One of the many places we decided to visit was Danang (Central Vietnam) because it lies between Hue and Hoi An. During our stay at the Danang Golden Bay Hotel, we decided to visit the ancient town of Hoi An. Considered as a UNESCO Heritage Site, this ancient town is one of the best examples of a well-preserved South East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century.
To this day, thousands of tourists flock to Hoi An to walk around and immerse themselves in the rich history of this place – and that’s what we came to see.
How to get to Hoi An?
After breakfast at the hotel, we asked the concierge to hire a taxi that would take us to Hoi An. They booked us a Vinasun Taxi. The taxi arrived, and off we went for an hour or two drive to Hoi An. It was quick, and there was very little traffic en route. The best thing of all, most of the taxis accept credit cards.
When we arrived in Hoi An, it was gloomy, and there was a slight drizzle. Luckily, we brought an umbrella, and we started our walk around this beautiful town. We didn’t have any map or a fixed itinerary. We just followed the other tourists and just wandered around.
The little town was undeniably beautiful. The place is vibrant with different colors, beautifully structured ancient houses, and silk lamps, which add more character to the place. You can check on some of the houses inside to see more, but there is a certain fee for that. You can also check on some of the shops which sell different souvenirs.
The Japanese Covered Bridge
We walked further and saw what is considered the most iconic structure, called the Japanese Covered Bridge. We tried to walk inside, but there is an entrance fee. So we thought of going the other route. Further along the river, you will find another bridge that you can walk across. There are restaurants and coffee shops around, and in between, you will find small alleys where you could cut through and see more on the other side of the bridge.
On the other side, you will find more stores. We really wanted to walk further, but it was raining, and all we really wanted was to see what was inside this historic bridge.
It was a short bridge; there was a temple where devotees could pray. There are small windows where you could sneak a peek at the river. It was really amazing, and walking through it was like you are already part of history.
Stop for a local coffee at Hoi An Roastery.
We walked along the streets of Hoi An; as I mentioned, it was drizzling, so we decided to stop for a bit and found this local coffee shop called Hoi An Roastery. We liked how it was so open, and you could see everything that was going around outside. It was so relaxing to enjoy a nice Vietnamese coffee while relaxing and watch people go by.
There is no doubt that Hoi An is a beautiful and very picturesque town to be in. Another famous attraction here is the colorful silk lanterns that are basically found everywhere in this ancient town. I could imagine how beautiful this place is at night, especially when you have all the lamps lit up. They also have these lamps available for sale in most of the souvenir shops.
Try some local Vietnamese Food in Hoi An
After the tour, you will end up at this place called CHO HOI AN. This is a great place to try some authentic Vietnamese food. At first, I thought it was a market, but it was a big food hall when we walked in. I find the place very clean and the food you will find looks very tempting. It’s really worth spending a few minutes enjoying the food before heading back to Da Nang or wherever.
After a few hours in Hoi An, we then grabbed a taxi back to Da Nang, but we saw another beautiful place too difficult not to visit called the Marble Mountain, which I will be writing about soon. So when visiting Vietnam, do not forget to include the central area, and I am telling you, you will not be disappointed.
IT’S TOTALLY WORTH IT!
Here is a video of Hoi An made by Benn TK
