Saturday, June 14, 2008

Hoi An, Vietnam

For those making a trip to Vietnam, esp when you're flying in to Danang, here's a recommendation. Visit Hoi An.
Hoi An is a lovely town north of Danang. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old town has a charming ambience with a more relaxed feel than the bigger towns like Hue. The section by the Thu Bon river is very nice and is my favourite part of the town. 






Hoi An is also home to many art galleries and tailors. So, besides just relaxing in town, you can have your shopping fix. Guesthouses are plentiful, and if you have the budget, there're more upmarket "boutique hotels" being built as well. Besides spending a couple of days here to chill out, you could also arrange day tours out to another UNESCO site : My Son (pronounced Mee Sawn). It is basically a site containing Cham ruins dating back to the 7th century. The Cham are a race that inhabited these areas then. If you're into historical and cultural stuff, this should be interesting.


In Hoi An itself, my favourite  part be the morning wet market. Here, it is a true local market, and nobody bothered a tourist like me. So it's great to see and experience a true authentic scene. 






Overall, Hoi An is an excellent place to just relax and enjoy a slow pace break from work/citylife. Well, before it gets overrun by tourists!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Was really keen on visiting Hoi An but was doing some double consideration. thanks for the write up on it. Hoi An feels like a place I could easily spend some time soaking up.