6 places you should know when coming to Hoi An

06/30/2014

By ATA

Hoi An is for many the highlight of their holiday in Vietnam. This picturesque ex capital city has much to keep interested. Here are six highlights, not to be missed, within this fabulous old town.

1. The Old Town

The Old Town is very much still alive and well. A UNESCO World Heritage site is a fascinating place, entered by passing over the ancient Japanese Bridge. Rebuild many years ago this unique structure has a Buddhist temple built into it. Once over the bridge, there are hundreds of small shops and old houses. Tourist can, for a few dollars, buy a ticket that grants them entry to five of the major old buildings here, including the Japanese Bridge.

Hoi-an-old-town — *The Hoi An old town including the Japanese Bridge*

2. Lanterns

Lanterns are one of the famous products of Hoi An. These brightly colored paper lanterns are everywhere. Hundreds of shops display thousands of the colorful lit lanterns every night after dark, making Hoi An one of the most beautiful cities imaginable.

The Riverside

The Riverside is a glorious broad street running down either side of the river that completely changes from day to night. By day it is bustling with shops and coffee bars, but come night time the famous lanterns are lit and it seems that every premises is suddenly either a restaurant or a bar. The food is magnificent and the beers are the cheapest in Vietnam.

Hoi An Tailor Shops

Hoi An Tailor Shops are world renown. People travel thousands of miles to get high-quality clothing made to measure in one of the hundreds of Tailors in the city. Every hotel will recommend the ‘best’ in town, but to the fair, you cannot really go wrong. Getting a three-piece suit, shirt and tie made to measure for less than $100 seem ridiculous, but it is still possible in Hoi An. The quality is excellent and the old ladies doing the measuring are great fun to spend time with. Just 24 hours later your brand new suite is ready to go.

The beaches

The beaches here are delightful. They are not as busy as many of the other beach areas and with the Cham Islands rising from the crystal clear waters just a few miles off the coast, the views are perfect. Small bars and restaurants have sprung up along the seafront serving cold beers, great coffee, and superb food to travelers, wishing to put their feet up for a few hours and soak up the sun.

cua-dai-beach-11 — *Cua Dai Beach – Hoi An*

Motor Bike Hire

Motor Bike Hire, is definitely the way to travel when visiting Hoi An. For a few dollars per day, you can hire an automatic scooter and see all the town and coastal areas with ease. Traffic moves slowly in Vietnam and even more so in sleepy towns like Hoi An. Even inexperienced riders can enjoy riding in relative safety. If you drive slowly and take care it is a great way to get around and an experience not to be missed.