Introduction

Hoi An's city

The city of Hoi An was, at one point, the busiest sea port on all of South East Asia. Originally known as Faifo, the city served as an international sea port during the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, most of the industry’s port business has moved north to Da Nang but the city of Hoi An has never forgotten its original heritage – the reason for its existence today.

Hoi An differs from most Vietnamese cities in that, while tourism is especially prevalent, the city has not changed much architecturally over the past few centuries. Many of the city’s historic buildings remain intact and even those that are new maintain the same stark architectural qualities as the original. The people of Hoi An take pride in their culture and heritage and you certainly won’t find a series of concrete skyscrapers or tacky karaoke clubs along the streets of Hoi An.

The people of Hoi An are made up of a wide variety of ethnic and cultural groups. The city itself, however, is known for three main things – beaches, festivals, and shopping. The beaches and surrounding hotels give the city a resort quality while the festivals give visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in local culture. The shopping scene, which is particularly popular, gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy high-quality goods and services at almost unrealistically low prices. Combine all three with trips to some of Hoi An’s most popular local attractions and you have the recipe for a trip you’ll always remember.

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Hoi An Attractions
Hoi An is an incredible city and you’ll soon find that there are a host of natural and historic attractions at your fingertips. Just a few kilometers away from the center of the city you’ll find Cua Dai Beach – a beautiful place to relax and unwind in between tours and excursions. It’s easy to cycle to the beach and doing so will give you the opportunity to take in some of the local scenery as well, especially as you pass through the area’s rice farms. On the beach you’ll find beach chairs, beachside restaurants, and vendors selling fresh fruits and snacks to those lounging in the sand.

The diving opportunities in Hoi An are astounding and, as Hoi An has not really established itself as a hot diving spot yet, you’ll find that most of the surrounding reefs and coves are relatively undisturbed as they haven’t been subject to an inordinate amount of tourist traffic. Most of Hoi An’s diving takes place off the shores of the Cu Lao Cham islands which are located approximately 15 kilometers off the shores of the city.

Hoi An's Harbour

There are, of course, a myriad of traditional tourist attractions available for you to enjoy as well. You’ll want to include a trip to Hoi An Ancient Town, a cultural heritage site on the banks of the Thu Bon River considered the starting point of the city; the Old House of Tan Ky, one of the oldest houses left standing in the city featuring a blend of Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese architectural styles; and the Quan Kong Temple, one of the most famous temples in the city built in honor of the Chin dynasty. Other popular destinations include the Chu Thanh Pagoda, the Thanh Ha Pottery Village, and the Sa Huynh Culture Museum.

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Dining and Entertainment in Hoi An

Farmers Market in Hoi An

While most Vietnamese food is, by most standards, relatively expensive you will find that the food in Hoi An is not only delectable but incredibly affordable as well. While most restaurants in Hoi An prepare traditional Vietnamese fare, the city is well known for three culinary specialties. They are cao lau (a special recipe rice noodle topped with pork, vegetables, and seasonings), white rose (a shrimp dumpling dish), and wantan dumplings (similar to Chinese style dumplings but either deep fried or served in a soup).

Adventurous diners will want to start their culinary exploration of Hoi An with a visit to the Central Market. Here you’ll have the chance to have breakfast or a snack prepared fresh by local shopkeepers in an informal environment. Tread cautiously through the market. Shopkeepers will do their best to offer you plates of food, sometimes going as far as to force the plate in front of you, and you’ll have to politely decline everything you don’t want to try. You’ll also want to confirm the price of everything you try before you buy it to ensure you aren’t ripped off by shopkeepers attempting to take advantage of tourists. Make sure you always carry local currency because if you hand a shopkeeper anything else (especially USD) you probably won’t get your change.

There are dozens of incredible Hoi An restaurants ranging from budget pricing to mid-range to special occasion. If you’re looking to enjoy reasonably priced authentic food you’ll want to start with a trip to White Rose, known for serving and making most of the “white rose” shrimp dumplings served in restaurants throughout the city. The Cafe des Amis is a mid-range restaurant serving foods that blend Vietnamese and French flavors in creative dishes. Here you’ll end up choosing what meat you want as the base for your dish and the rest will be left up to the creativity of the chef.

Those looking for entertainment in Hoi An should plan their trips around one of the city’s annual (or monthly) festivals. The festivals are your best opportunity for seeking out music, culture, and entertainment.

The museums and tourist attractions should keep you busy during the day and those of you looking for a bit of party-atmosphere excitement will certainly enjoy the nightlife. The city is full of hot nightclubs, bars, and pubs serving chilling cocktails while playing music from a wide variety of genres.

If you’re dying for something really exciting you should check out the Hoi An Motorbike Adventures. You entire tour of Hoi An and the surrounding areas will be conducted by motor bike. After your tour guide gives you a biking tutorial and helps you to choose the trip you really want to go on (half day and full day trips are available) you’ll be well on your way with the wind blowing in your hair!

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Shopping in Hoi An

Hoi An Lantern Shop

The city of Hoi An itself is a very popular destination for tourists who love shopping and is certainly the place to visit if you want to go on a shopping spree before you leave Vietnam. The high quality goods produced in Hoi An galleries are often considered to be eclectic, unique, and – most important – reasonably priced. You’ll find handmade jewelry, quilts, pottery, clothing, and sometimes even furniture. If you can think of an item you’d like to buy you’ll probably be able to find it somewhere in Hoi An.

Hoi An tailors are particularly well known for their skill and efficiency and because they are all so skilled there is a lot of competition for the attention of shoppers. The average visitor to Hoi An can walk into a tailor’s shop and purchase a suit and jacket for under $50 and it would likely be completed within 24 hours of his visit. A woman can choose the cloth for a silk dress and have it completed in the same amount of time for a mere $35.

Some of the best places to shop in Hoi An include the Galleries in the Old Town, where you’ll find great paintings, carvings, lampshades, etc; the Central Market, where you’ll find foods, silks, and tailors; the House of Hoi An Traditional Handicraft, where you’ll find dozens of vendors selling contemporary Vietnamese handicrafts, sleeping mats, pottery, and pieces of artwork; the Cloth Market, where you can buy almost any colorful material or silk you can imagine and have it turned into your dream outfit; and Yaly Couture in Hoi An, where you’ll find even more beautiful silks, cloths, and tailors.

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Transportation throughout Hoi An
The closest airport to Hoi An is in Danang and travel from the airport will take about 45 minutes. You can take a taxi to the city for about $15 USD and, because you’ll then have a local driver, the ride back to the airport will cost about $7 USD. You can also travel from Danang by train, bus, or motorbike.

Hoi An, while beautiful, is not a very large city. You’ll find that the city is designed for pedestrians and there are very few cars on the roads. Those who don’t wish to travel by foot will find that traveling by bicycle is very safe as well.

Motorbikes, to the dismay of many, are also incredibly common – though you should be careful if you hear one approaching because local drivers usually move very quickly as they barrel down the city’s narrow alleys. Your hotel will gladly rent you a motorbike for approximately $5 USD per day, though we only recommend renting one if you want to visit a destination like My Son or the Marble Mountains – both of which are about 45 minutes outside of Hoi An.

Taxi cabs do exist in Hoi An but you aren’t likely to see them on the streets as often as you would in a large city. The local taxi drivers in Hoi An are definitely out to make a few dollars. If the destination you wish to be taken to is nearby a taxi driver may refuse to accept your fare. He’ll instead look for someone who wishes to travel further. You may end up paying more but may be better off asking your hotel to arrange a shuttle for you.

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Hoi An Tours
Start your exploration of Hoi An with a trip about 45 minutes outside of the city to the beautiful Marble Mountains and Cham Museum Tour. Each of the Ngu Hanh Son (marble mountains) represent one of the five elements and in the nearby Don Hai village you’ll find more than 500 families busy chiseling stone jewelry, statues, and pieces of art from the marble harvested from the mountains. The half day excursion begins at 8am and includes a trip to the mountains themselves, a trip to the Cham Museum (where you can view a huge collection of Vietnamese artwork from the 5th through 15th centuries), and lunch.

The Hoi An Cooking Class Tour is yet another favorite. The tour starts with a drink at the Hai Scout Café, after which tourists will have the opportunity to tour the sights and sounds of one of the busiest markets in Hoi An. After exploring the market, the class will board the Red Bridge boat and cruise along the river until you reach the Red Bridge Cooking School. There you will learn how to create traditional Hoi An dishes (like rice paper, rice papers rolls, and Vietnamese eggplant) before sitting down to dine on your own creations.

Karma Water Boat Tours will take you on a thrilling shuttle boat or speedboat ride along the local river system. Along the way you’ll catch glimpses of not only Hoi An but Cua Dai, My Son, Chu Lai, and Danang as well. The Hoi An Easy Riders offer visitors the opportunity to take guided motorbike tours of Hoi An – perfect for those who don’t want to learn how to ride but don’t mind riding on the back of a bike, either!

There are a myriad of formal tours available throughout Hoi An and you’re bound to find something that suits your individual tastes and interests. Other popular tours include the Lantern Making Tour, the Cham Island Diving Tour, the daily tour of My Son, and the Tra Que Vegetable Village tour – amongst many others.

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Hoi An Tourist Information
Hoi An Itself doesn’t have a formal Tourist Information Center, though you are encouraged to visit the website for the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism before embarking on your journey. When you do arrive in Hoi An you’ll want to make sure you ask your hotel concierge about where you can go to purchase coupons that will give you admission to some of the area’s most popular local attractions – including the assembly halls, museums, and temples.

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Festivals and Special Events in Hoi An

Hoi An Market Silk Scarves

In most Asian countries you’ll find cultural and ethnic groups gathering regularly to celebrate special events and enjoy their heritages. Vietnam, and especially the city of Hoi An, is no different. As a matter of fact, the people of Hoi An host at least seven different festivals each year. You’d be hard pressed to visit Hoi An during a time when a festival is not either forming or in celebration.

One of the most important festivals is the Long Chu Festival. The festival is always held on the 15th day of July to acknowledge the approach of the coming summer months. The summer months are, traditionally, the months during which the fishing villages tend to suffer from catastrophes such as plagues and epidemics. The festival is a special religious event designed to bring blessings to the area and protect the people from harm.

Another favorite is the Legendary Night Festival. Believe it or not, this festival is held not yearly, but monthly in order to pay respects to the moon and give thanks for its services. Also known as Full Moon Night, the people of Hoi An decorate the town with colorful lanterns and then do their best to spend the evening free of electrically powered lights while enjoying poetry readings, music, and togetherness. Even cars are forbidden on the streets of Hoi An during the festival.

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