Chan May cruise port guide: Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang

Quick answer: Ships dock at Chan May's cruise wharf, but there is nothing to see at the port: Hue is about 60 km north and Hoi An 70–85 km south, each roughly 1–1.5 hours by car. Walk about 600 m to the port gate to meet a pre-booked driver, or take a ship tour. Leave Hue or Hoi An 3 hours 15 minutes before all-aboard.

Chan May is an industrial and wood-chip port on the coast between Hue and Da Nang, used by cruise ships because it has a long deep-water wharf. It has no town, no restaurants and no ATMs, so every passenger who leaves the ship is going on a long road trip. The choice is Hue for the imperial citadel and royal tombs, Hoi An for its old trading town, or Da Nang for Marble Mountains and the city. You cannot do two of them properly in one call. The day is shaped by the drive, so book transport before you arrive and build in a wide margin for the return.

When to leave Chan May

Times include the way back

All aboard (ship time) Ship’s clock Extra margin

Hoi An Ancient TownPrivate car or ship's coach, about 1.5 hours, plus 10-min walk from the port gate 14:15
Hue Imperial CityPrivate car or ship's coach, 1–1.5 hours, plus 10-min walk from the port gate 14:15
Da Nang cityPrivate car, 45–60 minutes, plus 10-min walk from the port gate 14:45
Marble Mountains (Da Nang)Private car, about 1 hour, plus 10-min walk from the port gate 14:45
Port gateWalk about 600 m, 10 minutes 16:15

Times are port time, the time your phone shows ashore.

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Where the ship docks

Chan May cruise wharf · 64 km to the centre
One 480 m wharf shared with cargo; containers are stored on it when no cruise ship is in. Distance given is to Hue. There are no restaurants, ATMs or exchange counters in the port. Temporary souvenir stalls and a visitor information and support centre (opened October 2024) operate on ship days. The port gate, where independent drivers and taxis wait, is about 500–600 m from the ship.

Can you walk? No. Nothing is walkable from the ship except the port gate, about 500–600 m and 10 minutes on a flat road shared with port vehicles. Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An all need a car, coach or ship tour.

Getting to town

Ship's excursion or ship's coach to Hoi An

Varies by line; one 2026–28 listing shows a Hoi An free-time coach from US$70About 8–8.5 hours in total

The simplest option. The coach waits for you and the ship waits for the coach. Entry tickets and lunch are usually extra on free-time coaches.

Pre-booked private car with driver

Example: about US$123 per person for 2 people, US$83 per person for 4, for a full Hue day tour (2026)1–1.5 hours each way to Hue or Hoi An; 45–60 minutes to Da Nang

Local operators meet you outside the port gate, a 10-minute walk from the ship. Pick-up inside the port can be arranged but carries an extra port access fee. Pick an operator that guarantees to have you back at least 60 minutes before sailing and that shortens the itinerary if the ship is late.

Taxi from the port gate

Agree the fare before you get inAs for private car

Taxis wait outside the gate on ship days. Fix the destination, waiting time and return trip with the driver before leaving, and keep the driver's number.

Agency shuttle to Lang Co Bay

Ask at the pierAbout 15 km

Travel agents at the pier run shuttles to Lang Co, the nearest beach area. There is no shuttle to the Hai Van Pass; use a car.

When to head back

Leave Hue or Hoi An 3 hours 15 minutes before all-aboard and Da Nang 2 hours 45 minutes before. Be on board 90 minutes before all-aboard.

The return is a 60–85 km road journey on a route with trucks and changeable weather, and the walk from the gate to the ship adds 10 minutes. There is no public transport back to the port, so a missed or late driver has no cheap alternative.

If you are running late: Call your driver first, then the port agent number in your daily programme. Ask a hotel or restaurant to book a car for you; Vietnamese-speaking help matters here. If you are on a ship tour, the ship waits for its own coaches.

Where people go wrong: Trying to fit Hue and Hoi An into one day, or relying on an unarranged taxi, and getting back late from a 60–85 km drive.

Chan May is one day. Time the whole cruise.

Ships do not wait.

In March 2024, eight Norwegian Dawn passengers on a private tour came back to the pier in São Tomé more than an hour after all-aboard. Getting back on board took six days, seven countries and over $5,000. The details
The ship charges for the easy part.

Carnival sells a coach to Rome for US$129.99 a person. The train is from €9.20 return. PortTrip tells you which train, and the last one that gets you back. The details
On the day, it watches the clock.

Google Maps travel time from where you stand back to the pier, with alerts at 30, 15 and 0 minutes. The details

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A day in Chan May

Assumes the ship docks at 07:00 and all-aboard is 17:30, with a pre-booked private car to Hoi An.

07:45Leave the ship with local cash (dong). Walk about 10 minutes to the port gate to meet your driver.
08:00Drive south towards Da Nang and Hoi An, about 1.5 hours.
09:30Optional 1-hour stop at Marble Mountains (₫40,000, lift ₫15,000 each way, 2026) if you agreed it with the driver.
10:45Arrive in Hoi An. Buy the ₫120,000 ticket and walk the Ancient Town: Japanese Covered Bridge, assembly halls and old houses.
12:30Lunch in the Ancient Town: cao lầu or a bánh mì.
13:30Use remaining ticket entries or watch the traditional art performance if it fits your timing.
14:15Meet your driver and leave Hoi An, 3 hours 15 minutes before all-aboard.
16:00Back at the port gate (about 15:45 if traffic is light). Walk 10 minutes to the ship and be on board by 16:00, 90 minutes before all-aboard.

Re-time this day to your ship

Tours in Chan May

10 top-rated on Viator, from €19

Each tour is checked against your time ashore (6 h 30 min on a 17:30 all-aboard). If a tour you booked yourself runs late, the ship does not wait.

Prices are Viator’s “from” prices in euros, checked 27 October 2026. You book and pay on Viator. If you book through these links we may earn a commission; it never changes the price or what we recommend.

What to see

Hue Imperial City (citadel)

The walled palace complex of the Nguyen emperors and the centre of the Hue World Heritage site.

2–3 hours₫200,000 adult, ₫40,000 child 7–12 (2026)

The four-site combo with three royal tombs is ₫530,000 (2026) and saves money if you also visit tombs. Cover shoulders and knees.

Royal tombs of Hue (Tu Duc, Khai Dinh, Minh Mang)

Three very different imperial tombs in the hills south of the city.

45–60 minutes each plus driving₫150,000 each adult (2026)

With a 60 km drive each way, most cruise passengers can fit the citadel and one or two tombs, not all three.

Thien Mu Pagoda

Hue's best-known pagoda, on a bluff above the Perfume River.

30–45 minutesFree

About 4 km from the Imperial City. It is an active place of worship: modest clothes, hats off in shrine areas.

Hoi An Ancient Town

A preserved trading port of merchant houses, assembly halls and lantern-lit lanes; a UNESCO World Heritage site.

3 hours₫80,000 or ₫120,000 ticket (2026), valid up to 3 days

Buy the ticket before entering and keep the stub; it is checked on re-entry. The ₫120,000 ticket adds a museum and more sites.

Japanese Covered Bridge (Hoi An)

Hoi An's emblem, a small roofed bridge.

15 minutesOne of the entries on the Hoi An ticket (2026)

Your ticket covers either the bridge or the Quan Cong Temple as its required landmark.

Marble Mountains (Da Nang)

Limestone hills with caves, pagodas and viewpoints, on the road between Da Nang and Hoi An.

1.5–3 hours₫40,000; lift ₫15,000 each way; Am Phu cave ₫20,000 (2026)

Open 07:00–17:30. The lift only reaches mid-level; the rest is steps.

Lang Co Bay

The nearest beach and lagoon to the port, about 15 km away.

2–3 hoursAgency shuttle; ask at the pier

The only realistic option if you want a short, low-risk day close to the ship.

Beaches

Lang Co

Travel-agent shuttle from the pier, or taxi · About 15 km from the port · Ask at the pier

Closest beach to the ship and the lowest-risk choice for a short call.

What to eat

Cao lầu (Hoi An noodles with pork and greens) · Hoi An Ancient Town
Bánh mì · Hoi An Ancient Town
Bún bò Huế (spicy beef noodle soup) · Hue city centre
Cơm hến (rice with baby clams) · Hue city centre
Mì Quảng (turmeric noodles) · Da Nang city

On your own or a ship excursion?

This is one of the ports where the ship's excursion is genuinely sensible. Every destination is an hour or more away, there is no public transport, and the ship will wait for its own coaches but not for a late private car. A pre-booked private car is better value for families or groups of four and gives a smaller-group day, but only use an operator with a clear return guarantee. Taking a taxi from the gate without a fixed price and return arrangement is the riskiest choice.

What	Ship	On your own	Saving
Hoi An free time	From US$70 on one line's 'Hoi An At Your Leisure' coach; check your cruise planner	Private car from the gate, priced per group; plus ₫80,000 or ₫120,000 Hoi An ticket (2026)	Only worthwhile for groups of three or more sharing a car
Hue citadel and tombs	Varies by line; check your cruise planner	About US$83–123 per person for a guided private car (2–4 people) plus ₫530,000 four-site combo ticket (2026)	Depends on group size

Common mistakes

Expecting a town, cafés or an ATM at the port.
Chan May has no restaurants, ATMs or exchange counters. Bring Vietnamese dong for tickets and food, plus a Visa or Mastercard.
Trying to see Hue and Hoi An on the same day.
They are on opposite sides of the port, each 1–1.5 hours away. Pick one.
Arriving without a visa or e-visa when your nationality needs one.
Check before the cruise. Vietnam's e-visa is valid for Chan May and Da Nang seaports; some nationalities are visa-exempt for 45 days. Follow your cruise line's instructions, as many handle visas for passengers.
Taking a taxi at the gate without agreeing the price and return.
Fix the destination, waiting time, total fare and pick-up time first, or pre-book a driver with a return guarantee.
Wearing shorts and vest tops to the citadel and pagodas.
Cover shoulders and knees for Hue's temples and pagodas.

Safety, access and bad weather

Safety: The main risk at Chan May is the long road trip, not crime. Roads carry trucks and motorbikes, and journeys can slow in heavy rain; central Vietnam's rainy season is roughly September to December. Use a reputable driver with seat belts, and keep to a return time with a wide margin. In Hoi An and Hue watch for motorbikes on narrow streets, and keep bags zipped in crowds. Carry water and sun protection: the citadel is large and mostly unshaded. Emergency number: 113 (police), 115 (ambulance), 114 (fire).
Scams to know: Charges for tour pick-ups at the ship: cruise passengers have reported a US$25 per person fee when private operators collected them inside the port. Meet private drivers outside the gate instead.
Gate fees on return: passengers returning by car have reported being asked for US$5 to enter the port gates. Walking from the gate avoids it.
Taxi fares not agreed in advance: tell the driver the exact destination and agree the total, including waiting and return, before you set off.
Accessibility: The ship docks alongside, so no tender transfer is needed. The walk to the port gate is about 600 m on a flat, paved road; ask the ship about any vehicle to the gate. Ship coaches are usually not wheelchair-accessible. Hue's Imperial City is very large with uneven paving and some steps; Hoi An's Ancient Town is flat but busy with people and bikes. Marble Mountains has a lift to mid-level only, then steps. A private car is the most flexible option for limited mobility.
If it rains: Rain is common from September to December. Hoi An's covered assembly halls, old houses and museums (on the ₫120,000 ticket) work well in rain. In Hue, much of the Imperial City is open courtyard, so concentrate on the covered pavilions and skip outlying tombs. Allow extra driving time on wet roads and check before leaving whether low-lying streets are flooded.
Crowds: On a cruise day everyone heads out at the same time and returns together. In Hoi An the Ancient Town gets busier into the late afternoon and evening; the morning is calmer. In Hue, start at the citadel and visit tombs afterwards, or reverse the order with your driver if tour coaches are already queuing.

Chan May cruise port FAQ

Is Chan May walkable to Hue or Hoi An?

No. Hue is about 60 km away and Hoi An 70–85 km. You only walk to the port gate, about 10 minutes.

How do I get from Chan May cruise port to Hoi An?

By ship's coach or a pre-booked private car, about 1.5 hours each way. There is no public transport from the port.

How far is Chan May from Hue?

About 60–64 km, roughly 1–1.5 hours by car.

Is Chan May a tender port?

No. Ships dock alongside a 480 m wharf.

Do I need a visa for Vietnam on a cruise?

Many nationalities do. Vietnam's 90-day e-visa is accepted at Chan May and Da Nang seaports, and citizens of 12 countries including the UK, Germany and France are visa-exempt for up to 45 days until March 2028. Check with your cruise line.

What can I do in Chan May in one day from a cruise ship?

Choose one: Hue's Imperial City and a tomb, Hoi An's Ancient Town, or Da Nang with Marble Mountains. For a short call, Lang Co Bay is 15 km away.

Are there ATMs at Chan May port?

No. There are no ATMs or exchange counters, so bring dong.

Is Chan May safe?

Yes. The main risks are road travel and a late return, not crime.

Not yet confirmed

Exact road distance and time to Hoi An: sources give 70–85 km and about 1.5 hours, but one cruise line page says 45 minutes.
Whether ships provide a free or paid shuttle from Chan May to Da Nang or Hoi An on a given call.
Typical taxi fares from the port gate to Hue, Da Nang or Hoi An.
Whether Grab ride-hailing cars will collect at the Chan May port gate.
Typical all-aboard time at Chan May (the day plan uses a 17:30 default).
Imperial City opening hours in 2026.

Sources

Checked November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@porttrip.com.

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When to leave Chan May

Times include the way back

All aboard (ship time) Ship’s clock Extra margin

Hoi An Ancient TownPrivate car or ship's coach, about 1.5 hours, plus 10-min walk from the port gate 14:15
Hue Imperial CityPrivate car or ship's coach, 1–1.5 hours, plus 10-min walk from the port gate 14:15
Da Nang cityPrivate car, 45–60 minutes, plus 10-min walk from the port gate 14:45
Marble Mountains (Da Nang)Private car, about 1 hour, plus 10-min walk from the port gate 14:45
Port gateWalk about 600 m, 10 minutes 16:15

Times are port time, the time your phone shows ashore.

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