Located in Central Vietnam, Hoi An is just 40 minutes south of Da Nang. It's a small town, filled with lot of personality. The moment you step into the Old Town, you'll be surrounded by small stores selling trinkets, tailor shops that sell leather and silk goods as well as a small river coursing through the town. The lanterns strung along the streets make it such a lovely place to walk around at night.
Things to do
Shop til you drop
Honestly, there's so many shops to wander through it's a little overwhelming. Many of them are souvenir shops selling elephant pants and silk scarves, but there are also many tailor shops ready to design you a new suit or dress. Window shop a bit and make sure you're getting the best price and quality before you purchase.
Visit the Old Town
If you want to see the Old Town, you'll need to pay 120,000 dong for a ticket that's valid for 10 days. But it's worth every dong. It gives you access to the museums, old houses, assembly halls and handicraft workshops. It's a beautiful place with a Japanese style bridge, a small river, old rustic buildings and endless shops.
Boat ride along Thu Bon river
For all you romantics or just lonely people who want to experience this, it's best to see it at sunset. There are several tour companies that offer this experience. Head to the dock and negotiate wisely!
How to get here
We got here from Da Nang by taking the local bus. It takes about an hour since there's a few stops along the way. It costs around 20,000 - 30,000 dong for a ticket.
As a foreigner, make sure to ask for the price before you give them money. They're pretty sneaky and neglect to give you change unless you ask for it.
Where to Eat
We never actually ate here. But there are many restaurants that line the street. Try Mi Quang if you can!
Where to Stay
There are tons of guesthouses here that should be fairly affordable. We didn't stay the night because we realized we would spend too much shopping if we actually spent more than a day here. If you get something tailored, you should plan to spend a few days here to get the fit right.