Explore on a cycle tour in Hoian

How To Get To Hoi An?

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How To Get To Hoi An?


Easy! Hoi An is very well linked. No matter where you are coming from, you can choose between bus, train (even sleeper train) or plane.

Welcome to Hoi An-Vietnam
Graceful, historic Hoi An is Vietnam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Once a major port, it boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage, and the 21st-century curses of traffic and pollution are almost entirely absent.

What Is The Best Time To Go To Hoi An?
The best months to visit Hoi An are February to May when the temperatures are warm but not too hot and humid. Keep in mind that it can get VERY hot and humid between June and August.

On the other hand, the rainy season lasts from September to January. It can be annoying, the temperatures are at their lowest, but prices are definitely lower and there are fewer tourists around.

Is Hoi An Worth Visiting?
A big fat YES! I wasn’t a big fan of other parts of Vietnam, to be honest, but Hoi An really conquered me. Its charming old town all lightened up at night, the boutique shops, the cobbled streets were some of my favorite Hoi An highlights. Hoi An NEEDS to be in your itinerary.

How Many Days in Hoi An?
When people ask me how long to stay in Hoi An, I always reply as long as you can. Can you tell I feel in love with this town? No, but seriously, I recommend staying for at least 3 nights.

But what to do in Hoi An for 3 days, you ask? Plenty! Go explore the city, go on some Hoi An day trips, try a cooking class, cycle by the paddy fields and relax at the beach. You can even do a homestay in Hoi An if that’s your thing. If you have time, stay even longer, you won’t regret it.

What To Buy in Hoi An?
In my opinion, after a month’s trip to Vietnam, Hoi An is the best place in Vietnam to shop for souvenirs. From custom made suits to lanterns for friends and family to artisanal souvenirs, make sure you leave some space in your luggage.

tour in danang hoi an ba na hills

Hoian

 

TOP 9 Things to do in Hoian- Vietnam

1, Shop For a Custom-Made Suit or Dress

hoian tailor shop-smile travel

Hoian tailor shop-smile travel

Feeling like shopping? If you must pick a place for splurging on clothes, shoes and bags, make it Hoi An, Vietnam. There is an endless number of tailor shops (over 400!), so many that you really won’t know which one to choose, so this is really a must-do in Hoi An.

Some of the shops are really cheap but remember that you usually get what you pay for. I’ve asked around and these seem to be the best tailor shops in Hoi An when it comes to good quality and reasonable prices:

BeBe: It started as a small family business and expanded to the point where BeBe is one of the most famous shops in Hoi An. Bebe has 3 showrooms in town, where you’ll be greeted with cordiality. You’ll notice teh attention to the details right away. The prices are very reasonable too. [11 Hoang Dieu St. Hoi An, open 8am to 9.30pm every day].

Yaly Couture: This is probably the most expensive tailor shop in Hoi An, but if you’re looking for the highest quality, Yaly Couture is where you want to go. The tailors are highly skilled and will be able to make very elaborated items. Yaly Couture has 4 showrooms in town. [47 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Town, open 8am to 9.30pm every day]

Bao Khan Silk: Once featured in The Sunday Times Travel as the best tailor shop in all of Vietnam, Bao Khan Silk provides good quality and it’s also incredibly cheap! You can even find dresses for $20 here! So, this shop is definitely worth a visit. [101 Trần Hưng Đạo, Phường Minh An, Hội An, open 9am to 9pm every day].

2, Explore the Paddy Fields & the Countryside

In Hoi An I finally found Vietnam I was looking for. The Vietnam I imagined, the Vietnam I dreamt of before coming here…. and you will too.

If when you think of Vietnam you imagine rice paddy fields, a great blue sky and water buffalos, you’ll find all that in Hoi An, and if you only have one day in Hoi An (but why??), make this the priority.

This is one of the top things to do in Vietnam in my opinion: just grab a bike and ride outside the town towards the beach: you’ll find out that the real Vietnam is just around the corner.

Don’t get scammed: Along the road, among the regular workers, you’ll see at some point a water buffalo with a man, and another man on the road who invites tourists to get closer: if you want to go and take your picture with the water buffalo, know it won’t be for free. Make sure to haggle a price beforehand, cause I’ve heard of people being asked even 10 dollars for a picture afterward!! Yikes!

If you prefer to join an organized tour, you can opt for a morning countryside tour by bike or a farming and fishing tour which includes a countryside bike tour and a river cruise. Or also this countryside sidecar tour!

3, Take a cooking class

cooking class in Hoian

Cooking class in Hoian

Hội An is known for its diverse and excellent food: a legacy of the many nationalities, including Japanese, Chinese and Portuguese, that lived or traded here. It can seem that every other restaurant is offering cooking classes, but the Thuan Tinh cooking day offers more than some. After a visit to the fascinating market to collect ingredients, you board a riverboat and putter eastwards along the river to this low-lying island near the river mouth, completing the final stretch by rowing boat. Then it’s on with cooking (and eating) a selection of dishes – fresh spring rolls, crispy pancakes, beef noodle salad and classic pho, say – while enjoying the village atmosphere and watching tiny basket boats navigate the water-coconut-lined waterways.

4, Explore on a cycle tour in Hoian

Explore on a cycle tour in Hoian

Explore on a cycle tour in Hoian

Cars and even motorbikes are banned from the center of Hội An, so the pushbike is king. Most homestays offer bikes to guests, and joining the many cyclists on the roads provides an instant immersion into local life. To explore further afield, Heaven and Earth cycle tours, run from a quiet street in beguiling An Hội island, across the river from the old town, offers a selection of trips into the countryside and islands close to the city. Choose from an easy few hours with just 9km of cycling along quiet lanes, lunch included, or a more demanding 50km adventure. All take in traditional villages, handicrafts, fragrant rice paddies and rickety floating bridges.

5, Drink Bia Hơi

Drink Bia Hơi in Hoian

Drink Bia Hơi in Hoian

After doing the sights in town (temples, ancient houses, chapels, the covered bridge) head south over the central footbridge to An Hội islet, whose riverfront is lined with bars offering ice-cold glasses of the daily-brewed refreshing lager called bia hơi at cheap prices (less than 20p a half pint). It’s delightfully light, with only around 3% alcohol, so it’s easy to while away a couple of hours sipping and watching boats without feeling worse for wear. Try The Island (Dong Hiep Entertainment Area, Hội An 51000), at the eastern point of the islet, for Thu Bồn river views and waterside tables. Spend a few dong on a packet of little, salty, locally grown peanuts from a street vendor, and you’re all set.

6, Discover street barbecue

For a really cheap dinner on the hoof, wander the north bank of the Thu Bồn river after dark, where dozens of little charcoal braziers are set up with skewers of thịt nướng: grilled pork, chicken or prawns that come with some herbs and greens, and a few rice paper wrappers to roll it up in. The whole thing is then dipped in a spicy peanut tomato sauce, with a few toasted sesame seeds. The skewers cost 30p-40p each, and while some vendors sit in regular spots on the waterfront, they’re just as good buy from a lady who walks around – with a barbecue and the food hanging off her bamboo pole.

7, See the Japanese Bridge

See the Japanese Bridge in Hoian

See the Japanese Bridge in Hoian

This is a Hoi An must do. While Hoi An has a rich heritage, it’s also not ashamed of its links with other cultures. Way back in the 1590s, the Japanese community here wanted to create better links with the Chinese quarters of the town. They decided the best way to do that was to build a bridge that would cross the river, and bring the two sides together.

The charming covered bridge has been remarkably well preserved over the centuries, is one of Hoi An top attractions, and is somewhat of an emblem for the city’s sense of inclusiveness. Be warned, though- the bridge is due to be renovated in the near future, so catch it while you can!

You can join a half-day guided walking tour through Hoi An’s ancient town, or explore it at night when it becomes even more magical.

8, Go for a stroll to the Lantern Market

8, Go for a stroll to the Lantern Market

Lantern Market

ao dai vietnam-s mile travel

Ao dai Vietnam-Smile Travel

Hoi An really comes alive at night, and an Hoi An must-see is the spectacular Lantern Market. Every evening, the 300-meter-long Nguyen Hoang Street is transformed into a sea of color, as vendors set up stalls selling everything from handmade jewelry and clothes to delicious snacks.

The whole thing is topped off- and takes its name from- the hundreds of different colored lanterns that decorate the street and illuminate the stalls. If you’re looking for an authentic Hoi An experience, then the Lantern Market is not to be missed!

9, Eat the best Banh My “Phuong”

Eat the best Banh My "Phuong"

Eat the best Banh My “Phuong”

Banh My Phuong is supposedly the best place in town for Banh my, which are crispy baguettes with veggies, herbs, eggs and any kind of meat.

This little place has become famous after Anthony Bourdain filmed here an episode of “No Reservations”, and of all Hoi An restaurants, this must be the most inconspicuous. I can’t say if this is the best Banh my you can have, but it’s indeed very very tasty… and super cheap too!

Banh My Phuong: 2B Phan Châu Trinh, Cẩm Châu, Hội An, open 6.30am to 9.30pm every day

To really try out all the food, check out this street food tour by bike or this night food tasting tour. I don’t know about you, but food tours are absolutely my favorites!

 

 

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WHERE YOU VISIT IN HOIAN WHEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN 4 DAYS?

In Hoi An, so many places to visit and so many local foods that you should try.
Someplace such as:
+ Tra Que vegetable village, come there you can learn how to row some tree by local people or try how to use buffalo. Ticket just 20.000vnd / people.
+ Kim bong village: you must take the big boat from Hoi An old town, the ticket for a boat around 50.000vnd to 100.000vnd
+ Hoi an oldtown: ticket 120.000vnd/ people, should go at night, and try some local food in night market. This is the first place that you should visit when you come hoi an.
+ vinpear land nam hoi an: if have children, or people want to play the game should come, price 1 adult 650.000vnd
+ Cua dai beach/an bang beach: let come to the beach to have fresh air and you can eat sea food in there. Do not worry about price.
+ Cam nam island: come here to try local food such as: banh dap, hen xao, che bap…
+ The last one is Coconut village: come to hoi an , you should come there by some reason:
× come to enjoy nature, the weather.
× learn to become a fisherman and have time to catch the fish with the net.
× local people will learn for you how to make souvenir by coconut leaf: coconut hat, coconut ring, flowers, fish, …
× listen to vietnamese song by the local
× see people dancing show on the basket boat
× learn how to row a basket boat
And take so many photos with coconut palm trees.

Source: EVERY STEPH & The Guardian

 

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