Da Nang to Hoi An: How to Get There (Car, Grab, Bus & Bike Compared)

Hoi An is just ~30 km from Da Nang. Here’s every way to make the trip — prices, times, the return-trip catch, and which option is right for you.

Last updated: June 2026

Da Nang → Hoi An, in 30 seconds

Distance: ~30 km — about 45 minutes by car (a touch longer on the scenic coastal road).
Easiest: a private car or Grab, ~350,000–450,000 VND ($14–18) one way.
Cheapest: the local yellow bus (~30,000 VND) — but expect to be over-asked and to spend ~1 hour.
The catch: getting a ride back from Hoi An is harder — book the return in advance.

In this guide
1. Da Nang to Hoi An: The Essentials
2. All Your Options at a Glance
3. Private Car & Taxi (the Easy Default)
4. Grab & Xanh SM (Ride-Hailing)
5. The Local Yellow Bus (Cheapest)
6. Motorbike & Self-Drive (the Scenic Way)
7. Which Route — Coastal or Inland?
8. Where to Base Yourself & Combine the Trip

Da Nang and Hoi An are the perfect pair — a modern beach city and a lantern-lit ancient town, just ~30 km (about 45 minutes) apart. Almost everyone visits both, so “how do I get from Da Nang to Hoi An?” is the first thing you’ll plan. The good news: there are five easy ways to do it, from a $1 local bus to a private car at your door. This guide breaks down every option — prices, travel times, the routes, and the one thing most guides skip: how to get back. (New to the area? Start with our complete Da Nang guide or our 3–4 day itinerary.)

A metered taxi in Vietnam, one way to travel from Da Nang to Hoi An — A private car or metered taxi is the most comfortable way to cover the ~30 km from Da Nang to Hoi An. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain)

1. Da Nang to Hoi An: The Essentials

Hoi An’s Ancient Town sits about 30 km south of central Da Nang — roughly a 45-minute drive. There’s no train or direct metro; you go by road. Your five realistic options are a private car, a ride-hailing app (Grab or Xanh SM), the local public bus, a self-drive motorbike, or a shared tourist shuttle.

Want it easy? Book a private car or open Grab — door to door in ~45 minutes.
Counting every dong? The yellow public bus is the cheapest, if you don’t mind a slower ride and a bit of haggling.
Love the open road? Rent a scooter and take the coastal route past the beach and the Marble Mountains.

💡 Distances are short, so the real decision is comfort vs. cost — not how far. Pick the option that matches your budget and your group.

2. All Your Options at a Glance

Here’s how the five ways to travel between Da Nang and Hoi An compare:

Option	Price (one way)	Time	Best for
Private car / taxi	≈ 350,000–450,000 VND ($14–18)	~45 min	Comfort, families, luggage, door to door
Grab / Xanh SM car	≈ 300,000–400,000 VND ($12–16)	~45 min	Fixed app price, solo & couples
Shared shuttle	≈ 100,000–150,000 VND ($4–6) p.p.	~60 min	Budget travellers who don’t mind stops
Local yellow bus	≈ 20,000–30,000 VND ($1)*	~60–90 min	The cheapest, the adventurous
Self-drive motorbike	≈ 120,000–150,000 VND/day ($5–6)	~50–60 min	Confident riders, the scenic coast

* The official fare is tiny, but foreigners are routinely asked for 40,000–50,000 VND or more — see the bus section below.

💡 For two or more people, a private car or Grab often costs barely more per person than the shuttle — and it’s far faster and comfier.

3. Private Car & Taxi (the Easy Default)

A private car with a driver is the most popular choice — and for groups, the best value. You’re picked up at your hotel and dropped right at the edge of the Old Town (cars can’t enter the pedestrian core).

Price: a pre-booked private transfer is ~350,000–450,000 VND ($14–18) one way; a metered taxi (Mai Linh, Vinasun) is similar if the meter is used.
Book it: through your hotel, a local tour desk, or simply use Grab (below) for a fixed price with no haggling.
Add a stop: many drivers will pause at the Marble Mountains on the way for a small extra — a great two-in-one.

⚠️ With a street taxi, insist on the meter or agree the price before you get in. Stick to reputable firms — our Vietnam scams guide covers the taxi tricks to dodge.

Hoi An Ancient Town with lanterns, the destination from Da Nang — Hoi An’s lantern-lit Ancient Town — the reward at the end of the ~45-minute ride from Da Nang.

4. Grab & Xanh SM (Ride-Hailing)

Ride-hailing is the stress-free way to go: you see the fixed price upfront, pay in the app, and skip all bargaining. Grab and the all-electric Xanh SM both serve the route.

Price: a GrabCar or Xanh SM car runs ~300,000–400,000 VND ($12–16) for the ~45-minute trip — often a touch cheaper than a private transfer.
How: set Da Nang as pickup and Hoi An’s Old Town as the drop. A 4-seat car is plenty for two with bags.

⚠️ The return trip is the catch. Hoi An has far fewer drivers than Da Nang, so an app car back can be slow to appear (or pricier). Fixes: ask your Da Nang driver to wait/return, book a round-trip, or arrange a car through your Hoi An hotel.

New to the apps? Our full Grab vs Xanh SM guide covers setup, payment and how the two compare.

5. The Local Yellow Bus (Cheapest)

The bright yellow public bus between Da Nang and Hoi An is the budget legend — and a small adventure:

Fare: officially only ~20,000–30,000 VND, but conductors routinely ask foreigners for 40,000–50,000 VND or more. Hand over small notes and the correct fare confidently.
Time: ~1 to 1.5 hours — it’s slow and stops often.
Where: it drops at Hoi An’s bus station, about 1 km from the Old Town (a short walk or quick ride-hail).
When: roughly every 20–30 minutes, from about 5:30am to 6pm.

💡 Prefer a fixed price but still want cheap? A shared tourist shuttle (~100,000–150,000 VND) is comfier than the local bus, with hotel pickup — book through any tour desk.

6. Motorbike & Self-Drive (the Scenic Way)

If you’re a confident rider, the coastal motorbike ride is one of central Vietnam’s great little journeys — beach on one side, the Marble Mountains rising on the other.

Rental: ~120,000–150,000 VND/day ($5–6) for a scooter in Da Nang; many shops let you drop it in Hoi An for a fee.
Ride time: ~50–60 minutes on the flat, easy coastal road.
The route: follow Vo Nguyen Giap / Lac Long Quan along the sea — flat, straightforward and far prettier than the highway.

⚠️ You legally need a licence valid in Vietnam (an IDP with the right category). Always wear the helmet, and check the weather — the coast is no fun in heavy rain.

A Grab ride-hailing rider on a Vietnamese street — Grab and Xanh SM give an upfront, fixed price — handy for the Da Nang → Hoi An run. (© Benjamin Smith / CC BY-SA 4.0)

7. Which Route — Coastal or Inland?

There are two ways to cover the 30 km, and your driver may ask which you prefer:

Route	Via	Time	Why take it
Coastal (scenic)	Vo Nguyen Giap → Lac Long Quan	~45–50 min	Sea views, passes the Marble Mountains & beach resorts
Inland (fast)	Highway QL1A → Vinh Dien	~40–45 min	Slightly quicker from downtown or the airport

For a first trip, take the coastal route — it’s barely longer and far nicer, especially if you’ll stop at the Marble Mountains. Coming straight from the airport? See our Da Nang airport transfer guide — it’s the same ~30 km to Hoi An.

💡 Travelling in the wet season? Mornings are usually calmer and clearer — check our Da Nang weather guide before a coastal ride.

8. Where to Base Yourself & Combine the Trip

Because they’re so close, you don’t have to choose just one — but where you sleep changes your plan:

Stay in Da Nang for the beach, big resorts and a buzzy city base, and day-trip to Hoi An — see our Da Nang hotels & beach areas guide.
Stay in Hoi An for the magical lantern-lit evenings (the Old Town is best after dark, once the day-trippers leave).
Do both: many travellers split their nights. Our 3–4 day Da Nang itinerary shows how to slot Hoi An in without backtracking.

💡 Hoi An is loveliest in the early morning and the evening. If you’re only day-tripping, aim to stay for sunset and the lanterns, then ride back after dinner.

Frequently asked questions

Q. How far is Hoi An from Da Nang?

About 30 km — roughly a 45-minute drive. There’s no train or metro, so you travel by road: private car, Grab/Xanh SM, the local bus, a shuttle, or a motorbike.

Q. What’s the cheapest way from Da Nang to Hoi An?

The local yellow bus, officially ~20,000–30,000 VND ($1), though foreigners are often asked for more. A shared tourist shuttle (~100,000–150,000 VND) is comfier for a little extra.

Q. What’s the easiest way to get to Hoi An?

A private car or a Grab/Xanh SM car — door to door in about 45 minutes for ~350,000–450,000 VND ($14–18). You’re dropped right at the edge of the Old Town.

Q. Can I use Grab from Da Nang to Hoi An?

Yes — a GrabCar or Xanh SM car costs ~300,000–400,000 VND with the price fixed in the app. The catch is the return: Hoi An has fewer drivers, so book the trip back in advance or have a driver wait.

Q. How much is a taxi from Da Nang to Hoi An?

A metered taxi or pre-booked private car is ~350,000–450,000 VND ($14–18) one way. Insist on the meter, or agree the fare before you set off.

Q. Is there a bus from Da Nang to Hoi An?

Yes — the yellow public bus runs roughly every 20–30 minutes from about 5:30am to 6pm, takes ~1–1.5 hours and drops at Hoi An’s bus station ~1 km from the Old Town. The fare is tiny but tourists are often over-charged.

Q. Should I rent a motorbike to get to Hoi An?

Only if you’re a confident rider with a licence valid in Vietnam. The flat coastal route (~50–60 min) past the Marble Mountains is gorgeous; a scooter rents for ~120,000–150,000 VND/day.

Q. How do I get from Da Nang airport to Hoi An?

It’s the same ~30 km / ~45 minutes from DAD — a private car or Grab is ~350,000–450,000 VND, and many Hoi An hotels offer airport pickup. See our Da Nang airport transfer guide for details.

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