Hoi An Textile Heritage: Silk Workshops, Ao Dai Tailoring and Etiquette in 2026

A 120,000 VND (about $5) multi-site ticket covers Hoi An's Old Quarter heritage sites, including the 18th-century Tan Ky House, where silk bolts, antique looms, and merchant ledgers still sit among the timber-framed rooms. That house, along with others like Phung Hung and Quan Thang, preserves the 16th–18th century period when Hoi An was the busiest port on Vietnam's central coast, linking Chinese junks, Japanese trading posts, and European East India companies in a three-way silk-for-silver exchange. The Old Quarter's narrow shophouses were built specifically to store and display bolts of silk, and some still have original trading counters.

Walk down Nguyen Thai Hoc Street today and the same trade continues in over 200 tailoring ateliers. Same-day fittings are standard: you choose fabric, get measured, and return in a few hours for a shirt (from $20) or a full ao dai (from $40–60). Allow 24–48 hours for a finished garment to avoid rush fees.

This continuity is what makes Hoi An's textile scene more than a tourist strip. The Hoi An Silk Village at 28 Nguyen Tat Thanh runs silkworm-to-loom workshops year-round (entrance 50,000–100,000 VND, workshops 150,000–250,000 VND), drawing on a trade that never really left.

Hoi An Silk Village (Làng Lụa Hội An) is at 28 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, roughly 2 km from the Old Town. Entry is 50,000–100,000 VND per person, and it's worth setting aside 1.5 to 2 hours to follow the full silkworm-to-loom sequence. The guided circuit moves through mulberry gardens, silkworm rearing trays, boiling and reeling stations, and finally pedal looms where workers weave raw silk into fabric.

The two main show times are usually 10:00 and 15:00, but schedules shift without much notice, so call or check the official site on the morning you plan to visit. The demonstrations run through each stage: live silkworms feeding on mulberry leaves, cocoons softened in hot water, filament reeling onto spools, and hand-weaving on wooden looms. You can watch as long as you like, though the 15:00 slot tends to be busier with tour groups.

If you want to try it yourself, hands-on workshops cost 150,000–250,000 VND per person and should be booked ahead through the village's website or your hotel concierge. The workshops typically cover reeling or simple weaving rather than the entire process. Afterward, the village is an easy grab or 10-minute taxi back to the Old Quarter, where Nguyen Thai Hoc Street's tailoring shops can take measurements for a custom ao dai or shirt in the same afternoon.

A custom shirt in Hoi An still starts around $20 in 2026, while a full ao dai typically runs $40–60 depending on the silk or cotton you choose. Budget 24–48 hours for the finished garment; some shops advertise same-day rush orders, but those are less reliable and often skip a proper fitting. If you're staying three nights or fewer, walk into a tailor on your first afternoon and schedule a fitting for the next morning.

Bring a photo or, better, a sample garment from home. The ateliers along Nguyen Thai Hoc and Tran Phu streets are accustomed to copying styles, and a physical reference removes guesswork about neckline, sleeve width, and hem. Before anything is cut, ask to see the bolt—fabric quality varies sharply even among shops a few doors apart. Pure silk, cotton, and poly-blends all sit on the same shelves, and touch plus a quick price check will tell you what you're actually paying for.

Expect to leave a deposit of 30–50% when you order. Keep the receipt with the agreed pickup date written on it; shops can get busy in high season, and showing that slip saves you from any memory lapses. If anything feels off at the final fitting, ask for a correction on the spot. Most tailors will adjust free of charge within a day, but only if you're still in town.

Hoi An's Old Town multi-site ticket costs 120,000 VND and gets you into heritage houses such as Tan Ky House on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, where staff at the door will ask you to cover bare knees and shoulders. This rule applies across the town's temples, assembly halls, and private homes; a light scarf or long skirt solves it without fuss.

Once inside, look for shoe racks or a sign near the threshold. Many old houses, including Tan Ky with its polished timber floors, require removal of shoes before stepping onto wooden surfaces. For ao dai fittings at tailor shops on Nguyen Thai Hoc or Le Loi, ask for a private changing area if one is not offered. This is a standard request, and staff are used to it.

Bargaining is expected but should stay polite. Start 10–20% below the quoted price for a custom ao dai—typically $40–60 for a full set—and settle quickly rather than dragging out negotiations. Photography is fine in most workshops, but turn off the flash around antique textiles; at places like Hoi An Silk Village on Nguyen Tat Thanh, ask before photographing staff.

The 2025 Old Town ticket cost 120,000 VND (about US$5), and local ticket counters expect the same multi-site pass price through 2026; it covers ancient houses like Tan Ky House but not the Hoi An Silk Village. At Làng Lụa Hội An on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, standalone entrance runs 50,000–100,000 VND, and hands-on silk workshops cost 150,000–250,000 VND per person. Reserve workshops ahead through hoiansilkvillage.com.vn or your hotel front desk—walk-ins are usually admitted, but you may miss the 10:00 or 15:00 mulberry-feeding and loom demonstrations.

For tailoring, budget around $20 for a custom cotton or linen shirt, $40–60 for a full ao dai in basic silk, and $100+ for suits or dresses with heavier or embroidered fabric. This is where lead time matters: most Hoi An ateliers on Nguyen Thai Hoc and Tran Phu request 24–48 hours for two fittings and final adjustments. If you have only one day, choose a shop that advertises same-day service—several near the central market can complete a shirt or simple ao dai in four to six hours with a single fitting. Bargain politely, but expect to pay a small premium for the fastest turnaround.

Da Nang International Airport (DAD) sits about 30 km north of Hoi An; a metered taxi or pre-booked shuttle covers the route in 45–60 minutes depending on traffic, with taxi fares typically 350,000–400,000 VND. Plan the trip for the dry season between February and April, when lower humidity and fewer downpours make walking between Nguyen Thai Hoc Street tailoring ateliers and Hoi An Silk Village on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street far easier. Vietnamese is the main language. Many tailors and workshop staff handle basic English for measurements and simple orders, but bring a translation app loaded with fabric terms—like “raw silk” (lụa sống) and “linen” (vải lanh)—to prevent mix-ups during fittings.

Before you commit to a workshop, cross-check Hoi An Silk Village show times—traditionally 10:00 and 15:00—and 2026 entry prices through independent sources such as Vietnam Coracle and Travelfish, which update operator status and practical details regularly. The 2025 Old Town multi-site ticket cost 120,000 VND (about $5), and 2026 pricing may shift slightly; confirm at the ticket office or your hotel front desk. If a new textile museum has opened since your last visit, it will likely appear on the Hoi An Center for Cultural Heritage Management website, so check that page a week before arriving.