TIEN SA PORT, DA NANG · PRIVATE CAR & DRIVER
Tien Sa Port to Hoi An Private Car — Round Trip with Driver
Your own car and driver from Tien Sa port to Hoi An and back. Just over an hour each way, so you have about four and a half hours to explore the old town at your own pace, with the drive back timed from your all-aboard.
Met at the Tien Sa port gate
About 4½ hours in Hoi An
Price per vehicle
Back 90 min before all-aboard
This Tien Sa Port to Hoi An private car is a round trip with a driver for cruise guests who want to explore Hoi An on their own. You are met at the Tien Sa port gate, dropped a short walk from the Japanese Covered Bridge after a drive of just over an hour, and have about four and a half hours in the old town before the car takes you back. The price is per vehicle, with the port gate fee, waiting time and water included; a guide is not. A US$39 deposit is refunded automatically if your ship cannot dock, and you are back at the gate 90 minutes before all-aboard.
| Meeting point | Tien Sa port gate — free port buggy from the ship |
|---|---|
| Pickup time | Set to your ship’s docking time (example day: 08:00) |
| Back at the port gate | 90 minutes before all-aboard |
| Time ashore with us | About 7 hours (example: 08:00–15:00), with about four and a half hours in Hoi An |
| Stops | Hoi An old town at your own pace · optional Marble Mountains and/or Lady Buddha stop on the way back |
| Walking | Old town on foot, at your own pace |
| Tickets and meals | Port gate fee included; Hoi An old-town ticket, Marble Mountains entrance and lunch not included |
| Your guide | Driver, not a licensed guide |
Last checked: October 2026
See all our shore excursions from Chan May and Da Nang ports
WHY THIS DAY WORKS ON A SHIP’S CLOCK
- Met at the port gate, with a free buggy ride from the ship. Tien Sa runs free buggies for passenger safety, so the 600 metres from the ship to the gate is a short ride, not a walk. Your driver waits at the gate, name board up. Need to be met at the gangway itself? Tell us when you book and we arrange a port permit, for a small supplement.
- The return is timed from your all-aboard, not the driver’s day. We set your departure from Hoi An by working back from your ship’s all-aboard time, then add a 90-minute buffer at the gate. The buffer is never traded.
- One price for the car, not per head. The price covers the vehicle, the driver, the waiting time in Hoi An and the port gate fee for everyone on board. No meter, no surprises at the end of the day.
- A deposit you get back. Some operators keep 20% deposits in full when plans change. Ours is a flat US$39, refunded automatically if your ship cannot dock. Don’t port, don’t pay.
- Zero card fees, and no unsolicited shopping stops. Some operators add 3.5–4.5% card surcharges; we add none, on the deposit or the balance. And your driver never takes you to a workshop or tailor unless you ask.
YOUR DAY, HOUR BY HOUR
Example day — ship docks 07:00, all-aboard 16:30. We reconfirm your ship’s times when you book and set pickup and your departure from Hoi An to your actual schedule.
Your Day from Tien Sa Port
Met at the port gate
The port's free buggies bring you from the ship to the gate, where your driver waits with a name board. Before you set off, your driver checks your all-aboard time and confirms the departure time from Hoi An with you.
Pickup follows your ship
Just over an hour to Hoi An
Cold water and towels are ready in the air-conditioned car. The drive takes a little over an hour, and you are dropped a short walk from the Japanese Covered Bridge, at the edge of the pedestrian old town.
About 37 km each way
About four and a half hours, your way
Walk the old town while the morning is still cool, visit the houses and assembly halls that interest you, stop for coffee, and choose your own lunch. The old-town ticket is sold at the booths as you walk in. Your driver's WhatsApp number is with you all the time.
Old-town ticket not included
Back to the car
Your driver waits at the set meeting point you were shown at drop-off, with a map and photo sent in advance. The departure time is fixed from your all-aboard, so the car leaves on time. Added a stop on the way back? The car leaves Hoi An 45 minutes earlier for each one.
Fixed departure time
Back at the gate, clock in hand
You are back at the port gate 90 minutes before all-aboard, with the buggy ride to the ship still ahead and no need to hurry.
90-min buffer standard
IF YOUR SHIP DOCKS LATE
Every Vietnam Legacy Tours cruise day is planned backwards from your all-aboard time. Your car and driver are reserved for you for the whole day, so if the gangway opens late, your pickup simply moves with it. The departure from Hoi An does not move: your time in the old town is shorter, never the buffer, and the price stays the same. If your ship cannot dock at Tien Sa, or docks too late for the round trip to fit before your departure time, your deposit is refunded automatically.
RAIN PLAN
October to December brings heavy rain to Hoi An, and the riverside streets can sometimes flood. Umbrellas live in the car. If the weather makes the old town hard going on the day, your driver talks it through with you at the gate and suggests the best way to use your time, whether that is the higher streets of the old town or another stop that suits the conditions. Whatever the weather, the drive back is timed from your all-aboard.
Included
- Private air-conditioned car with driver
- Round trip from the Tien Sa port gate to Hoi An and back
- Waiting time in Hoi An
- Optional stop at the Marble Mountains and/or the Lady Buddha on the way back
- Port gate fee for everyone on board
- Bottled water and cold towels
- Vietnam Legacy Tours hotline through the day
Not included
- Hoi An old-town ticket
- Marble Mountains entrance and lift, if you add that stop
- Guide
- Lunch and drinks
- Gratuities
- Personal spending
Paying the balance
Old-town ticket
Pickup follows your ship
Know your driver 48 hours before
Clothing
No shopping stops
| Vehicle | Guests | Price per vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Sedan | Up to 2 | US$77 |
| 7-seater | Up to 5 | US$115 |
| 16-seater | Up to 10 | US$182 |
The private car, your driver, the round trip, waiting time in Hoi An, water and the port gate fee for everyone on board are in the price — the old-town ticket and lunch are yours to choose and pay for.
Add a stop on the way back at no extra charge: the Marble Mountains, the Lady Buddha on the Son Tra Peninsula, or both. Choose when you book; the car leaves Hoi An 45 minutes earlier for each stop. Marble Mountains entrance and lift are paid on the spot.
Prices are per vehicle, not per person. More than ten? Message us for a quote.
A US$39 deposit holds your date. Choose the deposit or pay in full when you book, and we send you a secure payment link within 30 minutes (7am–10pm Vietnam time). Any balance is settled on the day in Vietnamese dong cash or by secure card link, with no card fees either way. Don’t port, don’t pay: if your ship cannot dock, the deposit is refunded automatically.
Prices are in US dollars; on the day you pay in local currency at the published bank rate — or simply tap a card link. No card fees.
Sailing in with your roll call? Message us on WhatsApp +84 93 246 5127
Guided, or on your own?
Would you rather have someone to tell you the stories behind the old town? Our Hoi An day trip from Da Nang port adds a licensed guide, a lantern-making session with a local family, and every ticket in the price. From US$79 per person.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly do we meet at Tien Sa port?
At the port gate, about 600 metres from where your ship berths. The port runs free buggies from the ship to the gate for passenger safety, so there is no long walk. Your driver waits at the gate with a name board, and you receive the driver’s name and WhatsApp number 48 hours before you sail in. If you need to be met at the gangway, for example because of limited mobility, tell us when you book: we apply for a port permit to meet you inside and confirm the small supplement in advance.
Is a guide included?
No. This is a private car with a driver, for guests who prefer to explore Hoi An on their own. Your driver speaks basic English and looks after the journey and the meeting point, but does not guide inside the old town. If you would like a licensed guide and a lantern-making session with a local family, see our Hoi An day trip from Da Nang port.
How much time will we have in Hoi An?
About four and a half hours on a typical day. The drive is just over an hour each way, and your departure from Hoi An is set 2 hours 45 minutes before all-aboard. If your ship docks later than planned, your time in Hoi An is shorter, but the departure time stays.
Where does the driver wait, and how do we find them again?
Cars cannot enter the pedestrian old town, so your driver drops you a short walk from the Japanese Covered Bridge and waits at a set meeting point nearby. You receive a map and photo of that point before you sail in, and your driver shows it to you at drop-off. You can message or call your driver on WhatsApp, and the Vietnam Legacy Tours hotline is open all day.
Will we be back at the ship on time?
Yes. On the example day you are back at the port gate at 15:00, 90 minutes before a 16:30 all-aboard, with or without a stop on the way. We reconfirm your ship’s times as soon as you book and plan the day backwards from your all-aboard time. If we ever cause you to miss your ship, you get a 100% refund.
Is our ship at Tien Sa or Chan May?
Both ports are listed as Da Nang by many cruise lines. Tien Sa is in Da Nang city, just over an hour from Hoi An; Chan May is further north, about two hours away. Check the port name on your cruise itinerary. If your ship calls at Chan May, see our private car from Chan May port to Hoi An.
How do we pay?
Choose a flat US$39 deposit or pay in full when you book, and we send you a secure payment link within 30 minutes (7am–10pm Vietnam time), with no card fees. Any balance is settled on the day in Vietnamese dong cash or by secure card link — no card fees either way; we absorb them. Prices are quoted in US dollars and converted at the published bank rate of the day.
What if our ship skips the port, docks late, or the weather turns?
Ship can’t dock, or docks too late for the round trip to fit before your departure time: deposit back automatically. Docking late: your car and driver are reserved for the whole day, so your pickup follows the ship and your time in Hoi An is shorter, at the same price. Heavy rain: your driver suggests the best way to use your time, and the drive back is still timed from your all-aboard. Cancelling for your own reasons? Up to 24 hours before the day the deposit comes back too; inside 24 hours it is retained.
Can we stop at the Marble Mountains or the Lady Buddha?
Yes, at no extra charge. Both are on the way back to the port, so you can add the Marble Mountains, the Lady Buddha on the Son Tra Peninsula, or both when you book. Each stop takes about 45 minutes, and the car leaves Hoi An 45 minutes earlier for each one, so your buffer at the port stays the same. You explore on your own: the Marble Mountains entrance and lift are paid on the spot, and the Lady Buddha is free to visit. Wear shoes with grip for the Marble Mountains steps.
“Tien Sa is only an hour from Hoi An, so this is the one cruise day when a good car and a careful driver are all you need. Our drivers speak basic English, enough to settle the plan with you at the gate and find you again in the old town. I set the drive back from your all-aboard time, not from the driver’s day, so the hours in between are truly yours.”
- Reply within 1 hour
- Free cancellation
- Licensed operator No. 46-0086/2026
