In November and December 2026, Hoi An, Da Nang, offers visitors opportunities to explore its heritage through exhibitions, artistic performances and cultural experiences. From historical materials in museums to lantern-lit spaces along the Hoai River, each stop reveals another perspective on the town’s history and everyday life.
A visit to Hoi An can begin along familiar streets and lead to questions about the people who once lived beneath its tiled roofs, the traces of its trading-port past, or the cultural practices that continue today. The year-end programme, marking Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day and Hoi An Ancient Town’s recognition as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, invites visitors to spend more time discovering these stories.
Discovering Hoi An through museums and historical materials
From 23 November to 23 December 2026, the thematic exhibition “Old Spaces” at the Folk Culture Museum, 33 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, offers a starting point for exploring Hoi An’s culture. Time spent at the museum adds context to a walk through the Ancient Town, helping visitors understand its houses and living spaces in relation to local life.
At Hoi An Communal House, 27 Le Loi Street, an exhibition of Han–Nom inscriptions runs from 1 to 5 December 2026, offering an approach to heritage through historical writing. For those interested in history, it provides an opportunity to learn how information about people and places has been passed down, adding depth to what can be observed along the streets.
The story of the trading port continues with the presentation of two publications, “Hoi An Trading Port in the 16th–19th Centuries” and “Hoi An – Creative Heritage City Guidebook”, at 7:30 am on 27 November 2026 at 10B Tran Hung Dao Street. These publications provide further context for discovering Hoi An, both during this visit and on future returns.
Listening to Hoi An through music and performance
Towards the end of the year, artistic performances take place in theatres, parks, streets and on the Hoai River. Visitors can choose a programme that complements their daytime sightseeing with an evening of cultural discovery.
From 12 to 14 November 2026, “Asia–Europe Dialogue” takes place at 7:00 pm at Hoi An Cinema, 47 Phan Chau Trinh Street, bringing together contemporary dance, opera and ballet. The meeting of these art forms offers a perspective on Hoi An as a place of cultural exchange in contemporary life.
On Bach Dang Street, the street arts programme “The Flow of Heritage” runs from 4:00 to 5:00 pm on 18, 20, 21, 23, 25 and 27 November 2026. This afternoon time slot allows visitors to combine a walk through town with riverside views and live performances.
At 7:00 pm, Kazik Park hosts “Hoai Pho – Love Songs” on 21 November and the street arts exchange “Hoi An – A Gentle Corner” on 24 November 2026. “Night on the Hoai River” takes place on the river at 7:00 pm on 23 November 2026, offering another way to experience Hoi An through its waterfront setting.
Exploring traditional craftsmanship during the lantern festival
From 3 to 6 December 2026, the Hoi An International Lantern Festival 2026 takes place at Song Hoai Square, An Hoi Sculpture Garden, along the Hoai River and throughout the streets of Hoi An Ancient Town.
Under the theme “Hoi An – Colours of Heritage”, the festival offers opportunities to discover lantern making through exhibitions, hands-on workshops and artistic exchanges. Observing or trying the craft helps visitors appreciate the work behind an object that has become closely associated with Hoi An. These experiences also create connections between craftspeople and visitors, allowing the story of the lantern to unfold through its materials and the hands of its makers.
“Recreating Hoi An Ancient Town Night in the Early 20th Century”, beginning at 6:30 pm on 22 November and 22 December 2026, offers another option for exploring the town after dark. Visitors can plan an evening walk through the Ancient Town, enjoy cultural activities and experience Hoi An as daylight fades.
Engaging with heritage through participation and interaction
Educational activities encourage people to observe and learn from heritage. From 23 November to 5 December 2026, school-based heritage education activities and the photo and video contest “Hoi An Heritage Through the Museum’s Perspective” take place at museums and online. The “Heritage Classroom” programme follows from 1 to 4 December 2026 at the Folk Culture Museum and the Museum of Trade Ceramics.
On 7 December 2026, An Hoi Roundabout hosts an event honouring the art of Bai Choi in Central Vietnam, alongside the launch of a digital curriculum for teaching and passing on Hoi An’s Bai Choi traditions. Its rhythmic singing and interactive nature highlight how the vitality of heritage is closely connected to the people who practise, transmit and enjoy it together.
Photo: Võ Phước Thơ
Visitors staying in Hoi An can also choose from regular performances: traditional instrumental music from 7:00 to 9:00 pm every Tuesday and Saturday at 47 Phan Chau Trinh Street; “Folk Music and Dance” from 7:00 to 8:00 pm every Wednesday at Kazik Park; and “Hoi An Traditional Costumes – Memories of Time” from 7:00 to 8:00 pm every Thursday in the Japanese Covered Bridge area.
An afternoon at a museum, followed by a walk through the Ancient Town and an evening performance, offers a practical way to combine these experiences. The time between each stop also leaves room to observe everyday life, creating further connections with the people and culture of Hoi An.
DA NANG TOURISM PROMOTION CENTER
