups and scenic stops
A pre-booked private car from Da Nang to Hoi An costs ₫350,000–500,000 for a standard 4-seater and ₫500,000–700,000 for a 7-seater minivan. The driver waits at the hotel, the price is fixed, and the car drops you as close to the Ancient Town as the vehicle rules allow. That usually means the perimeter roads, a 5–10 minute walk from the core.
For groups of three or four, a private car splits to under ₫150,000 per head. At that point it beats Grab on price per person, and you get luggage space without app juggling. For two people, Grab is cheaper. Do the maths before you book the bigger car out of habit.
The real reason to pay for a private car is that drivers will stop if you ask. The Marble Mountains sit on the coastal road, about 13 km south of Da Nang city centre. A private transfer can stop there for an hour or two while the driver waits, then continue to Hoi An. Say so when you book. “On the way” is not a secret code every driver already knows.
That stop is what makes the private car the natural vehicle for a day that wants both places. The Marble Mountains are worth the detour if you have the hour.
Standard private car bookings go through a hotel concierge, Klook, or local transfer operators on the My Khe Beach strip. Confirm the Marble Mountains stop in advance. Not every driver includes it by default, and a surprise stop is how a fixed price becomes a discussion.
Motorbike: scenic, for confident riders
Renting a semi-automatic or automatic scooter in Da Nang costs ₫150,000–250,000 per day from shops in the An Thuong area or along Vo Nguyen Giap beach road. The ride to Hoi An takes 45–60 minutes on the coastal road south, passing Non Nuoc Beach and the Marble Mountains.
The route is genuinely good. Open road, ocean to the left, the mountain cluster ahead. Arriving in Hoi An on your own clock is a real advantage. The Ancient Town walking and cycling zones restrict motorised traffic during set hours, so park near the buffer zone and walk in.
Do not rent a scooter for this route if Vietnam is your first time riding in traffic. Intersections are busy, motorbikes filter freely, and lane discipline is approximate. Rain arrives quickly on this coast and makes the road slick without much warning. Your travel insurance needs to explicitly cover motorbike riding. Many policies do not, unless you added it. Read the policy before you like the bike.
Easy Rider is the middle ground. A local guide rides, you sit pillion. You get the scenery and the freedom to stop, without managing the machine. Cost is ₫400,000–600,000 for a guided trip to Hoi An with stops included. Find Easy Rider drivers through the hotel or the An Thuong guesthouse strip. Look for the hand-painted signs, then still read a recent review.
Day trip vs moving: the real question
Hoi An works as a day trip from Da Nang. About 40 minutes each way, a full day in the Ancient Town and An Bang Beach, back by dinner. It works, and plenty of people do exactly that. I would do it that way if the evenings do not matter to the trip.
If you want Hoi An after dark, move. The lantern light on Nguyen Hoang Street after 6 pm is a different town from the daytime version, and the restaurants justify two or three nights. The cities are close enough that you can Grab back to Da Nang for a beach morning and return. You do not have to choose a personality and stick to it.
For which base suits which trip, the Da Nang vs Hoi An guide goes through it directly.
What to do when you get there
The Hoi An Old Town guide covers the essentials: the Japanese Bridge, the Ancient Town entry ticket, An Bang Beach, the tailors, and where to eat. From a standard drop-off, the Ancient Town core is an easy walk.
The heritage zone entry ticket costs ₫120,000 and gives access to five sites of your choice from a list of 23. The Japanese Bridge (Chua Cau) is one of those 23 sites. Entering the small temple inside the bridge uses one of your five entries. You can walk across the bridge itself and photograph it from the bank without spending an entry. The temple chamber is the part that needs the ticket. Know which one you are doing before you hand the voucher over.
Getting back to Da Nang
By Grab: Same price range as the way in, ₫200,000–350,000, 40–55 minutes. Book 15–20 minutes before you need the car. Hoi An driver supply is thinner than Da Nang’s, and “it will be fine” is not a departure plan.
By bus: LK-02 runs back on the same schedule, 5:45 am to 6:00 pm, every 15–30 minutes, ₫30,000–35,000. Catch it from Hoi An Bus Station on Hoang Dieu Street, or from stops near the Old Town buffer zone on Nguyen Tat Thanh. The last bus out of Hoi An is around 6 pm. After that, the bus is a story you tell, not a ride you catch.
Heading to Da Nang Airport: A Grab from Hoi An to DAD runs ₫300,000–400,000. For flights before 6 am, arrange a private transfer through the hotel the night before. Grab is unreliable before dawn in Hoi An, and a missed airport run is not a bet worth taking. Full options, including Welcome Pickups and GetTransfer, are in the Da Nang Airport transfer guide. Land with the phone already online: the best eSIM for Da Nang.
Quick comparison
| Option | Cost | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrabCar | ₫200,000–350,000 | 40–55 min | Most travellers |
| GrabBike | ₫80,000–120,000 | 40–50 min | Solo, no luggage |
| Bus LK-02 | ₫30,000–35,000 | 60–90 min | Budget, time flexible |
| Private car | ₫350,000–500,000 | 40–55 min | Groups, scenic stops |
| Motorbike rental | ₫150,000–250,000/day | 45–60 min | Confident riders |
| Easy Rider | ₫400,000–600,000 | 45–60 min | Scenic, guided pillion |
FAQ
How long does it take to get from Da Nang to Hoi An?
By GrabCar or private car, 40–55 minutes in normal traffic. The LK-02 bus takes 60–90 minutes with stops. By motorbike, 45–60 minutes, depending on how often you stop. The road is not the variable. The stops are.
How much does Grab cost from Da Nang to Hoi An?
A GrabCar runs ₫200,000–350,000 (around $8–14 USD) in 2026. GrabBike is ₫80,000–120,000 for solo travellers without luggage. Surge pricing during rain or the 5–8 pm peak can push GrabCar fares toward ₫400,000.
Can I take a bus from Da Nang to Hoi An?
Yes. The LK-02 public bus runs every 15–30 minutes from 5:45 am to 6:00 pm daily for ₫30,000–35,000. Board from Da Nang Main Bus Station or stops along Nguyen Tat Thanh road heading south. Journey time is 60–90 minutes. It does not stop at Da Nang Airport.
Is it safe to rent a motorbike from Da Nang to Hoi An?
Only with prior Southeast Asian riding experience. The road is straightforward, and the traffic is heavy, with conventions that differ from Western cities. Check that your travel insurance covers motorbike riding before you go. An Easy Rider (guided, you on pillion) is the safer alternative that still gets you there on a motorbike.
Should I day-trip to Hoi An or base myself there?
Day trip if you want the Ancient Town and An Bang Beach for a day. Move there if you want the evening atmosphere on Nguyen Hoang Street, or more than one night of Hoi An’s restaurants and bars. The Da Nang vs Hoi An guide covers the decision in full.
How do I get back from Hoi An to Da Nang?
Grab for ₫200,000–350,000. Book 15–20 minutes early, because supply in Hoi An is thinner than in Da Nang. Or the LK-02 bus for ₫30,000–35,000, last departure around 6 pm. For Da Nang Airport, allow ₫300,000–400,000 by Grab, and arrange early morning transfers through the hotel the night before.
Is there a train from Da Nang to Hoi An?
No. The north–south rail line passes through Da Nang Station and does not stop in Hoi An. Road transport is the only option between the two cities. Do not plan a platform connection that does not exist.
