Have you ever been someplace that you have never previously heard of and then been pleasantly surprised? Hoi An was just that for me. All I can say is…WOW! This city was my favorite during my ten-day G-Adventure tour of Vietnam that took us to Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Ha Long Bay, Mai Chau, and Hanoi.
This former trading port is a living museum of architectural fusion, where ornate Chinese assembly halls, weathered Japanese bridges, and mustard-yellow French colonial villas line the banks of the Thu Bon River. As night falls, the town sheds its quiet morning charm for a surreal, lantern-lit brilliance. Whether you’re navigating the bustling central market or floating a paper candle down the river, Hoi An’s special heritage is delightful. As a photographer, I couldn’t enough of this vibrant city!
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Stroll the Streets of Hoi An Ancient Town
There are many things to do in Hoi An and the best place to start is in its Ancient Town, a UNSECO World Heritage Site. While you can stroll its enchanting streets for free, purchasing the official ticket is considered a gesture of respect toward restoring and maintaining its historic charm.
The ticket, which may be purchased at one of the many small ticket booths near main entry points to the Ancient Town, costs less than $5 and is good for 24 hours. It grants you entry into five attractions of your choice from a list of 21 sites of different categories. It is recommended to visit one attraction in each category such as one museum, one old house, one temple, etc…
During our morning stroll along the kaleidoscopic lanes, that turned livelier with each hour, we visited three iconic sites: The Japanese Covered Bridge, The Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, and the Tan Ky Old House.
Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau)
The Japanese Covered Bridge, with its weathered pink hues and ornate wooden roof, stands as a centuries-old symbol of the historic fusion between Japanese and Vietnamese architectural styles. This unique structure doubles as a spiritual sanctuary, housing a small temple on its northern side dedicated to the Taoist god of weather and sailors.
As the only bridge in the world known to feature a Buddhist pagoda built directly into its frame, it is a highlight of Hoi An’s ancient streets. The revered National Historic Cultural Relic, which is displayed on the 20,000 VND banknote, is a popular place for photographs.
Phuc Kien Assembly Hall
Toward the opposite end of Hoi An Ancient Town stands the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. Originally established as a simple thatched temple in the late 17th century, the Hall was later transformed by Fujian traders into a grand sanctuary dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess who protects sailors and seafarers.
The site is instantly recognizable by its magnificent triple-arched gate and a courtyard filled with intricate dragon statues, blooming flowers, and miniature penjing landscapes. I particularly liked the ornate altar and the colossal, slow-burning incense coils hanging from the ceiling, which carry handwritten prayers. Take your time in this Hoi An landmark; there is a lot to see.
Tan Ky Old House
Turning back toward the bridge, but heading toward the waterfront, you will find Tan Ky Old House. The Tan Ky Old House, owned by the same family for seven generations, blends Japanese pointed roofs, Chinese open courtyards, and Vietnamese crossbeam motifs into a single timber-frame sanctuary.
During our visit, the docent discussed its history and pointed out special features such as the polished jackfruit wood columns intricately inlaid with shimmering mother-of-pearl poetry. From a far the design looked like Chinese script, but up close you could see birds that symbolize a Confucian poem. Despite centuries of seasonal flooding from the nearby river, the structure remains unyielding, and remarkably the wood remains intact!
Though the family still lives on the upper level, I thought we would walk around a bit more, but we were ushered to the gift shop in the back. Later, I learned that taxes in Vietnam are paid based on the first floor square footage, so houses are narrow, and when we were seated in the ornate living area, we were basically seeing most of the bottom floor!
Other places to visit in the Hoi An Ancient Town include tailors, coffee shops, restaurants, store fronts, and the must-see Day Market.
Have a Dress Made
Given I highly dislike clothes shopping, being measured at a tailor and choosing fabric for a dress hardly piqued my interest, despite the attractive pricing. That said, Hoi An is known for its talented tailors and a few people in our tour group had suits and dresses made in a day by Blue Chic Tailor.
Nestled away from the high-pressure sales tactics of larger showrooms, Blue Chic Tailor offers a boutique experience with one-on-one consultations. The shop is celebrated for its ability to translate a simple photograph or a vague style idea into a precision-cut garment that balances contemporary trends with timeless quality.
Taste the Egg Coffee
While Pietro and Kelly got fitted for suits and dresses, Rob and I ventured across the narrow, sun-dappled alley to Hoi An Coffee Hub’s quaint patio. Vietnam is the largest producer of Robusta coffee in the world and is famous for its egg coffee. For the life of me, my brain could not imagine what egg coffee would taste like, so I had to try it. Shockingly, it was delicious…Another pleasant surprise in Hoi An!
Nguyen Giang at the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi invented egg coffee (Cà Phê Trứng) in 1946 during a wartime milk shortage. Giang whisked egg yolks with condensed milk and sugar to create a custard like foam that floated atop the bold robusta coffee. Our egg coffee was served over ice. First, I tasted the custard layer, then the coffee, and decided it was best when mixed together. I liked it so much, Rob got one too!
Side Note: During my ten days in Vietnam, I also tried coconut coffee and salt coffee. The egg coffee was the best with coconut coffee being a close second. I could have skipped the salt coffee. As the name suggests, it was salty!
Explore the Day Market
Before leaving Hoi An Ancient Town, explore the day market situated on the river on the opposite end of The Japanese Covered Bridge. As always, foreign markets are one of my favorite places to visit. They are a photographer’s paradise.
It is so fun to watch the hustle and bustle as locals barter for the best price and then zip off on their scooter loaded down with sacks of fruits, veggies, and fish. While typically separated into sections, this market was a little bit mixed together with ladies in their conical hats presiding over their sidewalk spots featuring rooster heads, quail eggs, baby squid, and leafy greens all in the same vicinity.
I could have spent hours here watching the local way of life, but we had other activities to try including a cooking class and a bicycle tour!
Take a Cooking Class
Hoi An is known for its Cao Lau, a chewy rice noodle dish with a few special ingredients including ash from trees on the Cham Islands and water from the famous Ba Le Well. So naturally, we took a noodle making class at Oodles of Noodles, a social enterprise that provides displaced and disadvantaged youth chance to be a chef.
The young trainees practice their English as they teach you how to roll and cut rice noodles as well as count to five in Vietnamese. The 14-month program provides room and board as well as cooking skills for these at risk kids who end up finding jobs in four star hotels! After we made our noodles, we enjoyed a delicious lunch that they prepared for us. It is a great program sponsored and supported by STREETS Restaurant & Café and G-Adventures.
Go For a Bike Ride
We worked off our tasty lunch with a bike tour along the outskirts of Hoi An. Our tour with Hoi An Cycling Tour took through the Tra Que Vegetable Village, past rice paddies with water buffaloes, to the Coconut Forest where we took a spin in a basket boat, to Cam Nam Island to take in the sunset, and finally back through the now chaotic, central market.
I always thought cyclists were taking their lives into their own hands while riding on the scenic Highway 1 in California as distracted tourists drove the cliffside road. But riding a bike in the Hoi An market with scooters, cars, and bicycles whizzing around pedestrians forced to walk in the roads because the sidewalks were covered with vendors was death defying. My nerves were shot by the end!
Visit the Tra Que Vegetable Village
Fortunately, most of the rather flat bike ride on sidewalks, dirt paths, and country roads was peaceful. The Tra Que Vegetable Village is a lush, 40-hectare organic oasis famous for its chemical-free farming techniques, where locals use seaweed from the nearby Co Co River.
Take a Spin on a Basket Boat
The 20 minute basket boat ride through the Bay Mau Coconut Forest in Cam Thanh was also peaceful except for the first two-minutes when we spun like tops to Gangham Style blasting over the loud speakers. That part was pure tourist fun where everyone donned a conical hat and smile and enjoyed a great laugh!
Thereafter, the locals paddled us along the river beneath the low hanging palms as we hunted for purple crabs and fished with cane poles. Our captain, Hung, folded palm leaves into diamond rings for us. Who knew I’d get engaged in Hoi An! Just kidding.
The basket boats are woven from bamboo and waterproofed with resin, cow dung, and tree sap. The circular shape came about as a tax-evasion tactic during the French colonial era, as the fishermen could not afford the fees on boats, so they claimed it was a basket.
Sip a Beer at Sunset
Before we returned to Hoi An Ancient Town, we stopped at Vu Ly Quan for a beer at the river’s edge on Cam Nam Island as the sun dipped below the horizon. While the sunset on the Thu Bon River was nice, nighttime on the river was magical!
Float a Lantern on the River
Taking the 15 minute ride on a hand-crafted wooden boat and releasing a paper lantern with a flickering candle into the light current while making a wish was the highlight of my entire trip. The glow of thousands of colorful silk lanterns was simply breathtaking and my words can’t do this magical atmosphere in Hoi An justice. Hopefully this picture and videos will. It was truly spectacular. I can’t imagine what the Lantern Festival would look like.
Party at Tiger Tiger
The night was simply spectacular, despite the blaring Karaoke spewing from the popular Tiger Tiger Bar. I have to say whoever was singing as we admired the procession of lights was quite tone deaf!
That said, Tiger Tiger, located on the opposite side of the river from Hoi An Ancient Town, is known for its happy hours and nightlife as the bar stays open until 5am. Many folks frequent this popular bar for drinks, dancing, pool, Karaoke and more. Given the 5am closing time, I would not want to be staying at hotel near there though a few in our group may have liked to after their late night! Though the location would have been convenient for the nearby night market.
Where to Stay in Hoi An
We stayed at the TTC International Hotel which is about a 10-minute walk to Hoi An Ancient Town and a short taxi ride or bike ride to the An Bang Beach (the most popular and lively). This 3-star hotel features a free breakfast buffet, free bicycles, and a superb pool and spa.
Where to Eat in Hoi An
While we ate breakfast at the hotel, we ate out for lunch and dinner. A few favorites were the Green Mango and Morning Glory Signature.
The Green Mango, located in a refurbished 200-year-old building in Hoi An Ancient Town, features a creative menu of delicious Asian Fusion dishes. We enjoyed our meal and the quick service at this restaurant which also operates a cooking school.
Morning Glory Signature is part of the Vy empire. Ms Vy operates multiple restaurants and a hotel in Hoi An as well as cooking classes. Morning Glory Signature, situated on the water next to Tiger Tiger, features many local dishes.
Though generally an upscale dining experience, Morning Glory Signature serves a chicken Banh Mi sandwich which is quite nice. I grabbed it to go on for our bus ride to Hue, our next destination. Did I mention the bread? From the influence of 100 years under French rule, Vietnam adapted the dense, tough French baguette to a light and airy baguette with a paper thin, crispy crust by using rice flour in addition to wheat flour. Fantastic!
Getting Around Hoi An
Hoi An is easy to get around by foot, bike, scooter, Grab taxi (Asia’s Uber), or for large groups by an open-air electric car. From tranquil mornings to frenzied nightlife, Hoi An is a city of stunning contrasts sure to bring joy to all its visitors. ETB
That was fascinating. Thanks for the write up and the colorful pictures. Hoi A was under 10′ of water when we were in Vietnam, so we didn’t get to visit. It’s amazing how they just take a typhoon or two every year and keep going.
It’s too bad you had bad weather. I loved Hoi An