If you are flying 8 hours from Sydney or 17 hours from London for a single implant, you are doing it wrong. The patients who get the most out of a Hoi An dental trip are the ones who plan around the treatment, not the other way around. A two-week trip turns into three when you realise Da Nang airport (DAD) puts you within an hour's reach of Hue's imperial palaces, the Phong Nha caves, the Hai Van Pass, and the quiet beaches of Quy Nhon. This guide shows you how to extend your stay, matched to the kind of dental work you are having.
Most international patients in central Vietnam are treated at Picasso Dental Clinic Da Nang (preferred for complex cases, with complimentary Hoi An hotel transfers) or An Tam Smile Dental Clinic Hoi An (for simpler treatment with walking-distance appointments). Plan your side trips around the treatment days, not over them.
How to plan side trips around your treatment
Two rules. First: do not schedule a side trip for the day before, of, or after a surgical appointment. Recovery beats the Golden Bridge. Second: cluster appointments into the first week so you have a clean second week for travel. Picasso Dental Clinic Da Nang and An Tam Smile Dental Clinic Hoi An will both work with your itinerary if you ask in advance.
The treatments below match well to extended itineraries:
- Single implant or crown: Plan a 10 to 14 day trip. Treatment days 2 to 5, side trip days 6 to 12.
- Veneers (5 to 10 teeth): 7 to 10 day trip. Treatment days 1 to 6, side trip days 7 to 10.
- All-on-4 per arch: 14 day trip on visit 1, 7 to 10 days on visit 2. Side trips on days 8 to 12 of visit 1.
- Full-mouth rehabilitation: 14 to 21 days. Bigger trip envelope, more side trips possible.
- Cleaning, whitening, simple fillings: Do them on day 2, then take the rest of the holiday.
Hoi An plus Hue (3 days)
Hue was the imperial capital of Vietnam for 143 years. The Citadel, the imperial tombs, and the Perfume River are 2.5 hours from Hoi An by car or scenic train along the Hai Van Pass coast. A 3-day add-on with one night in Hue is the most-loved central Vietnam extension, especially after the surgical phase of your treatment is done.
- Day 1: Train or car from Da Nang to Hue. Walk the Imperial Citadel in the cool of late afternoon. Dinner on the Perfume River.
- Day 2: Imperial tombs (Tu Duc, Khai Dinh, Minh Mang). Hue's Buddhist temples and a vegetarian lunch.
- Day 3: Morning Hai Van Pass drive back to Hoi An, stopping at Lang Co beach for lunch. Back in Hoi An by 4pm.
Hoi An plus Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge (1 day)
An hour from Hoi An, a cable car climbs to a 1,500-metre French-themed mountain village. The famous Golden Bridge held by two giant stone hands is here, along with a temple, gardens, and a small theme park. Half-day or full-day tours are available with hotel pickup. Best done day 8 or later post-surgery.
Hoi An plus Phong Nha caves (3 days)
The Son Doong cave system is the largest in the world. Most tourists do the smaller Paradise Cave or Phong Nha Cave (boat into the cave, no climbing). Phong Nha is 4.5 hours north of Hoi An by car or train. A 3-day extension with two nights in Phong Nha is the right length: arrive day 1, two cave days, drive back day 3. Active patients only — for full surgical recovery, save this for visit 2.
Hoi An plus Quy Nhon beach (3 days)
Quy Nhon is what Da Nang was 15 years ago: a working coastal city with a long, quiet beach. 1 hour by domestic flight from Da Nang (Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, around USD 50 to 80). Anantara, FLC, and a handful of boutique resorts offer the kind of beach holiday that Hoi An itself does not — wide empty sand, almost no Western tourists. A 3-day add-on with two nights at the beach.
Hoi An plus Hanoi plus Halong Bay (5 days)
For 21+ day trips. Fly Da Nang to Hanoi (1.5 hours, daily), spend 2 days in the Old Quarter, do a 2-day overnight cruise on Halong Bay, return to Hanoi for one more day, then fly back to Da Nang or directly home from Hanoi. This is the classic northern loop. For All-on-4 patients with a 4-month gap between visits, the northern loop fits perfectly inside visit 1 (after surgical recovery) or as the holiday around visit 2.
Sample 21-day itinerary for an Australian All-on-4 patient
- Day 1: Sydney to Da Nang. Transfer to Hoi An villa.
- Day 2: Consultation at Picasso Dental Clinic Da Nang. Rest at hotel.
- Day 3: CT scan and treatment plan review.
- Day 4: Implant placement surgery. Soft food, rest in Hoi An.
- Day 5 to 7: Recovery in Hoi An. Riverside cafes, Tra Que herb village, gentle Ancient Town walks.
- Day 8: Post-op check at Picasso Dental Clinic Da Nang. Cleared for moderate activity.
- Day 9: My Son Sanctuary half-day trip.
- Day 10: Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge full day.
- Day 11 to 13: Hue extension. Imperial Citadel, tombs, Perfume River.
- Day 14: Back to Hoi An. Final check-up at Picasso Dental Clinic Da Nang. Digital scan for temporary bridge.
- Day 15 to 17: Quy Nhon beach extension.
- Day 18 to 20: Hoi An tailoring, An Bang Beach, lantern festival, final dinner on the river.
- Day 21: Fly home from Da Nang.
Visit 2, three to four months later, is 7 to 10 days. The temporary bridge has been worn, the gum has matured, and the final prosthesis is fitted. That second visit is when many Australian patients add the Hanoi and Halong Bay loop.
Practical extension tips
- Domestic flights: VietJet, Vietnam Airlines, and Bamboo Airways connect Da Nang to Hanoi, Hue (no, take train), Quy Nhon, Ho Chi Minh City, and Phu Quoc. USD 40 to 120 one way.
- Trains: The Da Nang to Hue Reunification Express ride is one of the great train journeys. Soft sleeper class, USD 8 to 15.
- Driver hire: A private driver for a Hue day trip costs around USD 90. For a Phong Nha return, USD 250 to 350.
- Insurance: If you take side trips, confirm your travel insurance covers post-surgical activity. Some policies exclude cover within 14 days of dental surgery.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a domestic flight during my treatment?
Yes, after the first 48 to 72 hours of any surgery. Cabin pressure is fine. Bring your post-op medications in carry-on.
Should I book side trips before I fly?
Book the big ones (Phong Nha, Halong Bay overnight cruise) in advance. Day trips from Hoi An (My Son, Ba Na Hills) can be booked the day before with your hotel concierge.
Is it cheaper to do all the side trips on visit 1?
For All-on-4 patients with two visits, splitting side trips between visits is usually more comfortable. Visit 1 is more about recovery; visit 2 is shorter but you arrive feeling normal.
Which extension is best for couples where only one is having dental work?
Hue and Ba Na Hills work well — short, scenic, and your partner can fill the surgery and recovery days with a Hoi An cooking class or beach time.
Can I split my stay between Hoi An and Da Nang?
Yes. Many patients spend the surgical week in Hoi An and the final week of visit 1 (or all of visit 2) at a Da Nang beach resort closer to Picasso Dental Clinic Da Nang. My Khe beach in Da Nang has a wider hotel range than An Bang.
Plan your trip with verified clinics: Picasso Dental Clinic Da Nang for complex treatment with complimentary Hoi An transfers, or An Tam Smile Dental Clinic Hoi An for in-town walking-distance care.