Hoi An: The Most Beautiful Attractions in and Around Vietnam's Lantern City

In the evening, the canal that stretches from the Thu Bon River into the city transforms into a sea of lanterns, boats, and small lights bobbing on the water. Our tip: Go to the Hoi An Bridge at sunset and watch the activity of the rowing boats (Samba). You can also book a boat ride or purchase a lantern here. Our highlight was the view from the bridges of the illuminated boats.

Hoi An's Old Town survived the Vietnam War unscathed. It is therefore classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll through the narrow streets and be sure to visit one of the old houses that you can tour. We found Duc An House to be particularly beautiful. Also worth seeing are the homes of the old families of Phung Hung and Tan Ky.

You can purchase tickets for attractions in the Old Town, such as the Japanese Bridge, museums, or temples, at many shops and sales points by the river, identifiable by a sign for the Old Town ticket.

A good example of a well-preserved house in the Old Town is the Tran Family Chapel. You will also need a ticket here. The house with chapel was built by the influential Tran family in the early 19th century. Upon entering the courtyard, we were greeted by the croaking of frogs. A family member gave us a tour.

In Hoi An, there are numerous temples. For most, you need a ticket. One of the most beautiful temples is Hoi Quan Quang Dong (Cantonese Assembly Hall). Even the entrance with the huge red gate is absolutely impressive.

The assembly hall of the Cantonese Chinese community was built in the late 18th century. Previously, the goddess Mazu and Confucius were honored here. Today, many respected personalities are commemorated. Behind the immense temple is a beautifully landscaped garden with dragon sculptures.

Other notable temples include the Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall, Guan Di Temple, Teochew Assembly Hall, and Hainan Assembly Hall.

One thing you absolutely must not miss during your stay in Hoi An is the rice fields outside the city. Here you can find typical photo opportunities. With a bit of luck, you might also see some water buffalo. On a guided tour, you will learn a lot about the rice plantations.

Our tip: Rent bicycles in An Bang and ride through the narrow streets (around 2 Euros per day, as of February 2024). We recommend making a stop at Roving Chill House. In this cafe, you can enjoy your coffee overlooking the rice fields. Those interested can also rent a traditional Ao Dai - a traditional garment - for photos.

Hoi An is also known as the tailor city. Tailor shops line up one after another. Be sure to compare prices or ask for a recommendation from your accommodation. The process goes as follows: initial conversation with measurements and discussion of the products you want. The first fitting takes place the next day. Here, the garments are adjusted for final fitting. This takes about 20 minutes. The second fitting with quality control takes place on the third day. We purchased from Tuong Tailor and can recommend the shop.

The night market in Hoi An is also worth a visit. However, there are hardly any food stalls, but you can find typical souvenirs from your trip, such as clothes, bags, or Buddha statues. Lantern photos, which you can take for a small tip, are very popular.

One of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam is located just outside of Hoi An, in the village of An Bang. The long, white beach awaits you with fine sand. You can surf here, and the atmosphere is chill.

At the beach, there are umbrellas and sun loungers available for rent at low prices. If you grab a drink at the cafe-restaurant Soul Kitchen, you can use the associated sun loungers for free. On weekends, there is also live music there. We highly recommend the cocktails.

From Hoi An, you can take several great excursions. We recommend the tour to My Son. The temple city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, is located only 30 kilometers from Hoi An, and is worth a half-day trip. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, the Cham culture developed in Vietnam. About 70 temples in the My Son temple complex remain from this civilization. Of course, today you can only visit the ruins. We found My Son, which is reminiscent of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, to be extremely impressive.

Our itinerary also included a visit to a small village where we got to make rice paper. After that, we took a boat on the Thu Bon River back to Hoi An. The excursion was booked through Duc Travel. You can find the small office next to Mandala Spa in An Bang. Cost: 790,000 Dong per person (approximately 29 Euros, as of February 2024).

Our next attraction is the Marble Mountains near Da Nang, about 30 minutes by motorcycle from Hoi An. These are five majestic marble and limestone hills. An elevator takes you to the most well-known one, Thuy Son. Here, you can also find the famous Tam Thai Pagoda and countless caves. We found the Huyen Khong Cave with the giant Buddha statue to be the most impressive.

Another excursion tip from Hoi An is the Hai Van Pass, also known as the Cloud Pass. We rode over the well-known pass with the so-called 'Easy Riders' - motorcycle riders with whom you can ride along. You can take a day trip from Hoi An over the pass. However, if you travel further north, for example to the imperial city of Hue, the pass is on the way. Cost: 1,250,000 Dong per person, which is approximately 46 Euros (as of February 2024).

The Coconut Village outside of Hoi An is very touristy. We cycled the five kilometers from An Bang to get there. At the entrance to the village, a business-savvy lady immediately caught us with her motorbike and took us to her family business. No worries: you will find the same boats everywhere and the prices are similar. We paid 200,000 Dong (around seven Euros, as of February 2024) for the tour in the coconut boat. The tour lasted about 45 minutes. The ride is worth it if you want to take colorful photos and enjoy entertainment with loud music.

The landmark of the city is the bridge that connects the Japanese quarter with the Chinese settlement. With its red color, the covered bridge with pagoda is a real eye-catcher. Unfortunately, the bridge is currently under restoration, and only a small altar in the pagoda can be seen (as of February 2024).

The central market in Hoi An offers what locals need: fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. There are also some good street kitchens here. If you want to capture great photo opportunities, you should definitely take a detour to the market.

Another highlight near Hoi An is the golden Dragon Bridge in Da Nang. On weekends, the area turns into a huge party area. The dragon even spews fire and water during that time. Additionally, the kilometer-long white sandy beach of Da Nang is also worth the visit.

Here are some recommended restaurants and cafes in Hoi An:

Our tip is Happy Bird B&B, located right by the famous An Bang Beach. The B&B is run by two German expatriates, Michael and Kim. They are incredibly hospitable and the rooms are beautiful. The garden is idyllic and invites you to linger.

The in-house cafe provides delicious, healthy bowls, egg dishes, fancy breads, or pancakes. Michael and Kim give you important information and tips, and the B&B is just three minutes from the beach. You can either rent a bike in An Bang or book a taxi through the Grab app - this will take you to Hoi An's Old Town in a short time.

This trip was made possible by the kind support of EVA Air.