Buzz
Standing out in the Central Vietnam tourist route, Hoi An's ancient town resembles a simple yet poetic painting to visitors. Whether day or night, Hoi An always captivates with its various enchanting beauties. Hence, Hoi An has consistently been a favorite destination for many tourists, both domestic and international. Here are some useful tips for your trip to Hoi An's ancient town!
Choosing the Right Transportation to Hoi An's Ancient Town
Currently, airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar, and Vietjet Air operate flights from Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to Da Nang. If you're looking for cheaper tickets, it's advisable to book about 3 to 6 months in advance.
From Da Nang City to Hoi An, there are two routes:
+ You can travel via National Highway 1 towards the south for approximately 27km until you reach Vinh Dien road, then turn left for another 10km. Taking the Huynh Thuc Khang road to Hoi An allows you to visit the Bang Anh Cham Tower in Vinh Dien.
+ The second route, closer and less crowded, starts from Danang Center crossing the Han River bridge, onto Danang - Hoi An provincial road, visiting Ngu Hanh Son, and reaching Hoi An approximately 30km away.
Hoi An offers various transportation services for tourists such as buses, taxis, motorbike taxis, cyclos. Tourists can also rent motorbikes or bicycles to freely explore Hoi An's ancient town. However, the most enjoyable way for tourists to experience Hoi An is still by walking or renting bicycles to roam around the old town and feel its unique charm.
Highlight Tourist Attractions in Hoi An
>> For more reference: Discovering 9 Steps to Explore Hoi An Ancient Town
- Japanese Covered Bridge: A must-visit destination, this bridge is like a gem in the heart of Hoi An. Though small, it holds many ups and downs under its mysterious tile roof. Built at the end of the 16th century and called the Japanese Bridge. In 1719, when Lord Nguyen Phuc Nguyen passed by here, he gave the bridge the name Lai Viễn Kiều. In the middle of the bridge, there is a small temple dedicated to Huyen Thien Dai De, in the past, both sides of the bridge were bustling trading places.
- 77 Tran Phu Ancient House: a typical tube-shaped house, with wooden walls surrounding the courtyard carved vividly.
- Ancient House at 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc, with its living room being an intricately decorated masterpiece. The ceiling is adorned with crab shells depicting two crossed swords, quite eye-catching.
- Quang Dong Assembly Hall dedicated to Quan Cong, located on Tran Phu Street.
- Chinese Assembly Hall dedicated to Lady Thien Hau.
- Fukien Assembly Hall, built in 1857 also dedicated to Lady Thien Hau.
- Hainan Assembly Hall is where 108 Chinese were unjustly killed during the reign of King Tu Duc.
- Chaozhou Assembly Hall, also known as Ong Bon Pagoda on Nguyen Duy Hieu Street. The small assembly hall, meticulously constructed, began in 1845 with materials brought from China.
- The Pottery Exhibition House of Hoi An's Trade Quarter is located on Tran Phu Street. This is also a beautiful ancient house renovated with the contribution of Chau Hoa University, Japan.
- The Cultural History Museum of Hoi An is located within the compound of Ong Assembly Hall dedicated to Quan Cong and the Assembly Hall dedicated to Lady Thien Hau – Quan Am. The temple was built in the 17th century and has undergone many renovations.
- Cua Dai Beach: located 5km east of Hoi An's ancient town. This is an ideal beach with fine white sand, clear water, gentle waves, and always bathed in sunlight.
Hotels in Hoi An
Hotels in Hoi An are often crowded. As a tourist city, especially attracting foreign tourists, Hoi An is not lacking in well-equipped hotels, right in the city center with relatively high room rates, but it's hard to find vacancies. During peak season, it's advisable to look for accommodation further from the city center such as Huynh Thuc Khang Street, near the bus station, or Thai Phien Street.
There are many clean guesthouses comparable to hotels but much cheaper. Guesthouses also offer many rooms, at affordable prices, close to ticket sales points for sightseeing.
It's best to search online for information on hotel and hostel prices and book hotel rooms before arriving to avoid the situation of not having a place to stay when you get there.
Dining, Shopping
Cao lau is a simple noodle dish like Quang-style noodles, with little broth, mixed with vegetables and meat. Cao lau noodles are made from Hoi An rice flour, soaked in ash water from the Chàm Islands, especially using water from the Ba Le well, the noodles are chewy, and that's the authentic cao lau dish in Hoi An.
Hoi An is also famous for banh trang dap eaten with mixed clams. Due to the concentration of Chinese people living here, Hoi An is also famous for bao buns and white rose cakes. Both types of cakes have shrimp and meat fillings, but they taste even better because of the rice flour soaked in water from the Ba Le well and dipped in authentic sauce made by the cake sellers.
Hoi An chicken rice is also a dish you shouldn't miss when you're here.
Furthermore, if you have a sweet tooth, you can enjoy various types of sweet soups, and Hoi An's signature tofu pudding.
You can buy various types of cakes as gifts such as printed cakes, green bean cakes, thorny leaf cakes... Hoi An chili sauce is a special dish, spicy yet fragrant.
Hoi An also has many souvenirs for you to buy as gifts: lanterns, handicrafts,... A special point is that the souvenirs here are mainly handmade products, so they are very delicate.
Some small “tips” for you:
• Hoi An is very interesting in the early morning, with quiet streets, Hoi An people preparing for a new day, no electric lights, bustling with sellers and buyers.
• You can also take a walk in Hoi An at night in the peaceful alleys of the old town.
• It's best to visit Hoi An on the full moon day, the 14th day of the lunar month, when there is the Old Town Night, motorbikes are prohibited, electric lights are turned off, every house lights lanterns, there are pedestrian streets, folk songs, Quang folk singing...
• Every night at Bach Dang Wharf, there are cultural boats cruising along the river, accompanied by ethnic music performances.
Check out tour packages to Hoi An with unbeatable prices at Mytour
3D2N Hoi An Tour: Enjoy a fantastic holiday at Victoria Resort for only 1,999,000 VND
1D Danang Tour: Marble Mountains – Hoi An for only 500,000 VND
1D Danang Tour: Hoi An – My Son Sanctuary for only 850,000 VND
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Source: Travel guide from Mytour – Referenced at Thebox
MytourNovember 20, 2015
