How to travel from Hoi An to My Lai
Hoi An is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, and for good reason. Located along the coast of Central Vietnam, this bustling town attracts tens of thousands of holiday makers each year. It boasts some of the best beaches in South East Asia, as well as some of the most well preserved structures that can be seen to give a glimpse into the history of this beautiful region – particularly in the Hoi An ‘Ancient Town’.
My Lai, a village in the rural countryside not-so-known to tourists and far less dense in population is most famous for the massacre that took place in 1968, when a US army division killed up to 500 unarmed civilians. It was later named as the ‘most shocking episode’ of the Vietnam War and one of the largest single massacres of civilians committed by the US army in the 20th century. This has become one of the more popular full-day tours to do when staying in Hoi An. This is the main reason visitors travel from Hoi An to My Lai.
The journey from Hoi an to My Lai is roughly 140 kilometers south of Hoi An in the Quang Ngai province, around 2.5 hours by car and is accessed via the no.1 national highway. The normal duration spent in My Lai is 2-3 hours. Visiting My Lai is a great opportunity for educating yourself on some of wars atrocious history and also a fantastic opportunity to leave the touristic Hoi An for a day.
In terms of transport, the trip from Hoi An to My Lai can be done via taxi, motorbike and the most popular being private car service as you can stop along the way at your leisure, while also trusting an experienced English speaking driver.
