Ancient trading hub on Vietnam’s central coast is now attracting modern hungry tourists
In central Vietnam, a few miles from the ocean and on the banks of the Thu Bon River, lies the ancient trading hub of Hoi An, where 15th-19th century traders from China, Japan, the Netherlands and Portugal have been replaced with modern hungry tourists from around the world. A small, ochre-hued “ancient town” with a rural feel, criss-crossed by canals, Hoi An was recognised as a Unesco World Heritage site in 1999.
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This heritage milestone hasn’t stopped a bit of commercialisation, however. Alongside traditional food stalls and shop-houses run by friendly “bas” (madames, a hangover from the French occupation) you’ve got wild, smokey bars with cheap shots and loud music. That said, everything quietens down around midnight in this sleepy town. Or perhaps it never really sleeps – the central market is the frenetic heart of Hoi An with traders passing bags of tropical fruit, vegetables and other goods to customers zipping by on scooters.
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Getting around
As with much of South-East Asia, the soundtrack is one of little horn toots – a complex language of traffic communication for the uninitiated. Hiring a scooter is a good way to get about town but in reality, it’s dead easy – Hoi An is small enough to walk around comfortably, though in the midday heat, you might want to grab a cab or use Asia’s Uber-beater, Grab. Plenty of cars are on hand within minutes and you can auto-pay with a card.
Most hotels offer bicycles which are an elegant and breezy way to get about. There are a couple of great cycle routes nearby catering both to the Sunday cyclists and the everyday mile-crunchers. You can also head to the river for tours and cruises.
Walking is a great way to see Hoi An and as you do, ensure you glance upwards occasionally – the architecture changes frequently and you’ll miss it if you only look at street level. It’s a bright, colourful place marked by the oft-seen culture clash of old, timber-framed buildings and neon-lit shops within.
Fabrizio Troiani/Alamy Stock Photo
Things to do
Retail therapy and lots of lanterns
Shopping is an interesting one here – or not, perhaps, unless you know where to look. There’s plenty of ubiquitous stuff you’ll find country-wide – traditional “nón lá” (Vietnamese hats), slogan T-shirts, knock-off sneakers, “hand-made” sandals and other leatherwear (which appear to have been made by the same individual for each shop), toys and the like.
This is the same through the night market. One thing you will see is lots of lantern shops and classes where you can make your own – a traditional item from Hoi An. It’s worth visiting the river in the evening in the midst of town, near the stunning Japanese covered bridge, to grab a drink and watch the spectacular show as hundreds of lanterns are released into the waters of the Thu Bon, flickering their way out to sea.
Neil Setchfield/Alamy Stock Photo
If you’re after something a little more interesting as a souvenir to take home, Hozo bags (stocked at The Inner Hoi An, a fab little coffee shop) are a lot of fun and practical to boot. These bright green mesh bags are made from old fishing nets sewn by the women of a coastal fishing village nearby. The shop also stocks hand-made soaps and a good range of coffees.
‘Ca phe’ and chocolate
Speaking of which, Vietnam is a huge player on the global coffee market and you’ll see it across the country; Hoi An is no exception and “ca phe” is offered on every corner. The Inner is a great place for a cup down a quiet alley away from the main drags, while Roving Chillhouse is a little further afield, but well worth a trip. How you take your coffee is a personal choice, but it’d be rude not to have it “Vietnamese-style” over ice with a dash of condensed milk. Most places will sell vacuum-packed bags to take home.
Alongside coffee, chocolate is becoming a major player on the Vietnamese food scene with a cocoa-friendly climate. Marou has been available in the UK for quite a while, but there are some new brands popping up – Alluvia is one of the more interesting ones (and has an air-conditioned shop to escape that wet heat).
Leonid Serebrennikov/Alamy Stock Photo
Tailor-made clothing
Hoi An is famous for its tailors shops – thousands of tourists each year get clothes made to measure, but the quality can be pretty mixed. Just up the road from Alluvia is a little shop called Mien which specialises in locally produced linen in modern cuts that will work for a global audience. Mien’s tailors will copy items for you, but the range of clothes is where the good money’s at. They tailor to fit and while prices are a little higher than elsewhere, this is reflected both in the quality of the linen and the overall shopping experience.
Eating and drinking
Food tours
The town has plenty of good eats. The best and easiest way to make sure you don’t miss a bite is to go on one of the many food tours hosted here. They vary in length, cost and involvement, some feature a bit of cooking too, but for our money Eat Hoi An Culinary Tours hosted by the charismatic and quirky Phuoc is great and covers a variety of dishes, mainstream and otherwise. Highlights included bun bo hue, a spicy beef noodle soup with a deep, flavoursome broth from Madame Nghĩa (Bà is Vietnamese for madame – most street food stalls are owned by and named for a ‘Bà’). Other dishes included fermented pork and crispy fried quail’s egg salad; duck congee heady with coarsely cracked black pepper; a pork skin salad served with huge coconut crackers; and Vietnamese “pizza” (a thin disc of rice paper grilled over coals with minced belly pork and bbq sauce) sliced with scissors at the table.
Quang Ngo/Alamy Stock Photo
Beers and bánh mì
Stopping off for a beer at one of the new wave of craft beer spots is very necessary refreshment. Bánh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches made with a light and crispy rice flour baguette stuffed with your choice of pork belly, egg or chicken) are ubiquitous across the country and serve as the breakfast of choice for workers all over. Queues spring up at the little stalls early in the morning. There are a few famous ones in Hoi An and all will have a queue any time of day. Check out Madame Khan, Banh Mi Phuong or Banh Mi Phi. It seems much of a muchness – just grab one from the nearest spot.
tok. restaurant
British expat James Lander opened and ran hotels across Vietnam before turning his attention to “taking over kitchens” during lockdown. This eventually led to his own permanent space – tok. – a new spot out of town sitting alone among the beautiful and peaceful rice paddies run. A short cab ride from central Hoi An, it’s an airy, expansive space with an eclectic and playful menu featuring dishes like “torched prawns” and tomahawk steaks with chimichurri. In other words, this is well worth the trip.
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
Where to stay: Anantara Hoi An Resort
For resting your head after all that excitement, there are plenty of sleeping options to suit all budgets. We dig Hoi An’s outpost of the Anantara brand – peachy pink, squat, traditional French-Vietnamese style buildings sitting on the banks of the wide, flat river. A gorgeous pool in a central courtyard provides welcome respite from the sultry heat.
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It’s great to be able to drop in and out of the town as you like – although infinitely quieter than Vietnam’s cities, it’s still fairly hectic. The resort’s grounds are lush and well manicured, with glorious flora cascading off low roofs providing shade for the open areas. The spa is a must-visit – a little functional in places but providing lovely treatments with glorious scented oils nonetheless.
There are two restaurants at the hotel. Hoi An Riverside is terraced, overlooking the river and the other is the industrial-chic “art space” hosting paintings and other works by rotating groups of artists as well as boasting Vietnam’s only food 3D printer which they use to create some fun puds.
William Leigh was a guest of Anantara Hoi An Resort. Room rates start from £200 per night, including breakfast; anantara.com
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