Hoi An seen through local eyes

Fully deserving of its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, Hoi An’s ancient town magnetizes visitors with its lantern-lit streets, picture-perfect bridges, and historic wooden houses and temples.

The photo opportunities in Hoi An are endless, especially at sunrise and sunset. But there’s much more to this central Vietnamese region than its center.

Explore further afield and you’ll discover a wealth of other things to do, including:

• Lounging on the white sands of Cua Dai and An Bang Beaches
• Riding a basket boat on the Thu Bon River
• Cycling around small villages: Hoi An is famous for traditional craft villages such as Kim Bong carpentry village, Tra Que vegetable village, and Thanh Ha pottery village
• Sightseeing, diving or snorkeling on beautiful Cham island
• Learning to cook in an organic vegetable village where you can help watering and planting vegetables, hoeing the soil with a local farmer, and seeing a water buffalo in a rice paddy field!

Throughout the years, Hoi An has managed to retain its relaxed and laid-back atmosphere. With motorized vehicles mostly banned from the town center, tourists and locals alike can leisurely explore the streets on foot or by bicycle, adding to the town’s nostalgic charm.

For the most memorable trip with most stunning photos, the best time to visit Hoi An's old town is during the lantern festival, held on the 14th day of every lunar month, when the moon is full.

At night, the town reduces its electricity usage, so the candle-lit lanterns steal the show. Find a spot by the river, where lanterns are cast adrift to bring good luck. Or hop onto a boat and drop a lantern as you make a wish of your own.

Hoi An is also considered as a heaven of clothes shopping with both express and high quality services.

Visitors cannot ignore special local dishes such as Cao Lau, Banh Xeo, Quang noodles, deep-fried pancakes, and “white rose” cake. There are many Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Indian, Mexican restaurants in this little town as well.

A short bus ride from Hoi An, you can experience wandering among 4th-century ruins at My Son Sanctuary, or explore Marble Mountains and Son Tra mountains.

Located just 30 km from Da Nang international airport, where there are many direct flights to Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, India, and more, Hoi An is a very convenient starting point to travel around before and after your semester.