🏛️ The Ancient Town: A Living Museum
The best way to see Hoi An is on foot. Motorized vehicles are banned from the town center during certain hours, making it a peaceful place to wander.
- Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cầu): The symbol of Hoi An. Built in the 1590s by the Japanese community to link them with the Chinese quarters. It features a small temple dedicated to the god of weather.
- Old Merchant Houses: Visit Tan Ky House or Phung Hung House. These private homes have been inhabited by the same families for generations and showcase a mix of Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese architectural styles.
- Assembly Halls: The Fujian Assembly Hall is the grandest, built by Chinese merchants to socialize and worship. It features dragon statues, intricate wood carvings, and spiral incense coils hanging from the ceiling.
🏮 The City of Lanterns
As the sun sets, Hoi An transforms. The electric streetlights are dimmed, and thousands of silk lanterns light up in vibrant colors.
- Night Market: located on An Hoi islet (across the river). It's a bustling corridor of food stalls and souvenir shops illuminated by a sea of lanterns. It's the perfect place to buy a lantern to take home.
- Boat Ride on the Hoai River: Hire a small wooden sampan boat. You can release a small paper lantern with a candle onto the water, making a wish as it floats away. It's touristy but undeniably magical.
👗 The Tailoring Capital of the World
Hoi An has hundreds of tailor shops. Getting custom-made clothing is a quintessential experience here.
- The Process: Choose your fabric, pick a design (you can bring photos from magazines), get measured, and come back for a fitting the next day.
- Tips: Don't just go for the cheapest price; the quality of fabric and stitching varies wildly. Yaly Couture, Bebe, and A Dong Silk are higher-end but reliable. For a more budget-friendly option, look for shops slightly outside the main tourist streets.
- Timing: Allow at least 24-48 hours for the process to ensure you have time for a second fitting to get the fit perfect.
🍜 A Culinary Powerhouse
Hoi An's food is distinct from the rest of Vietnam, thanks to its trading history.
- Cao Lau: The town's signature dish. Chewy noodles, bbq pork, greens, and crunchy croutons. Legend says the noodles must be made with water from the ancient Ba Le well. Try it at Morning Glory or a street stall.
- Banh Mi: The Vietnamese baguette sandwich. Banh Mi Phuong was made famous by Anthony Bourdain, but Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen is equally legendary. Try both and decide the winner.
- White Rose Dumplings (Banh Bao Banh Vac): Delicate shrimp dumplings shaped like flowers. They are made by a single family in town who supplies all the restaurants.
🏖️ Beach Life and Countryside
Hoi An is unique because it's a cultural destination that is also a beach resort.
- An Bang Beach: Just 4km from town. It's laid back, with plenty of beach bars and restaurants. It has largely replaced Cua Dai beach, which has suffered from erosion.
- Cam Kim Island: Take a ferry or ride a bike across the bridge to explore traditional woodcarving villages and boat-building yards away from the tourists.
- Basket Boat Tour: In the Bay Mau Coconut Forest, you can ride in a traditional round bamboo basket boat (thung chai) through the nipa palm mangroves.
📅 When to Go
- Dry Season (Feb-Aug): The best time for beaches and walking. February to April has the most comfortable temperatures.
- Rainy Season (Sept-Jan): Hoi An is prone to flooding, especially in October and November. While the town is atmospheric in the rain, floods can sometimes reach waist-high in the Old Town streets.
💎 Hidden Gems
- Reaching Out Teahouse: A silent teahouse run by hearing-impaired staff. It is an oasis of calm in the busy town, serving beautiful tea and cookies on brassware.
- Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum: Created by photographer Réhahn, this free museum showcases the traditional costumes and portraits of Vietnam's 54 ethnic tribes. It's incredibly moving and educational.
