Four to five days in Hội An is enough to properly slow down — this isn't a city that rewards rushing, and the itinerary below leaves deliberate room for unstructured wandering, which is where Hội An tends to deliver its best moments. Days 1 and 2 stay in and around the Ancient Town. Spend your first daylight hours exploring on foot — the Japanese Covered Bridge, the assembly halls built by historic Chinese trading communities, and the general texture of a town that's genuinely preserved rather than reconstructed for tourism. Use the same two days to get fitted for custom tailoring, which Hội An is famous for; suits, dresses, and shoes can be made and fitted within 24 to 48 hours, so starting early in your trip avoids a last-day scramble. Return to the Ancient Town after dark on at least one of these evenings — the streets transform under thousands of paper lanterns, and floating a lantern down the Thu Bồn River is the single most photographed experience in the country for good reason. Day 3 is a beach day. An Bang Beach, a short bike ride or taxi from the centre, is relaxed and considerably less developed than Vietnam's bigger beach resorts — a good full-day reset after two days of walking and tailoring fittings. Day 4 moves to the countryside. Rent a bicycle (often free through your accommodation) and ride through Cẩm Thanh village's water coconut forest, where a traditional basket boat ride is a genuinely fun half-hour detour. The flat terrain around Hội An makes this one of the easiest Vietnamese towns to explore by bike, and the countryside views are a useful contrast to the Ancient Town's density. Day 5, if you have it, is best spent on a day trip. My Son's ancient Cham ruins, about an hour away, give historical context that the Ancient Town itself doesn't — a Hindu temple complex predating most of what you've seen so far. Alternatively, Da Nang, thirty to forty-five minutes away, offers the Marble Mountains and Dragon Bridge if you'd rather stay closer to the coast. A few practical notes: the Ancient Town requires a small entrance ticket for access to several heritage buildings — buy from official booths rather than street vendors. Carry cash, since many smaller shops and stalls don't take cards. And order your tailoring early in the trip rather than on your last day, to leave room for fittings and adjustments.