Hoi An: What you shouldn’t miss

I never fully understood why Hoi An, a small town south of Hue & Da Nang on the Eastern coast of Vietnam, meant so much to travellers until I’d witnessed it myself.

With quaint cafes to unwind in, a riverside and thriving night markets to wander and iconic lanterns to pose next to, Hoi An is the perfect midway point when travelling the expanse of the country. With lots of elements to take in, this guide will tell you what you shouldn’t miss when visiting this coastal town.

Where to stay in Hoi An

I’d recommend staying at Tribee Bana Hostel, as it’s ideally located a short walk from the centre of Hoi An and is full of vital exploring information. It costs £7pp per night including breakfast (2019 prices). It also hosts a variety of social events each evening aimed at encouraging fellow travellers to bond. Our arrival to spring roll class night resulted in us to heading out on the town with some new-found friends. The hostel also arranges bicycle and street food tours, along with neon paint and pool parties, depending on your vibe.

Where & what to eat & drink

Bánh mì

Hoi An is responsible for my first experience of a Bánh mì and I haven’t stopped dreaming about them since! Bánh mì is Vietnamese for “bread” and consists of baguette, cut lengthways and filled with a fusion of meats and vegetables. It’s glorious and worth every bite. They cost roughly 20 – 25k VDN (less than £1), and host a good range of filling choices. Therefore, they’re a great pick if you’re unsure what to eat whilst abroad.

Tribee Bana’s map of Hoi An recommends 3 Bánh mì eateries; Bánh Mì Phuong, Madam Khanh & Phi Bánh Mì. So, it made sense to try them all. My personal preference is Bánh Mì Phuong due to the crispy, fried bread and full-favour goodness. You’ll have to be patient though, as there’s often a queue.

Cao Lau

Another must try dish is Cao Lau; a combination of noodles, pork and local greens which make it a specialty of Hoi An. The average price to expect is around 30k VDN (about £1.25). Crunchy crackling paired with fresh greens and sweet sauce compliment this pork dish perfectly.

Coffee

The town is scattered with bars and cafes, making for an idyllic spot for brunch and a riverside coffee.

A coconut iced coffee is my personal choice for its creamy goodness and cooling qualities. But, I’d also recommend you try an egg coffee for a sweeter vibe. It’s topped with a mix of egg yolk, sugar and condensed milk, mmm. They’re pretty cheap too, costing 15-30k VDN (about £1 or less).

Rosie’s café

A wealth of breakfast options, coffees galore and quaintly situated on the outskirts of town, Rosie’s Café is a delightful place to spend a morning for any brunch lover. On the rainiest of days in Vietnam, we sheltered under the bamboo roof while watching fellow brunchers dodge the rain. It makes for the perfect spot of holiday reading.

What to do in Hoi An

Get tailored clothes

Almost every other shop in Hoi An is a tailors. So, it makes for the perfect spot to treat yourself to some bespoke clothes. The experience can be a little overwhelming as one of the more well-known tailors, Bebe Tailor, has over 5000 fabrics on display and 3 shops. With so many tailors to choose from, it’s hard to know where you should start, so it’s best to ask fellow travellers or your hostel for advice.

We took our recommendation from Alissa, our guide for our journey along the Hai Van Pass. Thus, ventured to the outskirts of town to find Violet’s.

These women can work wonders, creating and tailoring clothing in a matter of hours. That being said, it’s best to make a tailors your first stop upon arriving to Hoi An. This is because you need to allow a couple of days for a fitting or two to make the clothes perfect.

A casual dress, shirt or trousers can cost roughly up to £25. Whereas, a wedding dress or fully tailored suit costs anything up to £200. If you opt to get a few pieces made they might even give you a discount.

Above all, my best advice is to go in knowing exactly what you want with photos for inspiration. I took one of my favourite dresses in order to have a replica made.

Drive the Hai Van Pass

The winding road of the Hai Van Pass is a stretch of coastline running between Hue and Hoi An. It’s sandwiched between lush green hillside and an expanse of blue ocean and is a must when visiting Vietnam. It was one of my favourite days of our travels when making our way south.

To read the full low down on the journey, head to my post Hai Van Pass: Driving from Hue to Hoi An.

Experience the lights of Hoi An’s lantern river

Every evening, the river of Hoi An is adorned with lantern lit boats and floating tealights. They cover the expanse of black water with neon colours and bright lights and for a price, you can be amongst it all. You can embark on a short ride along the water or even place a tealight into the sea of glimmering origami. No photo can ever do it justice, so you’ll just have to witness it yourself. However, as pretty as it looks, it does make you wonder where all the waste goes.

Nightlife

The bustling night markets make the town come alive with diners ready for an evening of good food and live music. There are plenty of options for a spot of dinner with most restaurants adorning the riverside. If you fancy a grilled frog, octopus or a banana pancake for dessert, why not try the street food offerings.

There’s even a classic Irish pub and a bar dedicated to Mr Bean that feature in this little town. Clearly, westerners have made their stamp even in central Vietnam. To finish off an evening, you’ll want to head to the Hair of the Dog bar for drinks and dancing till dawn.

Hoi An was my favourite place during our trip to Vietnam and I could easily have spent more than the 3 days we had there. We didn’t even make it to the local beach, which is only a short cycle away. The idyllic wandering of the shops, cafés and markets provided a welcome break from the pace of our trip. It allowed us to fully relax and mellow into the experience.

Els x

Check out how we made it to Hoi An by reading our journey along the Hai Van Pass or learn where we started our trip and how to spend 3 days in Ho Chi Mihn City.