Understand
[edit]
Hoi An, once known as Faifo, with more than 2,000 years of history, was the principal port of the Cham Kingdom, which controlled the strategic spice trade with Indonesia from the 7th-10th centuries and was a major international port in the 16th and 17th centuries. The foreign influences are discernible to this day.
The culture and heritage is mostly from the Cham people whose kingdom originally stretched from Hue south to Phan Thiet (south of Nha Trang). The Champas were most likely originally from Java. The original Cham political capital was Tra Kieu, the commercial capital was Hoi An and the spiritual capital was My Son (Hindu). The Cham people were Hindu, and by the 10th century the influence of Arab traders to Hoi An resulted in the conversion of some to Islam.
The second major influence was Chinese, first by traders, then by escaping Ming Dynasty armies, who after settling in Hoi An for some years, moved further south and created Saigon as a major trading port.
The third and last major influence of culture and heritage was from the Vietnamese and is fairly recent and only came after the Cham lost control of this area. For a tourist wanting Vietnamese culture and heritage, Hue is a much better destination than Hoi An.
While the serious shipping business has long since moved to Da Nang, the heart of the city is still the Old Town, full of winding lanes and Chinese-styled shophouses, which is particularly atmospheric in the evening as the sun goes down. While almost all shops now cater to the tourist trade, the area has been largely preserved as is, which is unusual in Vietnam, and renovation has proceeded slowly and carefully. It's mercifully absent of towering concrete blocks and karaoke parlours.
Alas, since 1999, when UNESCO status was awarded, there has been a massive increase in mass tourism, with the result that most houses have been sold to speculators and shop owners to be used for commercial purposes. So while the shell of the town remains (and a pretty shell it is), the community that created it is long gone and in their place are shops, restaurants, art galleries, etc. Domestic Vietnamese tourists have also discovered Hoi An, with the result that particularly on holidays and weekend evenings the Old Town gets packed with standing-room-only crowds.
Orientation
[edit]The main thoroughfare in the Old Town is Tran Phu. Just south of the Old Town, across the Thu Bon River, are the islands of An Hoi to the west, reached via Hai Ba Trung, and Cam Nam to the east, reached via Hoang Dieu.
Get in
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By plane
[edit]The nearest airport is Da Nang (DAD IATA), which has domestic connections from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Can Tho, and Da Lat and some international flights from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Singapore, Siem Reap (for Angkor Wat), Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong and charter flights from China.
A taxi between Da Nang airport and Hoi An costs about 300–500,000 dong (Nov 2023). This is one occasion where haggling to set a fixed price is cheaper than going by the meter. Shuttle buses cost 130,000 dong per person. The journey takes about 45 min.
By train
[edit]The nearest railway station is 1 Trà Kiệu, 15 km from Hoi An by road. Train tickets can be booked online.
A Grab there should be around 80-100,000 dong (Nov 2023).
By bus
[edit]From Da Nang
[edit]The public bus from the center of Da Nang to Hoi An has been discontinued since COVID.
As of Nov 2023, you can take Bus 16 from downtown Da Nang to its most southern stop (6,000 dong), Việt Hàn "bus station". From there, just outside of the bus station, is the 2 bus stop to Hoi An where a (village) bus goes at 05:30, 06:30, 08:30, 14:45, and 17:00 for 20,000 dong to the 3 northwestern outskirts of Hoi An.
If you can wrap your head around the schedule of the latter bus found at Việt Hàn bus station (see picture), you might get a clearer picture of bus times and route. For the return route for example, i.e. back to Da Nang, it is unclear whether the bus is running and if takes the same route. (If you have updated information, please leave it here.)
There is a direct shuttle bus between Da Nang airport and Hoi An (130,000 dong, 1 hour, Nov 2023) — ask your accommodation for more information.
From Hue
[edit]Most hotels in Hue can organize minivans directly to your hotel in Hoi An. Standard minivan 13 passengers for 280.000 dong, very confortable limousine minivan with only 9 passengers for 380.000 dong. Leaving daily at 8AM, 1:30 and 4:30PM, travel time 3 hours. (Feb. 2024)
Other destinations
[edit]There is no shortage of travel agencies and private buses travelling to Hoi An from destinations such as Hue, Hanoi, Saigon, Dalat and Nha Trang. Guesthouses can arrange tickets for a surcharge, although they may not release the ticket to you until after you check out.
If you arrive by bus not on an open ticket, you may not be dropped off at the Hoi An bus station, but at a guesthouse about a 10-min walk from the station. The motorbike taxis or tuk-tuk waiting for your bus there will take you to your lodging for 20–30,000 dong (Nov 2023).
Open-tour buses run daily up and down the coast from Da Nang: Hue (3½–4 hr, 90,000-100,000 dong), Nha Trang (9–10 hr).
Buses from Buon Ma Thuot or other cities in central Highlands going to Da Nang will drop you off just outside of Hoi An, at a stop along the highway if asked. From there it is a 15-minute motorbike ride to anywhere in town.
By taxi
[edit]Fixed price for taxi from Da Nang is 500,000 dong (2022), passing one of the stone handicraft shops on the way.
The usual price for a private car/unofficial taxi directly from Da Nang is around 300,000 dong (2022).
A Grab is about 120,000 dong (Nov 2023).
Get around
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On foot
[edit]The centre of Hoi An is very small and pedestrian-friendly, so you will be walking around most of the time. Motorbikes are banned from the centre of town during certain times of day (08:00 to 11:00, 13:30 to 16:30), but you should keep an eye out for motorized kamikazes, even in the most narrow alleys.
The city government does not allow motorbikes to enter Old Town on the 14th and 15th of each lunar month. On those evenings, a lot of activities, including traditional games such as bai choi, trong quan, and dap nieu are held in all over the town.
By bicycle
[edit]Pedal bicycles can be rented quickly and easily for as low as 20,000 dong per day, and is one of the best ways to get around town.
If you are not staying directly in Old Town, this is an outstanding option for traveling back and forth and to the beach. You will see many tourists riding the bicycle through Hoi An.
Some guesthouses and ho(s)tels will even have bicycles for free for their guests, often not the best though — check their reviews to find out about potentially free bicycles.
By boat
[edit]Near the river, especially in the evening, Western faces will be besieged by touts offering boat rides. Unless you opt for a longer charter, this is not a practical means of transportation, and while pretty enough, the view from the river doesn't really look any different from what you can see from the banks. From 200,000 dong for 15 minutes on a 4-person boat, including lighting your own little lantern so you can make a wish. Expect to haggle, and on busy nights the river gets jammed, so insist on life vests.
By motorbike
[edit]- See also: Vietnam by motorcycle
Traffic in Hoi An is minimal, so if you've been avoiding getting on a bike in the big cities, Hoi An and the surrounding countryside like is ideal to get used to the road rules.
There are plenty of places in Hoi An offering motorbike rentals. Take a short ride down to the beach and enjoy the water, explore the island community of Cam Thanh, or travel toward Da Nang to visit the stunning Marble Mountains.
The most common rental motorbike or scooter is a Honda Nouvo which is fully automatic, comfortable for two people and has storage space under the seat for helmets or other similarly-sized gear. It's standard practice for a rental bike to have only enough fuel to make it to the next filling station. Make sure you get a helmet for everyone on the bike.
You can get a bike for 125,000 dong without haggling (2018). Petrol costs around 22,000 dong/litre and 2-3L is enough for a good day of sightseeing, going to the beach and zipping around town. In addition to filling stations, there are also little hand-operated roadside pumps everywhere; these can be convenient, but they're more expensive (30,000 dong/litre) and the quality of the fuel is questionable.
The usual disclaimers apply to motorbikes in Vietnam: foreign driving licences are not valid. In the event of an accident, foreigners driving a motorcycle without a valid licence are considered to be at fault and therefore liable for damages and may face a citation. Check your travel insurance exclusions, as generally you will not be covered for accidents when riding a motorcycle here. That means no reimbursement for hospital treatment or, worst case, the repatriation of your body. Drink-related motorbike collisions are a major issue in Vietnam. Traffic accident statistics for the region are frightful. As well, emergency services are not up to international standards.
By shuttle bus
[edit]Go E-buses are the taxis for the center. Their prices are pinned against the front window and they can be reserved via ☏ +84 905 633 616 or just stop one. They are a convenient way to get around if walking is not an option.
By taxi
[edit]Taxis are abundant.
Motorbike taxis or Grab, of course, are always also an option especially if you are on your own.
See
[edit]._Hoi_An_Ancient_Town_pagodas.jpg)
Old Town
[edit]The Old Town, with its historical architecture and very walkable streets filled with shops and restaurants, is at its best at night, when the activity along the river front is lit by the soft light of silk lanterns.
Entry to Old Town is free, however entry to all historical sites is handled via a coupon system, where 120,000 dong (2016) gets a ticket that can be used to enter any five attractions. Tickets are sold at various entry points into the Old Town, including Hai Ba Trung St, and also at some of the attractions, including the Cantonese Assembly Hall.
Landmarks
[edit]- 1 Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau or Lai Vien Kieu) (At the west end of Tran Phu St). The bridge was constructed in the early 1600s by the Japanese community, roughly 40 years before they left the city to return to Japan under the strict policy of sakoku enforced by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and renovated in 1986. Today, it's the symbol of Hoi An. Entry is one coupon, but it's possible to cross back and forth several times without meeting a ticket-checker. If your scruples bother you, leave a tribute for the pig statue or the dog statue standing guard at opposite ends of the bridge. As of May 2024, the bridge is under major restoration for the next 18 months. There is viewing platform that can take visitors above the bridge but unfortunately little can be seen. There are couple of information boards but little else to see due to the scaffolding.
- 2 Quan Cong Temple, 24 Tran Phu St (near corner of Tran Phu and Tran Quy Cap). Founded in the 15th century, this temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, a Chinese general who is remembered and worshipped for his qualities of loyalty, integrity and justice. Statues of him and several others are inside the temple.
- Thanh Ha pottery village. Formed in the sixteenth century, Thanh Ha Pottery Village is one of the oldest pottery villages in Vietnam. This village is located right on the banks of Thu Bon River, about 3 km from Hoi An ancient town. Over five centuries, Thanh Ha pottery village still preserves its traditional pottery-making process, which manually shapes pottery by hand and foot pedal without using molds. This method creates a unique feature in this village’s ceramic products. Nowadays, Thanh Ha ceramic products are mainly used for decoration and display purposes.
Museums
[edit]- 3 Museum of Hoi An History and Culture, 7 Nguyen Hue St. The museum contains some old black and white photos of Hoi An taken in the early 20th century. It also houses an old cannon, some two-thousand year old pots from the Sa Huynh period, and a case full of 9th-century bricks and tiles from the Champa period.
- 4 Museum of Folk Culture, 33 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. Some may be put off by the bizarre-looking plaster sculptures of Vietnamese peasants, but this museum documents the dress and culture of rural Vietnam.
- 5 Museum of Sa Huynh Culture, 149 Bach Dang St. The museum's main collection consists of pottery and urns from the 1st and 2nd centuries. Upstairs is another museum, the Museum of the Revolution. Its main collection consists of pictures from war heroes and a collection of weapons such as grenade launchers, machine guns and AK 47s.
- 6 Museum of Trade Ceramics, 80 Tran Phu St. The dusty, unlabeled displays of broken pottery are eminently forgettable, but the house itself is nice enough, and it provides a good opportunity to explore the shape and layout of an old Hoi An home.
Traditional old houses
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There are four old houses that exist in an awkward halfway state between museum showpiece and somewhat shabby residence for the family that lives there.
- 7 Old house of Phung Hung, 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St (Just west of the Japanese Bridge). Traditional two-story wooden house, inhabited over 100 years by eight generations; and the current one guides you around in hope of a tip.
- 8 Old house of Quan Thang, 77 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.
- 9 Old house of Duc An, Nguyen Thai Hoc St.
- 10 Old house of Tan Ky, 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. As above, a younger member of the family will provide a cup of tea and a "tour" that doesn't stray from the front room of the house, as you'd need to step over sleeping members of the older generation to go anywhere else. The design of the house shows how local architecture incorporated Japanese and Chinese influences. Japanese elements include the crab shell-shaped ceiling supported by three beams in the living room. Chinese poems written in mother-of-pearl are hanging from a number of the columns that hold up the roof.
Congregation halls
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Numerous congregation halls, where Chinese expatriate residents socialized and held meetings, are dotted about the town. They are typically named after the home region of their members, such as Fujian and Canton. Some attractions do not have ticket-takers.
- 11 Cam Pho Communal House (Dinh Cam Pho), 52 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Phường Minh An.
- 12 Chinese Assembly Hall, 64 Tran Phu St. Pan-Chinese assembly hall jointly built by the Cantonese, Teochew, Hokkien (Fujian), Hainanese and Hakka communities.
- 13 Quang Trieu Assembly Hall, 176 Tran Phu St. Built in 1885 for the Cantonese community, it has a calm courtyard with ornate statuary. Take a peek at the half-hidden back yard and its kitschy pastel dragon statues.
- 14 Phuc Kien Meeting Hall, 46 Tran Phu St. Hokien (Fujian) meeting hall built in 1757.
- 15 Trieu Chau Meeting Hall, 157 Nguyen Duy Hieu. Teochew community meeting hall built in 1887. It's near the Fujian hall, also occupying the block.
- 16 Hai Nam Assembly Hall, 10 Tran Phu St. Hainanese community meeting hall built in 1875.
- 17 Minh Huong Communal House, 14 Tran Phu St. Built by the Minh Huong, Chinese Ming Dynasty loyalists who were given refuge in Vietnam after refusing to submit to the new Manchu Qing rulers of China. Their descendants are today assimilated into the ethnic Vietnamese and no longer identify as ethnic Chinese.
Performances
[edit]- 18 Hoi An Art Craft Manufacturing Workshop, 9 Bach Dang St. Folk music performances are offered Tu-Su at 10:15 and 15:15.
- 19 Hoi An Traditional Art Performance House, 75 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.
- 20 Bamboo Circus (Lune Center for the Performing Arts), 01A Nguyen Phuc Chu St. Daily at 18:00. A small-scale Cirque du Soleil-style show of acrobatics and dance with traditional and modern Vietnamese themes in a 300-seat theatre. Excellent visuals and choreography, enthusiastic young performers. Buy tickets online, at the theatre, or at many hotels. It's a small theatre, so the cheap seats still have a good view. Adult 700,000-1.6 million dong, child 5-12 30% less.
- 21 Hoi An memories show (Hoi An memories land, Hoi An Impression Theme Park). Daily at 16:00, main show 20:00 - 21:00. A big musical-esque show on the history of Hoi An, from early settlers until the golden era as an important trading port. Huge stage, very good lighting effects and several hundred actors active at the same time. Situated on an island in the river. The whole island area surrounding the stage is a renaissance theme park with the same topic of the history of Hoi An. Leading up to the main show, there are mini-shows with reenactments and dance performances in different places around the theme park. Tickets can be bought when entering the island via the two bridges, or online (sometimes cheaper at Getyourguide or Klook due to promotions). Eco seats have a perfectly good view, no need for the higher classes. If possible, arrive at the main stage before 19:30 to queue for choosing a good seat. Adult 600,000-1.2 million dong, child 50-75% less.
Do
[edit]
- Diving – Cham Islands is popular for scuba diving and snorkelling.
- Cooking lessons – Offered at several restaurants around town. If you enjoyed your meal there, it can't hurt to enquire. There are several established cooking schools with good reputations who offer a variety of courses. In these schools you will learn only the mechanics of Vietnamese cooking: how to chop the vegetables and roll the spring roll, etc. All the rest are closely-guarded secrets: the making of the sauce, the techniques of frying the spring roll and the grilling the beef. The instructors are locals, and some are not used to English pronunciations and speak fast.
- Cycling – Hoi An has many interesting nearby sights, which can easily be explored by bicycle. Stunning rural scenes, rice paddies, picturesque fishing villages, fields of water buffalo, a Buddhist pagoda and quiet roads, not to mention the beach to the north. Explore numerous picturesque pathways, some still bamboo bridged. Tour companies or private guides offer cycling tours, or just open your OpenStreetMap app (OsmAnd, Mapy.cz, Organic Maps, MapsMe) and search for "Tourist Attraction".
- 1 Hoi An Silk Village, 28 Nguyen Tat Thanh St, ☏ +84 510 3921144. 09:00-21:00. Revived 300-year-old Champa silk traditions. Half day tours encompassing the entire silk process, from silkworms to dressmaking. Showroom in a converted Quang Nam-style house with 100 different ao dai, representing all of the 54 different minority groups in Vietnam. Also a spacious colonial-style restaurant serving local dishes and a silk showroom where professional tailors custom design and make garments for visitors.
Day trips
[edit]- Cham Islands – UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An 9 nautical miles offshore. Get there by slow boat or speedboat. Day trip (arrange with your hotel or local tour operators).
- Non Nuoc Beach – Opposite the Marble Mountains and accessible by motorbike. There are beaches closer to Hoi An accessible by bicycle or motorbike, with parking near the beach. A Grab should be 50,000 dong one way.
- Dong Duong – Ruined Cham tower, the sole major remnant of a large Buddhist Cham period (9th century, 875-915 under Indravarman II) temple-complex that was originally 155x326 m. Other minor remnants are also visible.
- Lang Co – A fishing village that includes mountains, a river, a lagoon, an island and a 32 km beach between Da Nang and Hue.
- The Marble Mountains – 9 km south of Da Nang, well worth a morning or afternoon trip from Hoi An. The largest of the five mountains has temples and caves. A Grab costs 220,000 dong one way (Feb. 2024). Any hotel in Hoi An can arrange a taxi that will wait for you a couple of hours and will take you back to Hoi An. 600.000 Dong as of Feb. 2024.
- Entry is free at some times, while at others, there appears to be a small fee. It is worth paying extra for the small map. No one will tell you how to get to the top to overlook Fire Mountain to the west, there is one trail accessible from the WC—look for the handrails going up—another is nearby, near a temple complex and next to an arch over the trail.
- Accessibility: An elevator available for a small fee (15.000 Dong, Feb. 2024). It may be broken, but it only leads to platform with an overlook towards the water; you would still need to take stairways to see the temples, so there is no advantage to the elevator. If you can make it up the stairs at the entrance, there will be no problem with the rest of the stairs. Cave floors and trails may be wet but are not slippery.
- My Khanh – Rare seaside ruin of a Cham tower dating from the 8th century.
- My Son – Best done as an early morning half-day trip from Hoi An by motorbike, private car, or organized tour. A return by boat can be arranged. Trails may be slippery in rainy weather.
- Tháp Bằng An - Twelfth-century Cham octagonal tower dedicated to Shiva. By motorbike, about 30 minutes northwest of Hoi An. There may be a someone on the site who will sell you a ticket for 10,000 dong. Can be combined with a day trip to Tháp Khương Mỹ.
- Tháp Khương Mỹ - Three Cham towers, contemporaneous with Bagan in Burma. Small museum on premises. There may be someone at the site who will sell you a ticket for 10,000 dong. By motorbike, a half hour south of Hoi An. Can be combined in a day trip with Tháp Bằng An for about 120,000 dong.
Buy
[edit]
Money
[edit]There are many ATMs around Hoi An. 1 VP Bank is on the way to the center along the parallel S-roads, and 2 TP Bank is in the northern, less touristy part of the city, both not charging fees. But you can also try ACB, they might not charge either.
For changing money the best places are the gold shops near the market.
Shopping
[edit]- Brass gongs and bells – There are many foundries on the road to My Son. Items can be made to order. This is the origin of the souvenirs sold in Hoi An tourist shops.
- Hand made silks and lanterns – Old Town tourist shops.
- 3 Moon Milk Supermarket (inside the S-curved parallel streets). The have are great variety, generally quite competitive prices, often reduced items near the cashier, 0.9L beer for 18,000 dong and are in the center.
Markets
[edit]- 4 Central Market, 19 Tran Phu. Produces and other stuff. Beware of the more touristy prices.
- 5 Textile Market.
- 6 Morning Market (north of the center). Produces, fish, and meat at local prices.
- 7 Night Market (around the tourist drinking hotspot). Selling what night markets sell, overpriced finger food and local handiwork.
Bespoke clothing
[edit]Hoi An is known as the centre for affordable custom-made clothing. There are around 400 tailor shops in the city, some better than others. Most can complete something in one day, so you may wish to make an order on arrival so there will be time to complete the work. The principle of caveat emptor is definitely relevant. You will probably need to leave a deposit of about 25% the finished price before the work is started. If there are problems, shops may or may not be willing to make adjustments; you will not get a refund. Some strategies to minimise your risk:
- Do not use recommendations from your accommodation and not from motorcycle drivers (both the hotel and drivers get a kickback), check TripAdvisor/Google Maps, and go to multiple shops for quotes. Do not go with shops that hurry through the design process or are pushy.
- Avoid Yaly’s and Be Be. They are tourist trap. Hotels will earn 30% from commissions by recommending to you.
- Order one thing at a time: if something goes wrong with one item, you lose less money. On the other hand, you could negotiate discounts if you ordered multiple items at once.
- Take something that fits, they work better with copies.
- Make sure they understand any special instructions: pockets, shortening, etc., the language barrier is not your friend.
- Price things in more than one shop: materials and prices vary.
- Order from more than one shop, again so all your eggs are not in one basket.
Tailor shops:
- Len Silk, 74 Tran Phu St, [email protected]. The owner is the 6th generation in the family business. Her grandmother learned to make silk by hand as a young girl. She continued for 50 years. Then mass-produced imported silk became the norm and the village women mostly dropped the craft. Reasoning that traditional techniques of making hand-produced silk resulted in a superior product, she kept the business of using time-worn techniques going. Nearly all the garments in the store made by this method. Only women's clothing is available in hand-crafted fabrics.
- Song Trang 'Moon River', 166 Nguyen Truong To (next to Tran Hung Dao crossroads), ☏ +84 510 3936937, [email protected]. 09:00-21:00. Men's and ladies' tailoring. 2-piece suits start about US$100. Many similar in nearby Le Loi St. From US$100.
- Vanda Tailors, 631 Hai Ba Trung, ☏ +84 984488811, [email protected]. 08:30-21:30. This tailor shop is very highly rated by many travellers.
- Mr. Xe, 71 Nguyen Thai Hoc, ☏ +84 2353910388, [email protected]. 08:30-19:30. Mr. Xe is an older gentleman who does the measurements and fitting himself. Everything is carried out with high precision. Highly rated by many travellers, 2-piece suits for about US$120.
- Yaly Couture. 10:00-22:00. Tourist trap. Read the bad reviews on TripAdvisor before considering. Hotels earn 30% commission by recommending this shop. From US$150.
Eat
[edit]What
[edit]
In addition to the usual suspects, there are dishes that Hoi An is particularly famous for:
- Bánh Xèo – Crispy fried, stuffed rice pancake or wrap, similar to a Taco, that you half and roll into eatable paper with additional vegetables and then dip into a delicious sauce.
- Cao Lầu – A dish of rice noodles soaked in lye, tinting them light brown and giving them a firmer, chewier texture not unlike pasta or Japanese udon. The noodles are topped with slices of roast pork, dough fritters, and this being Vietnam, lots of fresh herbs and veggies.
- Mì Quảng – Wide rice noodles atop a bed of fresh herbs in a bowl (or vice versa), with a small amount of warm or lukewarm broth, generally strongly flavored and infused with turmeric, just enough to partially cover the vegetables. Meat is added on top of all this.
- Bánh Bao Bánh Vạc (White rose) – A type of shrimp dumpling made from translucent white dough bunched up to look like a rose.
- Hoành Thánh Mỳ (Wonton dumplings) – Essentially the same as the Chinese kind, served up in soup or deep-fried.
Where
[edit]Meals at restaurants in the touristy center of Hoi An are generally more expensive than outside at a more local place (depending on the dish and the location) and portions served are smaller, but most dishes are still inexpensive and delicious. A few touristy places can actually be more convincing than the local ones, like Madam Khanh — still running stong and fairly priced as of Nov 2023.
However, street snacks, bakeries, coffee places, and beverages in restaurants are often double the common local price.
- 1 Central Market (Hoi An Market (Chợ Hội An)), 19 Trần Phú. Has a food court with several stands serving Hoi An specialities and typical Vietnamese food like pho, and spring rolls. It has a few stands catering to tourists with English-speaking staff and menus, and stands catering mostly to Vietnamese which serve rice and side dishes.
- 2 Banana fritters stall (just east of the morning market). Morning to noon/afternoon. Delicious banana fritters in dough. They squish the banana, then dip it into liquid dough and finally fry it. Freshly made, and not lying around the whole day like you often see in the center — many locals stop by with the motorbike, so they are constantly making new ones. 6,000 dong/pc.
Budget
[edit]- 3 Thiên Bảo Quán, 68B Hong Phong (on the outskirts of the center, 600 m north of the former public bus station). Serves the probably most inexpensive Bánh Xèo in all Vietnam, and is very authentic in addition. It actually seems to be vegan, but they also serve meat sticks if you are looking for additional taste. You won't find any fancy lighting or comfortable Western sized chairs here, just the regular tiny plastic chairs and tables. But the experience rolling the wrap parts, and dipping it into the delicious gravy is well worth the trip here. 6,000 dong per wrap, vegetables and sauce free.
- 4 Cao lầu Không Gian Xanh, 687 Hai Bà Trưng. They serve Cao lầu, Hoành Thánh Mỳ (Wonton), Bánh Bao Bánh Vạc (White Rose) and Cơm Gà. However, the portion size can be disappointing and they are very pushy about ordering drinks. 40,000 dong.
- 5 Ba Dam Vegetarian Restaurant, 71 Phan Chu Trinh. Great vegan Vietnamese food selection, there are so many options to choose from. The vegetarian Pho is amazing. Family restaurant hidden in an alley. Very friendly staff.
- 6 Phở Tùng, 51/7 Phan Chu Trinh Thị Xã. They serve super nice Pho Bo, for many who may not know how to eat their side dish vegetable, the boss can teach you how to blend with the sauce prepared for it. The owners are super lovely.
- 7 Madam Khanh - The Banh Mi Queen, 115 Trần Cao Vân. How they prepared the meat is different to elsewhere. The chili sauce and pate are so unique. Delicious and fresh. The vegetarian option is fire. 25–30,000 dong.
- 8 White Rose, 533 Hai Ba Trung. 07:00-early afternoon. The shop that makes most of the "white rose" dumplings served all around town. 40,000 dong.
For Mì Quảng try the following two inexpensive local restaurants (close to each other) in the northern part of Hoi An:
- 9 Quán Mười. Besides Mì Quảng, they also serve delicious Cao lầu. 30,000 dong.
- 10 Quán Cô Mai. They offer Mì Quảng and Mì Ga. Watch out though, they might claim that eggs are extra, which they are not — just point to the picture of the menu. 20–30,000 dong.
Mid-range
[edit]- 11 Bale Well Restaurant, 45-51 D Tran Cao Van (In the small alley), ☏ +84 510 650 6979. 10:00-22:00. Set menu: bánh xèo, pork savoury pancakes; barbecued satay pork loin, wrapped in a lettuce leaf, with side salad. Steep price for a few rice pancakes. Set menu 110,000 dong, Bánh Xèo 50,000 dong.
- 12 Bazar Cafe & Restaurant, 36 Tran Phu (Next to the town market), ☏ +84 510 3911229. 08:00-24:00. New in town, serves the best Vietnamese and Mediterranean barbeque in the garden. Comfortable lounge, cocktails and shisha inside the traditional wooden house.
- 13 Dingo Deli, 463 Cửa Đại, ☏ +84 906 552824. 07:30-19:30. This delicatessen offers an extensive selection of gourmet foods through the restaurant and European grocery store. Attractive ambience, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. A wooden constructed adventure play ground for children to play on overlooks paddocks with buffalo and the Thu Bon River.
- 14 Red Bridge Restaurant & Cooking School, Thon 4, Cam Thanh (about 3 km out of town), ☏ +84 510 933222. 10:00-21:00. Next to the Thu Bon River within 2 acres of tropical gardens. Offers a wide range of Vietnamese Food, in an open air restaurant. Cooking Classes begin around 08:00 at the Hai Scout Cafe for an Italian-style coffee then a tour of the market to shop for fruit & veg. Booking for dinner is essential. They sometimes close early if there are no customers. They offer cocktails as well as the usual beers and a wine list.
- 15 Son Hoian, 232 Cửa Đại (Riverside on the Cua Dai beach road). 09:30-23:30. Very popular stopping point for those cycling back from the beach.
- 16 Thành Nam Quán, 60D Trần Cao Vân, ☏ +84 901 733228. M-Sa 11:00-21:00. Tiny Vietnamese restaurant where everything is delicious. Plates from 50,000 dong, mains from 80,000 dong.
- 17 Thanh Restaurant, 76 Bach Dang (City centre, riverside), ☏ +84 510 3861366. Great Vietnamese and Western food. Excellent grilled fished in banana leaf and nice river view.
Splurge
[edit]- 18 Madam Kieu, 43 Nguyễn Phúc Chu (On An Hoi, close to the bridge), ☏ +84 98 6271804. You're definitely paying a premium for the location, but this atmospheric restaurant serves excellent renditions of Hoi An and central Vietnamese favorites, and the river views and people watching from the wraparound balcony on the 2nd floor are hard to beat. Air-con seating available as well. Live music on the 1st floor on weekends. Set menus from 500,000 dong for two.
Drink
[edit]Walking along the river at night, you will find a lot of pubs. Beer is around 30,000 dong. Cocktails are 20,000-50,000 dong. There are some bar foods available, such as fried prawn crackers for around 15,000 dong a plate. Hoi An is not a real party destination and has a rather limited number of nightlife locations.
- 1 BB Lounge, 13 Nguyen Hoang St an Hoi islet (across night market), ☏ +84 510 392 5000, [email protected]. 18:00-24:00. The new bar, lounge and club in town, located on the third floor above Bamboo Buddha restaurant. Nice selection of cocktails, rum shooters and tapas. Live music and regular DJs, dance floor. Sky balcony, open late. 30,000-120,000 dong for drinks.
- 2 Dive Bar Restaurant, 88 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, ☏ +84 510 391 0782, [email protected]. 11:00-02:00. Great bar in a traditional house with a back garden, pool table, Wi-Fi. Plays many kinds of music on request, with music once a week. Great choice of cocktails and beers, wine by bottle or by glass. Food: small tapas, Vietnamese salads, pasta, lasagne, hamburgers, seafood, rice salads. 20,000-150,000 dong for drinks and food.
- Rosie's cafe, 8/6 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street. M-Sa 08:00-19:00. A lovely cafe tucked in a peaceful alley of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. Signature drink is cold-brew coffee which is less acid than hot brewing and cold pressed juice. Not only the food and drink, but also the space to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of Hoi An old townal. 20,000-70,000 dong.
- Why Not Bar, 10B Pham Hong Thai (On the eastern edge of old town). Open until late. Late night bar near old town. Not to be confused with the much different bar/club of the same name in Nha Trang. This very small 3-storey bar advertises free drinks and cheap all-you-can drink specials. Patrons do not come to this bar until at least midnight, when the rest of the town has closed down. Open until late.
Sleep
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Hoi An New Town
The atmosphere of the Old Town hasn't been preserved by accident: strict bylaws prohibit new construction within its narrow lanes. As a result, there's a building boom just outside the borders of the Old Town, most noticeably as you head north of Le Hong Phong. Walk a few blocks from that old world ambience, and suddenly you're in a construction zone. Several hotels have sprung up in this area, which is completely lacking in the charm that brings visitors to Hoi An. Not surprisingly, those are the hotels (Phuong Nam Hotel is among the worst offenders) that are most likely to pay commissions to open-tour bus companies and use Internet sites to describe the dusty construction zone as a "peaceful area". They're also cheaper and easier to bargain with, but the reason they're so cheap is that they're missing the whole point of a visit to Hoi An. There are plenty of options closer to the centre of town. Once you've taken a night-time stroll through the Old Town, you won't mind if you had to fork over an extra dollar or two for a better location. |
Hotels in Hoi An are fiercely competitive, which means plenty of choice and generally high standards. Budget options start at 90,000 dong. Many are clustered around Hai Ba Trung St and "Ba Trieu" (formerly, Nhi Trung St), just north of the Old Town and within easy walking distance, and also along Cua Dai St, off to the east and a bit of a hike away.
Most of Hoi An's high-end hotels are located along the unbroken beach stretching from Da Nang to Hoi An. The closest is Cua Dai Beach, 5 km away.
Budget
[edit]- 1 Melody Boutique Villa (in the northwest corner of town, about 15 min on bicycle to Hoi An center), ☏ +84 973771325. Check-in: 24/7. 4-bed dorms (though no curtains), clean sheets, swimming pool, free bicycles, and Wi-Fi of course. Flood-safe. Many inexpensive eateries and markets around. Dorm from 90,000 dong.
- 2 Hoang Trinh Hotel, 45 Le Quy Don St (corner Tran Hung Dao St opposite Confucius Temple), ☏ +84 510 3916579, [email protected]. Average value hot. Great hotel in good location and scenic setting. Well furnished en suite rooms with cable TV with excellent reception, air-con, ceiling fan, fridge, Wi-Fi and balcony restaurant with an impressive view. Has bicycles for hire for 15,000 dong next door and motorbikes also. The staff are friendly, and they provide complimentary small snacks as well as a welcome dinner. 500,000 dong.
- 3 Quynh Long Villa, 28 Nguyễn Công Trứ, Phường Minh An, ☏ +84 2353921262. Very nice family run hotel with swimming pool 5 minutes walking from the center but in a quiet area even at night. Large and well furnished rooms with terrace, comfy beds, air-con, fan, Wi-Fi. Breakfast on request for 50.000 dong. Bicycles are free. The friendly lady speaks very good english, can organize transport from/to the airport and tours with a driver around the area. 400-500,000 dong.
Mid-range
[edit]- Betel Garden Homestay, 161 Tran Nhan Tong St, ☏ +84 510 3924165, [email protected]. Check-in: 06:00, check-out: 12:00. A bit out of the city centre and a beautifully landscaped garden with several species of areca and betel trees, complete with songbirds and fish in small ponds. Staff are incredibly friendly and try to make you feel at home, including complementary fruit in your room each day and the free bicycles. Their area also offers a nicely laid out secluded pool area, as well as two covered dining areas the 20 guests. The Vuon Trau Family organises a complimentary dinner together with their guests twice a week, offering free beverages (including beer) and excellent food.
- Hoi An Pho Library Hotel, 96 Ba Trieu St (5 min walk from Old Town). Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 12:00. A beautiful small hotel with modern marble baths and the added bonus of in-room Wi-Fi. The deluxe rooms even have computers. The room service menu is packed full of local delicacies and the hotel features the only rooftop swimming pool in Hoi An. Breakfast is included in the price. What really makes this hotel are the staff, welcoming, helpful and professional, with excellent English. 700,000 dong.
- Nhi Nhi Hotel, 60 Hung Vuong St (about 10 min walk from the Old Quarter, near the Bridge Pagoda), ☏ +84 510 916718. Check-out: 12:00. Affordable, nice rooms and swimming pool. Near a local market but a bit far from tourist sites. Bargain to get good price. Normally price doesn't include breakfast. Standard/superior room: Single 680,000/795,000 dong, double or twin 800,000-1,020,000 dong. Family room 2,540,000 dong..
- Villa Orchid Garden Riverside, 382 Cua Dai St, ☏ +84 510 3863720. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. The name Orchid Garden originates from the owner's long held passion for orchids, with more than 30 varieties of orchid in the garden. The homestay has four secluded bungalows built in traditional Vietnamese architecture, surrounded by a variety of tropical trees, and equipped with modern convenient facilities. Each bungalow is named after a type of orchid found around the garden. Orchid Garden also has a traditional sanctuary for worshiping ancestors and for family activities.
Splurge
[edit]- 4 Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa Hoi An, Lac Long Quan Street (Cua Dai beach), ☏ +84 235 392 7927, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A charming beachfront resort with 216 rooms and bungalows. It is 30 km from Danang International Airport and 5 km to Hoi An Ancient town. From US$180.
- 5 Vinh Hung Riverside Resort & Spa, 111 Ngo Quyen St. US$70–110.
- 6 Hotel Royal Hoi An, 39 Dao Duy Tu (in An Hoi area, along Thu Bon River), ☏ +84 510 3950 777, fax: +84 510 3950 888, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. A French colonial style boutique hotel with Japanese architecture influence in the quiet area 5 minutes of walk from the Ancient Town of Hoi An. 119 rooms are of MGallery standard by Accor hotels, overlooking Thu Bon river, pool and Hoi An town. There are one outdoor pool, two restaurant, one chic bar, one spa, complimentary bikes and gym. US$127–220.
- 7 Anantara Hoi An Resort, 1 Pham Hong Thai St. (east end of street fronting the river), ☏ +84 235 391 4555, [email protected]. French colonial style architecture with rooms overlooking the Thu Bon River at the east end of Hoi An, a short walk from the Old Town but just far enough away that a quiet night's sleep is practically assured. Rooms are large, many are bi-level with a sitting area, and have air-con, but the restaurant and bar are open to the breezes.
- 8 Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa, Cua Dai Beach, ☏ +84 510 927040. Internet rates from US$125, walk-up rates from US$165, honeymoon suites US$210–300.
Stay safe
[edit]November flooding
[edit]Hoi An regularly floods during November. Visitors who plan to arrive during one of their floods should book ahead.
The city stayed open during the November 2013 floods, although there were news reports of tourist evacuations. As hotels near the river flooded, tourists started moving to hotels on higher ground. Flooding affected streets up to four blocks uphill from the river, as well as the hotel and restaurant area across the bridge on An Hoi peninsula. The water levels for this flood seem slightly below the levels of the 2011 flood; the cleanup seemed to be well handled.
Connect
[edit]Most hotels, restaurants and cafés have free Wi-Fi. There is also a widely available citywide network: to connect, open your browser and click the banner at the top.
Go next
[edit]North
[edit]- Da Nang – Largest city in central Vietnam and a seaside place with almost too many people, just 24 km north of Hoi An.
- Hue – The former imperial capital, a few hours away by car or train. There are 3 or 4 trains a day, reservations can be arranged a day in advance. Although to catch the train you must go to Da Nang as trains do not go all the way to Hoi An. Besides, this train has the reputation of one of the top train journeys in the world.
- Dong Hoi – A sleepy beach and seaside town with all the necessary infrastructure; laid back, authentic and genuinely friendly, with at least half a dozen hostels, convenient for accessing Phong Nha Ke Bang national park. 5–6 hr north of Hoi An, best by train from Da Nang.
- One-way motorbike trips to Hue traveling through the Hai Van Pass are a very popular and scenic method to get north. One-way rentals with an English speaking guide can cost as low as US$25-30. Travel time, including numerous stops, is about 6–8 hours.
- Hanoi is the capital city, and gateway to Sapa
South
[edit]- Quy Nhon – The inexpensive and tourist-free alternative to Da Nang, yet off many people's radar and therefore still a tranquil and authentic, lively and pleasant city with a much (among the locals) hyped beach.
- Nha Trang – Vietnam's premier beach resort town and the next stop for backpackers travelling south.
- Dalat – built as a playground of the French, who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast. From Hoi An to Dalat is at least 12 hours by bus, and can take several days during the flood season. There are no trains to Dalat.
- Saigon / HCMC
Laos
[edit]From Hoi An bus station buses run to Da Nang, ending the route at the bus station, where there are many options. An early bus directly to Pakse, even a long ride to Vientiane. In order to cross the border to Lao, there are many buses to Kom Tum. Ask the to drop you at Pleikan, is a town where locals gather to take a minivan at sunrise and reach the border when it opens. The minivan will wait for you after the formalities in the Viet side. Back to the minivan you will be driven to the Lao border, where a visa on arrival will be issued. And back to the minivan. The route at Attapeu, capital city of Attapeu Province, Laos.