Vietnam, Hoi An: attractions, description, history and interesting facts. What to see in Hoi An - an ancient merchant city in Vietnam (71 photos) Museum of History and Culture
The small town of Hoi An (Vietnam) is located in the central part of the country, 30 km from Da Nang.
The history of Hoi An goes back more than 2000 years; in the 16th century, this city was known as a large port of the South China Sea and shopping mall all Southeast Asia.
Hoi An is located on the banks of the Thu Bon River, for which it is often called Venice. The only thing that offers gondola rides here is not pumped-up gondoliers, but colorful Vietnamese grandmothers.
Now Hoi An is known as an ancient city-museum, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999.
Sights of the ancient city
The old part of the city is quite small, however, there is something to see here - many ancient buildings have survived the ravages of time, 844 of which are considered historical value.
Every day, from 8:30 to 11:00 and from 15:00 to 21:30, streets in the Old Town are blocked, and vehicle entry becomes impossible. The conditions are excellent for pedestrian tourists who want to walk around the historical center.
To see the sights in the old part of Hoi An, you need to buy tickets - they are sold at the tourist information center and at kiosks installed at the entrance to Old town.
Note! There are 22 attractions that you have to pay to visit; the cost of a set of tickets to see any 5 is 120,000 VND ($6). Although the tickets indicate that they are valid for 24 hours, there is no date on them, therefore, they can be used for several days.
By the way, along with your tickets you can take a map of the Old Town of Hoi An. Although it’s impossible to get lost here, with a map it will be easier to figure out where the museum is, where the temple is, where the gallery is, and where it’s just a store - the thing is that looking at the building from the street, it’s not always possible to understand this.
Tourists visiting historical center Hoi An, please show respect to national culture and dress decently: it is advisable for men to wear a shirt, and for women to wear long sleeves that cover their knees.
Covered Japanese Bridge
Walking around the Old Town, you cannot help but see the Japanese Covered Bridge, which is almost the main local attraction. Cau Nhat Ban is recognized as a symbol of Hoi An, it is even depicted on the city coat of arms.
Back in 1593, this bridge was built by the Japanese living in Hoi An to connect the Tran Phu and Nguyen Thi Minh Hai streets separated by the Thu Bon River.
The Japanese bridge has the shape of an arch and reaches a length of 18 meters. Constructed of wood and tiles, it is distinguished by its unusual architecture: a dark burgundy roof with exquisite carved patterns, a temple located right in the middle of the bridge, statues of a dog and a monkey standing at opposite ends of the bridge.
To cross the Japanese Bridge, you need to pay 1 ticket. To continue your walk further, you can return across the nearby bridge, and you no longer need to pay for this.
The active shrine of Quan Cong is a must see in Hoi An! It is located at 24 Chan Fu Street.
The temple is very ancient; it was built by the Chinese in 1653, dedicating it to the hero of folk myths Quan Kong - his papier-mâché statue, partially covered with gold, is installed in the center of the sanctuary.
The gutters for draining rainwater on the roof are very original - they are made in the shape of a carp, symbolizing endurance in Chinese mythology.
Pay attention! Before entering the temple, you need to take off your shoes - there is a special platform for this.
Fujian Chinese Community Meeting Hall
There are 5 Assembly Halls in the city, but Phuc Kien is the largest and most famous of them. Even if you look at the sights of Hoi An (Vietnam) in the photo, you can understand how beautiful the Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Community is.
Having settled in Hoi An, the visiting Chinese built Assembly Halls where they could pray to their gods and communicate, where they had the opportunity to preserve the traditions of their people. This building was built by the Chinese from Fujian province at the end of the 17th century.
The building looks like a hieroglyph representing the number “3”. In the spacious courtyard there are statues of Buddha and his disciples, and there is a fountain decorated with animal figures. Most of the building is dedicated to the temple of the goddess of the sea, patron of fishermen and all those who travel by sea. In the Hall large number bronze statues and bells.
Interesting to know! As in most temples, you can leave a note here with your cherished wish. Once a year, the monks choose cards at random and all pray together for their wishes to come true.
What else is interesting about Hoi An?
Here you can walk not only around the Old Town - there are many attractions in Hoi An (Vietnam). There is always something to see not only in the city itself, but also not far from it.
Thuan Thien Island
Thuan Thien Island is located on the east side of the center of Hoi An and can be reached by bike or bike.
Thuan Thien is famous culinary tour, during which tourists are taught how to cook traditional dishes Vietnamese cuisine.
You can also take a bike ride on the island, discovering a lot of unusual things: pretty fishing villages with houses on stilts, fishing from traditional round boats, unusual thickets coconut trees on the water, spacious rice fields. In general, wandering around the island, you can observe the natural, non-tourist life of the Vietnamese.
Night market
In the evenings, many colorful lanterns are lit on the city streets, bridges and statues are illuminated. But the most interesting thing that can be observed at this time is night market on Nguyen Hoang Street.
It opens around 17:00 and is open until 23:00, until a shimmering twilight falls on the Khoy River.
The main thing that sets this market apart from all other Asian markets is the huge assortment of silk and paper lantern flowers that sellers make here. These products cost no more than $1, you can buy them as a memory of the trip, or you can light a candle in them and float them down the river for good luck.
The night market is a great chance to buy colorful souvenirs, interesting handicrafts, high quality textiles and silk. As in any Asian market, you definitely need to bargain, as sellers immediately quote double the price!
In addition, there are Vietnamese macarons working here, offering to taste famous dishes local cuisine. Food can be bought at the following prices (VND):
- Cao Lau noodles – 25,000;
- Vietnamese beef soup Pho Bo – 30,000;
- 10 small pork kebabs – 50,000;
- fried rice with chicken – 40,000;
- fried spring rolls – 30,000.
Tourists often come here not only for shopping, but simply to take a walk, admire the view of the river, and look at the products in the souvenir shops.
Whole groups of tourists flock to the Marble Mountains from Hoi An, as this attraction, located 7 km from Da Nang, is the most popular in the area.
The Marble mountains are several hills in the middle of a field, covered with thickets of trees, bushes and cacti. And they are marble because marble was once mined here, but now they only sell souvenirs made from it.
On the largest mountain, everything is thought out for excursions: signs, fenced paths, staircases carved in stone, benches for relaxation, a spacious elevator for climbing to the top. There are many caves in this mountain - the largest of them, with tiled floors and lighting, house Buddhist temples with statues of Buddha.
Am Phu Cave is impressive, which is a symbol of hell and heaven. Immediately at the entrance to the cave, the descent into “hell” begins, and the images there are so realistic that it is better not to take children for an inspection. A steep staircase leads from “hell” to “paradise”, where equipped observation deck you can admire the surroundings.
There are a large number of pagodas on this mountain, the most famous, Tam Thai, was built in 1825.
- The Marble Mountains complex is open to the public from 7:00 to 17:30.
- The cost of entry to the territory is $2.
- Tickets to Am Phu Cave and caves on Thủy Sơn Mountain cost 20,000 dong ($0.75), and a one-way elevator ride costs 15,000.
You can see the Marble Mountains by purchasing an excursion from a travel agency for $20-30, but it’s better to take independent travel. You can get from Hoi An to the Marble Mountains on your own by taking the Hoi An – Da Nang bus, which departs from Hoi An North Bus Station. You need to go to the Marble Mountains stop, from there it’s a 5-minute walk towards the sea.
You can get to the attraction on a rented bike. Traffic on the road is relatively calm, the journey from Hoi An to the mountains takes only 15-20 minutes. There is no parking for bikes, but you can leave it for free at any cafe or store.
Hoi An beaches
An Bang Beach Tourists come to Hoi An not only for the sights of the Old Town, but also for a seaside holiday. There are few people on the local beaches, it is quiet and calm, only on holidays and weekends do Vietnamese gather on the coast.
There are 2 beaches in Hoi An: An Bang Beach and Cua Da Beach, but there is no clear boundary between them. The beach is quite crowded in the center and completely empty on the outskirts, but at the same time it is equally comfortable everywhere. In the central part there is a very gentle entry into the water - it takes a long walk to reach the depth where you can swim. That is why it is good to relax here with children. In this part there are restaurants with a variety of food and shops, and parking is available.
Cua Da Beach On the beaches you can rent sunbeds and umbrellas for the whole day for 40,000 VND ($2), but if you buy something in a nearby cafe or restaurant, you can get a sunbed for free. There is parking, the fee for leaving a bicycle or bike is 20,000 VND ($1). If you don’t want to pay for parking and don’t need sunbeds and umbrellas, you can go to undeveloped areas of the beach.
Standard entertainment available to tourists (prices in Vietnamese dong):
- jet skiing (15 min – 500,000, 30 min – 800,000);
- parachute riding (1 person – 600,000, 2 people – 800,000);
- Banana ride (5 people – 1,000,000).
The beaches are located at a distance of 4-5 km from the Old Town, and you can get to them:
- on foot - this is convenient only if the accommodation is located near the beach, otherwise the journey takes a lot of time;
- by taxi - according to the meter for travel from the center it will be about $3;
- by bicycle – the journey from the center will take up to 20 minutes;
- on a bike - this is the best option.
City transport
To take a walk around the Old City, tourists sometimes choose a pedicabs. For a 10-minute trip you will have to pay 50,000 Vietnamese money ($2.5).
Suitable for moving over longer distances:
Hoi An Restaurants
Vietnam is a true paradise for lovers of tasty and healthy food. Food in Hoi An, as in Vietnam in general, is very healthy: fresh fruits and vegetables in abundance, and seafood in equal quantities. Almost all establishments have an assortment of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
There are many establishments in Hoi An where you can have a tasty and satisfying meal, and the pricing policy is quite varied. A large number of restaurants are located along the beach strip, the food there is delicious, although the prices for Vietnam are quite high (in dong):
- fried beef with sauce or pork dishes – 150,000;
- French fries – 60,000;
- vegetables (stewed, fried) – 70,000;
- seafood (crabs, mussels, squid, shrimp, fish) – 200,000;
- salads – 100,000;
- soup – 75,000;
- juice – 40,000;
- beer – from 20,000.
In the restaurants of the Old Town, prices are generally more modest:
Pho soup - soups – 50,000;
- squid with sauces – from 70,000 to 85,000;
- shrimp – from 90,000 to 120,000;
- Cao Lau noodles – 50,000;
- fried rice with vegetables and beef – 60-80,000;
- draft beer – from 12,000;
- bottled beer - from 15,000.
Fine dining restaurants
Among the more expensive establishments in Hoi An, the following can be noted.
The Restaurant at The Nam Hai Hoi An
Refers to The Nam Hai Hotel, located at Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village. It offers Asian and Vietnamese cuisine - from fresh seafood to meat - and prepared by the chef himself. Impeccable style and service.
Bong Hoi An Restaurant And Bar at 244 Cua Dai Street
This is a brewpub where tourists can try Asian and Vietnamese cuisine. Here family business: There is only 1 chef and so the restaurant is usually crowded, but the food is worth the wait! In this establishment you can even take part in master classes where you learn how to cook traditional Vietnamese food. The host of the master class picks up the participants from the hotel, goes with them to the local market to buy the necessary products, and then comes with them to the restaurant. During the master class, you can not only learn the secrets of culinary skills, but also hear a lot of interesting things about life in Vietnam.
Aubergine49 Restaurant
Located 1 km from the city center, at 49A Ly Thai To, Cam Chau Ward is a great option for those who don't like or are already tired of Vietnamese delicacies. The French food here is very tasty, although there is also Asian cuisine. The service is very good and there is parking in front of the restaurant. Free Wi-Fi is available.
Budget establishments
In Hoi An, you can dine in more modest establishments, and it will be no less tasty and satisfying.
The Kebab Shack
British fastwood cuisine is offered by The Kebab Shack, located at 38B Thai Phien, Cam Pho. There is a large selection of dishes and low prices, for example, a very tasty and filling kebab with pork and potatoes costs 50,000 dong. There is free Wi-Fi.
Guitar Hawaii Hoi An Live Music BarThere is no nightlife in the city, restaurants close early. However, there are a couple of attractive places where you can have a drink and a bite to eat while listening to some good music.
- Guitar Hawaii Hoi An Live Music Bar is open from 20:00 to 23:00. Location: 3 Phan Chau Trinh. Beer and juices cost $2-3, cocktails cost $4.
- 3 Dragons Sports Bar is open at 51 Phan Boi Chau Street from 08:00 to 00:00. Foreign sports fans usually come here. You can buy beer here for $2, cocktails for $4, and a bottle of wine for $20-25.
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How to get to Hoi An from Nha Trang
By bus
The best option for getting from Nha Trang to Hoi An is to take a bus. The travel time is 12 hours, and since the buses in Vietnam are good, the trip is quite comfortable. Tickets cost around 200,000 VND, but during long holidays the price increases by 20-50%. It is better to buy tickets in advance, especially if the trip is planned on the weekend or holidays.
Transportation is provided by Futabus (futabus.vn), The Sinh Tourist (www.thesinhtourist.vn). The current schedule and ticket prices can be viewed on the indicated websites.
You can take a taxi by ordering a car from one of the tourist offices (Russian or English speaking). Prices in all offices are different, you need to ask and choose the most suitable option. You can also order a taxi online. If there will be a lot of people traveling, then it makes sense to order a minibus, it will be more profitable.
By plane
Danang International Airport You can fly to Hoi An from Nha Trang by plane. There is a direct flight with Vietnam Airlines, a ticket in this case will cost about $60, the flight lasts 1 hour. There are VietJet or Jetstar flights, in which case you need to make a transfer in Ho Chi Minh City - in time it will take 4-6 hours, and in money it will cost approximately $150. Planes land in Da Nang, from there you can take a taxi or take the Danag - Hoi An bus, which departs from the city bus station.
Prices on the page are for April 2018.
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When is the best time to visit Hoi An?
In Vietnam, and Hoi An is no exception, it is customary to distinguish between the dry season and the rainy season.
The rainy season lasts from September to early January. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in October-November - at this time there are heavy rains, there may be typhoons, and floods often occur.
The dry season begins in January and ends in August. This period is considered optimal for a trip to Hoi An (Vietnam). For excursion tour The best time is from January to April, when the temperature is still quite comfortable, and walks will be easy and pleasant. On beach holiday It’s better to come from June to August, when the sea has warmed up well and you can swim.
This video captures the atmosphere of Hoi An well. It also contains a lot of useful information for those interested in visiting the city.
Related posts:
This article contains all useful information about the city of Hoi An (Vietnam): how to get to Hoi An, how to get around the city, where to live, where to eat, what to buy and how much it all costs :)
Vietnam, Hoi An. Well the streets of the old city
Vietnam Hoi An: general information
Hoi An – small town in central Vietnam on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Hoi An's history dates back over 2,000 years, and in the 16th century, Hoi An was an important port and trading center in Southeast Asia. Merchants from Europe, China, and Japan sailed here.
Now Hoi An is called a museum city under open air: the city has preserved ancient Chinese-style houses, temples, meeting houses, and a Japanese bridge. More than 800 buildings in the city have historical value. Since 1999, Hoi An has been under the protection of UNESCO.
On the territory of one of the temples in Hoi An Gorgeous beach Hoi An is 4 km from Hoi An Old Town. The road to it runs past rice fields and houses local residents.
Hoi An Beach The old town of Hoi An is simply made for romantic walks. The central streets of the old city are closed to traffic every day from 8:30 to 11:00 and from 15:00 to 21:30 and half of the city turns into a sort of Walking street :)
Walking pedestrian streets in the center of the old town 
Evening Walking Street Weather in Hoi An. Best time to visit
Hoi An has two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season begins in January–February and ends in August. The rainy season begins in September and lasts until December. The heaviest amount of precipitation occurs in October–November. During these months, heavy rains, typhoons and even floods are possible. Houses in the old town of Chojna sometimes flood up to the second floor!
Hoi An is cool in winter and very hot in summer. The hottest and driest period is July – August.
What is the best time to visit Hoi An?
If it's your priority beach holiday, then it’s better to choose for a holiday in Hoi An period from June to August. In September - November there are strong storms, and in winter the sea water temperature is cool.
For excursion holiday It's better to choose in Hoi An period from January to April, it’s not so hot yet and it’s nice to walk around the city.
We vacationed in Hoi An at the end of May: it was wildly hot outside (more than +40!), but the sea was still cool.
At the end of May, Hoi An was extremely hot. During the day there were no people on the streets at all! Everyone except me was hiding under air conditioning in hotels or sunbathing on the beach. Hoi An: how to get there
You will also have to get from Da Nang railway station to Hoi An by taxi or pre-booked transfer.
By bus
The best way to get to Hoi An is to take a bus. The buses in Vietnam are good, you can even sleep in the slipping bass at night :)
Approximate cost of bus tickets to Hoi An:
- Nha Trang – Hoi An – 200,000 dong
- Dalat – Hoi An – 300,000 VND
- Da Nang – Hoi An – 80,000 VND
- Hue – Hoi An – 100,000 dong
- Hanoi – Hoi An – 320,000 dong
- Hong Chi Minh City – Hoi An – 320,000 VND
We traveled by bus from Nha Trang to Hoi An. We left at 7:00 pm and were at the bus station in Hoi An at 8 am. If it weren't for the road repairs, we would have arrived a couple of hours earlier. I advise you to buy bus tickets in advance, especially if the trip falls on weekends or holidays (by the way, during long Vietnamese holidays, bus and train fares officially increase by 20-50%). We bought tickets for the Nha Trang - Hoi An bus two days before departure and there were almost no seats, we got last places at different ends of the bus.
Transport in Hoi An, how to get around Hoi An
The old town of Hoi An is quite small and can be easily explored on foot. Or you can take a walk in a carriage like this - a rickshaw :) I have never traveled this way, I really feel sorry for the Vietnamese pedaling :)
Pedicab is one of the ways to get around Hoi An 
Pedicabs are waiting for tourists on the embankment You can travel longer distances:
By bike. Many hotels provide bicycles to their guests absolutely free. Or you can rent a bike at tour offices for 1-3 dollars per day.
Here they offer some expensive bicycles for rent: 50,000 dong, that’s like renting half a bike 🙂 Maybe a bicycle with beer? 
Both tourists and locals ride bicycles in Hoi An On a bike. Renting a bike will cost 5-6 dollars per day. Often they don’t even require anything as collateral.
By taxi. There are inexpensive taxis in Vietnam, just tell the driver right away that you are going only according to the meter. A taxi from the city center to Hoi An Beach will cost 3-4 dollars.
Where to stay in Hoi An: hotels in Hoi An
Hoi An - popular tourist city and there are a lot of hotels in it :) The cost of rooms in hotels in Hoi An is slightly higher than in other cities. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t find a room in Hoi An for $10 a night. Those who seek will always find :) We wanted a more comfortable stay in Hoi An, so we rented hotel rooms in the price range of 20-30 dollars per day.
In Hoi An, in addition to large hotels, accommodation in Homestays is very popular. Home Stay – private houses in which the owners rent out rooms. Now most of these houses have turned into mini-hotels. More details about Hoi An hotels:
I recommend booking a hotel room in Hoi An in advance, especially if you come to the city on weekends or holidays. You can choose and book a hotel in Hoi An on these sites, just choose the best price :)
Things to do and see in Hoi An
1. The old town of Hoi An is one continuous attraction :) In Hoi An you can and should take a leisurely stroll around the city, along the embankment, visiting museums, churches and numerous cafes along the way. Shall we take a walk together?
2. You can and should enjoy yourself in Hoi Nai gentle South China Sea, lie on sun loungers under an umbrella on the beach, dine at fish restaurants on the shore, drink white wine and stroll along the long and uncrowded Hoi An beach. More details here:
Enjoying the sea :) 3. Swim on big-eyed boats on the river. The trip can be combined with dinner on the boat (the cost of dinner with a walk starts from $23 per person).
Please note that boats have “eyes” :) 
River boat cruise with dinner from $23 per person 4. Ride on small Vietnamese boats down the river and run flower with candle for luck. Such flowers can be bought on the bridge for only $1, and sometimes even for $0.5 (otherwise someone wrote that these flowers are sold for “mad money” :)).
This is how romantic you can take a ride on a small boat in the evening and float a flower along the river for good luck... 
Daily evening rituals :) Very beautiful 5. Ride on cycling along the rice fields.
6. Visit traditional musical performance. Held every day at 10:15 and 15:15 at Hoi An Art Craft Manufacturing Workshop. Cost of visiting: free.
Musical show - folk dances 
Vietnamese dancing in Hoi An Traditional musical performance in Hoi An. Video
7. Visit water puppet theater. Two performances per day at 16:00 and 18:40 at the Art Performance House. Ticket price – 80,000 dong (~$4).
Hoi An show schedule 8. Visit the Marble Mountains near Da Nang
9. Visit the Michon complex
10. Climb one of the longest cable cars in the world to Mount Bana and spend the whole day there in an amusement park
11. Go on an excursion to the Cham Islands
Food: shops, cafes, restaurants in Hoi An
There are no large stores, such as in Hoi An. The nearest Big C supermarket is 30 km from Hoi An in Da Nang. There are many small shops in the city where you can buy water, cookies, chocolate, bread, alcohol and other small items. Meat, fish, seafood must be bought at the market. We bought vegetables and fruits at stands along the Hoi An-Danang road. At the central market, prices for fruit seemed very high to us.
Hojna Central Market with tourist prices for fruit Hoi An will delight lovers of sweets and coffee. There are a lot of coffee shops and pastry shops in the city, where you can drink not only Vietnamese coffee (which is very tasty, but sometimes you still want a huge cup of cappuccino), but also other types of coffee :) And of course, a snack with a cake :)
- A piece of cake – from 50,000 VND
- Espresso coffee – 25,000 VND
- Cappuccino – 35,000 VND
- Coffee Latte – 40,000 VND
Coffee shop with delicious European cakes 
Um... divine tiramisu... 
Coffee shops on the waterfront with great views and delicious coffee 
Another coffee shop in the old town 
Hoi An is a paradise for lovers of beautiful cafes and restaurants 
One of Hoi An's rooftop restaurants Hoi An is a paradise for foodies. It is in Hoi An that you can try dishes that are not presented in other regions of Vietnam. For example, noodles with Khao Lau meat, crispy Hoi An pancakes with shrimp or meat, crispy Wonton.
The signature dish in Hoi An is Cao Lau pork noodles. In makashnitsa it costs a little more than a dollar There are a great variety of cafes in Hoi An, for every taste and budget: you can eat in Vietnamese cafes in the market, in cheap cafes with plastic chairs near the river, or in nice restaurants with European service and a cozy interior.
Vietnam style cafe 
Something between Vietnam-style and a tourist restaurant 
Good tourist restaurant Every evening, Vietnamese-style makashniks start working on the river bank :)
Towards evening, plastic tables are placed along the river for dinner. 
After 5 pm, Vietnamese-style shops start working, where you can have a very inexpensive dinner and enjoy the views of the city. Prices in Hoi An for food in Makashi:
- Cao Lau noodles – 25,000 VND
- Fried spring rolls – 30,000 VND
- 10 small pork skewers – 50,000 VND
- Fried rice with chicken – 40,000 VND
- Pho Bo (Vietnamese beef soup) – 30,000 VND
- Hoi An pancakes – 30,000 VND
Food prices in Hoi An We preferred to dine at cute tourist restaurants on the waterfront. In addition to traditional Khoin dishes, we always ordered fish or shrimp. We tried to choose a place with draft beer. Yes, I forgot to say that another feature of Hoi An is cheap and good draft beer :) A small glass of beer will cost you only 2,000 – 5,000 dong (0.1 – 0.25 dollars)! Well, how can you not have a drink here? 🙂 We moved from one cafe to another tasting beers. That’s how fun our evenings were in Hoi An :)
Numerous waterfront restaurants in Hoi An 
Which of the hundreds of restaurants should we choose for our dinner? 🙂 
I always choose beautiful restaurants for dinner. 
And I always look to see what’s sitting in the restaurant. more people 
Prices in Hoi An for restaurants in the old town
- Vietnamese soup – 50,000 dong
- Cao Lau noodles – 50,000 VND
- Fried Wonton (I don’t know how to translate this) – 50,000 VND
- White Rose (something like rice flour dumplings with your choice of filling) – 40,000 VND
- Hoi An pancakes – 60,000 VND
- Fried rice with beef and vegetables – 60,000 VND
- Squids in different sauces – 70,000 – 85,000 dong
- Shrimps - 90,000 – 120,000 dong
- Pizza – 120,000 VND
- Glass of wine – 30,000 VND
- Beer on tap – from 2,000 VND
- Bottled beer – from 15,000 VND
As you can see, for tourist restaurants in the very center of Hoi An on the embankment the prices are very low! In addition, every day from 17:00 to 19:00 in many restaurants there are “Happy Hours”, when when you order one cocktail you get the second one for free or beer and wine at a special price.
One evening we had dinner here. Everything is very tasty, but there is no draft beer 
White Rose with shrimp and Hoi An pancakes 
I had delicious food in all the restaurants in the old city :) 
Happy Hour - buy one cocktail or hookah and get the second one free! Shopping and souvenirs from Hoi An
Hoi An is not only a paradise for lovers of beautiful restaurants and delicious food, but also a paradise for a shopaholic! Girls, if you love dresses as much as I love them, then you should definitely come to Hoi An! 🙂
Who wants a dress, a coat or a dog? 🙂 
Beautifully decorated windows of expensive stores 
Expensive stylish dress There are many sewing workshops in the city where they can sew you any item within 24 hours, be it an evening dress or a business suit. And, of course, dresses – skirts – sundresses can simply be bought in numerous stores. Dresses start from $20. Beautiful floor-length evening dresses – $50-100. Eh, it’s a pity that I didn’t buy anything... Well, where should I wear evening dresses on or in?
Eh, why didn’t I buy myself a pair of evening dresses in Hoi An? 🙂 
Any girl will enjoy shopping in Hoi An! What other souvenirs should you bring from Hoi An?
Chojna is a city of lanterns; these colorful lanterns will be a pleasant reminder of this wonderful city. Lanterns are made from paper, thread, and silk.
Thread lanterns 75,000 VND (~$3.75) 
Multi-colored lanterns are the best souvenir of Hoi An There are many Chinese living in Hoi An and many tea shops sell Chinese tea and tea sets.
One of the tea shops 
Cute tea set - $25 
Just funny animal figurines Conclusions
Have you been to Hoi An yet? And in vain! Hoi An is a truly extraordinary city, a city that ideally combines sightseeing and beach holidays, a city for romantics and couples, a city for lovers of delicious food and beautiful restaurants, a city of cheap draft beer and bright lanterns! Hoi An is a city where you want to return. Hoi An is the Venice of Vietnam :)
Hoi An - Vietnamese Venice 
Crossing the river with local residents and bikes During our trip to Vietnam, I fell madly in love with two cities: Hoi An. They are so different, but so cool!
Beautifully decorated shop windows in Hoi An old town 
And these are the exercise machines on the Hoi An embankment Is Hoi An suitable for a holiday?– definitely YES!
Is Hoi An suitable for living and wintering?– for me it’s more likely NO than yes. There are no large supermarkets in the city, and you won’t be able to travel 60 km to buy groceries... And houses are mostly rented out among the rice fields. It’s certainly fun to live in the fields, but I’m not a fan of village life, I’ll get bored in a month. But neighboring city I would consider Danang for wintering.
And some more photos of the city of Hoi An (Vietnam)
Hoi An city, Vietnam. In the late afternoon, tourists go for a walk into the city 
The streets of Hoi An are empty during the day in the heat 
Even the trees in the city are decorated with colorful lanterns. 
One of the cozy cafes in the city center 
Yellow-blue-pink :) Hoi An 
Souvenir shops 
Art gallery 
Vietnamese couples come to Hoi An for wedding photo shoot 
Come on holiday to Hoi An! 🙂 Subscribe to blog updates and my channel youtube.com, there is still a lot of information on, and!
I will continue my favorite part of “Travel to Vietnam”. Now we went to explore the center of the country and the first city was Hoi An(Hoi An, Hoi An). This small town on the coast of the South China Sea, just 25-30 km from Da Nang. Today you will learn how to get to Hoyne, what to see, where to go and where to live. Read on, it will be interesting and, again, a lot of photos.
A little history of the city. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Hoi An was very important as an international trading center. At that time it was called Faifo. Nowadays, only the taxi service of the same name reminds us of the old name of the city. Later, the center of trade moved to Da Nang, but in the heart of Hoi An - the Old Town, the spirit of the ancient trading city was preserved. In those days, many ships called at the port of Hoina, most of which were from Japan, China, Holland and India.
Some merchants stayed in Hoi An for up to six months, opening shops here where they sold all kinds of goods. I would like to add that little has changed in the city since the 16th-17th centuries; some attractions have survived to this day.
Hoi An is called an open-air museum city and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are more than 800 buildings of historical significance in the Old Town area. You can walk endlessly along the city streets! Correctly noted in one of the comments in my Instagram: “Hoi An is a city for girls :-).” This, of course, does not mean that men have nothing to do here. It’s just that girls are more impressionable to such small, cozy, romantic and incredibly soulful cities. I'm no exception :-). Walking around the city, I couldn’t breathe in the atmosphere; I wanted to walk in silence and “listen” at home, imagining how everything was a couple of centuries ago. The presence of free Wi-Fi throughout the Old Town indicates modernity here :-).
What to see in Hoi An?
Since the entire city is a tourist attraction, it is difficult to single out any specific attractions in Hoi An. The greatest concentration of attractions is concentrated in the Old Town area. Since Hoi An is a small town, one day is enough to get to know it, but I know first-hand that people stay here longer.
Here you can try lotus tea
You can just stroll through the streets of the Old Town, or you can buy a ticket for 120,000 VND ($5.5) and go into some of the houses. In total, the Old Town has 22 of the most famous and popular places to visit (as stated in the newsletter). With a ticket you can visit only 5 of them. Detailed information you will receive at the point of purchase of tickets, and along with the ticket you will also receive a card indicating and brief description attractions.
Cash register
A little trick: after 19-00, entrance to the attractions is free and you can visit them without buying a ticket. For example, for entering the Japanese bridge they will take one ticket from you, and after 7 o'clock entry is free for everyone. We also noticed that during the day you can also walk through some houses freely during the lunch break, but I won’t tell you the exact time. Now I’ll tell you a little about some of the attractions of the Old Town:
Covered Japanese Bridge is not only a landmark, but also a symbol of the city. It is he who is depicted on many postcards, magazines, and notebooks. The Japanese bridge was built in 1593 and remains in excellent condition to this day. It was built by craftsmen from the Japanese community of Hoi An in order to connect the Japanese quarter with the Chinese quarter.
The bridge is especially beautiful in the evening, when it is illuminated in different colors.
This is a favorite place for newlyweds and couples in love. Many people come to Hoi An specifically for photo shoots.
Old houses of Tang Kee, Kung Tang, Fung Hung and many others. These are mostly private houses, whose families have lived in them for more than one generation. The size of such houses is small, but the owners are happy to talk about every detail of the house. You can get here with a general ticket. To visit some houses, tickets are not needed and we could easily walk there and look at the details of the houses.
There are also many temples and pagodas. To visit some you will need a ticket, but no one will prevent you from taking photographs of the territory.
Museum of Ceramics, Hoi An History and Culture Museum, Folklore Museum— thanks to these museums you can get even closer to the culture of the city.
Wooden figurines are a great gift from Vietnam
In fact, there is still a lot of interesting and fascinating things to do in the Old Town. Explore and find what inspires you. This city will definitely not leave you indifferent.
Maybe a cup of coffee?
In addition to everything, I would like to separately highlight a large number sewing workshops. Many tourists come here to sew suits, dresses, blouses, skirts from natural silk, linen or cotton. If the model is simple, then the work can be completed in a couple of hours.
Men's suits are made within 24 hours and cost from $80.
There are also many in the city shoe workshops, where you can buy ready-made shoes or again have them made to order. The cost of leather shoes starts at $20. I think this is very good price for a pair of quality shoes.
Leather, lots of leather!
Oh, how much jewelry stores: one is better than the other. I couldn’t resist and left them with new jewelry. No wonder my mother says that I am a magpie-crow
One of Hoi An's shops will offer you a bamboo bicycle or bag.
Hoi An cuisine- this is a completely separate conversation. In the numerous cafes and restaurants that light their lights for visitors in the evenings, you can taste incredible culinary masterpieces. After all, Hoi An is a city of artists and craftsmen. And the cooks here are artists too. A unique feature of Hoi An restaurants are cooking classes. You can learn how to cook the most popular Vietnamese dishes. The cost of such courses starts from $15 per person. You just need to ask if the cafe offers courses and it’s almost done!
Separately, I would like to show you the art galleries of Hoi An. I really liked them. My hands were itching to buy one of the works, but Gleb stopped me.
I would especially like to highlight the photo book of Vietnam. It shows Vietnam in people: from children to the elderly, as well as the nature of the country. I was very impressed by the book. The photographs are incredibly beautiful and, most importantly, alive. The feeling that a person is looking directly at you. If you see this book somewhere, I highly recommend checking it out.
And before useful information about how to get to Hoi An and where to live, a little evening city.
One of the many souvenir shops
Lanterns are the symbol of Hoi An.
Cozy and quiet cafes on the embankment
Beautiful lighting of shops in the evening.
How to get to Hoi An?
As always, there are several options: plane, train and bus.
From Da Nang- by bus (2-3 dollars) or by taxi (about 10-12 dollars per car).
From Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi There are direct flights to Da Nang, from where you can take a taxi, bus or rented bike to Hoi An.
From Nha Trang can be reached by bus. The distance of 530 km on a bike will be very difficult to cover, but the bus from Nha Trang leaves at 19-00 and you can be there in the morning. We used the services of The Sinh Tourist bus company and were already there at 6 am. The nearest railway station is in Da Nang.
Where to stay in Hoi An?
The hotel infrastructure is very well developed: from budget hotels for $10-15/day to luxury villas for $500/day. We chose a beautiful villa just 2 km from the Old Town - Aquarium Villa, where the price included breakfast, free bicycle rental and a large spacious room with a balcony. By the way, this hotel is located near Thanh Ha pottery village. This is another attraction of the city.
There are still good prices for hotels and guesthouses in Hoi An on Agoda.com. You can rent an AirBnB apartment. When renting on AirBnB, you can take advantage of my $21 discount on your first booking.
It is better to compare hotels through the HotelsCombined.com service; it checks prices using a dozen booking systems.
I think you have now learned more about the city and will find the opportunity and time to visit it. Follow the news on
Let's face it - Hoi An with its restored old houses, hundreds of shops and temples - most interesting place! Now a UNESCO protected site, once Vietnam's main trading center for silk, porcelain, pepper, cinnamon and medicinal plants, Hoi An is a wonderful and quaint city. And here are the attractions you can find here:
Hoi An Old Town
Traces of Hoi An's thriving 16th- and 17th-century southeast Asian trading port are today concentrated in the Old Town, an open-air museum whose architecture is a unique blend of East and West. The area's architectural heritage includes Chinese temples, a Japanese bridge, pagodas, wooden houses, French colonial houses and old canals. Although the large-scale trading activities have long since moved to another location, this part is still of great interest.
Two facts about Hoi An Old Town are that it is very small, so you can easily get around it on foot, and the traffic here is quite adequate compared to other more major cities Vietnam. 
Some streets of the Old Town are only allowed to be traveled on foot, by bicycle or motorcycle, while others are only allowed on foot. These factors make the Old City even more attractive to most travelers, especially those coming from frenetic Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.
Many of the buildings in the Old Town were built over a hundred years ago and are “very Chinese”. Particularly charming are the wooden signs with the names of shops and hotels, with gilded Chinese characters - this reflects the fact that quite a lot of Chinese have lived in Hoi An since ancient times. Traditions are still alive in the Old Town. 
Even though many old shops have been converted into modern boutiques for tourists, including countless tailor shops, souvenir shops, art galleries, restaurants and cafes, they have all been remodeled very carefully in a way that retains the spirit of yesteryear.
Hoi An Riverside
The coastal strip of Hoi An (Riverside) is very beautiful, especially at night as it is lit with quaint old-fashioned lanterns, making the area atmospheric and very romantic. 
Of all the east-west streets in Old Town, Riverside is the busiest. The traditional buildings and shops of this avenue have welcomed foreign merchants since the days when the city was known as Hai Pho ("seaside town"). Currently, the street only welcomes tourists. Riverside's architecture seems to be untouched by time - buildings up to 200 years old and a wonderful mixture of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and colonial styles. Those who would like to see the oldest buildings should go further inland, where they can find, for example, a 15th century pagoda.
Michon Sanctuary (Mỹ Sơn)
Michonne is on the list World Heritage UNESCO. This is a great example of architecture ancient civilization Champa (or Champa), which once occupied the territory of the central and southern part of Vietnam. 
Michonne is a complex that was a political center and a royal burial ground. The complex consisted of more than 70 buildings dedicated to Hindu gods and goddesses (for example, Shiva, the patron deity of the kings of Champa). Michon's buildings are made of red brick and sandstone, everything is very skillful and delicate - just a miracle! 
Like many historical places throughout the world, Michonne was destroyed by time and wars and was forgotten for many years, until it was remembered and restored by the French in 1898. Unfortunately, one of the last wars caused great damage to the complex - the Americans bombed this area, because they knew that the Viet Cong were hiding there (they, poor things, believed that the enemies would not encroach on the holy places, but no!)
However, most of the central complex has survived, and the destroyed parts have already been restored. 
Overall, this sanctuary is reminiscent of other similar sites in Southeast Asia, such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. You should definitely visit Michonne and touch the history. Temple complex open all year round. Best time To visit - early in the morning, before it gets too hot and before there are crowds.
Location: in a valley in Duy Tan, Duy Xuyen district, Quang Nam province (about 40 km from Hoi An)
Hoi An Central Market
With the wafting aroma of herbs and spices and the vibrant colors of Vietnamese silk, this market is definitely a sight to behold. Prices here are, however, inflated, especially at the kiosks closer to the entrance, so make your way deeper into the bazaar to make the best purchase.
The market sells a lot of food: spices, exotic fresh fruits and vegetables, a huge selection of fresh fish. 
The market is famous for its tailors, who can sew you a suit very quickly, in less than a day. Souvenir shops and shops of local hunters and artisans - all this is also here. The market is open throughout the day, but it is better to come in the morning. They start selling fish around 7:00, as fishermen just bring their catch - an opportunity to buy the freshest fish. Wear closed shoes to the market as the market floor is often wet and sticky, especially if you visit the fish section. 
And sometimes it smells just disgusting here (especially where they sell meat), but, nevertheless, it’s quite a sight! Well, yes, be prepared to bargain. The first price named by the merchant will definitely be inflated, and specifically so. Do we need it? We bargain until we lose our pulse, otherwise we’ll leave all the money there!
Location: on Nguyen Hue and Tran Phu streets, on the banks of the Thu Bon River
Hoi An Museum of History & Culture
Most of the museum's objects date from the 16th to 18th centuries, although there are exhibits representing historical and cultural events before and after those turbulent trading years. The museum contains a collection of ceramics and historical photographs and drawings, and a number of Cham artifacts, including bronze temple bells and gongs. 
The museum is located in the picturesque Quan Am Pagoda, one of the oldest in Vietnam (it was built in 1653). Overall, the museum's relics cover 2,000 years of Hoi An's history. 
The museum also offers interesting information heritage of this region, including here you will learn more about traditional funeral rites (and see very old tombs). Some exhibits have explanations in English, but not very detailed, so it would be wise to bring your own guidebook.
Opening hours: 8:00 - 17:00
Location: 7 Nguyen Hue
In Da Nang, at the airport counters there is information about Hoi An in Russian. Study the map, the location of attractions, beaches, hotels and feel free to hit the road.
If you are traveling on your own, keep in mind that there is no direct air connection with Hoi An; you will first have to get to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, then to Da Nang, and only then to the resort by bus, taxi, or car booked in advance. The distance from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Danang is almost the same: about 850 km. Choose for yourself where it would be better for you to fly first for a transfer to Da Nang.
In Da Nang, for the convenience of tourists, every hour and a half from the airport to Hoi An there is a minibus transfer, delivering for 100,000 dong to the hotel you need. There is also a cheaper bus that runs from Da Nang: it departs from the city bus station. Travel there costs 10,000 dong.
You can travel from different cities in Vietnam by night buses; they are comfortable for night trips and inexpensive. For example, travel from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An will cost 320 thousand dong, from Hue - 100 thousand dong, from Dalat - 300 thousand, and from Nha Trang - 200 thousand dong. Tickets must be purchased in advance; they may not be available for sale on the day of departure.
Hoi Nang Hotels
Hotels at the resort are located on coastlines 1, 2 and 3. Basically, hotels with 2, 3, 4 stars are located on the 2nd and 3rd coastlines. On the first coastline 5* hotels have chosen this place. They have everything a vacationer needs. There are also their own private beaches.
The more stars, the better service: hotels have a currency exchange office, their own souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, barbecues, car rentals and other amenities and services. Some hotels provide free excursions as a “bonus” for paying for your stay.
Beaches near hotels with a small number of stars are municipal, i.e. free. It can be quite a long journey to get to them. Transport (motorcycle or bicycle) is not allowed on the beach, which aggravates the problem. You will have to walk or use paid parking. Fortunately, the beaches are clean and well-equipped.
Meals in BB hotels: breakfast only. Rarely do hotels in Hoi An offer HB meals: with breakfast and dinner (or lunch). Just one Sunrise Hoian Hotel Beach Resort 5* provides All Inclusive, the prices are very high.
The town is small and you can walk around its streets in 2-3 hours. Hoi An has two dozen attractions. Tickets for visiting them are distributed at city information centers: small booths.
Comprehensive tickets are sold for a visit to five main attractions, and such a “comprehensive” ticket costs 120 thousand dong. In such a “booth center”, do not forget to take a map of the old city, then you will be able to figure out where is just a house and where is a museum or gallery. After all, all the houses are old, so visually they can very easily be mistaken for a landmark.
