Hoi An Travel Tips, Routes & Day Trips
Tam Thanh Mural Village: Day Trip Guide from Hoi An (2026)
Day Trips from Hoi An · 2026 Guide
An hour south of Hoi An, the fishing village of Tam Thanh turned its concrete walls into Vietnam’s first mural village — more than a hundred paintings of fishermen, children and sea life covering an entire seaside community. It’s free, wonderfully un-touristy, and one of the best half-day rides you can do from Hoi An.
What is Tam Thanh mural village?
Tam Thanh is a small fishing commune on a narrow strip of land between the Truong Giang river and the sea, just outside Tam Ky city in Quang Nam province. In June 2016, a Korea–Vietnam community art exchange brought volunteer artists here to paint the walls of the villagers’ houses — and the project never really stopped. Today over 100 murals cover homes, gates and alleyways along roughly one kilometer of village lanes.
The paintings show everyday coastal life: fishermen mending nets, kids with conical hats, whales and coral seas, portraits of the actual grandmothers who live behind the walls. Unlike a curated art street, people genuinely live here — you’ll walk past drying fish, basket boats and open kitchens between the artworks.
“Go in the morning, greet the ông bà sitting in front of their painted houses, and Tam Thanh feels less like sightseeing and more like visiting someone’s colorful hometown.”— Anh Khoa, Hoi An local
What to see — murals, boat art & the beach
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The mural lanes
Park at the community house and wander — the lanes are narrow, shaded and made for slow walking. The most photographed walls are near the village center, but keep going: the quieter northern lanes hide some of the best portraits.
The thuyền thúng (basket boat) art path
In 2017 the village added a second gallery: retired round basket boats and rowing boats painted with landscapes of Vietnam, displayed along the road — a uniquely Quang Nam twist on an art walk.
Tam Thanh beach
Cross the road and you’re on a long, clean, almost empty beach — no resorts, just fishing boats and a few seafood shacks. Fresh seafood lunch here costs a fraction of Hoi An prices (grilled fish from ~80K).
How to get there from Hoi An
Tam Thanh is about 40 km south of Hoi An — an easy, flat, mostly coastal ride of around one hour. There is no public bus that drops you at the village, so you have three realistic options:
| Option | Cost (2026) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Motorbike / scooter | from 120K/day | The best option — take the DT613 coastal road via the Cua Dai bridge for sea views most of the way |
| Private car with driver | 600K–800K round trip | Book with an independent operator (Hoi An Express, Hoi An Private Taxi, Grab…) — ~1h each way plus waiting |
| Taxi / Grab one way | ~450K–550K | Getting a return car from the village can be slow — arrange the return in advance |
The ride itself is half the fun: from Hoi An, cross the Cua Dai bridge and follow the coastal road south past shrimp farms, casuarina forests and empty beaches. It’s flat, quiet and beginner-friendly — one of our favorite countryside rides from Hoi An. If you don’t have wheels yet, rent a motorbike in Hoi An with free hotel delivery and make a loop of it.
Best time to visit & local tips
Five quick tips
1. Bring cash — there are no ATMs in the village, just small drink stalls and seafood shacks.
2. It’s a real village: keep voices down, ask before photographing people, don’t lean on doors.
3. Wear sandals you can walk in — lanes are sandy concrete, and the beach is right there.
4. Combine with a seafood lunch on the beach; grilled fish + rice for two costs ~150K–200K.
5. Phone signal is fine, but download the offline map — some lanes confuse Google Maps.
Ride there yourself with Anh Khoa
Motorbikes, scooters & e-bikes with free hotel delivery in Hoi An — helmets, rain gear and a local route map included. The coastal road to Tam Thanh is one of the easiest, prettiest rides in Quang Nam.
See bikes & pricesZalo/WhatsApp: +84 935 206 306 · 84 Phan Chau Trinh, Hoi An
FAQ — Tam Thanh mural village
Is Tam Thanh mural village worth visiting?
Yes — if you like street art, photography or simply seeing rural coastal Vietnam without crowds. Combined with the beach and a seafood lunch it makes an excellent half-day trip from Hoi An. Art lovers should note some murals are weathered; it’s a living village, not a museum.
How far is Tam Thanh from Hoi An?
About 40 km south, roughly one hour by motorbike or car along the flat coastal road via the Cua Dai bridge. From Tam Ky city it’s only ~7 km.
Is there an entrance fee?
No — walking the mural lanes and the beach is completely free. You only pay for parking (5K–10K), drinks or food. Consider buying a coffee or lunch in the village to support the families whose houses make the gallery.
When were the murals painted?
The first ~100 murals were painted in June–July 2016 by Korean and Vietnamese volunteer artists in a community art project — making Tam Thanh Vietnam’s first mural village. New walls and the painted basket-boat path have been added in the years since.
Can I get there without a driver?
Easily — the ride is flat and beginner-friendly. Rent a motorbike or scooter in Hoi An (from 120K/day with free hotel delivery from Anh Khoa), follow the coastal DT613 south, and you’ll be at the murals in about an hour.
Last updated: July 2026. Tam Thanh is a living community — please visit respectfully. Anh Khoa Hoi An no longer arranges private car transfers; the operators mentioned are independent companies listed for reference.
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