In Da Nang at the airport, information about Hoi An is posted on the racks in Russian. Study the map, the location of attractions, beaches, hotels and feel free to hit the road.
If you are traveling on your own, then keep in mind that there is no direct flight connection with Hoi An, you will first have to get to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, then to Da Nang, and only then to the resort by bus, taxi, or by car ordered in advance. The distance from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh to Da Nang is almost the same: about 850 km. Choose for yourself where it would be better for you to fly first for a transfer to Da Nang.
In Da Nang, for the convenience of tourists, every hour and a half there is a minibus transfer from the airport to Hoi An, delivering for 100,000 dong to the hotel you need. It also runs from Da Nang and the bus is cheaper: it departs from the city's bus station. The fare in it costs 10,000 dong.
From different cities You can come to Vietnam by night buses, they are comfortable for night trips and inexpensive. For example, from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi An, the fare will cost 320 thousand dong, from Hue - 100 thousand dong, from Dalat - 300 thousand, and from Nha Trang - 200 thousand dong. Tickets must be purchased in advance, they may not be on sale on the day of departure.
Hoiang Hotels
Hotels in the resort are located on 1, 2 and 3 coastlines. Basically, hotels with 2, 3, 4 stars are located on the 2nd and 3rd coastlines. On the first coastline, hotels with 5 * have chosen a place for themselves. They have everything a vacationer needs. There are also private beaches.
The more stars, the better the service: hotels have a currency exchange office, their own souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, barbecues, car rentals and other amenities and services. Some hotels provide free excursions as a “bonus” for paying for accommodation.
Beaches near hotels with a small number of stars are municipal, i.e. free. Getting to them is quite far. With transport (motorcycle or bicycle), they are not allowed on the beach, which exacerbates the problem. You have to walk or use paid parking. Fortunately, the beaches are clean and organized.
Meals in BB type hotels: breakfast only. Rarely do hotels in Hoi An offer the HB type of food: with breakfast and dinner (or with lunch). Just One Hotel Sunrise Hoian Beach Resort 5* provides All Inclusive the prices are very high.
The town is small and you can walk around its streets in 2-3 hours. There are two dozen attractions in Hoi An. Tickets for visiting them are distributed in city information centers: small booths.
Complex tickets are sold for a visit to the five main attractions, and such a “complex” ticket costs 120,000 dong. In such a "booth center" do not forget to take a map of the old city, then you can figure out where is just a house, and where is a museum or gallery. After all, all the houses are old, so visually they can be very easily mistaken for a landmark.
I went to Hoi An for one day, but stayed there for a month... In my mind, an Asian city is a noisy anthill with frantic traffic on the streets, smelly food and barracks adjacent to skyscrapers. Imagine my surprise when I saw Hoi An.
Old cobbled streets, neat two-story houses with a tiled roof, cute cafes, workshops and art galleries - this is Hoi An, a typical port city of the 16th-18th centuries. The first impression when you find yourself in the center is that you are not in Asia, but in Europe.
This is the only city in Vietnam that survived the war. The entire center is protected by UNESCO, more than 800 objects: temples, houses and bridges are of historical importance.
Hoi An is considered a tourist mecca for Europeans and Americans. Here you will not meet “packagers” from Russia, this direction has not yet been chosen by travel agencies. Hoi An is a paradise for curious solo travelers and backpackers. The city has a large selection of hostels, budget hotels and villas.
Hoi An is located on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Many tourists compare it with Venice. Only instead of inflated gondoliers here, colorful Vietnamese grandmothers offer to ride local gondolas.
Shopping is another reason to go to Hoi An. No, there are no huge shopping centers, supermarkets and outlets here. This city is famous for its tailors. For little money, they will sew an evening dress or suit no worse than in Italy.
Hoi An is also called the city of lanterns. They are lit every evening in the streets: red, yellow, orange, of various shapes and sizes.
How to get there
The easiest and fastest way to get to Hoi An from Russia is to fly to Danang airport with transfers in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, and from the airport take a taxi or bus to the desired city.
There is another option: take a direct ticket to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and from there to Hoi An by bus. Between these cities there is a so-called sleeping bus, in which you can sleep lying down, which is very convenient for long distances. On the way, you will have to spend more than 12 hours, of course, with small stops.
By plane
There are no direct flights from St. Petersburg to Vietnam, it is more convenient to get from Moscow.
From Moscow to Da Nang
There is no airport in Hoi An itself. The nearest one is located 30 km to the north in the city of Da Nang. It is the third largest international Airport country and the largest in central Vietnam. It is small, but very convenient: there is Duty Free and several cafes with Vietnamese cuisine at reasonable prices.
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Planes arrive there from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Dalat, as well as Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Siemrial, Seoul.
From Moscow to Da Nang, as I said, you can get with a transfer in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Aeroflot and Vietnam Airlines planes fly 5 times a week. To Hanoi - 9 h. 15 min. in the sky, to Ho Chi Minh City - 10 hours. The cost of a round-trip ticket is 450 €.
There are also flights from Moscow with transfers in Singapore ( Singapore Airlines). It takes 10 hours to fly from Moscow to Singapore, and from there to Da Nang - 2 hours 50 minutes. You will have to pay 500 € for a ticket.
Tickets can be viewed on well-known aggregator sites, or, for example, in the Travelask section.
From Da Nang to Hoi An
By taxi
From Da Nang Airport to Hoi An you can take a taxi - $ 20-25, but you need to bargain.
Taxi drivers are waiting at the entrance to the airport.
Transfer
You can order a transfer from your hotel, it will cost less than a taxi. A minibus ride costs $5 (VND 110,000), and a private car costs $14 (VND 300,000-350,000). I booked a minibus through the hotel. Arrived for $5 (110 VND) and 40 minutes.
In recent years, the Vietnamese dong has fallen heavily against the dollar, so the locals will be happy if you pay in US currency.
By bus
Between Da Nang and Hoi An, there is a yellow bus number 1 with the inscription Danang-Hoian. It leaves from the local bus station, which is located at Dien Bien Phu, after the junction with Highway 1A. It is better to get to it by taxi ($5-10).
Then the bus goes along the streets of Dien Bien Phu, Hung Vuong, Ong Ich Khiem, Nguyen Thi Minh Kha. It is better to catch on the streets, you need to raise your hand up, and the driver will slow down. Buses in Vietnam do not stop completely, you need to jump on the go.
In Hoi An, the bus will bring you to the northern station, where taxi drivers will stand. I took a motorcycle taxi at my own risk. Taking into account the bargain, he drove me with a large suitcase for $ 3 (60 thousand dongs). If you print out a map of the city in advance, you can walk to the hotel on foot - the Old Town is small.
By train
Vietnam has a well-developed railway network along the coastline, and any major city can be reached by train. There is no railway in Hoi An, the nearest station is in Da Nang.
Trains run to Da Nang from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hue.
If you are going from Hoi An to Da Nang, you can take a taxi, bus or buy a ticket in Hoi An at a travel agency - they themselves will take you to the railway station.
By bus
Vietnam has public buses where the locals go. Here they are "killed". The people in the salon are planted to the eyeballs, people sit in the aisles between the seats. In addition, they are very slow, as the driver constantly picks up people on the street. And tourists usually want to take a double or triple rate.
This mode of transport can only be used for short distances. Tickets are sold at the station. I drove one from Hue to Da Nang, the impressions are indescribable. If you want to feel the local flavor, then you are here.
There are also tourist buses and sleeping bus (buses in which you can sleep). They are just right for long journeys around the country: the salons are clean, they distribute water and even something to eat. In the sleeping bus, separate beds (unlike neighboring Laos, where two people sleep on the bed) give a blanket.
You can buy tickets at hotels and agencies throughout the city. Tourist buses come to Hoi An from Hanoi ($30), Ho Chi Minh City ($40), Nha Trang ($24), Hue ($13), Da Nang ($5).
On such a bus you can get to Vietnam from neighboring Laos. I traveled from the city of Pakse (southern Laos) to Da Nang ($ 33), and from there by taxi to Hoi An. Travel time is about 10 hours with several stops.
You can rent a scooter ($5 per day). Who has been to Asia knows that it is more comfortable view transport.
From Da Nang to Hoi An there is a route that leads through the Marble Mountains.
Clue:
Hoi An - the time is now
Hour difference:
Moscow - 4
Kazan − 4
Samara − 3
Yekaterinburg - 2
Novosibirsk 0
Vladivostok 3
How to get there
By plane
Clue:
Hoi An - the time is now
Hour difference:
Moscow - 4
Kazan − 4
Samara − 3
Yekaterinburg - 2
Novosibirsk 0
Vladivostok 3
Hoi An is located in the central part of Vietnam. In the region, the high season lasts from March to September, this time is favorable for a beach holiday. The greatest amount of precipitation falls in autumn. In winter, the sea is very cold, but this period is perfect for sightseeing, as there is little rainfall, and the average daytime temperature is +22.
You can pick up a package tour to Hoi An on various search engine sites, or, for example, follow the link.
Hoi An in summer
Summers in Hoi An are dry and hot. June and early July is a more comfortable time for a beach holiday.
In August, the temperature rises to +40, this is for true lovers of the heat.
Hoi An in autumn
Autumn is the rainy season in Hoi An. The weather is still hot, but there is a lot of rainfall. The wettest months are October and November. At this time of the year, the sea is restless, the coastline is washed away.
Hoi An in spring
The dry season starts in March. At this time, the sea is still cool, but the average air temperature rises to +30. You can already sunbathe on the beaches.
In April-May, tourists flock to Hoi An for a beach holiday, ticket prices rise significantly.
Hoi An in winter
Winter in Hoi An is wet and warm, but there is much less precipitation than in autumn. The sea is very cold, there is a storm.
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From December to March, there is no swimming in Hoi An, but this time is perfect for walking around the old town.
Hoi An - monthly weather
Clue:
Hoi An - monthly weather
When is the season. When is the best time to go
Hoi An - monthly weather
Clue:
Hoi An - monthly weather
Districts. Where is the best place to live
Conventionally, Hoi An can be divided into three zones:
- Old city,
- coast,
- outskirts.
Old city
If you are planning a trip to low season, then it is better to stay in the Old Town and the territories closest to it. A double room in the Old City costs $40-70.
Hostels are suitable for young people and backpackers, there are many of them in the area. For a bed in a dormitory you will have to pay $ 8-9.
Pros of living in the Old Town:
- There are many cafes and shops around.
- Prices are higher than on the outskirts.
- Far from the sea.
Coast
If the main purpose of the trip is beach holiday, then choose hotels near two beaches: "An Bang" and "Kua Dai" (about them below).
On the coast there are expensive hotels with a large territory and their own beaches. Price per night: $100-250 per room, depending on the season. Cheaper hotels are within walking distance from the beach. The room costs $50-70.
Cons of living on the coast:
- Far from the Old City. You need to take a taxi or rent a motorbike to get to the historic center.
- During the rainy season, the coastline is heavily washed out.
You can book a hotel in Hoi An at Booking - by, and you can compare prices from different sites.
Where is it more comfortable to stay
In Hoi An, the most popular housing are villas - these are two-story houses converted into hotels, the owners themselves live there. Usually in such hotels there are separate rooms and common rooms (like in a hostel). The atmosphere is very homey. I stayed in this villa.
The advantages of such a residence:
- You are in a beautiful villa and you can watch how wealthy Vietnamese people live.
- The hosts prepare breakfast for you.
- Clean and comfortable. At least that was the case where I stayed. It felt like I was visiting relatives.
You can view offers for renting private apartments.
Clue:
The cost of food, lodging, transportation, etc.
Currency: Euro, € US dollar, $ Russian ruble, rub Dong, ₫
It is difficult to single out the main attractions of Hoi An, the entire Old Town is an open-air museum.
Hoi An has been preserved since the 16th-18th centuries, when the city was a major trade and port center in Southeast Asia. Chinese and Japanese merchants sailed the Thubon River and traded in silk, ceramics, porcelain, spices, and Chinese medicines. Many of them stayed in the city and built houses, temples, pagodas in their national style. The entire center consists of yellow two-story houses, the first floor of which is equipped for cafes, shops, art galleries and workshops, and the second floor for living quarters.
The greatest number of attractions is located on the streets of Tran Phu St, Nguyen Thai Hoc and Bach Dang promenade. All of them lead to the symbol of the city - the Japanese bridge.
Hoi An has a special ticketing system for attractions. You can buy one ticket for 120,000 dong ($5) and see five of the 22 attractions. This can be:
- one of four museums;
- one old house;
- one meeting room;
- traditional workshop or theater;
- pagoda or bridge.
Tickets are sold at small kiosks in the old town.
Each time, coupons are torn off the ticket until it runs out. To see other attractions, you need to buy a ticket again for five visits. For entry to old houses that are not included in the list, the owners themselves can charge a small fee. Many temples are free to visit.
In addition to self-guided sightseeing in Hoi An, there are many city tours. You can buy bike tours around the city and its surroundings, photo tours of sights. Tours are conducted in English.
Top 5
Covered Japanese bridge (Japanese Covered Bridge)
Cau Nhat Ban Bridge, built in 1593, connects the Chinese and Japanese quarters. There is a legend associated with him.
Once upon a time there lived a huge monster Ku, whose head was in India, the tail in Japan, and the body in Vietnam. And when the monster moved, cataclysms occurred in Vietnam: earthquakes and floods. This bridge was built on the monster's weakest point in order to kill it.
Inside there is a small temple with an exhibition of old photographs. The two entrances are decorated with figures of dogs on one side and figures of monkeys on the other. According to legend, the Japanese emperors were born in the year of the Monkey and the Dog, so people revered these animals. According to another version, the construction of the bridge began in the year of the monkey and ended in the year of the dog.
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Entrance to it is possible with a general ticket, but I never paid. In the evening there are no controllers, you can freely walk across the bridge and look into the temple. Every evening the bridge is illuminated with different colors.
Phuc Kien Assembly Hall
The assembly hall was built in 1679. The Vietnamese themselves call Phuc Kien pagoda. Initially, the Fujian Chinese met and communicated here, so the building became famous as an assembly hall.
Inside is Thien Hau Temple. It is dedicated to the goddess who guards the ships at sea. The territory is decorated with picturesque gardens, fountains and statues.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: daily 07.00-11.30 and 13.30-17:00.
Address: 46 Tran Phu St.
Cantonese Assembly Hall
It is difficult to pass by this pagoda while walking near the Japanese Bridge. The assembly hall of the Cantonese Chinese community, built in the 18th century, attracts tourists with unusual architecture.
The entrance is decorated with columns carved from solid granite and decorated with breadfruit wood. Notice the carvings on the wooden beams.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: 8.00–17.00.
Address: 176 Tran Phu St.
Night market
In the evening, multi-colored lanterns are lit on the streets of Hoi An, bridges and figurines on the river bank are illuminated, and the main action moves to the Anhui Peninsula, where a night market opens.
Its main difference from all Asian markets is a huge selection of flashlights of all colors and sizes. You can buy them as a gift or just admire and take pictures against the backdrop of this beauty. Sellers before your eyes show how these beautiful "lights" are made from silk and paper.
Night market - perfect place to taste street food and buy a variety of souvenirs. And do not forget to haggle, initially sellers call a double price.
Opening hours: after sunset until 22.00.
Address: Nguyen Hoang Street.
Old House of Tan Ky
Tang Kee's house, built two centuries ago, belonged to a wealthy Vietnamese merchant. The interior, old inlaid furniture and some relics have survived to this day: engravings, ceramic dishes and family seals. The house has a flood mark. It was often flooded, so the goods were stored on the second floor.
House rear facade overlooks the Thu Bon River. Goods were unloaded from ships here. The owner gives a tour of the house in English.
Entrance with a combined ticket.
Opening hours: 8.00–12.00 and 14.00–16.30.
Address: 101 Nguyễn Thái Học, Minh An, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam.
Beaches. Which is better
There are two sandy beaches in the vicinity of Hoi An:
- "An Bang" (An Bang Beach) 3 km from the city center;
- "Cua Dai" (Cua Dai) 4 km from the city center.
"An Lang"
There are many sunbeds on An Bang beach belonging to neighboring cafes. If you dine at their establishment, the sun lounger is free. On the coast there are several expensive beach hotels. There are budget options for $30-50 per day, a 15-minute walk from the sea.
The beach is popular among tourists, in the high season there are quite a lot of people. I would recommend this particular beach, it is cleaner.
"Qua Dai"
Cua Dai beach is often washed away by monsoons. If you come during the low season, you will find sandbag dams.
There are several 4-star and 5-star hotels with their own beach. The price per night is $100-200. Also on the coast there are cafes with their sunbeds.
The best way to get to the beaches is by bike, which you can rent for $1 per day.
Churches and temples. Which are worth a visit
Quan Kong Temple
Quan Kong Temple was built by the Chinese in the 17th century. It is dedicated to the hero Quang Kong, whose gilded figure is on the central altar. It is made of papier-mâché and is supported by wooden frames. In Chinese mythology, this hero is similar to the Greek Hercules - strong, brave and courageous. Also, visitors can see the figures of his comrades and horses.
Wooden nameplates hang on the walls - this is a list of people who donated money for the construction of the temple. Mostly they were Chinese merchants. Pay attention to the rain gutters on the roof, which are made in the form of carps. This fish in China symbolizes patience, and very often its images can be found in Hoi An.
Opening hours: 08.00–17.00.
Address: 168 Tran Phu St.
Tran Family Chapel
This chapel was built almost 200 years ago for ancestor worship. The Chinese Chang family moved to around 1700.
The architecture of the building is made in Chinese and Japanese styles. The altar is decorated with wooden boxes with stone tablets engraved with Chinese characters.
Opening hours: 8.00–17.00.
Address: 21 Le Loi.
Chapel of the Truong Family (Nguyen Tuong Family Chapel)
The chapel is the tomb of Truong's ancestors. Family members who served as officials and mandarins in the imperial court were given some of the plaques as honors by the emperors of Vietnam.
Opening hours: 08.00-17.00.
Address: 8 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, tp.
Hoi An Cathedral
In the courtyard of the church there are graves of Europeans. When this modern building was built to replace an earlier one located elsewhere, the remains of several 18th century missionaries were reburied here.
Address: 4 Nguyen Truong To Street.
Museums. Which are worth a visit
Assembly Hall (Chaozhou Hall Trieu Chau)
This Assembly Hall was built by Chinese merchants in the 19th century to worship the Goddess of the Sea.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: 08.00–17.00.
Address: 157 Nguyen Duy Hieu st.
Diep Dong Nguyen House
The house was built for a Chinese merchant in late XIX centuries. The ground floor used to house a Chinese medicine pharmacy, medicines were stored in closed glass vessels along the wall. The atmosphere of that era still reigns there.
On the second floor there is a private collection of porcelain, furniture and photographs. Items are not for sale. Two of the available chairs were once given by the family to Emperor Bao Dai.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: 08.00–12.00 and 14.00–16.30.
Address: 80, Nguyen Thai Hoc.
House on st. Chan Fu, 77 (Nha Co Quan Thang)
The house was built three centuries ago. The interiors are decorated with wood carvings. The roof beams are made in the form of a shell. Note the green ceramic tiles laid in a fence around the courtyard balcony.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: 08.00–17.00.
Address: 77 Tran Phu Street.
The Old House of Phun Hung
This two-storey house was built 230 years ago. The museum is located on the first floor, and the owners live on the second.
With a shared ticket, you will be given a tour of the house.
Opening hours: 08:00–17:00.
Address: 4D Nguyen Thi Minh Khai.
Museum of Ceramics (Museum of Trade Ceramics)
The museum occupies an old building that is over 200 years old. The collection contains ceramics found during archaeological excavations in the Hoi An area. There is also a map with Vietnamese country names hanging there.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: 08.00–17.00.
Address: 80 Tran Phu St.
Museum of History and Culture of Hoi An (Hoi An Museum)
The museum introduces visitors to the history of Hoi An in different time periods. The exhibition features photographs, furniture, dishes, bells, statues and an altar. In the center of the museum there is a small pond with goldfish.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: 08.00–17.00.
Address: 7, Nguyen Hue (near the central market).
The Sa Huynh Culture Museum
The museum provides information about people of Sa Huyin culture. There is a collection of jewelry, weapons, ceramics from the 1st and 2nd centuries.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: 08.00–17.00.
Address: 149 Tran Phu St.
Museum of Folk Art (Hoi An Folklore Museum)
The museum contains more than 500 exhibits that tell about the history, culture, literature and art of ordinary villagers in central Vietnam.
Most attention is paid to the production and products of silk.
Entrance by general ticket.
Address: 33 Nguyễn Thái Học, Minh An, tp.
Opening hours: 08.00–17.00.
Handicraft Workshop
Craft workshop where you can buy souvenirs and see local folk dances, listen to mini-operas and traditional songs.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday from 10.15 am to 15.15.
Address: 9 Nguyen Thai Hoc.
Traditional Theater
In the evening, performances with traditional Vietnamese songs and dances are shown here.
Entrance by general ticket.
Opening hours: 21.00–22.00.
Address: 39 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.
Bale well
This well, built in the 10th century, has long been overgrown with legends.
The water for making authentic Cao Lau, a local noodle dish, must come from this well. Nearby is a cafe with the same name with local cuisine. Tasty and inexpensive.
Address: 45 Phan Chau Trinh Street | in the garden of Mr. Ba Lo Le, off Kiet Gieng Lane.
Silk Village (Hoi An Silk Village)
This is a new landmark of Hoi An, opened in the 21st century.
Here you can see how silk is made using ancient machines and tools, visit a sewing workshop and learn how silk larvae are grown. If desired, you can buy products made of silk.
Entrance costs $5 (100,000 VND).
Opening hours: 08.00–21.00.
Address: 28 Nguyen Tat Thanh.
What to see in the surroundings
Cam Nam Village
Located on the opposite side of the Hoi An River. You can drive along the Cam Nam bridge, which is next to the market.
Take a bike and go see how the locals live.
There are many cafes and restaurants with Vietnamese cuisine, prices are lower than in the center of Hoi An.
Marble Mountains
This attraction is located 20 kilometers from Hoi An on the way to Da Nang. You can get there on your own on a bike or by buying an excursion at a travel agency ($20-30).
In my opinion, it is better to go on your own, it will be cheaper, and you can see Danang.
The Marble Mountains consist of five hills, several caves and temples. Some caves are very easy to get to, others require skill and fitness to see. Waiting for you inside interesting statues Buddha. Of all the caves that I have seen in Asia and Europe, these impressed me the most.
The territory is impressive, consists of steep descents and ascents, be sure to wear sports shoes. It is better to come early in the morning - fewer tourists. And take a flashlight with you, some of the caves are dark.
Here you can buy marble souvenirs.
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Entrance costs$0.7 (VND 15 thousand), marble mountains map - $ 0.7 (VND 15 thousand).
You can get there by local bus from Hoi An to Da Nang. The Central Bus Station is located on Hung Vuong Road.
Ruins of Michon (My Son sanctuary)
Michon is an ancient city of Champa. The open-air museum consists of 17 temples and towers of the 13th-14th centuries.
If you have seen Angkor Wat in Cambodia or ancient capital Thailand's Ayutthaya, then Michonne will hardly surprise you. The scale of the city-museum is much inferior to the above sights. Part of the city was destroyed during the war, and most of the details were transferred to the museum. The traditional Cham show with songs and dances is also shown on the territory.
Michonne can be reached by rented bike, taxi ($20) or take a half-day tour at the tourist office for $15-20 (400,000 VND).
Entrance:5$ (100 thousand dongs).
Cableway and Mount Bana (Ba Na)
Bana Mountain is a 2-hour drive from Hoi An. It is also called the second Sapa or Dalat. Height above sea level - 1478 meters. At the top there is a spa resort and a French-style amusement park.
The peculiarity of this mountain is that in a day you can see 4 seasons on it: spring in the morning, summer in the afternoon, autumn in the evening, and winter in the late evening. From Mount Bana to the neighboring Mount Vong Nguyet, there is a cable car, one of the longest in the world (5042 meters). From the top there is an unforgettable view of the mountains and the rainforest. On the other side you will find a statue of a seated Buddha and temples.
Can be taken organized tour- $ 35 (750 thousand dong), get on your own by taxi ($ 60-70) or by bike.
A ticket for the cable car and the amusement park is $ 25 (500 thousand VND), but you will have to pay extra for many rides. Flower garden - 3$ (70 thousand dongs).
nearby islands
Cu Lao Cham Islands
The Cham Islands are half an hour away by boat. The archipelago consists of 8 different islands.
The largest of them is Khon Lao, where you will find restaurants, markets and hotels.
For wildlife and deserted beaches, you need to go to other islands. Here you can go diving and snorkeling.
How to get there
- Public ferry - $ 2-3 (50 thousand dong) per person. For a bike and a bicycle, you will have to pay another $ 1 (30 thousand dong). The ferry departs from the port in the city center.
- Rent a speedboat at a hotel or agency - $ 25 (550 thousand VND).
- Excursion from a hotel or agency - $ 30 (650-700 thousand dongs).
Main attractions. What to see
Food. What to try
Rickshaw
In the old town, tourists are offered a ride on bicycle rickshaws, which looks very authentic. They are mainly used by older Chinese.
For a 10-minute walk around the city, you will have to pay $ 2.5 (50 thousand dongs).
I will continue my favorite part of "Vietnam Travel". Now we went to explore the center of the country and the first city was Hoi an(Hoi An, Hoi An). This small town on the coast of the South China Sea, just 25-30 km from Da Nang. Today you will learn how to get to Chojn, what to see, where to go and where to live. Read on, it will be interesting and again a lot of photos.
A little history of the city. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Hoi An was of great importance as an international trading center. At that time it was called Faifo. Now only the taxi service of the same name reminds of the old name of the city. Later, the center of trade moved to Da Nang, but in the heart of Hoi An - the Old Town, the spirit of the old trading city was preserved. In those days, many ships called at the port of Hoyna, most of which were from Japan, China, Holland and India.
Some merchants stayed in Hoi An for up to six months, opened shops here, where they traded all kinds of goods. I would like to add that little has changed in the city since the 16-17th century, some sights have survived to this day.
Hoi An is called an open-air museum city, it is listed as a heritage world heritage UNESCO. There are more than 800 historical buildings in the Old Town area. You can walk endlessly along the streets of the city! Correctly noted in one of the comments on my Instagram: “Hoi An is a city for girls :-)”. This, of course, does not mean that men have nothing to do here. It's just that girls are more impressionable to such small, cozy, romantic and insanely soulful cities. I'm not an exception:-). Walking around the city, I could not breathe in the atmosphere, I wanted to walk in silence and “listen” at home, imagining how everything was a couple of centuries ago. The presence of free Wi-Fi throughout the Old Town indicates modernity here :-).
What to see in Hoi An?
Since the whole city is a tourist attraction, it is difficult to single out any individual attractions in Hoi An. The greatest concentration of attractions is concentrated in the Old Town area. Since Hoi An is a small town, one day is enough to get to know it, but I know firsthand that people stay here longer.
Here you can try lotus tea
You can just walk the streets of the Old Town (Old Town), or you can buy a ticket for 120,000 dong ($ 5.5) and go into some houses. In total, there are 22 most famous and popular places to visit in the Old Town (according to the bulletin). With a ticket you can visit only 5 of them. You will receive detailed information at the place of purchase of tickets, and along with the ticket, you will also receive a map with an indication and a brief description of the attractions.
Cash register
Little trick: after 19-00 entrance to the sights is free and you can visit them without buying a ticket. For example, for entering the Japanese bridge, one ticket will be torn off, and after 7 the entrance is free for everyone. We also noticed that during the day you can also walk around some houses freely during the lunch break, but I won’t say the exact time. Now I’ll tell you a little about some of the sights of the Old City:
Covered Japanese bridge is not only a landmark, but also a symbol of the city. It is he who is depicted on many postcards, magazines, notebooks. The Japanese bridge was built in 1593 and has been preserved in excellent condition to this day. It was built by craftsmen from the Japanese community of Hoi An in order to connect the Japanese quarter with the Chinese.
The bridge is especially beautiful in the evening when it is illuminated in different colors.
This is a favorite place for honeymooners and couples. Many come to Hoi An specifically for photo shoots.
Old houses of Tang Kee, Kun Tang, Fung Hung and many others. These are mostly private houses, whose families have been living in them for more than one generation. The sizes of such houses are small, but the owners are happy to talk about every detail of the house. You can get here on a general ticket. To visit some houses, tickets are not needed and we could easily walk there looking at the details of the houses.
There are also many temples and pagodas. Some will require a ticket to visit, but no one will forbid you to take photos of the territory.
Museum of Ceramics, Museum of History and Culture of Hoi An, Folklore Museum Thanks to these museums, you can get even closer to the culture of the city.
Wooden figurines are a great gift from Vietnam
In fact, there are many more interesting and fascinating things in the Old Town. Explore and find what inspires you. This city will definitely not leave you indifferent.
Maybe a cup of coffee?
In addition to everything, I would like to highlight a large number of sewing workshops. Many tourists come here to sew suits, dresses, blouses, skirts from natural silk, linen or cotton. If the model is simple, then the work can be done in a couple of hours.
Men's suits are sewn in a day, and their cost will be from $80.
There are also many in the city shoe shops, where you can buy ready-made shoes or, again, make them to order. The cost of leather shoes starts at $ 20. I think that this is a very good price for a pair of quality shoes.
Skin, lots of skin!
Oh, how much jewelry stores: one is better than the other. I could not resist and left them with new jewelry. It's not for nothing that my mother says that I am a magpie-crow
One of the shops in Hoi An will offer you a bamboo bike or a bag.
Hoi An Cuisine- This is a completely separate conversation. In numerous cafes and restaurants that light their lights for visitors in the evenings, you can taste incredible culinary delights. After all, Hoi An is a city of artists and craftsmen. And the chefs here are also artists. A unique feature of Hoi An restaurants is the cooking classes or cooking classes. You can learn how to cook the most popular Vietnamese dishes. The cost of such courses starts from $ 15 per person. You just need to ask if there are courses in the cafe and the job is almost done!
Separately, I want to show you the art galleries of Hoi An. They liked me very much. My hands itched to buy one of the works, but Gleb stopped me.
Separately, I want to highlight the photobook of Vietnam. It shows Vietnam in person: from children to the elderly, as well as the nature of the country. I was very impressed with the book. The photos are insanely beautiful and, most importantly, alive. The feeling that the person is looking directly at you. If you see this book anywhere, I highly recommend checking it out.
And before useful information on how to get to Hoi An and where to live, a little evening city.
One of the many souvenir shops
Lanterns are the symbol of Hoi An.
Cozy and quiet cafes on the waterfront
Beautiful illumination of shops in the evening.
How to get to Hoi An?
As always, there are several options: plane, train and bus.
From Da Nang- by bus (2-3 dollars) or by taxi (about 10-12 dollars per car).
From Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi there are direct flights to Da Nang, from where you can take a taxi, bus or rented bike to Hoi An.
From Nha Trang can be reached by bus. A distance of 530 km on a bike will be very difficult to cover, but the bus from Nha Trang leaves at 19-00 and you can be there in the morning. We used the services of the bus company The Sinh Tourist and already at 6 am were on the spot. The nearest railway station is in Da Nang.
Where to stay in Hoi An?
The hotel infrastructure is very well developed: from budget hotels for $10-15/day to luxury villas for $500/day. We chose a beautiful villa just 2 km from the Old Town - Aquarium Villa, where the price included breakfast, free bike rental and a large spacious room with a balcony. By the way, this hotel is close to Thanh Ha pottery village. This is another attraction of the city.
Good prices for hotels and guesthouses in Hoi An are still available on Agoda.com. You can rent an AirBnB apartment. When renting on AirBnB, you can take advantage of my $21 discount on your first booking.
It is better to compare hotels through the HotelsCombined.com service, it checks prices for a dozen booking systems.
I think you have now learned more about the city and will find the opportunity and time to visit it. Follow the news in
This article contains all helpful information about the city of Hoi An (Vietnam): how to get to Hoi An, how to move around the city, where to live, where to eat, what to buy and how much it all costs 🙂
Vietnam, Hoi An. Well the streets of the old town
Vietnam Hoi An: general information
Hoi An is a small city in central Vietnam on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Hoi An's history began over 2,000 years ago, and in the 16th century, Hoi An was an important port and trading center in Southeast Asia. Merchants from Europe, China, and Japan sailed here.
Now Hoi An is called an open-air museum city: the city has preserved old Chinese-style houses, temples, assembly houses, and a Japanese bridge. More than 800 buildings in the city have historical value. Hoi An has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1999.
Inside one of the temples in Hoi An The chic Hoi An beach is located 4 km from the old town of Hoi An. The road to it runs past rice fields and houses. local residents.
Hoi an beach The old town of Hoi An is simply made for romantic walks. The central streets of the old city are blocked every day from 8:30 to 11:00 and from 15:00 to 21:30 for the entry of vehicles and the floor of the city turns into a kind of Walking street 🙂
Walking streets in the center of the old town 
Evening Walking Street Weather in Hoi An. Best time to visit
There are two seasons in Hoi An: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season starts in January-February and ends in August. The rainy season starts in September and lasts until December. The largest amount of precipitation occurs in October - November. Heavy rains, typhoons and even floods are possible during these months. Houses in the old town of Chojna sometimes flood up to the second floor!
Winters in Hoi An are cool and summers are very hot. The hottest and driest period is July - August.
When is the best time to visit Hoi An?
If you prioritize beach holiday, then for a holiday in Hoi an it is better to choose period from June to August. In September - November, strong storms, and in winter the water temperature in the sea is cool.
For a sightseeing holiday in Hoi An, it is better to choose period from January to April while it's still not so hot and it's nice to walk around the city.
We rested in Hoi An at the end of May: it was wildly hot outside (more than +40!), but the sea was still cool.
At the end of May, there was a wild heat in Hoi An. During the day there were no people on the streets at all! Everyone but me hid under air conditioners in hotels or sunbathed on the beach. How to Get to Hoi An
From Danang railway station to Hoi An, you will also have to take a taxi or a pre-booked transfer.
By bus
The best way to get to Hoi An is by bus. Buses in Vietnam are good, at night you can even sleep in slipping buses 🙂
Approximate cost of bus tickets to Hoi An:
- Nha Trang - Hoi An - 200,000 VND
- Dalat - Hoi An - VND 300,000
- Da Nang - Hoi An - VND 80,000
- Hue - Hoi An - 100,000 VND
- Hanoi - Hoi An - VND 320,000
- Hong Shimin - Hoi An - VND 320,000
We traveled by bus from Nha Trang to Hoi An. We left at 19:00 and at 8 am were at the bus station in Hoi An. If not for the road repair, we would have arrived a couple of hours earlier. I advise you to buy bus tickets in advance, especially if the trip falls on weekends or holidays (by the way, during the long Vietnamese holidays, the fare on buses and trains officially increases by 20-50%). We bought tickets for the Nha Trang - Hoi An bus two days before departure and there were almost no seats, we got the last seats at different ends of the bus.
Transport in Hoi An, how to get around Hoi An
Hoi An Old Town is quite small and easy to walk around. Or you can take a walk in such a carriage - a cycle rickshaw 🙂 I have never traveled in this way, I really feel sorry for the Vietnamese pedaling 🙁
Cycle rickshaw is one of the ways to get around Hoi An 
Cycle rickshaws are waiting for tourists on the embankment For longer distances you can travel:
By bike. Many hotels provide bicycles to their guests absolutely free of charge. Or you can rent a bike from tour agencies for $1-3 per day.
Here they offer some expensive bikes for rent: 50,000 dong, it's like renting half a bike 🙂 Maybe a bike with beer right away? 
In Hoi An, both tourists and locals ride bicycles. On the bike. Renting a bike will cost 5-6 dollars per day. Often they don't even ask for anything.
By taxi. In Vietnam, an inexpensive taxi, just tell the driver right away that you are driving only on the meter. A taxi from the city center to Hoi An Beach will cost 3-4 dollars.
Where to stay in Hoi An: Hotels in Hoi An
Hoi An is a popular tourist city and there are a lot of hotels in it 🙂 The cost of rooms in Hoi An hotels is slightly higher than in other cities. But this does not mean that in Hoi An it will not be possible to find a room for $ 10 per night. Whoever searches will always find it 🙂 We wanted a more comfortable stay in Hoi An, so we rented hotel rooms in the price range of $20-30 per day.
In Hoi An, in addition to large hotels, accommodation in Homestays is very popular. Home Stay - private houses in which the owners rent out rooms. Now most of these houses have turned into mini-hotels. More details about Hoi An hotels:
I recommend booking a hotel room in Hoi An in advance especially if you're in town for the weekend or holidays. You can choose and book a hotel in Hoi An on these sites, just choose best price 🙂
What to do and see in Hoi An
1. The old town of Hoi An is one solid attraction 🙂 In Hoi An, you can and should take a leisurely walk around the city, along the embankment, going along the way to museums, temples and numerous cafes. Shall we walk together?
2. In Hoinai you can and should enjoy gentle South China Sea, lie on sun loungers under an umbrella on the beach, dine in fish restaurants on the shore, drink white wine and stroll along the long and uncrowded Hoi An beach. Read more here:
Enjoy the sea 🙂 3. Swim on the "big-eyed" boats on the river. The trip can be combined with dinner on the boat (the cost of dinner with a walk from $ 23 per person).
Pay attention, the boats have "eyes" 🙂 
River cruise with dinner from $23 per person 4. Ride on small Vietnamese boats down the river and run flower with a candle for luck. Such flowers can be bought on the bridge for only $ 1, and sometimes even for $ 0.5 (otherwise someone wrote that these flowers are sold for “mad money” 🙂).
This is how romantic you can ride in the evening on a small boat and put a flower on the river for good luck ... 
Daily evening rituals 🙂 Very beautiful 5. Ride on cycling along the rice fields.
6. visit traditional musical performance . Held every day at 10:15 and 15:15 at Hoi An Art Craft Manufacturing Workshop. Admission fee: free.
Music show - folk dances 
Vietnamese dancing in Hoi An Traditional musical performance in Hoi An. Video
7. visit puppet theater on the water. Two performances per day at 16:00 and 18:40 at the Art Performance House. Ticket price - 80,000 VND (~$4).
Show Schedule in Hoi An 8. Visit the Marble Mountains near Da Nang
9. Go to Michon Complex
10. Climb one of the longest cable cars in the world to Mount Bana and spend the whole day there in the amusement park
11. Go on an excursion to the Cham Islands
Food: shops, cafes, restaurants in Hoi An
There are no large stores, such as in Hoi An. The nearest Big C supermarket is located 30 km from Hoi An in Da Nang. There are many small shops in the city where you can buy water, cookies, chocolate, bread, alcohol and other small things. Meat, fish, seafood must be bought at the market. We bought vegetables and fruits at the layouts along the Hoi An-Danang road. In the central market, the prices for fruits seemed very high to us.
Central market Choina with tourist prices for fruits Hoi An will delight lovers of sweets and coffee. There are a lot of coffee shops and confectioneries in the city where you can drink not only Vietnamese coffee (which is very tasty, but sometimes you still want a huge cup of cappuccino), but also other types of coffee 🙂 And of course, a bite with a cake 🙂
- A piece of cake - from 50,000 VND
- Espresso coffee - VND 25,000
- Cappuccino - VND 35,000
- Coffee Latte - 40,000 VND
Coffee house with delicious European cakes 
Um… divine tiramisu… 
Coffee houses on the waterfront with great views and delicious coffee 
Another coffee shop in the old town 
Hoi An is a paradise for lovers of beautiful cafes and restaurants 
One of Hoi An's rooftop restaurants Hoi An is a paradise for gourmets. It is in Hoi An that you can try dishes that are not presented in other regions of Vietnam. For example, noodles with Khao Lau meat, crispy Hoi An-style pancakes with shrimp or meat, crispy Wonton.
Hoi An's signature dish is Cao Lau pork noodles. It costs a little more than a dollar in macarons There are a lot of cafes in Hoi An, for every taste and budget: you can eat in Vietnamese cafes in the market, in cheap cafes with plastic chairs near the river, and in nice restaurants with European service and a cozy interior.
Cafe Vietnam-style 
Something between Vietnam-style and a tourist restaurant 
Good tourist restaurant Every evening, Vietnamese-style macaroons start working on the river bank 🙂
In the late afternoon, plastic tables are set up along the river for dinner. 
After 5 p.m., Vietnamese macaroons begin to work, where you can have a very inexpensive dinner and enjoy the views of the city. Prices in Hoi An for food in Makashi:
- Cao Lau noodles – VND 25,000
- Fried spring rolls - VND 30,000
- 10 small pork skewers - VND 50,000
- Fried rice with chicken - VND 40,000
- Pho Bo (Vietnamese soup with beef) - VND 30,000
- Pancakes in Hoi An - 30,000 VND
Food prices in Hoi An We preferred to dine in nice tourist restaurants on the waterfront. In addition to the traditional Khoyna dishes, they always ordered fish or shrimp. We tried to choose an institution with draft beer. Yes, I forgot to say that another feature of Hoi An is cheap and good draft beer 🙂 A small glass of beer will cost only 2,000 - 5,000 dong (0.1 - 0.25 dollars)! Well, why not drink here? 🙂 We went from one cafe to another tasting beers. That's how fun we had our evenings in Hoi An 🙂
Numerous waterfront restaurants in Hoi An 
Which of the hundreds of restaurants to choose for our dinner? 🙂 
For dinner, I always choose beautiful restaurants. 
And I always look for more people to sit in the restaurant 
Prices in Hoi An restaurants in the old town
- Vietnamese soup - VND 50,000
- Cao Lau noodles – VND 50,000
- Fried Wonton (I don't know how to translate this) - VND 50,000
- White Rose (something like rice flour dumplings with your choice of filling) – VND 40,000
- Pancakes in Hoi An - 60,000 VND
- Fried rice with beef and vegetables – VND 60,000
- Calamari in different sauces - 70,000 - 85,000 VND
- Shrimps - VND 90,000 - 120,000
- Pizza - VND 120,000
- A glass of wine - 30,000 VND
- Beer on tap - from 2,000 VND
- Bottled beer - from 15,000 VND
As you can see, for tourist restaurants in the very center of Hoi An on the waterfront, prices are very low! In addition, every day from 17:00 to 19:00 in many Happy Hours restaurants, when you order one cocktail, you get the second one for free or beer and wine at a special price.
We had dinner here one evening. Everything is very tasty, but there is no draft beer 
White Rose Shrimp & Hoi An Pancakes 
In all the restaurants of the old city, I was delicious 🙂 
Happy Hour - buy one cocktail or hookah and get the second one for free! Shopping and Souvenirs from Hoi An
Hoi An is not only a paradise for lovers of beautiful restaurants and delicious food, but also a paradise for shopaholics! Girls, if you love dresses as much as I love them, then you should definitely come to Hoi An! 🙂
Who wants a dress, a coat or a dog? 🙂 
Beautifully decorated showcases of expensive shops 
Expensive stylish dress There are many sewing workshops in the city, where any thing will be sewn for you in a day, whether it be an evening dress or a business suit. And, of course, dresses - skirts - sundresses can simply be bought in numerous stores. Dresses start at $20. Beautiful evening dresses to the floor - 50-100 dollars. Oh, it's a pity that I didn't buy anything… Well, where should I wear evening dresses on or in?
Oh, and why didn't I buy myself a couple of evening dresses in Hoi An? 🙂 
Any girl will love shopping in Hoi An! What other souvenirs to bring from Hoi An?
Choina is a city of lanterns, such multi-colored lanterns will be a pleasant reminder of this wonderful city. Lanterns are made of paper, thread, silk.
Thread lanterns 75,000 VND (~$3.75) 
Colorful lanterns are the best souvenir from Hoi An Many Chinese live in Hoi An, and you can buy Chinese tea and tea sets in numerous tea shops.
One of the tea shops 
Nice tea set - $25 
Just funny figurines of animals conclusions
Have you been to Hoi An yet? And in vain! Hoi An is a truly extraordinary city, a city that perfectly combines sightseeing and beach holidays, a city for romantics and couples in love, a city for lovers of delicious food and beautiful restaurants, a city of cheap draft beer and bright lanterns! Hoi An is a city where you want to return. Hoi An - Vietnamese Venice 🙂
Hoi An - Vietnamese Venice 
Crossing of local residents along with bikes across the river During our trip to Vietnam, I fell madly in love with two cities: and Hoi An. They are so different, but so cool!
Beautifully decorated shop windows in the old town of Hoi An 
And these are simulators on the waterfront of Hoi An Is Hoi An suitable for holidays?– definitely YES!
Is Hoi An suitable for living, for wintering? For me, it's more of a NO than a YES. There are no large supermarkets in the city, and you can’t run over 60 km for groceries ... Yes, and houses for rent are mainly rented among the rice fields. Living in the fields, of course, is cool, but I'm not a fan of village life, I'll get bored in a month. But I would consider the neighboring city of Da Nang for wintering.
And some more photos of the city of Hoi An (Vietnam)
Hoi An city, Vietnam. In the late afternoon, tourists go for a walk in the city 
The streets of Hoi An are empty during the day in the heat 
Even the trees in the city are decorated with colorful lanterns. 
One of the cozy cafes in the city center 
Yellow-blue-pink 🙂 Hoi An 
souvenir shops 
Art gallery 
Vietnamese couples come to Hoi An for a wedding photo shoot 
Come on holiday in Hoi An! 🙂 Subscribe to blog updates and my channel youtube.com, there is still a lot of information ahead on , and !
The real attraction of the center of the country is the city of Hoi An, an open-air museum. Its popularity is constantly growing due to the unique atmosphere that allows you to travel through time. In 1999, UNESCO declared it a heritage of mankind.
The city is located on the banks of the Thu Bon River and has rich architecture. The history of Hoi An is changeable. In the XV century. the city was an important port where ships from all over Asia came. Fifo, as the city was then called, was founded in 1602 by Governor Nguyen Phuoc Nguyen. For 200 years the city remained a major trading center. High-quality silk, paper, porcelain, tea, sugar, spices, elephant tusks, and lead were transported through it. At a busy trading crossroads, settlements arose with offices and warehouses of Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and French merchants.
But at the end of the 18th century, the city gradually fell into decay. This was facilitated by the silting of the river. Large ships could no longer enter the port, and this saved Hoi An during the French and American wars, while the city of Hue suffered greatly.
Modern Hoi An is very popular with tourists; narrow winding streets, on both sides of which stretch countless shops, cozy trading shops, breathing antiquity and bursting with antiques, pagodas and Buddhist temples, junks and sailing ships - all this creates a unique flavor of the old port city. The old quarter is a pedestrian street, where many palaces, pagodas and the remains of military fortifications have been preserved.
The architecture of the city is clearly dominated by Chinese notes in the form of one-story houses under tiled roofs and narrow streets. Some buildings have completely retained their original original appearance. All houses are built from rare wood species and are decorated with lacquered overlays and panels carved with Chinese characters. Here you can see a Japanese covered bridge of the 10th century, black and gold houses of Chinese merchant guilds and streets reminiscent of the European Mediterranean.
Hoi An is famous for tailors as well as silk fabrics. In the old town, you will see sewing workshops on every corner. The fabric market is amazing. Prices here are much lower than in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, and the quality of goods is excellent. You can choose any style from the catalog and the next day you will receive a magnificent outfit that will be tailored to your figure. Shoes are also made here. Numerous shops sell silk lanterns, carved wood products, ceramics and embroidery.
CLIMATE
The climate is tropical, with two pronounced rainy (December - February) and dry (May to October) periods. The average annual temperature is within +28 and +29° C.
Ancient port city, video:
ATTRACTION
Architecture
There are currently 844 officially recognized buildings of historical importance in Hoi An. These buildings are divided into 9 types:
Houses and shops
Public buildings
Assembly halls of various Chinese communities
Graves (Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese; no authentic European graves survive)
Family chapels for prayers to ancestors
Vietnamese and Chinese temples
Many of Hoi An's older buildings have features of traditional architecture that are rarely seen today. For hundreds of years, the front of some shops (which are open during the day) have been shuttered at night by inserting boards horizontally into recesses made in the columns that support the roof. Some rooftops are made of thousands of "Yin and Yang" red tile tiles, so called because of the alternating rows of concave and convex sides of the tiles, fastened together. During the rainy season, the lichens and mosses on the tiles come to life, turning the roofs bright green.
In many of Hoi An's buildings, above the doorway, there are round wooden posts with the Yin and Yang symbol in the middle, made in the form of a spiral. These "watchful eyes" (mat kua) are said to protect the occupants of the house from harm.
Every year during the rainy season, Hoi An faces the problem of flooding, especially near coastline. The biggest flood Hoi An has ever known occurred in 1964 when the water reached the ceiling beams.
The historical buildings of Hoi An are gradually being restored and significant efforts are being made to preserve the unique character of the city. Local authorities are now considering how to do this - old buildings must be licensed for restoration work, which must be done carefully. The government determines the historical significance of buildings - there are currently four categories of evidence.
Assistance to local authorities in the historical preservation of the city is provided by the Institute of Archeology in Hanoi, the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Association and specialists from Europe and Japan. The old part of Hoi An is now closed to motor vehicles - the first case in Vietnam.
To get into some of the historical buildings. The ticket entitles you to four main attractions that you choose from the list on the ticket. If you are not satisfied with four attractions, then you must buy another ticket.
Many of the homeowners also set their own entrance fee for the guided tour, but bargaining is allowed. The government allows this, believing that the funds will be used to renovate houses, not to buy televisions and new motorcycles.
Japanese covered bridge
Japanese Covered Bridge (Kou Nhat Ban or Lai Vien Kieu) connects 155 Tran Phu Street and 1 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. located on the other side of the river. The bridge was covered with a roof that served as protection from rain and sun.
The Japanese Covered Bridge is built very solidly, apparently because its first builders were afraid of earthquakes, which are common in Japan. For centuries, the bridge's decorations have remained relatively unchanged, reflecting the Japanese desire for restraint, which contrasts strongly with the Vietnamese and Chinese penchant for fantastical decorations. The French straightened the highway for the convenience of driving their cars, but the original arched shape was restored during the main restoration, which took place in 1986.
A small temple, Chua Kou, was built on the north side of the bridge. On its door is written the name given to the bridge in 1719 instead of the former - Japanese Bridge. The bridge's new name, Lai Wien Kieu (Bridge for passers-by from afar), never caught on.
According to legend, once upon a time there lived a huge monster named Ku, whose head was in India, the tail in Japan, and the body in Vietnam. Whenever the monster moved, terrible disasters like floods and earthquakes shook Vietnam. And this bridge was built on the weakest point of the monster - as they say, his "Achilles' heel" in order to kill him. However, the people in Hoi An took a little pity on the slain monster and built this temple to pray for his soul.
The two entrances to the bridge are guarded by a pair of monkeys on one side and a pair of dogs on the other. According to one legend, these animals were very revered, because. many of the emperors of Japan were born in the year of the dog and the monkey. Another legend says that the construction of the bridge was started in the year of the monkey and completed in the year of the dog.
The names of the Vietnamese and Chinese, who gave money for the subsequent restoration of the bridge, are written on the stele in Chinese characters (chy neo), the Vietnamese writing nom was not yet popular in these places.
Assembly Halls
The Assembly Hall of the Cantonese Chinese Congregation, built in 1786, is located at No. Chan Fu, 176, and is open daily from 6 to 7.30 am and from 13 to 17.30. The main altar is dedicated to Quan Kong (in Chinese, Guangong). Pay attention to the "fan" with long copper handles, standing on both sides of the altar. The lintel and doorframes of the main entrance, as well as many of the columns that support the roof, are made from solid blocks of granite. Other columns are carved from durable breadfruit wood. There are interesting carvings on the wooden beams supporting the roof in front of the main entrance.
Assembly Hall of All Chinese Communities
The Assembly Hall of All Chinese Communities (Chua Ba), built in 1773, was used by all five Chinese communities of Hoi An - Fujian, Cantonese, Hainan, Chaozhou and Hakka. The pavilions of the main courtyard incorporate French elements from the 19th century.
The main entrance is located on the street. Chan Fu, opposite the street. Hoang Van Thu, but the only way to get there today is through the back side of the street. Fang Chu Chin, 31.
Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Community
The Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation was built to hold community meetings. Later, it was converted into a temple for prayers by Thien Hou, the Goddess of the Sea and Patroness of fishermen and sailors born in Fujian. The triple gates of the complex were built in 1975.
A fresco near the entrance to the main hall on the right wall depicts Thien Hou following a lantern-lit path through stormy seas to rescue a sinking ship. On the opposite wall is a fresco depicting the heads of six Fujian families who fled from China to Hoi An in the 17th century after the fall of the Ming Dynasty in China.
In the penultimate hall there is a statue of Thien Hou. On one side at the entrance to the hall stands the red-skinned Thuan Phong Ni, who can hear at a great distance, and on the other, the green-skinned Thien Li Nyan, who can see for 1000 miles. When they see or hear sailors in distress, they report it to Thien Hou, and then she comes to the rescue. An exact copy of the Chinese boat is located near the right wall on a scale of 1:20. The four triple beams supporting the roof represent a typical Japanese style.
On the central altar in the last hall are the figures of the heads of the six Fujian families. The smaller figures at the bottom depict their successor clan leaders. Under a 30 cm high glass dome there is a statuette of Huu Chak, a Vietnamese doctor known both in Vietnam and in China for his talent.
To the left behind the altar stands the God of Prosperity. On the right are three fairies and smaller figures depicting 12 "midwives" (ba mu), each of which teaches the newborn different skills needed during the first year of life: smiling, suckling, lying on the stomach, etc. Childless couples often come here to pray for children. The three groups of figures in this hall symbolize what is most important in life: ancestors, children, and economic well-being.
The middle altar in the hall to the right of the courtyard is intended to commemorate the deceased leaders of the Fujian community. Lists of benefactors hang on both sides - women on the left, and men on the right. The wall panels depict the four seasons.
The Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation, located in front of No. 35 Ave. Tran Fu, open from 7.30 am to noon and from 2 pm to 5.30 pm. It is fairly well lit and can be visited after dark. Shoes must be removed at the site right at the entrance.
Assembly Hall of the Hainan Chinese Community
The Assembly Hall of the Hainan Chinese Community was built in 1883 in memory of 108 merchants from Hainan Island in South China who were mistaken for pirates and executed in Quang Nam Province during the reign of Emperor Tu Duc (reigned 1848-83). On a skillfully made dais are plaques in their memory. In front of the central altar is a beautiful gilded wood carving depicting life in the Chinese court.
The Hall of the Hainanese Community is located at the east end of the street. Chan Fu, on the corner of St. Hoang Zieu.
Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation
The Chauzhou Chinese in Hoi An built their assembly hall in 1776. There are some amazing wood carvings on the beams, walls and altar. On the doors in front of the altar there is a carving of two Chinese girls with braided hair in the Japanese style.
The Assembly Hall of the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation is located at No. Nguyen Xu Hieu, 157 (on the corner of Hoang Zieu St.).
Michon ruins
Not far from Hoi An is Michon, the former capital of the Cham Empire. Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Cham Sanctuaries are located 40 km southwest of Hoi An at the foot of My Son Mountain. Archaeologists say that there is still the 4th century BC. the rulers of the Cham kingdom were buried. Nearby was the capital of the kingdom of Simhapura. Most of the monuments that can be seen belong to the period of the 7th-8th centuries. Each ruler wanted to build his own temple. Today there are about 70 of them. It was believed that gods and king-gods lived in these places. Each had servants, priests and dancers. During the reign, the kings built new temples or restored old ones, made sacrifices to one of the gods.
The ruins of Michon were discovered by the French in 1889. The jungle has almost completely hidden the ancient ruins. The most striking thing about the Cham buildings is the highest level of craftsmanship of the ancient builders. Instead of lime mortar, they used a resinous substance mixed with crushed shells and crushed bricks. As a result, the bricks adhered to each other so tightly that there were practically no seams left.
HOW TO GET TO
Ho Chi Minh City - 1 hour 10 minutes, Hanoi - 1 hour 10 minutes, Nha Trang 1 hour,
Hue hotels - 311 km
Da Nang – 30 km
Da Nang Airport - 45 min drive
