Hoi An is a small atmospheric town in central Vietnam, and one of the most iconic (and visited) places in the country. Its historic center is small, beautiful and pedestrians only. It offers both cultural and culinary thrills, lots of shopping opportunities and more tailors than one would expect in a town twenty times its size. There are just so many things to do in Hoi An it is mindboggling. Add to this a great countryside and palm-tree lined beaches nearby and you begin to understand why so many travelers intent to only stay here for a few days, but end up staying a lot longer..
– What things to do in Hoi An –
Walking in 18th century Vietnam
The reason why people flock to Hoi An is because it is by far the best preserved ‘old-Vietnam’-style town in the country. Walk around between the historic buildings on the crooked alleyways with strings of lampoons crisscrossing everywhere and you feel like you just arrived in 18th century Vietnam.
Why this town got preserved so well? Mostly luck. Sometime in the 19th century, the Thu Bon river silted up. This hindered large ships from accessing this riverside-town and so the most important trade route Hoi An had to offer was blocked off. The once flourishing economy came to a slumber and people lost interest in the town altogether. This is partly the reason why it got spared in the Vietnam-war.
What started out as misfortune turned to fortune in the 1990-something when tourism discovered this ‘living museum’. Nowadays Hoi An is a rich town, and because tourism is the main reason it ended up that way it takes very good care of its cultural prowess. This is the reason why it caters its visitors exceptionally well. Luxury boutique hotels for big budget travelers and flash packers? Check. Budget hostels right in the middle of old town for backpackers? Check. Great value-for-money luxury hotels a few kilometers out of town? Check.
Old Town
Costs: 120.000D
Old Town is the main attraction why people come here. The historic town centre is quite small making it perfect to explore all temples, houses and Pagoda’s by foot. It is for this reason that I am not going to make recommendations as to which sights you should visit or not. A single day offers plenty of time to walk past most of them. Simply pick a route and decide on arrival whether you think a particular house or temple is worth the entrance fee.
Yes entrance fee. Old Town is unfortunately, not free. You are required to buy a ticket which comes with 5 coupons. Each coupon grants you access to one of the historic sights. The ticket costs 120.000D and is valid for 10 days. The proceeds are used for restorations. Ten days because officially, you need it every time you enter Old Town. Do not worry about this too much when looking for a restaurant etc. as this is not really enforced. If you feel 5 sights is just not enough, ask politely. More often than not they will allow you in anyways. I ticked off 8 sights on one ticket and ended up with one coupon to spare.
The countryside
The countryside surrounding Hoi An is perfectly flat. This makes it perfect to visit all the tiny villages in close vicinity by bicycle. Great day-filling activity but there are many other places in Vietnam that have great countryside too. Think Ninh Binh, Hanoi, Sapa, the Mekong Delta etc. If you are on a tight schedule this is an easy skip.
Get a tailored suit
Want to get a suit tailored? Hoi An is the place to go with literally hundreds of tailors in and around Old Town. Pays to stick around a little longer. After all you want to ensure they get all the measurements of your fancy new Instagram-worthy attire right.
Enjoy the low pace of life
The town is more than a collection of pretty tights. There are also great relaxing things to do in Hoi An. And it fairs extremely well on the culinary front. Considering that all sights can be visited by just walking around on flip-flops you are really invited to tone down your pace and relax. If the weather is great, take it slow, sleep in late, enjoy a massage-a-day (‘seeing-hands‘) and treat yourself to a culinary journey after a day of walking around. Most people do so anyways because they are waiting for their tailor-made suit. But even if this not your plan, that does not mean that pace wise you should not follow suit;).
Partying & Socializing
Truth be told: this is not a place people come to party. The hostels however, organise enough activities to meet new travel-buddies and to have a ‘social night’ without ending up in a club.
An Bang beach
To top it off, if you happen to be here in the sunny months, An Bang Beach offers a great beach-side destination only a 20 minute cycle away. The snorkeling and diving opportunities in An Bang and nearby Cham Island leave something to desire. The beaches however are perfect for lazy cocktail filled sun soaking days from April to July. Outside of these months the sea will be too choppy to be properly enjoyed. Even on sunny days. The beach-side also offers many eateries with freshly caught fish and sea-food on the menu. And new hostels and hotels keep popping up all the time.
There are simply so many things to do in Hoi An that every type of traveler will be spoilt. I really see no reason to not include Hoi An into your Vietnam itinerary.
– Eating & sleeping recommendations –
Eating
As most restaurants are located in and around Old Town this is the place to go for a culinary experience. The sea-side restaurants in An Bang offer a wide variety of seafood, but the same fresh catch is offered in the town itself. As a recommendation you should definitely check out La Tonelle. Order the pork in special herbs. Too damn good. Do not forget to get the fried spring rolls as appetizer. The best I’ve encountered during all my travels in Vietnam.
If you are really into food you can also try a street food tour which takes you around town to sample (read: stuff yourself with) a wide variety of local delicacies. Take in mind that these tend to be costly. Venturing out by yourself will save you money for sure but it might be hard to find the right dishes at the right places.
Sleeping
For sleeping you have many options. If you are looking for value for money it pays to get out of town a few kilometers. Most hotels (and hostels) offer (free) bikes to use during your stay and the main roads leading to Old Town are well lit, making it easy to go back to your hotel after dark. Most upper class hotels will also provide with free shuttle service in and out of town.
Hoi An Eco Lodge & Spa
Want to be pampered, sleep fluffy soft satins and wake up with a refreshing dip in an azure blue pool every morning? Try eco-conscious Hoi An Eco Lodge & Spa, a few miles out of town. They charge around EUR 70 for a double.
The Earth Villa
Want to stay in comfort, right in the middle between town and the beach but got a smaller budget in mind? Try The Earth Villa. Excellent staff and great breakfast for about EUR 30 a night (double). The place is tiny, but a comfortable stay is guaranteed.
– Practical Information –
When
Hoi An is best visited in April and May, as these months offer the most sunshine and low humidity. With June the real summer kicks in bringing more sunshine but also (very) high temperatures and humidity. Avoid the period from the end of August until December as this is the rainy season. Which over here can really mean down-poor for weeks at the time. Hoi An has to deal with heavy flooding almost every year, which is not something to stick around for. Around new year the weather gets better, but rainy, cloudy days are still very common until early March.
Budget
| Daily Budget | EUR 30 (35 USD) |
| Street food | EUR 2 ( 3 USD) |
| Meal in a restaurant | EUR 5 (6 USD) |
| Dorm | EUR 5 ( 6 USD) |
| Double in a 3-star hotel | EUR 20-50 (25-60 USD) |
In & Out
If you are traveling from North to South you should definitely travel into Hoi An on a motorbike from Hue crossing the Hai Van Pass.
From the airport or railway station
If not it is almost a given that you arrive through Da Nang, the closest airport and railway station to Hoi An. Da Nang is located 40 kilometers from Hoi An. A taxi into town form either airport of railway station costs around 300,000D.
Going cheap: taking the public bus
The public bus leaves from 33 Dien Bien Phu (at the north edge of the 29/3 park), and should cost you 18,000D. It takes about an hour. From the airport it is a 20 minute walk. Simply follow the signs to the 29/3 park and then cross the park until you find the bus stop at the Northern edge.
From the railway station its about 10 minutes. The route even easier. With the station to your back, turn right on Hai Phong street and follow the road. It bends a bit to the left after a while. Follow it until you see the Northen edge of the 29/3 park where you’ll see the bus stop.
– Things to take to Vietnam –
Waterproof Bag
A waterproof bag is a lifesaver when caught in the rain but also when kayaking, jungle-trekking or chasing waterfalls. If nothing else it gives you piece of mind when traveling with camera gear or other stuff that just can’t get wet. Get a 5L or 10L version so you can pack it within your daypack. I recommend this one from Mountain Splash. It’s durable and tough, transparent and it has got an easy handgrip.
Hand Sanitizer
Yes I view anti-bacterial hand sanitizer as essential. Not because I am germophobic but because this will save you from diarrhea and food poisoning. Most people that get sick from eating street food in South-east Asia don’t get sick from the shitty hygiene at the street food stall but because they didn’t probably wash their hands. Use hand sanitizer, stay a happy traveler. This set got handy Carabiners to latch it on you any pack.
3MM climbing rope
Even if your not going to do any climbing or trekking, you need a 3MM climbing rope. Most often you will only use this as a washing line. Or to tie stuff to the outside of your backpack. I for one have never needed to use my rope for anything else than that. However 3MM climbing rope takes up as much space as any washing line. It is nice to know it can also take the full weight of any person when needed.
Lonely Planet
Because its just the best compact travel guide out there. I always take a lonely planet with me for its practical information and background on certain sights. It is a lifesaver for when you find yourself unexpectedly off the beaten path in search of accommodation for the night. For me this is still the best way to read up on a destinations in long haul bus rides. You don’t need internet or battery-life and you can keep it dry in your recently purchased waterproof bag!