Hoi An Tips
Delight yourself in Hoi An ancient town following this tips. A beautiful place full of History surrounded by rise paddies, coconut palm trees, small rivers and stunning beaches. Enjoy this slow paced city protected by UNESCO and massively visited by tourists.
Basic Tips
Airport Transfer.
To get to Hoi An from Da Nang airport, the best option is to hire a transfer in advance, from the airport to your accommodation.
Weather.
The best time to visit Hoi An is between February and August. Outside this period there is the rainy season.
World Heritage.
Hoi An’s old town was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999 and is protected by UNESCO.
Rent a Bike.
Rent a bicycle if your accommodation doesn’t offer one, you will be able to go wherever you want. All Hoi An is flat and the roads are in good condition for cycling.
Hotspot For Pictures.
Take a lot of photos, everything is beautiful. Hoi An is known as the city of lanterns, you will see these handmade lanterns everywhere. In addition, the city maintains in optimal condition its wooden houses and bridges. In some cases more, they are more than 500 years old.
Custom made clothes paradise.
If you’d like to make your pictures even more perfect, you may visit one of the many tailors that work in Hoi An. It’s a well known destination for getting custom made clothes and there are tons of options, according to needs and budgets. Just make sure you’ll stay long enough in the city, as it usually takes a couple of days.
Low Traffic.
Enjoy Hoi An’s quiet traffic. Old town area is pedestrianized, so the only vehicle allowed is the bicycle (if you’re able to ride among the people). Outside the center, traffic is much quieter than in other parts of Vietnam.
Touristy Old Town.
Don’t plan to spend too many days in the center. Hoi An has a small town spirit, but it’s very touristy as well. Spending many days can get overwhelming due to the mass tourism that invades the old town every day.
Start Your Day Early
Get up early and take the chance to explore the town with few people around and avoiding the high temperatures. Everything is nice in the old center, go into every museum and old house if possible. It is also nice to walk around town late at night.
Highlights
Hoi An Market.
Visit Hoi An market in the old town. In addition to offering fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, etc., there is a food court. If you are interested in something on the market but the price is not on display, be prepared to haggle. Otherwise, you are going to pay at least four times what it costs a local.
Hoi An Night Market.
Explore the Night Market, it runs every night on the island that is connected by a bridge in front of the old town. There is a great deal of handicrafts, souvenirs and lots of food.
Cua Dai beach.
It is about 5km away from the old town. The beach is very nice and clean. You can dine right there, either at one of the beach bars or at one of the food stalls that are set up on the sand. You can go by bike and leave it in the parking lot of one of the bars for free (even without buying anything). Don’t pay to leave your bike at the entrance of the beach, it doesn’t make any sense.
Cam Thanh Island.
Bike around rice paddies and coconut palm trees on Cam Thanh Island. Simply search on Google Maps where Cam Thanh is and get into nature with your bike to enjoy those unique landscapes.
My Son
Visit My Son Santuary ruins. These Hindu temples were built by the Champa empire between the 4th and 13th centuries. It’s about 40 km from Hoi An, so the best option is to hire a private car or a tour. We recommend going very early first thing in the morning (it opens 5.30 am) to avoid the peak tourist hours and the heat. Ticket price VND 150,000 (USD 6.50).
