Hoi An, Vietnam
We were in Hoi An, Vietnam March 13, 2020 just as everything started to shut down due to covid-19. Despite many attractions being closed, we were still so impressed by this charming town that we wanted to share our experience with you and the 6 reasons why we are eager to go back there.
Getting There
We traveled to Hoi An from Da Nang which is where the main airport is for this region. We hired a private driver through Klook to take us to our hotel, which is an easy 30-45 minute drive and not very expensive.
1. The Beautiful Ancient Town
Our favorite part and the first reason why we would return to Hoi An are the beautiful old town streets. We spent most of our time wandering the ancient town streets, falling in love with yellow, weathered buildings, and the thousands of colored lanterns. There are so many opportunities to take amazing instagram worthy photos here. Literally, every corner is picture worthy in this UNESCO Heritage Site. Spend time exploring each street of this port city from the old Japanese covered bridge to all the artisan shops.
2. The River Life
In addition to the streets we loved hanging out by the Thu Bon river taking lovely pictures, seeing the markets, and taking a boat ride to experience the city from the water. You must see the city both during the day and at night, because you will fall in love with Hoi An all over again once you see thousands of lanterns all lit up. The lanterns really make the city have a warm and lively atmosphere, and it’s nice to enjoy the vibe at one of the many river side bars and restaurants. Or at the night market with delicious food stalls to explore.
3. An Bang Beach
In addition to a charming ancient town, Hoi An has a nearby beach. You can easily take a taxi or a Grab there, or you can make your journey a real adventure by making the 5km/3mile distance by bicycle. We loved taking our time and seeing the city by bicycle and stopping frequently to take pictures of water buffalo and rice fields along the route. When you finally arrive you will see lovely views on An Bang Beach. Take a dip or lounge around and soak up the views. There are plenty of beach side restaurants if you would like a bite to eat while you’re there.
4. The Classes
We saw so many beautifully colored lanterns in Hoi An that I was eager to take a lantern making class. However, due to the pandemic these classes were closed. I would definitely want to come back to learn even more about the history of lanterns in Hoi An. These lanterns are supposed to bring happiness, luck, and good fortune. I know the pretty colors make me happy so I think they may be right about that.
There also have cooking classes and basket making classes available as well, something I would love to explore again in the future.
5. The Tours
Unfortunately, all the countryside tours were closed when we were in Hoi An. I would love to go back to take a tour of the fisherman’s village and see the basket boats in action. It was an activity that I was really looking forward to and one that I look forward to in the future.
6. The Food
We had a great meal at the Hoi An Seafood Restaurant. We loved trying the local food and especially the cao lau noodles and the pancake. They were very delicious and definitely worth eating again.
These are all the things I long to go back and see once we can travel freely again.
To see Hoi An come to life watch our full vlog below!
