Once a big Vietnamese trading port during 15th to 19th century, the riverside town of Hoi An still retains many remnants of its glorious time. The ancient town has been well preserved and earned the title UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hoi An is listed as one of the most famous destinations to visit on a Vietnam Customized Tour as the town offers plenty of sight-seeing opportunities that traveler will not find in any other cities in Vietnam. Beyond the peaceful town, the beautiful surrounding countryside and pristine beaches also imbrue the whole area with a very restful, rustic charm. Hoi An can be a great place to relax between the busy cities Hanoi and Sai Gon, but that doesn’t mean there is no fun things to do. Here is a suggestion of brilliant things to do in Hoi An Ancient Town:
1. Relax at An Bang Beach
A day-trip to An Bang Beach from Hoi An can be the first great thing to do here as you may be a bit tired of day-to-day activities on your Vietnam Customized Holidays. A pristine beach, haven’t been touched much by the development of tourism so it is an ideal place for soaking up the sun and joining seaside activities. Swimming, surfing and stand-up paddle boarding are the main activities to enjoy at An Bang Beach. If you just want to relax, sunbed rentals are available with $1-2 or free if you dine in the seafood restaurants along the beach. Perfect time in the year for surfing is between September and March, water temperature is around 25◦C.
2. Eat the best banh mi sandwich
If you have never tried Banh Mi sandwich, let’s do it in Hoi An where you will find the best Banh Mi sandwich in the world. It is the crusty baguette filled with roast pork, pork sausage, egg, salad and some other mystery fillings that make Banh Mi so delicious and you may not want to eat the regular sandwich anymore. A trip to Hoi An will not be complete without trying the best Banh Mi Sandwich. Visitors can try at the most popular stall Banh Mi Phuong, or the Banh Mi Queen run by Madam Khanh. It is less than $2 for one sandwich, rather cheap eat but so tasty.
3. Get a tailor-made dress or suit
One of the main reasons that attract tourist to Hoi An on a Vietnam Customized Tour is the express tailor-made clothes at a relatively cheap price. Tailor shops line the street in the centre of Hoi An town and anything you want made, fancy suit or dress, coat, jacket or leather shoes and sandals, someone there can make it happen for you. Remember to make some research on the recommended tailors since the quality of workmanship can be different. It can be a good idea to take along few pictures or even your own hand-draw designs for some kind of unique orders.
4. Take a cookery course
When traveling in Vietnam, taking part of cooking classes can be a highly recommended things to do and Hoi An is a great place to experience the art of Vietnamese cuisine. The cooking class starts with a visit to the local market for buying fresh ingredients as well as a short tour of Vietnamese herbs and spices, follow by a lovely boat ride along the river and later prepare some of the most famous local dishes. Famous cooking classes are often filled up quickly, so remember to book in advance if you want to have great cooking experience in Hoi An
5. Visit the night market
Hoi An is famous for the monthly Lantern Festival on the full-moon night which is a must-visit on any Vietnam Holidays. The local people switch off the lights, fill up the town with colorful lanterns and there are plenty of street activities to enjoy. Many tourist plan their Vietnam Tour to match up with the lantern festival. Although when the festival is not taking place, Hoi An is still attractive at night with street-side bars, local restaurants and the vibrant night market packed with both locals and foreigners where the magical lanterns can be found all around.
6. Go scuba diving and snorkeling
Seriously, the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park includes 8 islands is just 21 kilometers from Hoi An and it is an amazing place for people like to scuba-dive and snorkel with many different varieties of coral and tropical fish. The most exciting one is Cham Island where colorful marine life can be seen under the warm tropical water. The best time to do scuba diving and snorkeling on a Vietnam Tour can be dry season which starts at the end of January and ends in the end of September.
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