Vietnam Hoi An: all useful information about the city. Review, photo. You can move to longer distances. How to get to Hoi An from Nha Trang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City

Hoi An - seaside resort V central Vietnam and at the same time a historical landmark. Hoi An in Vietnam is one of the few old cities that survived after Vietnam War. museum under open sky, as many call it.

Typical Hoi An

Hoi An is no longer a city that no one has ever heard of. So far, mostly only Europeans and Americans go on vacation to Hoyan, while ours are content with Nha Trang and Mui Ne. And those who are richer go to. But the Russians are now slowly starting to move away from crowded Nha Trang, mastering new resorts in Vietnam.

What to see and do in Hoi An

There are several features in Hoi An, for which more and more tourists come to the city every year. What is interesting in Hoi An:

• Unique Old city
• 10 km deserted beach
• rice fields

City Hoi An

The sights of Hoi An are concentrated in the center on several narrow streets of the old city. In fact, the whole center is one big attraction. Since houses of 100 years ago, built by the Chinese and Japanese, have been preserved here.

To see Hoi An, you just need to come to the center by the river and stroll slowly through the streets, looking into the endless shops and cafes.

Attractions Hoi An

As for paid attractions, there are just over 20 of them. The city has an unusual ticket system. In tourist information centers, a multi-ticket is bought for 120 thousand dong ($ 6) with the right to visit 5 different places. Then, every time you enter, they will tear you away from big ticket one small ticket.

We didn’t buy such a ticket and didn’t see any paid sights for one simple reason - there were just a lot of tourists. Came for the Vietnamese New Year. In addition to hundreds of Euro-tourists, thousands of Vietnamese tourists appeared on the streets of Hoyan and it was pointless to go anywhere.

japanese bridge

Hoi An's main attraction is the Japanese Bridge. The bridge is notable for the fact that it was built in 1593 and connected the Japanese quarter with the Chinese one. The appearance has not changed, despite several restorations.

By spending one of the tickets, you can go through this unique bridge. We decided not to go in, the bridge looks spectacular from the outside.

Embankment

The embankment is the most pleasant place in the city. You can walk, looking at the bizarre fishing boats with "eyes". Periodically, however, the Vietnamese will distract you from contemplation with the words “Yu! Boat trip" - offer a boat ride on the river. I won’t tell you the exact prices, but I read somewhere that you need to gather a group. How more people the cheaper.

Or eat in one of the many cafes on the embankment overlooking the river. There are even restaurant boats.

Hoi an beaches

A multi-kilometer sparsely populated beach, which is much superior to the beaches of Nha Trang and especially Mui Ne. Pleasant fine sand and a large selection of restaurants and cafes in the old town area and in the coastal area near the sea.

Read more in the article -

When is the best time to go to Hoi An

The beach season here is from April to September. It is during these months that the beaches will appear at their best and you will be able to swim in the calm clear sea. The hottest month is May. late autumn, in winter and early spring, the sea is stormy, the water becomes cloudy, and a lot of garbage is carried to the beach. Bathing water temperatures are too cold during these months. Also in the off season regular rains and sometimes even flooding of the city center.

Rice fields and villages

Another of the interesting things in Hoi An is worth noting the rice fields and the countryside. You can ride a bike through the fields and Vietnamese villages, combining such a walk with a beach holiday and a cultural program.

rice fields

Many hotels in Hoi An offer bikes for free to their guests. It is with great pleasure that I drive through the rice fields every day. It reminds me of my childhood, such pleasant sensations, as if I moved back in time 20 years ago, when I rode a bicycle in the neighboring villages at the dacha.

What else do I like about these fields - it's quiet and Fresh air. Such silence when you hear the sound of the wind, the singing of birds, the croaking of frogs, the rustling of leaves. Such seemingly simple things, but they are very rare in Vietnam!

Beds, they are beds in Vietnam

Dogs, buffaloes and other animals

Driving through the villages, at first I was afraid of dogs. Yes, yes, there are dogs in Hoyan, unlike many other Vietnamese cities. But as it turned out, the dogs here do not bark at bicycles and bikes. During all the trips on the bike, not a single dog paid attention to me. But we were barked at when we once walked through the village. And buffaloes graze on the fields, roosters and geese walk along country roads, and sometimes you can even see a snake.

Shops, markets and prices in Hoi An

The nearest large supermarket is Big C in Da Nang. In Hoyan itself, with normal shops, it's strained. The largest supermarket with fixed prices is a mini A-mart in the city center. There is another small supermarket on the way to the bass station. The rest of the shops are small and dirty with overpriced prices by 2 times. For example, one aunt with a smile wanted to sell me milk for 70 thousand dong. Despite the fact that the real price is 30 thousand ($ 1.5). My arguments are that I’m not the first day in Vietnam and I know the prices didn’t work, I didn’t even sell for 40 thousand. Therefore, if you come to Haiyan for a long time, in the first days you will have to go to Big C in Da Nang and buy well, as they did We. You can get to Da Nang by bus for 20 thousand dong, the bus takes you almost to Big C.

How to get to Hoi An

You can get from Moscow to Hoi An by plane. You will need to fly to international Airport Danang. Usually tourists fly with a transfer in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. Flights to Da Nang buy here. How to get from the airport, we described in the article.

Also, many travelers make a stop here during their journey from the north of Vietnam to the south or vice versa. On this site you can book tickets for intercity buses and trains: by bus from Nha Trang or by train from Hanoi.

Where to stay in Hoi An

We would recommend choosing hotels near the beach if you are visiting during the season and would like to swim in the sea. There are also very decent hotels in the city. But keep in mind, if you choose a hotel in the city, that it is 5 km from the sea, that is, you will have to get there somehow every time, by taxi, bike or bicycle.

See our selection of hotels in the article -

Hoi an reviews

This is how we saw Hoi An. Reviews of tourists about Hoi an are only enthusiastic. We, as always, have mixed reviews. It is interesting, of course, to wander around the ancient city. I liked the bike rides in the rice fields. As for the beach, the inexperienced traveler will like it. Many are delighted with the Zoklet beach in Nha Trang. And Hoian beach is the same and even better.

We believe that it is definitely worth coming to Hoi An. If you have a trip to Vietnam, be sure to take 2-3 days to explore Hoi An. There will be nothing else to do there. If only to lie on the beach.

If you have a choice of where to go from Nha Trang, to Dalat or to Hoi An, then choose. Since it will be more interesting there, the sights are more diverse, parks, waterfalls, temples. And in Hoyang, roughly speaking, apart from 200 shabby yellow houses, there is nothing special to see and nothing more.

What I didn't like about Hoi An

• A lot of tourists
• There are no normal shops. And the ones that do exist are overpriced.
• Motobikes ride through the crowd and beep incessantly

If the first circumstance is connected with the Vietnamese holidays, then with regard to motorcycles in the old city, this really pissed us off. Imagine that you are walking through the Hermitage, but mopeds prevent you from contemplating art, which every minute disgustingly honk you from behind to make you give way to them. And this is not counting the dense flow of tourists ...

We read that earlier, at certain hours in the morning and evening, the movement of any Vehicle at certain hours. But now this rule has either been completely canceled, or in honor of the Vietnamese NG, no one followed this.

If, in honor of the holiday, the city authorities allowed motorbikes to pass into the old city without restrictions, then I have no logical explanation for this. Do the authorities really not understand that the flow of tourists will triple during the holidays? It's like in Moscow on the day of the city to open the movement of cars along the Old Arbat. Although, this is Vietnam, a lot of things here are not logical for a sane person.

Have you been to Hoi An? Write your feedback in the comments.

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 the 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.

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 a cultural heritage and is 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

I will continue my favorite part of "Vietnam Travel". Now we went to explore the center of the country and the first city was Hoi an(Hoi An, Hoi An). This small town on the coast South China Sea, just 25-30 km from Da Nang. Today you will learn how to get to Chojn, what to see, where to go and where to live. Read on, it will be interesting and again a lot of photos.

A little history of the city. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Hoi An was of great importance as an international shopping center. At that time it was called Faifo. Now about old name The city is reminiscent only of the taxi service of the same name. Later, the center of trade moved to Da Nang, but in the heart of Hoi An - the Old Town, the spirit of the old trading city was preserved. In those days, many ships called at the port of Chojna, large quantity which was from Japan, China, Holland and India.

Some merchants stayed in Hoi An for up to six months, opened shops here, where they traded all kinds of goods. I would like to add that little has changed in the city since the 16-17th century, some sights have survived to this day.

Hoi An is called an open-air museum city, it is listed as a heritage world heritage UNESCO. There are more than 800 historical buildings in the Old Town area. You can walk endlessly along the streets of the city! Correctly noted in one of the comments in my Instagram: "Hoi An is a city for girls :-)". This, of course, does not mean that men have nothing to do here. It's just that girls are more impressionable to such small, cozy, romantic and insanely soulful cities. I'm not an exception:-). Walking around the city, I could not breathe in the atmosphere, I wanted to walk in silence and “listen” at home, imagining how everything was a couple of centuries ago. Modernity is indicated here by the presence free wifi all over the Old City :-).

What to see in Hoi An?

Since the whole city is a tourist attraction, it is difficult to single out any individual attractions in Hoi An. The greatest concentration of attractions is concentrated in the Old Town area. Since Hoi An is a small town, one day is enough to get to know it, but I know firsthand that people stay here longer.

You can just walk the streets of the Old Town (Old Town), or you can buy a ticket for 120,000 dong ($ 5.5) and go into some houses. In total, 22 of the most famous and popular places to visit (according to the bulletin). With a ticket you can visit only 5 of them. Detailed information you will receive at the points of purchase of tickets, and together with the ticket you will also receive a card indicating and brief description attractions.

Little trick: after 19-00 entrance to the sights is free and you can visit them without buying a ticket. For example, for entering the Japanese bridge, one ticket will be torn off, and after 7 the entrance is free for everyone. We also noticed that during the day you can also walk around some houses freely during the lunch break, but I won’t say the exact time. Now I’ll tell you a little about some of the sights of the Old City:

Covered Japanese bridge is not only a landmark, but also a symbol of the city. It is he who is depicted on many postcards, magazines, notebooks. The Japanese bridge was built in 1593 and has been preserved in excellent condition to this day. It was built by craftsmen from the Japanese community of Hoi An in order to connect the Japanese quarter with the Chinese.

The bridge is especially beautiful in the evening when it is illuminated in different colors.

This is a favorite place for honeymooners and couples. Many come to Hoi An specifically for photo shoots.

Old houses of Tang Kee, Kun Tang, Fung Hung and many others. These are mostly private houses, whose families have been living in them for more than one generation. The sizes of such houses are small, but the owners are happy to talk about every detail of the house. You can get here on a general ticket. To visit some houses, tickets are not needed and we could easily walk there looking at the details of the houses.

There are also many temples and pagodas. Some will require a ticket to visit, but no one will forbid you to take photos of the territory.

Museum of Ceramics, Museum of History and Culture of Hoi An, Folklore Museum Thanks to these museums, you can get even closer to the culture of the city.

In fact, there are many more interesting and fascinating things in the Old Town. Explore and find what inspires you. This city will definitely not leave you indifferent.

In addition to everything, I would like to highlight a large number of sewing workshops. Many tourists come here to sew suits, dresses, blouses, skirts from natural silk, linen or cotton. If the model is simple, then the work can be done in a couple of hours.

Men's suits are sewn in a day, and their cost will be from $80.

There are also many in the city shoe shops, where you can buy ready-made shoes or, again, make them to order. The cost of leather shoes starts from $ 20. I think that this is very good price for a pair of quality shoes.

Oh, how much jewelry stores: one is better than the other. I could not resist and left them with new jewelry. It's not for nothing that my mother says that I am a magpie-crow

One of the shops in Hoi An will offer you a bamboo bike or a bag.

Hoi An Cuisine- This is a completely separate conversation. In numerous cafes and restaurants that light their lights for visitors in the evenings, you can taste incredible culinary delights. After all, Hoi An is a city of artists and craftsmen. And the chefs here are also artists. Unique feature Hoi An's restaurants are cooking courses or cooking classes. You can learn how to cook the most popular dishes vietnamese cuisine. The cost of such courses starts from $ 15 per person. You just need to ask if there are courses in the cafe and the job is almost done!

I would like to show you art galleries Hoi an. They liked me very much. My hands itched to buy one of the works, but Gleb stopped me.

Separately, I want to highlight the photobook of Vietnam. It shows Vietnam in person: from children to the elderly, as well as the nature of the country. I was very impressed with the book. The photos are insanely beautiful and, most importantly, alive. The feeling that the person is looking directly at you. If you see this book anywhere, I highly recommend checking it out.

And before useful information on how to get to Hoi An and where to live, a little evening city.

How to get to Hoi An?

As always, there are several options: plane, train and bus.

From Da Nang- by bus (2-3 dollars) or by taxi (about 10-12 dollars per car).

From Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi there are direct flights to Da Nang, from where you can take a taxi, bus or rented bike to Hoi An.

From Nha Trang can be reached by bus. A distance of 530 km on a bike will be very difficult to cover, but the bus from Nha Trang leaves at 19-00 and you can be there in the morning. We used the services of the bus company The Sinh Tourist and already at 6 am were on the spot. The nearest railway station is in Da Nang.

Where to stay in Hoi An?

The hotel infrastructure is very well developed: from budget hotels for $10-15/day to luxury villas for $500/day. We chose a beautiful villa just 2 km from the Old Town - Aquarium Villa, where the price included breakfast, free bike rental and a large spacious room with a balcony. By the way, this hotel is close to Thanh Ha pottery village. This is another attraction of the city.

Good prices for hotels and guesthouses in Hoi An are still available on Agoda.com. You can rent an AirBnB apartment. When renting on AirBnB, you can take advantage of my $21 discount on your first booking.
It is better to compare hotels through the HotelsCombined.com service, it checks prices for a dozen booking systems.

I think you have now learned more about the city and will find the opportunity and time to visit it. Follow the news in

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 of the South China Sea, so it is suitable for a 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, communal houses, ancient monuments - are of historical importance. 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 with a 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 affordable. 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 things.

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, in Hoi An there is a huge selection of 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: both 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 and trade center for many years in 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 sights, but also country ones, located in the immediate vicinity of Hoi An - Marble Caves and My Son ruins. 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 cannot 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 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.