Travelog - A travel guide to Vietnam

Introduction
Most people will agree that Hoi An is one of the most beautiful and relaxed places to visit, so don’t miss it.
Getting there

• By plane

Hoi An doesn’t have its own airport, but most people fly to Danang (regular flights from Saigon, Nha Trang, Hanoi). From Danang airport, most people take a taxi at a fixed rate of 10 US$. It is usually possible to find other tourists to share a taxi. The ride to Hoi An takes 45 minutes.

• By train

This is another good and comfortable option. You can take the night train from Nha Trang to Danang and from there take a taxi.

• By bus

If you’re on a budget, this is probably what you’ll do.

However, the night bus both from Dalat or from Nha Trang is extremely uncomfortable, because the road is very bumpy, so don’t expect to sleep much.

If coming from Hue, the bus is probably the only option. To Hoi An (140 km, 6 hrs) with stops at Lang Co beach, Hai van Pass, Danang (Cham museum, marble mountains or china beach). Price : 3 US$

Accommodation
Plenty of small hotels in Hoi An.

Until recently, the only upper-class accommodation was the state-run Hoi An Hotel. It is at walking distance from the old town, and you can describe it as a 3-star hotel. The building is 30 to 40 years old and was used by the Americans to accommodate their soldiers during a holiday. This means that the rooms look a bit old, but they have everything you need like AC, TV, fridge, bathroom etc… They have a buffet breakfast, and when the weather is fine you can sit outside. The big plus of this hotel is that it has a nice swimming pool (only few hotels have this in Hoi An). It’s also centrally located near the historical center of Hoi An. Prices are around 40 to 60 US$ for a double including breakfast. You can make reservations at hoianhotel@dng.vnn.vn.

Since 2000, however, 2 new luxury hotels have opened, and a third one (Victoria) will open in 2001.
- My personal favourite is the Hoi An Riverside resort. It is at 3 km from the old town in the direction of the beach right next to the river. This is a small scale 4-star resort, but service is really in the perfection. The rooms are absolutely marvellous, we especially liked the Japanese style room, but they also have a “Vietnamese style” room. They have a beautiful pool set in a nice garden amidst the bungalow rooms. We just had dinner there, and this was quite good. They have a shuttle bus 5 times a day. Normal price is 120 US$ for a double, but they gave 50% discount when we were there (10/2000). More info at hoianriver@dng.vnn.vn. They also have their own website at www.hoianriverresort.com

Another new hotel is the state-run Hoi An Beach Resort. They try to compete with the riverside resort, and they are indeed quite good, but they miss a bit the subtle class of the former. Everything is much bigger, and they used a bit too much concrete. Their location is splendid between the river and the beach. In the morning, you will see fishermen passing with their boat on the river. Price is 60 to 80 US$.

What to do?

• Shopping

It’s strange to put this on top of the “what to do”-list, but this is actually what you’ll probably do. Hoi An is indeed well known for their shops, especially clothing shops. It is simply incredible what they can make at what prices. Most shops have the latest fashion catalogues, and you simply choose, and they make it for you. Examples of prices are 40 US$ for a Cashmere suit, 8 US$ for trousers etc…. We went at Le Loi 17 and can recommend them. Their motto is “if you don’t like, you don’t buy”, and this proved to be correct. My girlfriend had ordered trousers , but finally she didn’t like the model, so we didn’t have to take it. I must say however we bought plenty of other things.

You’ll find plenty of other souvenir shops, especially painting shops and some other things.

Don’t miss the shop at Le Loi 41. Ask to have a look at their silk production. You’ll see every step of the process from cocoon to the actual making of silk. Most of these things are on the first floor, but they will be happy to show you around.

• The town

Hoi An is a historical town which used to be an important harb
our a couple of 100 years ago. You’ll find different historical buildings. To visit them, you’ll need to buy a card for 50.000 VND which gives you entrance to 5 places. BTW, you can also visit the shrine in the Japanese bridge, but if you just look inside, you’ve also seen it, there’s not much to see really. Also the museum is not too good. However, the Chinese house across the Japanese bridge is worth a visit.

• Trips

The classical trip from Hoi An is to go to My Son. This is a Cham ruin site about 60 km from Hoi An. Easiest way is to book a trip starting at 8 am with a return around 2 pm. Price is 2,5 $. However, if you want to have the place for yourself, you’ll need to rent a motorbike with driver for 7 US$, or else a taxi for 15 US$. Note however you cannot be there at sunrise, the site only opens at 6.30 am.

• The busride takes a bit less then 2 hours. Then you have to buy your ticket (60.000 VND) which includes entrance and a short jeepride.
• Most people (like me) are not really impressed with this site, so you might give it a miss. You’ll see only a few small buildings scattered through the jungle. However, I can imagine that purely historically, it is an important site, but visually it is not.

At the Vinh Hung Hotel you can book some more original trips like:
You can also rent a bike yourself and cycle to the beach. The beach is OK, but again plenty of people trying to sell you anything. You can also cycle along the river towards the fishing village.
Restaurants
It’s difficult to find a bad restaurant in Hoi an, you’ll find the best food in Vietnam here.

Cafe des Amis: set along the river near the market. This is a “world famous” place serving very good food. They actually give a set menu, and you have the choice between a seafood or a vegetarian menu, price is 40.000 VND. The owner will come in the restaurant and explain dishes, and in the mean time he will show you his book with recommendations from visitors, as well as articles about his restaurants. Recommended.

Cafe Can is also very good It’s also along the river, and we also had a set seafood menu for 40.000 VND. You can also follow cooking lessons. This means you’ll get the same seafood menu for 50.000 VND. Also recommended.

The floating restaurant near the Japanese bridge also has excellent food. We ordered plenty of dishes there (I think about 8 ) and paid about 160.000 VND for the 2 of us including everything.

The Thanh Old House restaurant is also along the river and equally good. The restaurant looks like an old Chinese house and is very cosy.

Laundry

A lot of places willing to do your laundry. Normal price is about 7000 VND for 1 kilo. For those staying at the Hoi An Hotel, it’s much cheaper to just cross the street. However, you have to bargain, because the lady has the pricelist of the Hoi An Hotel, and she offers a 50% discount, but this is still 20.000 VND per kilo.
Getting away
Going to Hue, most people take the bus:

• Either you take a fast bus at 8 am, and this will take about 3 hours. They stop only very shortly in Lang Co Beach.
• Either you take a longer bustrip of 6 hours. You will leave around 8 am, then make stops at Marble mountains (45 minutes), Cham museum Danang (20 minutes), Hai Van Pass (10 minutes) and Lang Co beach for lunch (45 minutes). You arrive around 2 pm. Price is 2,5 US$.
• There is also a night bus leaving at 11 pm, but I suppose you arrive very early in Hue

You can also take the train from Danang to Hue, and apparently this is said to be a marvellous trip. You can take a taxi to Danang airport for 10 US$.

(From 1000traveltips)