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Our adventure in Vietnam lasted over two weeks, but without a doubt, Hoi An was the most romantic town we visited.
We spent three days in Hoi An – more than enough to explore it, yet honestly, I would happily stay another three. The atmosphere here is completely different from the rest of Vietnam. With its French-influenced architecture, charming workshops, and small local shops, it’s the kind of place where you want to get lost without a plan.
The heart of Hoi An is the Old Town, which feels very different from Hanoi’s Old Quarter – calmer, more colorful, and incredibly romantic.
We traveled to different parts of Vietnam and regretted spending only one day in Hue. It wasn’t a bad city, but there’s definitely much more to see here in Hoi An, not just in the town itself but also in the surroundings. Da Nang is extremely close, but we didn’t have much time for it, and we were looking for smaller places rather than big cities.
You Can Experience the Hoi an Adventure by Watching My Video on My YouTube Channel
What to See in Hoi An?
Here, the first thing you’ll notice is the architecture and the color of all the buildings. Literally every corner here makes you want to take photos and capture it. In March, it was quite hot, and we preferred walking around in the evening. But this city has its charm both during the day and at night.
In the evening, don’t miss sitting at one of the restaurants by the river and admiring the boats and all the lanterns that tourists light and release into the river. If you want, rent a small boat and enjoy the city from a different angle. We skipped this attraction simply because we had tried this type of activity enough times in other places in Vietnam.
How to get around Hoi An?
From Da Nang to Hue, we took Grab. It wasn’t expensive and it’s quick and easy.
Rent a scooter. The price is $8 per day and it’s very convenient. Also, many hotels offer bicycles – some of them are even free. Our hotel was in the central part and we didn’t need a scooter much in Hoi An itself.
Where to stay in Hoi An?
If you want to experience the authentic atmosphere of Hoi An, I recommend staying in or near the Old Town. Everything is within walking distance, and you won’t need transportation.
We stayed in a cozy, budget-friendly hotel and were extremely satisfied – spacious rooms, kind staff, great breakfast, and a pool perfect for relaxing after long walks.
Check the hotel, photos, and availability here
Best things to Do in Hoi An?
Hoi An was the city that literally broke our bank. In three days here, we spent as much money as we hadn’t spent in 10 days. There’s just so much choice and so many beautiful and unique items that it would be a sin not to buy various things. And here’s what you can get.
Get Clothes Tailored
Yes, exactly. Here you go to the fabric market, which is located in the central part of the city, and choose a design from the thick catalogs they’ll show you. Literally within 24 hours, you’ll get a new garment, made to your design and tailored specifically for you. We didn’t miss the chance to order and were quite satisfied. Make sure to negotiate the price. As you know, this is essential here in Vietnam.
Buy a Genuine Leather Bag or Shoes
Besides being able to order custom-made clothes, here you can order shoes or bags made of genuine leather, again according to your design and wishes. Again, within 24 hours you can get your desired color, model, and type of leather. There’s a huge selection of available models. I personally chose a ready-made one and negotiated quite a while for it. The quality of the leather is high, and it’s great to take such a souvenir from Vietnam that will remind you of the good times spent in this part of Asia when you wear it later. I bought genuine leather sandals, which were also from the ready-made ones, simply because I decided to look for these things on our last day and consequently didn’t have time to order custom ones.
I’m writing this article one year after our journey and can definitely confirm that the quality of all materials – shoes, bags, and clothes is high. And the prices you can negotiate them down to are very good.
What Must We Eat in Hoi an?
The Banh Mi sandwich is emblematic of Hoi An. We learned about this sandwich from some travelers we met at our hotel in Ninh Binh. They said if we visit Hoi An, we absolutely shouldn’t miss this specific place – Phuong for Banh Mi sandwich. For two days we passed by this place, but it was always full of people. On the last day, the queue was small and that was our chance. The sandwiches are incredible. We didn’t see any chairs for sitting, but there are benches near the place where you can eat. We regretted trying them only on the last day, but we were happy we didn’t miss them.
The cuisine in Hoi An is different from other places in Vietnam. As is the atmosphere of the restaurants – they’re European-style and modern. You’ll find places to eat and drink in every alley. The good thing is that everything here works late. But don’t miss eating at the market – this also has its charm. You can try different seafood that they prepare in front of you. It’s extremely delicious. Just walk around the stalls and choose different things, try more items.
What to Visit around Hoi an?
Marble Mountains
We traveled by scooter from Hoi An to there. The journey wasn’t long, and it was pleasant. It took us about 30 minutes to get there, it’s located about 20 km from Hoi An. To be honest, I maybe expected a bit more from this place. But if you’re in the area and have enough time, set aside a few hours for here. There are caves and various temples. There are quite a lot of stairs to climb so stock up on water. It’s very green and picturesque, and the largest cave looks a bit like Eyes of God.
The Beaches
Between Hoi An and Da Nang there are many beaches. Unfortunately, here too the construction is massive and many of the beach strips are difficult to reach because of numerous construction sites. We visited Cam An beach – it wasn’t bad, but we weren’t very impressed. Honestly, this beach wasn’t anything special, maybe we didn’t pick the right time. The water is like our Black Sea. But on hot days, a few hours cooling off in the water is refreshing.
Around Hoi An there are really many things that can be seen – there are temples and history. But we were heading to Cambodia and Angkor Wat, which is exactly why we skipped these attractions, as we would have been oversaturated with similar experiences.
From our entire month-long journey through Asia, Hoi An is the town that has firmly nested in my mind. So colorful, vibrant, with a great spirit and atmosphere. I really want to return here.
