Hoi An: a romantic and cozy city in Vietnam with a rich history. Estimated cost of bus tickets to Hoi An. Rice fields and villages
Hoi An is also the mecca of shopping in the region, here you can buy anything from colorful souvenir lanterns to beautiful and inexpensive clothes made from natural fabrics, tailored to order. And, of course, Hoi An has dozens of restaurants and noisy colorful bars where you can have fun with friends and fellow travelers.
Plan to spend at least two to three full days in Hoi An.
what to go for
Don't miss in Hoi An
- Wander around the old quarters of Hoi An and visit several museums, pagodas, old houses to imagine what Vietnam was like centuries ago.
- Rent a bike and ride around the city and colorful surroundings of Hoi An.
- Spend a lazy morning on one of the most beautiful beaches Vietnam, enjoying white soft sand, sea and magnificent views. Try a seafood lunch at one of the fish restaurants on the beach.
- Explore the gastronomic delights offered by the city's atmospheric restaurants and compare them to authentic local dishes found at street stalls, cheap eateries and the Hoi An night market.
- Walk along the promenade in the late afternoon, watch the incredible sunset, light your wish lantern on the river, and spend the evening with old or new friends at one of Hoi An's restaurant-bars.
- Plunge headlong into enchanting shopping, after which you can relax with peace of mind in one of the local SPAs.
Old quarters of Hoi An
Hoi An is a small city. famous historical quarters cities that have preserved intact not only the architecture, but also the spirit of old Vietnam, stretch along the waterfront from the Japanese Bridge (Japanese Bridge) to the Central Market. This part of the city is considered cultural heritage and carefully protected from modern buildings. In the old quarters there are many museums, temples and historical houses, the interior of which has been preserved untouched.
An up-to-date map with sights marked on it can be taken at the reception of any of the hotels or in tourist offices selling "package tickets" for sightseeing. It should be noted here that you can walk around the old quarters and enter the territory of most attractions without paying, you will only need tickets to see the inside of museums and historical houses.
Tourist offices sell tickets 5 in one - i.e. 5 tickets that you can use at your discretion. Tickets are also available right at the entrance, especially since many of the historic houses are available for viewing without tickets (the hosts will be grateful for the donations left, the amount of which depends on the visitors).
Old quarters of Hoi An. Photo (photo credit): Jeremy Villasis, Flickr
Streets of old Hoi An. Photo (photo credit): Brian Graney, Flickr
Bicycles in Hoi An
Renting a bike in Hoi An is a must experience! Hoi An is ideal for cycling, riding a bike through the narrow streets of the city is something like a local fetish) You can rent a bike at any hotel in the city, the rental price is a dollar or two. You can bike to the beach, visit the tiny traditional village of Tra Que, ride along the paddy fields and circle the residential areas and rural roads of Cam Nam Island, which is located across the bridge from the central city.
Bicycles on the streets of Hoi An. Photo (photo credit): Stephane Gripari , Flickr
Lanterns on the river
In Hoi An, they believe that if you lower a paper lantern with a burning candle inside and make a wish, it will surely come true) In the evening, the streets near the river and the bridge over the river are filled with aunts and children selling lanterns. Launching a flashlight or not is a personal matter for everyone (if you are concerned about the issue of security environment, then it is better not to do this). But, the view of Hoi An in the evening by the river is undoubtedly a beautiful sight, do not miss it!
Girls selling lanterns on the river, Hoi An. Photo (photo credit): Sylvain Marcelle, Flickr
In Da Nang at the airport, information about Hoi An is posted on the racks in Russian. Study the map, the location of attractions, beaches, hotels and feel free to hit the road.
If you are traveling on your own, keep in mind that direct flights with Hoi An, you will first have to get to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, then to Da Nang, and only then to the resort by bus, taxi, or by car ordered in advance. The distance from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang is almost the same: about 850 km. Choose for yourself where it would be better for you to fly first for a transfer to Da Nang.
In Da Nang, for the convenience of tourists, every hour and a half there is a minibus transfer from the airport to Hoi An, delivering for 100,000 dong to the hotel you need. It also runs from Da Nang and the bus is cheaper: it departs from the city's bus station. The fare in it costs 10,000 dong.
From different cities You can come to Vietnam by night buses, they are comfortable for night trips and inexpensive. For example, from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An, the fare will cost 320 thousand dong, from Hue - 100 thousand dong, from Dalat - 300 thousand, and from Nha Trang - 200 thousand dong. Tickets must be purchased in advance, they may not be on sale on the day of departure.
Hoiang Hotels
Hotels in the resort are located on 1, 2 and 3 coastlines. Basically, hotels with 2, 3, 4 stars are located on the 2nd and 3rd coastlines. On first coastline hotels with 5 * have chosen a place for themselves. They have everything a vacationer needs. There are also private beaches.
The more stars, the better service: the hotels have a currency exchange office, their own souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, barbecues, car rentals and other amenities and services. Some hotels provide free tours"bonus" for payment of accommodation.
Beaches near hotels with a small number of stars are municipal, i.e. free. Getting to them is quite far. With transport (motorcycle or bicycle), they are not allowed on the beach, which exacerbates the problem. You have to walk or use paid parking. Fortunately, the beaches are clean and organized.
Meals in BB type hotels: breakfast only. It is rare that hotels in Hoi An offer the HB type of food: with breakfast and dinner (or with lunch). Just One Hotel Sunrise Hoian Beach Resort 5* provides All Inclusive the prices are very high.
The town is small and you can walk around its streets in 2-3 hours. There are two dozen attractions in Hoi An. Tickets for visiting them are distributed in city information centers: small booths.
Complex tickets are sold for a visit to the five main attractions, and such a “complex” ticket costs 120,000 dong. In such a "booth center" do not forget to take a map of the old city, then you can figure out where is just a house, and where is a museum or gallery. After all, all the houses are old, so visually they can be very easily mistaken for a landmark.
Traveling around Vietnam on our own, we spent a couple of days in a very interesting town of Hoi An. This city belongs to the Vietnamese province of Quang Nam. It is located in the central part of Vietnam, not far from a major resort town Danang. Hoi An is located on the coast South China Sea so suitable for beach holiday. But just for the sake of the coast, I would not consider Hoi An. It is interesting in a completely different way - sights and atmosphere!
Hoi An is under the protection of UNESCO. More than 800 objects: temples, community houses, ancient monuments - have historical meaning. Hoi An is called the "open air museum" for a reason.
Hoi An Vietnam
The main and longest streets of Hoi An are Tran Hung Dao and Tran Fu. The historical part of the city is located next to Hoang Dieu Street, adjacent to the bridge to Kamnam Island, where we chose our hotel. Central streets at certain times during the day and in the evening they are blocked for the passage of vehicles, which is very convenient for tourists. This area is transformed into a walking street, along these streets there are shops, restaurants, ateliers, etc.
Hoi An Vietnam
It is best to come to Hoi An between March and June, as at this time it is warm and relatively dry. From September the rainy season begins, there are even small floods. In winter (November-January) it is quite cool here, especially for swimming. We rested in March 2016 - the air temperature was very comfortable, but the sea had not warmed up yet, the water was cool.
Where to stay?
Hoi An is a very small Vietnamese town visited daily by tourists from different countries. Therefore, it is necessary to book a hotel in advance. Hotel prices seemed slightly higher than in Hanoi and Da Nang. Most likely, precisely because of the small size of the city and its excessive popularity among foreign tourists. By the way, for 2 days we did not see the Russians. In Hoi An rest mainly Europeans and Chinese.
As always, we booked the hotel on the website booking.com, based on the location and reviews of tourists. This time our choice fell on a small family hotel- Bonsai Homestay. It is located on Cam Nam Island, which is connected by a bridge to Hoi An City. The big plus of the hotel is its proximity to the historical part of the city. View from the bridge leading to Cam Nam Island.
Hoi An Vietnam
Near the bridge there is a large market where you can buy fruit. The choice of fruits is very large, you need to bargain. You can buy not only fruits on the market. There is a large selection of various spices, souvenirs, etc.
Hoi An: romantic and cozy city Vietnam since rich history
Cam Nam Island is mostly inhabited by locals, so here you can see the daily life of the Vietnamese. Walking along the narrow streets of Cam Nam village, we looked at the gardens and houses of local residents. Banana palms, jackfruit trees, unusual flowers grow in almost every garden. In general, walking around the village is very pleasant and interesting.
Bonsai Homestay has a great location if you come to Hoi An not for a beach holiday, but to see the main sights. Since it is located very far from the beach, you can not walk on foot. We went to the beach by taxi (about 15 minutes by car - 100 dong (5 dollars)). But the hotel is very close to historical center Hoi Ana. Walking tour takes about 10 minutes. You can rent a bicycle at the hotel.
The hotel rooms are identical. We booked three rooms: they were absolutely identical.
Hoi An Vietnam
The room has everything you need, pleased with the very high ceilings and big sizes bathroom. Room rates at Bonsai Homestay are $27 per night, including breakfast prepared by the owners themselves. For breakfast, you can choose one of several dishes. I advise you to opt for Pho soup (Pho-Bo), it is cooked perfectly in the hotel.
Bonsai Homestay is a small family hotel with a very nice area. The yard is decorated with a huge number of bonsai trees, flowering shrubs, orchids.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
In a cozy courtyard it is very pleasant to relax, drink tea and eat fruit. There is a small pool on site, but we didn't see anyone using it. But you can sunbathe on the sun loungers next to the pool.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An has a large selection of hotels of different price categories. If you want to live near the beach, and not near the city center, you can choose the Victoria Hoi An Resort. Of course, it belongs to a different price category. Room rates start at $150 per night. This hotel is located on the first line from the beach, its territory is simply immersed in greenery and flowers.
Hoi An Vietnam
Victoria Hoi An Resort is located on one of the most popular beaches Qua Dai. The hotel has large complex spa, which is visited by tourists from other hotels. This luxurious four-star hotel is suitable for tourists who travel for comfort and tranquility. Passing by this hotel to the beach, we appreciated its beautiful territory.
Near the hotel there are all kinds of unusual bikes that you can rent.
Hoi An Vietnam
Prices in Hoi An
Prices in Hoi An are quite democratic. A hotel room with private facilities and air conditioning will cost $ 25-50, depending on the location and the number of stars. Taxi prices are the same as in Da Nang. On average, a trip around the city will cost 80,000 VND (4-5 dollars). Prices in restaurants seemed a little higher than in Hanoi and Da Nang. Perhaps due to the fact that we chose the most popular restaurants among tourists.
We were pleased with the prices for freshly squeezed juice in roadside shops - 20,000 dong for a glass of juice. The choice of fruits for juice is huge: I advise you to definitely try guanabana juice with avocado and mango and sapodilla juice. We found a great store where we drank fresh juices several times a day. In addition, they bought a lot of interesting gizmos there at reasonable prices. There is a shop on Cam Nam Island, not far from the bridge on the right side of the road. Prices for natural silk scarves, leather goods and all sorts of knick-knacks are much lower here, since the store is located far from the center.
Hoi An is the center of leather goods sales. In stores you can buy a wide variety of goods made of genuine leather: bags, purses, wallets, belts, jackets, etc. These products are made right here in numerous workshops. Even in the stores themselves, you can see how somewhere in the corner the master sews another bag. So you can buy a handmade bag or wallet in Hoi An at every step and at very affordable prices. Also in Hoi An, leather shoes are sewn: shoes, sandals, sandals, etc. We, of course, could not resist and bought a few leather items.
I have never seen so many ateliers as in Hoi An. Here on every street you can find several ateliers with a huge selection of fabrics. Masters promise to sew a variety of outfits in a day. You can choose a model from the catalog, or come up with your own outfit. Such a pleasure will cost 20 - 150 dollars, depending on the model and the chosen fabric.
Hoi An Vietnam
As in any tourist place, presented in Hoi An huge selection a wide variety of souvenirs: useful gizmos for the home, beautiful jewelry, all kinds of accessories, kitchen utensils and just bright goods without any meaning.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
It is better to buy coffee in other cities of Vietnam, here it is much more expensive. There are many departments in Hoi An with a variety of teas: green, black, pu-erh, mostly enough expensive brands. In the store you can taste tea, brew it in front of you according to all the rules.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Restaurants
Hoi An is becoming more and more popular with tourists from all over the world every year. Therefore, here you can find dishes for every taste: how vietnamese cuisine, and European. A lot of restaurants located in the historical part of the city will not leave even the pickiest eaters hungry.
There are really a lot of restaurants. We were in Hoi An for only two days, so we only visited four restaurants.
One of them was next to the beach. Not the best option so I won't recommend it. It is better to choose a restaurant in the central part of the city and pay attention to the number of visitors.
I really liked the Nhahang.bar restaurant.
Hoi An Vietnam
We noticed that it is very popular with tourists. And, as it turned out, not in vain. The atmosphere in the restaurant is very cozy: unusual paintings hang on the walls, there is a bar counter and billiards.
Hoi An Vietnam
The only downside was that we waited about half an hour for the food. Apparently the restaurant was full. It is interesting that the dishes are lowered on a special “elevator”, since the kitchen is located on the second floor. The dishes are beautifully presented, the portions are large enough, everything is fresh and tasty. Prices in the restaurant are average, for European menu they can be called low.
Hoi An Vietnam
All cafes in the central part of Hoi An are so cozy, unusual and authentic that I wanted to go into each of them.
Attractions Hoi An
Hoi An city itself is one big attraction in Vietnam. It is a small old town where at every step you can find interesting monuments architecture, ancient communal houses, museums, temples. Of course, in general, the city looks very dilapidated, but this is its charm. Looking at these yellow-painted low-rise houses, ancient buildings and bridges, it is as if you find yourself in another era.
Hoi An Vietnam
In the 4th century AD, Hoi An was the largest port city V South-East Asia, he was part of the state of Champa. 60 kilometers from the city of Hoi An, the buildings of this ancient people Champov - Hindu temple complex My Son.
Hoi An served as an important port for many years and shopping mall Vietnam, where Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Dutch and other merchant ships sailed. At that time, this port was known to foreign merchants under the name Fifo. Foreign merchants sailed to Hoi An for high quality fabrics, medicinal herbs and infusions, porcelain and lacquerware, lead and other metals, wax, and so on.
Archaeologists have found fragments of ceramics on the territory of Hoi An, which were made more than 2200 years ago. They are evidence of such a long development of these lands by people. Historians believe that these finds belong to ancient civilization Sahuyin of the late Iron Age.
The old city stretches along the Thu Bon River, where you can see a large number of small boats. Tourists are offered to ride along the river on one of the boats, there are several restaurant boats. The embankment is very well maintained, ancient buildings, painted in bright yellow, give it a unique atmosphere. On both sides of the river there are nice restaurants where you can drink freshly squeezed juice or a cocktail and take a break from the heat of the day.
Hoi An Vietnam
Connects two shores unusual bridge, which appearance fits perfectly into the overall picture of Hoi An.
Hoi An Vietnam
To see the main attractions, you need to purchase entrance tickets. There is a certain system here: buying one ticket, you can go to 5 places to choose from: these can be community houses, museums, temples, etc. The first time we walked around the city center in the evening and did not find information centers where you can buy tickets. Probably because they were tired and did not want to go anywhere.
At the entrance to community houses and temples, you will not be able to purchase tickets, you must definitely go to special information centers. Even the passage on the ancient Japanese bridge is paid. But in the evening, for some reason, no one asked us for tickets, and we walked along the bridge without them.
The next day, we still found an information booth, where we bought tickets. The cost of a ticket for 5 visits is 120,000 VND (5-6 dollars). They also give out a map where all the sights of the city are marked.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
One of the main attractions is the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, built
as early as 1679. It represents the halls and pagodas, which were intended for meetings of representatives of the Chinese community.
Hoi An Vietnam
Here is the temple of Thien Hau - the goddess of the seas and oceans, who patronizes sailors. The entrance to the temple is decorated with Chinese lanterns. Naturally, since Hoi An was an important port city, Thien Hau temple is very revered among the locals. In the temple, those who wish can make a wish, write it down on a piece of paper and leave it in the “card file of desires”. The monks at a certain time select several cards at random and pray for the fulfillment of these desires.
The Chinese temple Quan Kong Temple is located in the center of the historical part of the city near the Japanese bridge.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
The temple is very bright with a beautiful authentic facade and a cozy green courtyard. Inside the temple is big statue Taoist god of war - Guan Gong. On the walls of the temple, you can see tablets with the names of the Chinese who provided material assistance in the construction and reconstruction of the temple. Quan Kong Temple is visited by both tourists and pilgrims who perform their religious rituals here.
There are a lot of Chinese temples and community houses in Hoi An, this is due to its history. Chinese communities still reside in Hoi An.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
Of course, we did not pass by the famous Hoi An landmark - the Japanese bridge.
Hoi An Vietnam
The first bridge on this site was built in the 16th century by the Japanese community of Hoi An. The bridge connected the Japanese part of Hoi An with Chinatowns, which were located on the other side of the river. Later in the 19th and 20th centuries, the bridge was reconstructed. But its original original form has been preserved.
The bridge is guarded by sculptures of a dog and a monkey. There is a legend associated with the Japanese bridge. According to ancient legend, once upon a time there lived a dragon called Ku. Its dimensions were so huge that the tail was in China, the head was in India, and the body was in Vietnam. And this dragon brought only misfortunes: earthquakes and devastation. The Vietnamese recognized the place where the dragon's body is most vulnerable and built on this site famous bridge. After that, the dragon was defeated and the earthquakes stopped.
The first time we came to the bridge late in the evening. It was almost completely unlit. Despite this, the bridge was crowded with tourists. We also took a walk, no one asked for tickets this time, although the entrance to the bridge requires a ticket.
Hoi An Vietnam
The fact that it's so popular tourist town, like Hoi An, was not illuminated in the evening, we were very surprised. The time was around 8 pm. Near the bridge on the river we saw a large crowd of people. They launched flower and paper boats with lit candles along the river. It was very beautiful and romantic.
Hoi An Vietnam
As it turned out, at this time, as part of the global action "Earth Hour" on March 19 from 20:30 to 21:30 local time, everyone turns off the lights and electrical appliances. All enterprises, shops, cafes participate in this action. locals turn off the lights in their homes. At this time, Hoi An was surprisingly quiet and beautiful. Light fell from a huge number of lit candles, torches, fuel lamps. After 21:30 local time, the city turned on the backlight: hundreds of Chinese lanterns and lamps.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
We read that such evenings paper boats, candles and torches (without electricity) are held in Hoi An not only as part of a global action, but every month on a certain day.
The tradition of decorating the city with Chinese lanterns of various sizes, shapes and colors has been going on for several hundred years. By the way, such lanterns can be purchased as a souvenir home.
In Hoi An, you can even visit special workshops for making such lanterns with your own hands.
Tourists, arriving in Hoi An, usually visit not only city attractions, but also country ones, located in the immediate vicinity of Hoi An - marble caves and the ruins of Michon. The latter are located 60 kilometers from the city. This is what's left of the ancient temple complex the Champa people. Currently, only a small number of temples and other religious buildings have survived: most of the buildings were destroyed during the wars.
Due to limited time, we did not have time to visit the ruins of Michon, as the tour takes half a day. Picked up by bus in the morning, and brought back in the afternoon. The cost of an excursion to the ruins of Michon starts from 200,000 VND per person ($10). You can go there on your own by bike. The entrance fee to the temple complex is 100,000 VND ($5). The complex is open for visiting from 6:30 to 16:30.
marble mountains located between Da Nang and Hoi An. The most convenient and cheapest way to visit the Marble Mountains is on the way from one city to another. So we did, but I will talk about this in the next article.
Hoi an beaches
Our beach holiday in Hoi An can not be called successful. We, unfortunately, were absolutely not prepared and did not know which beach to go to in this city. We only owned general information that there are bathable beaches in Hoi An, and they are quite good. At the hotel, we called a taxi, told the taxi driver to take us to nearest beach. We drove for about 10 minutes, after which he stopped next to a coastal cafe, where we had lunch. By the way, it was absolutely tasteless. But the mood was not spoiled by this. The weather and the beach itself were not conducive to swimming at all: a strong wind was blowing, there were waves, even fortifications were built from bags near the shore.
Hoi An Vietnam
Hoi An Vietnam
The next day we arrived at this beach early in the morning, it was completely deserted, there was no wind and waves. The water temperature, of course, is much lower than in Nha Trang, but nevertheless quite suitable for swimming. Taxi drivers are constantly on duty near this beach, so we easily got back to the hotel.
As we learned later, there are much more attractive places for swimming in Hoi An. You just had to go not to the right side of the Victoria Hoi An Resort, but take a taxi to the left side. There and developed infrastructure, and wide sand strip, and restaurants. In general, everything you need for a comfortable time at sea. So, there is a reason to return to Hoi An again!
Hoi An Transport
The easiest way to get around the city is, of course, by taxi. We took a taxi to the beach, called a seven-seat car to the reception. The cost of a trip from the historical part of the city to the beach is about 70,000 VND ($3). We also got back by taxi, several cars are always on duty near the beach.
If you are a confident driver of a bike or bicycle, you can easily rent them here. You can rent a bike even without a license, the cost is 5-6 dollars per day. Bicycles can be rented at almost every hotel. We noticed that a lot of tourists move around the city on bicycles. But the traffic is quite busy, so we did not dare to sit behind the wheel of a bicycle and ride in the stream of bikes and cars.
In the historical part of the city, tourists move on foot. To get around the most interesting streets, you need to spend at least two to three hours. Traffic on the main streets is limited, especially in the evening. Therefore, you can safely walk along the streets and go to your favorite shops.
Hoi An Vietnam
How to get to Hoi An from Nha Trang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City
Slipbuses (these are night buses with sleepers typical of Asia) in the direction of Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi call in Hoi An every day. In the direction of Ho Chi Minh City, the bus leaves around 18:00. Tickets must be purchased in advance. We stayed in Hoi An for 2 days, after which we went to Nha Trang on a slipbus. We got seats on an extra bus, half of which were broken. The bus drove very slowly and stopped every few hours: every time something was repaired. Other sleepbuses overtook us with a breeze!
Summing up our stay in Hoi An, I would like to note that this is one of the most cozy cities in which we happened to visit in Vietnam.
Three or four days is enough to explore the city. During this time, you can visit all the sights, plunge into the atmosphere of the ancient city, enjoy the cuisine, sunbathe on the beach. Usually tourists do not stay here for a long time, as the town is very small. We had only two days in Hoi An, but we spent this time very interesting and eventful.
We swung wide, planning during our! Now I'm thinking, could we throw something out of the program? And I come to the conclusion that it would definitely not be Hoi An (Hoi An) - ancient city that hasn't changed much over the centuries.. Rather, that's what I would call him perfect place For short vacation in Vietnam. Indeed, in Hoi An there are antiquities (the cultural part of the holiday), clear sea and white sand (well, how could it be without a “vegetable” pastime), as well as simply gorgeous shopping with a modest budget. Moreover, clothes and shoes will be made to order.
How to get to Hoi An:
In order to save time and effort, I would recommend flying from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City by plane to Danang, and then by bus or taxi to Hoi An (about 30 km). There is another option to get there by train or slipper bass. But, firstly, it is very long (about a day), and secondly, a train ticket costs not much cheaper than an airplane. Slipper bass will save money, but after a day on the bus, you will curse this savings for what the world is worth.
