Routes & Day Trips
Hoi An Motorbike Route Guide: 6 Rides From the Old Town, Measured (2026)
Hoi An Motorbike Route Guide: 6 Rides From the Old Town, Measured (2026)
Pick a Hoi An motorbike route by the hours you have and the bike you rent. Six rides, from a 4.6 km run to the beach to 52 km up the Hai Van Pass, all measured from our shop door.
Most lists of rides around Hoi An are written from a map, not from a saddle, and it shows: distances are rounded up, ferries that stopped running years ago are still in the directions, and nobody mentions that half the Old Town is closed to engines for most of the afternoon. We rent bikes at 84 Phan Chau Trinh, a three-minute walk from the Japanese Covered Bridge, and these are the rides our customers actually come back talking about.
Every Hoi An motorbike route below starts at our door. In September 2026 we re-measured each one on Google Maps directions, and several numbers changed from the older version of this page. The biggest correction: the Marble Mountains are 18 km away, not 28. The second: you no longer need a ferry to reach Cam Kim island.
- Pick a Hoi An motorbike route by time and bike
- Getting out of the Old Town
- Route 1: Tra Que and An Bang Beach
- Route 2: Cam Thanh coconut forest and Cua Dai
- Route 3: Cam Kim, Kim Bong and Thanh Ha
- Route 4: The coast road to the Marble Mountains
- Route 5: West to My Son Sanctuary
- Route 6: The Hai Van Pass
- Which bike for which route
- Road rules and the things that go wrong
- FAQ
Pick a Hoi An motorbike route by time and bike
The question we hear at the counter is rarely “what is the best road?” It is “we have one afternoon and one of us has never ridden, what should we do?” So start here. Distances are one way from 84 Phan Chau Trinh unless the row says loop, and riding time is without stops.
| You have… | Ride this | Distance | Bike that works |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours, first time on a scooter | Tra Que and An Bang Beach | 4.6 km to the beach | Any, including electric bicycle |
| Half a day, want something different | Coconut forest and Cua Dai | 5.8 km to Bay Mau | Any |
| Half a day, like crafts and quiet lanes | Cam Kim, Kim Bong and Thanh Ha | 9.6 km core loop | Any |
| Half a day, want a view | Marble Mountains by the coast | 18.0 km | Scooter or electric scooter |
| A full morning, want history | My Son Sanctuary | 38.2 km | Petrol scooter recommended |
| A full day, confident rider | Hai Van Pass | 52.3 km to the summit | 125–160cc petrol only |
If you only ride one Hoi An motorbike route, make it the first one at sunrise. If you have three days, do one short ride a day and save My Son or the pass for the morning with the clearest forecast. Our 3-day Hoi An itinerary strings them together that way.
Getting out of the Old Town
Every ride here begins with the same small puzzle: the centre of Hoi An is a walking zone for part of the day, and a scooter is not welcome inside it. The core streets close to motorbikes from 09:00 to 11:00 and again from 15:00 until 21:00, or 21:30 in summer. Our own street is different: the barriers on Phan Chau Trinh go up at 17:30, not 15:00, whatever older guides say. The full timetable, with a map of where the barriers stand, is in our guide to Old Town vehicle restriction hours.
In practice this means three things. Ride out before 09:00 and the whole town is yours. Coming back between 15:00 and 17:30, use Phan Chau Trinh to cross the west side of town while Tran Phu is already closed. After 17:30 you cannot ride to our door, so message us and we will meet you at the corner outside the barrier.
Once you are out, the geography is simple. Hoi An sits on the north bank of the Thu Bon River, three to five kilometres from the sea.
- North-east are the rice fields, Tra Que and the beaches.
- East, along the river, is Cam Thanh and the coconut forest, then Cua Dai.
- South, across the water, are Cam Nam and Cam Kim islands and the craft villages.
- North, up the coast, are the Marble Mountains, Da Nang and eventually the Hai Van Pass.
- West, inland, is the road to My Son and the mountains.
Route 1: Tra Que and An Bang Beach, the first-morning loop
This is the Hoi An motorbike route we point every first-time rider to, because it is short, flat and ends at the sea. Leave by Hai Ba Trung heading north and, at the edge of town, turn off onto the concrete lanes through the paddies. Tra Que vegetable village is 3.2 km from our door; An Bang Beach is 4.6 km.
Go before 7:30 if you can. The gardeners in Tra Que water their herb beds by hand with two cans on a shoulder pole, and they do it early, before the heat. By 9:00 they have gone in and the tour bicycles have arrived. Park at the edge of the village and walk the paths between the beds: they are too narrow for a scooter and the growers do not want wheels on them.
From there, carry on to An Bang Beach for a coffee with your feet in the sand. Beach parking is usually 5,000₫, occasionally more if someone thinks you will not argue. Come back along the coast road towards Cua Dai and in through Cam Chau, and the whole loop is 15.3 km. The popular “12 km” figure you see elsewhere assumes you return the way you came.
Want a quieter beach? Ha My is a few kilometres further up the coast and has far fewer loungers. Our guide to Hoi An beaches by motorbike compares all four. And if you have children with you, Duck Stop is on these same paddy roads.
Route 2: Cam Thanh coconut forest and Cua Dai
Head east along the river road towards the sea and after 5.8 km you are in the water-coconut palms of Cam Thanh, the place every Instagram feed calls the Bay Mau coconut forest. This is where the round basket boats spin for visitors, and it is loud, cheerful and very busy from mid-morning. Arrive before 8:00 and you share it with the fishermen.
The boat operators at the main landing work on a set price per boat. Ask what is included before you get in, because the singing, the spinning and the fishing demonstration are sometimes extras. Our Bay Mau coconut forest guide has the current prices and the quieter landings further down the road.
From the forest it is a short hop to Cua Dai, the river mouth and the southern end of Hoi An’s beach, 5.9 km from town by the direct road. Much of this shore has been lost to erosion and rebuilt with sea walls, so it is better for a sunset drink than a swim. If you still have an hour, cross the Cua Dai bridge to the south bank: Tra Nhieu village, about 10 km from town, has the same coconut palms without the boats and almost no visitors. It is also one of our favourite sunset rides near Hoi An.
Route 3: Cam Kim, Kim Bong and Thanh Ha
The older version of this page told you to take “the small ferry near Hoi An Market” to Cam Kim island. You can still see boats there, but you do not need them. The Cam Kim bridge opened in January 2016 and joins the island to the town, so you ride straight across. The island still feels like the countryside it was when the only link was a boat: rice, buffalo, fishing nets on bamboo frames and not much traffic.
On Cam Kim is Kim Bong carpentry village, where the woodwork for many of Hoi An’s old houses and boats was made. A few workshops still carve and build, and they are happy for you to watch if you buy nothing. Back on the north bank, turn west to Thanh Ha, the pottery village, 4 km from town. Our core loop of the two villages measures 9.6 km. The details, and which workshops to look for, are in our Hoi An craft villages by motorbike guide.
A route is only as good as its slowest ten minutes. On this one, those are the minutes you spend watching someone throw a pot.
This is the best loop for an electric bicycle or a plain bicycle, because it is flat, short and mostly on lanes cars cannot use. Our Hoi An cycling routes use the same roads.
Route 4: The coast road to the Marble Mountains
This is the Hoi An motorbike route that changes most once you measure it. From 84 Phan Chau Trinh to the Marble Mountains is 18.0 km and about 33 minutes on Google Maps, via Lac Long Quan and the coast. The 28 km figure you see in many guides, including our own old page, belongs to a different start point or a detour through Da Nang.
Ride north out of town past An Bang and follow the coast road towards Da Nang. Riding north, the sea is on your right behind a long line of resorts; the rice fields and new estates are on your left. As you reach Non Nuoc, the five limestone hills rise ahead of you, named after the five elements. The main one, Thuy Son (Water Mountain), is the one with the caves and pagodas.
| Ticket | Adult | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Thuy Son (main mountain) | 40,000₫ | Students 10,000₫, under-6s free |
| Am Phu cave | 20,000₫ | Separate gate at the foot of the hill |
| Elevator | 15,000₫ per trip | Saves the first set of steps |
| Opening hours | 07:00–17:00 daily | |
Prices are from the Marble Mountains management board. Allow an hour and a half on the mountain; the steps are steep and polished, so wear shoes with grip. Motorbike parking is at the gates on Huyen Tran Cong Chua street.
Keep going and the same road takes you into Da Nang: the Dragon Bridge is 27.2 km from our shop and the Lady Buddha on Son Tra peninsula 33.7 km. Our Marble Mountains guide covers the caves one by one, and Hoi An to Da Nang by scooter covers the city side.
Route 5: West to My Son Sanctuary
My Son is the Hoi An motorbike route with the best reward and the least scenery on the way. The Cham temple complex is 38.2 km inland, about 1 hour 05 on DT610, through small towns, brick kilns and rice. Nothing about the road is difficult, but it is a real road with trucks and buses, so it is a better ride for someone who has already spent a day on a scooter.
The one thing that matters is the start time. Ticket sales and the site both open at 06:00, and the tour coaches from Hoi An mostly arrive mid-morning. Ride out at 05:30, be at the gate at opening, and you get the towers in the low light with the valley still quiet. By 10:00 it is hot and crowded.
Everything else, including the road turn-offs, the shuttle from the gate to the temples and what to see first, is in My Son by motorbike from Hoi An. If you would rather not ride that far, the My Son shuttle bus is the honest alternative. We do not run it ourselves.
Short on time? Bang An Tower, the only octagonal Cham tower in Vietnam, is about 12 km north-west of town, free to enter and part of a 33.7 km loop through the bronze-casting village of Phuoc Kieu.
Route 6: The Hai Van Pass
This is the famous one, and the longest Hoi An motorbike route we suggest as a day trip. From our shop to the summit is 52.3 km, about 1 hour 27 on the fastest road through Da Nang, so a round trip with stops is a full day. The pass itself is 21 km of bends over a 500-metre shoulder of mountain, with the sea straight below.
It is easy tarmac with no potholes, but it is not a beginner’s road. There are trucks on both sides of it, the bends are continuous and fog often closes in from September to December. We only rent for the pass on a 125–160cc petrol bike, to riders who have already spent at least a day on a scooter in Hoi An traffic.
Everything you need, from where the old road leaves QL1A to where to stop for photos, is in our Hai Van Pass by motorbike guide. If you want to keep going north, Hoi An to Hue by motorbike covers the one-way ride with your luggage sent ahead.
Which bike for which route
The right bike depends as much on the route as on your experience. Our electric scooter is the VinFast Evo200 Lite, which is limited to 49 km/h and needs no motorbike licence. VinFast rates it at up to 205 km per charge at a steady 30 km/h with one light rider; for two people on real roads we plan on about 100 km. Our electric bicycles are pedal-assist and do about 35 km on a charge with one rider.
| Route | Bicycle / e-bicycle | Electric scooter | Petrol scooter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tra Que and An Bang | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Coconut forest and Cua Dai | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cam Kim and the craft villages | Best choice | Yes | Yes |
| Marble Mountains | No: 36 km there and back is past an e-bicycle battery | Yes | Yes |
| My Son | No | Possible, fully charged | Best choice |
| Hai Van Pass | No | No | 125cc and up |
The licence rule is the other half of the decision. Electric scooters under 50 km/h, electric bicycles and 50cc bikes can be ridden without a motorbike licence. Anything bigger needs your licence plus a 1968-convention International Driving Permit, and without it your travel insurance will probably not pay for a crash. Our guide to motorbike licences in Hoi An explains the detail, and VinFast electric scooter range has the real-world battery figures.
Past these six there is plenty more within a day’s ride, all measured the same way on their own pages: the Cham Museum in Da Nang, Nam O reef, Deo Le pass at 42 km, Phu Ninh Lake, Loc Yen ancient village, the Tam Tien fish market and Bach Ma National Park.
Road rules and the things that go wrong
Riding around Hoi An is gentle compared with Hanoi or Saigon, and most problems are small ones. These are the ones we actually see.
- Helmets, always. Rider and passenger must wear a fastened helmet; the fine is 400,000–600,000₫. Two helmets come with every bike we rent.
- Running out of petrol. A full tank of a 110cc scooter is plenty for any route here, but rental bikes are not always handed over full. Fill up in town before My Son or the pass, and look for “cay xang” on Google Maps if you need a station.
- Rain. From October to December a dry morning can turn into a downpour by lunch. A raincoat is under the seat; if you cannot see the road surface under floodwater, do not ride through it.
- Riding after dark on unlit country lanes is the hardest riding you will do here. Plan the longer routes so you are back by sunset.
- Phone signal is fine almost everywhere on these routes, but download the area in Google Maps before My Son or the pass.
- A breakdown. Pull in somewhere safe and call our roadside line, +84 766 766 087, 24 hours a day.
Our motorbike day trip packing list covers what to bring for the longer rides.
Ride any of these from our door
Scooters, semi-automatics, electric scooters and bicycles at 84 Phan Chau Trinh, with two helmets, raincoats and a route map with the Old Town hours marked. We deliver to your hotel from 30,000₫. A refundable deposit or a passport copy is enough: we never keep your passport.
Zalo 0935 439 306 · Roadside help 24/7: +84 766 766 087
Bikes Rental
Hoi An motorbike route FAQ
What is the best Hoi An motorbike route for beginners?
The Tra Que and An Bang Beach loop. It is flat, mostly on quiet lanes and only 4.6 km from the Old Town to the beach, or 15.3 km if you loop back along the coast. Ride it before 7:30 for empty roads and the gardeners at work in Tra Que.
How far are the Marble Mountains from Hoi An by motorbike?
18.0 km and about 33 minutes from 84 Phan Chau Trinh on the coast road via Lac Long Quan, measured on Google Maps in September 2026. The 28 km figure in many guides is too high. The main mountain ticket is 40,000₫ and the site is open 07:00 to 17:00.
How long does it take to ride from Hoi An to My Son?
About 1 hour 05 for 38.2 km on DT610. Leave at 05:30 to reach the gate when it opens at 06:00, well before the tour coaches that arrive mid-morning. The round trip with a visit takes around five hours.
Do I still need a ferry to reach Cam Kim island?
No. The Cam Kim bridge opened in January 2016 and links the island to Hoi An, so you can ride straight across to Kim Bong carpentry village. The island loop is flat and short, which makes it a good route for bicycles too.
Can I ride the Hai Van Pass on an electric scooter?
We do not recommend it. The summit is 52.3 km from Hoi An each way with a long climb, which is too much for a 49 km/h electric scooter with two people. Take a 125–160cc petrol scooter and ride over the top, because motorbikes are not allowed in the Hai Van tunnel.
When can I ride a motorbike into Hoi An Old Town?
The core streets are closed to motorbikes from 09:00 to 11:00 and from 15:00 to 21:00, or 21:30 in summer. Phan Chau Trinh street closes later, at 17:30. Start your ride before 09:00 or park outside the zone and walk in.
Do I need a licence for these routes?
Not for an electric scooter limited to 50 km/h, an electric bicycle or a 50cc bike, which are enough for the four shorter routes. For a petrol scooter over 50cc you need your licence plus a 1968-convention International Driving Permit, and that is the bike we suggest for My Son and the Hai Van Pass.
Prefer to pedal? See our Hoi An cycling routes, measured the same way.
Pick your ride in Hoi AnChọn xe cho chuyến đi Hội An
Scooters, electric bikes and bicycles from one shop in the Old Town — delivered to your hotel, helmets and roadside help included.Xe máy, xe điện và xe đạp — giao tận khách sạn, kèm hai nón bảo hiểm và hỗ trợ dọc đường.
Not sure which one fits? Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll recommend a bike for your plans.
Chưa biết chọn xe nào? Nhắn Zalo 0935 439 306, tụi mình tư vấn theo lịch trình của bạn.