As if there wasn't enough on your travel bucket list [1] already, I'm about to convince you why you should add this city to that ever growing list. The city of Hoi An is on Vietnam's central coast and is best known for it's stunning ancient town and village rice paddies. Vietnam is a beautiful country filled with some of the prettiest travel spots in South East Asia, and Hoi An is no exception. From wandering the lantern-filled streets of ancient town to taking a traditional cooking class, there is so much to do and so many local people to meet, not to mention lots of delicious traditional Vietnamese food to try. Read on to see my top seven things to do while you're in Hoi An, or to convince you why you should be going!
The Riverside
After navigating your way around the narrow streets of the ancient town, you'll find yourself stumbling across the riverside. Here you'll see lit-up restaurants lining the water, lanterns floating along the water, and small boats cruising along. Enjoy a drink or dinner along the riverside among the hustle and bustle of the night markets (but make sure you've got mosquito spray on!). You get to see the town's mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and colonial architecture creating a truly diverse and pretty town.
The Rice Paddies
There are plenty of biking and walking tours to visit local people and learn about their crops. You might get a chance to help out with crops and animals. This is a chance to see authentic rural life and understand more about the locals' daily life. The views are pretty incredible too.
The Lanterns
The ancient town of Hoi An is full of handmade lanterns that line the streets, making for an incredible stroll at night. Buy a few as souvenirs and create your own Hoi An at home.
The Cooking Classes
At the cooking classes, you'll learn how to make traditional Vietnamese dishes such as banh xeo (pictured), goi cuon, and nuoc cham. I took a cooking class at a school that helps young adults gain skills with the aim to qualify in teaching their own cooking classes, thereby creating future job opportunities. You'll probably be taught a few Vietnamese words while cooking too.
The Coconut Basket Boat Tour
This is a chance to take a relaxed cruise along the waters of Hoi An in none other than a coconut basket boat. These handmade boats may look unstable but the locals use them to get around without any problems! The locals will take you on a tour of nearby villages sharing their food, teaching you about their jobs and giving an insight into daily life.
The Tailoring
Hoi An is known for it's abundance of affordable and well-made tailors' shops. Garments can be made in 48 hours from designs and fabrics chosen by you. This is perfect for those looking for a reasonably priced suit to take back home. However, be ready for possible electricity failure (and subsequently no fan or air-conditioning system) in the day when you might be having a fitting! And please don't be offended if the tailors call your size "very large"; it doesn't mean the same as at home. We tourists are just bigger than the locals, and they mean no harm by saying so!
The Food
Of course, the food — you'll be in Vietnam after all. Enjoy the fresh spring rolls (goi cuon), pho, and Vietnamese pancakes (banh xeo).
