Hoi An

What You Should Know More About Hoi An

• About the destination:

  Hoi An is one of the ancient towns in Vietnam that has a coastal line, blue waters, and many places to see for tourists. This has been one of the favorite tourist places to visit in Vietnam. You will love the historical monuments, pagodas, food, and shopping in this part of the towns. This town is a blend of Japanese, Chinese, and European architecture. It is a town that is located on the lower area of  Thu Bon River. This is a port city that is well preserved and has diverse culture and urban living. You will enjoy eating at the street cafes and shopping at the local bazaars in this town.

  You can cover this town by foot or hire a motor bike to get around the city. You will enjoy sightseeing the museums, pagodas, take sailing and boating, and many other outdoor activities in this town. You can also visit a sanctuary, enjoy the sunrise and sunset, and shop for many custom made items in the street shops and local bazaars. You can get a picturesque countryside view in the nearby Cham Island. This is one town that is visited by many tourists across the world for its view and cultural diversity.

  
  

• Travel advice

  • You can visit this town by air, bus, or train. You can take local taxis as they are metered and affordable to commute within the town.

  • Throughout Vietnam travel you must always be aware of scams where tourists are lured into taking motor bike rides and ushered to eating joints or pubs.

  • Carry more cash and forget the ATM cards in this town as there are no international ATM card machines in this town.

  • Carry water bottles with you and stay hydrated when sightseeing and touring the town.

  • There are many bag snatchers available in the town. When travelling in taxis or walking, do not expose your bag to the window or leave it unattended.

  • Never lose your cool when bargaining at any local shop. In Vietnam losing your temper means losing the face for both the parties.

  • Do not make videos of the ethnic videos as this is considered an intrusion.

  • Also, never ever take photographs of military figurines or anything related to the military in the town and the entire of Vietnam as this is considered a breach of national security.

  • Always remove your footwear at the front door when visiting someone’s home or a holy place.

  • Never point your foot at someone when you are sleeping or sitting.

  • Beware of local scams, as there are many, but do not get paranoid. Only stay cautious when travelling in Vietnam.

• Drinking Law

  There is no restriction to age for drinking in Vietnam. Do not drink on the streets or public areas, and make loud noises. Respect the locals and drink in pubs and bars only.

  
  

• Our Recommendations: What you can’t afford to miss?

  Pagodas and historical monuments

  You can visit many pagodas in the town. The Old Town has museums, community halls, temples, and many places to see. You can visit the Japanese Covered Bridge's Pagoda that was constructed in the 16th century and get the exotic architecture and view of the pagoda. You can also visit the Quan Cong Temple which is located in the same town. You can also visit various museums like, Museum of Folk Culture that has plaster sculptures, Hoi An Museum of History and Culture that have bricks and tiles from an ancient period of Vietnamese called the Champa period, the Museum of Sa Huynh Culture has collections of pictures of war heroes and the weapons used during the war. The Cantonese Assembly Hall has dragon statues and backyard.

  Adventure and town tours

  You can go for some water sports activities in this part of the town. You can take to sailing and kayaking in the coconut grooves down the Mr. Phap river. You can also take the famous Vietnam Vespa Hoi An Tours and go sightseeing around the town by yourself. You can also stroll around the town in the night and explore the shops, eatery joints, and nearby areas. You can take motor bike tours to the beaches of the Old Town. You can also take cruises to enjoy the sunset on the waters of the town and enjoy a drink of cocktail. You can, especially, watch the sunset on the Thu Bon River. You can also take the snorkeling tour on the Bai Chong beach.

  Street shopping, spa, and cooking classes

  You can take a massage at any of the spa centers in the town. You will receive herbal treatments, steam baths, and Vietnamese massages at these spas and massage centers. You can also take local cooking lessons available at various places in the town. You can also join the lantern making classes in this town.

  
  

• What you will like there?

  Sightseeing and tours

  There are different types of tours available when you visit this town. You can take adventure tours or sightseeing tours by foot or on the bike. You can stroll on the streets by yourself. Most of the tours in the town do not need a guide. You can get to know of the local areas of viewpoints by yourself. All you need is a map, and some water bottles to stay hydrated while you travel.

  Nearby areas

  You can go on motor bikes and visit the nearby areas like the Cham Island, My Khanh a seaside tower, The Marble Mountains, Lang Co fishing village, and My Son which is one of the oldest heritage sites near this town. This is one of the most modest tours in Vietnam, as it has the bit of everything. Right from swish to budgeted hotels, places of shopping, and diverse tours. This is a favorite pick of most of the tourists who visit Vietnam.

  
  

• Recommended reads for destination

  Website :

  HoiAn Travel Website

  
  

  Forum :
  

  Vietnam Travel Forum

  
  

  Books
  

  Hanoi, Halong, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh Photobook by Mr Corey Hamilton