Top 5 must-try destinations in Hoi An

Hoi An Ancient Town – The timeless charm

“Ancient” and “romantic” are two indispensable words when describing Hoi An. Time can not bury the nostalgic and poetic beauty of this town. You can quickly notice the rows of ancient buildings with mossy tiled roofs and unique yellow-lime walls. Despite being meticulously managed as an exceptional heritage site, Hoi An is not “frozen” as a museum. The town “chooses” to “live and breathe” vibrantly. Many alluring places are awaiting you to explore:

Chua Cau (The Japanese Bridge)

Hoi quan Phuc Kien (Fukien Assembly Hall)

Hoi An Night Market

Nha tho toc Tran (Tran Family Chapel)

This place is likened to the “miniature Venice of Asia”, to say the least. Everything seems to be harmonized and creates a super distinctive Hoi An ancient town, from architecture and religion to culinary culture.

My Son Sanctuary

Located in the jungles of Quang Nam, just 40km from Hoi An lies a truly remarkable UNESCO World Heritage site, the famous My Son Ruins. These now abandoned ancient ruins served as the capital of the Kingdom of the Cham People between the 4th and 13th century. Today, they are a well-preserved tourist destination that you won’t want to miss. Learn about the culture of the Cham people while exploring the unique tower-temples which are surrounded by lush, green mountains. It’s a very easy ride to My Son whether by private taxi or motorbike. You may want to book a tour to enhance your trip and learn more about the history from a knowledgeable guide. However, even if you choose to explore on your own, you will certainly be able to immerse yourself in this rich cultural and historical experience.

Bay Mau coconut forest

The Bay Mau coconut forest, which is separate from the ancient Hoi An, offers visitors highly new experiences. You can engage in activities with bold specificity of places in the Mekong Delta by visiting here. This famous tourist area is about 5 minutes by car from the center of the ancient town. At Bach Dang wharf, visitors can board a boat that will take them to the Cam Thanh water coconut village.

If you come here, you’ll be surrounded by stunning natural beauty. Besides the eye-catching scenery of the coconut forest with crystal-clear water and fresh air, there are countless new activities, making your Hoi An travel memorable such as:

​​Experience the basket boat dance

Casting nets to catch fish

Admire the skill of folding coconut leaves

Take a cooking class with a local fisherman

Participant folk games

An Bang Beach – Hoi An’s tourist destination is not to be missed

Perhaps the majority of us believe that Hoi An is nothing more than a city with charming and poetic Hoi An ancient town. Nevertheless, Hoi An is the home of many reputed coastal beaches. An Bang beach – a renowned name, is one of the world’s top 50 most picturesque untouched beaches. The white clouds drifting across the azure blue sea water and golden sunshine dropping down have created a charming scene that fascinates many tourists.

Try to close your eyes and picture yourself hailing the new day by gentle sunshine streaming through the window. The sound of the ocean calmly welcomes you to Hoi An, a stunning city. Everyone will undoubtedly remember those simple yet valuable moments here.

Thanh Ha Pottery Village – Cultural heritage along Thu Bon River in central Vietnam

Have you fallen in love with the nostalgic beauty of Hoi An, where the cultural values of history are well-preserved? It is 3 kilometers from the center of Hoi An ancient town to Thanh Ha. This is considered a remarkable destination with more than 500 years of history. Despite its long history, the pottery village still retains the inherent characteristics of a traditional craft village.

There are still many families living by making pottery in the current time. Visiting the pottery village, it will be easy to see the image of artisans on the pottery turntable. One person stands on the ground with one leg while the other foot kicks the turntable, and two hands knead the clay. In particular, Ha Thanh pottery is not glazed but done in a wood-fired kiln. The unique thing is that just based on a few factors, people can distinguish whether the decoration is well-done or not.

Marble Mountains

Marble Mountains are a set of five mountains made of limestone and marble, just 12km from An Bang Beach, near the city of Da Nang. These mountains were originally utilized by the Cham people as a place of worship. Today they are quite popular for exploring a variety of impressive caves where the sunlight barely seeps in, beautiful ponds and greenery, ancient Buddha statues and shrines, and temples. There are even monkeys around the mountains, though it is recommended not to feed the wildlife and admire them from afar, for your safety.
Hike to the top and you will find an epic view of the mountains, as well as the cities of Da Nang and Hoi An and the never-ending golden coastline. Even if you are not an avid hiker, there is a lift to the top for your convenience, so anyone is able to see the stunning views that await.

The Cham Islands

From An Bang Beach, you can see the remarkable Cham Islands in the distance, which are eight small islands making up a part of the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, a world biosphere reserve recognized by UNESCO. To get there, it is just a short 30-minute boat ride whether by ferry, the most affordable option, or taking a private boat tour. You can even take a ride with the local fishermen for a more local experience. The Cham Islands offer some of the best snorkeling and diving in Vietnam, as the waters are crystal clear and the coral and sea life are abundant. On the islands, you can find an abundance of pristine, white-sand beaches and natural caves. Other notable places to visit on the island include the Cham Island Marine Museum, the Ancient Cham Well, Hai Tang Pagoda, the Temple of Bird’s Nest, and more.

Hoi An – A Destination for Religious Devotees

Hoi An is not only famous for its ancient beauty but also as a destination for many religious devotees with two unique religious activities.

Attending Mass at Hoi An Catholic Church

Location: 106 Nguyen Truong To, Hoi An

Monday – Friday: 5:00am; 6:00pm

Saturday: 5:00am; 5:30pm

Sunday: 5:30am; 9:00am; 4:00pm; 6:30pm

Attending Mass at Hoi An Evangelical Church

Location: 114 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoi An

Wednesday: 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Sunday: 9:00am – 11:00am

Rich cuisine, typical of the region

The streets winding along the poetic Hoai River are densely packed with street vendors selling a variety of reputable eats. Hoi An cuisine has left an indelible impression in diners’ hearts with its vibrant taste combined with a sophisticated and meticulous culinary method.

Some aboriginal dishes include:

Hoi An chicken rice

White roses dumpling

Mi Quang

Grilled spring rolls

Tao Pho

Amist them, Cao Lau could be considered the top-notch dish you would not feel like skipping. The locals suppose that: “If you haven’t eaten Cao Lau, you haven’t been to Hoi An”. Thus, it is not an exaggeration to say that: the one-of-a-kind specialty made with love

Aglow Hoi An by night

Lanterns – the original spot of Hoi An

Hoi An lanterns are the cultural exchange legacy between multiple countries including Vietnam, Japan, and China, etc whose worth and special shapes have become renowned. The lanterns have witnessed Hoi An’s development and have borne the hallmark of this town. When the sun goes down the mountain, it is also the time when the lanterns shine. Every time the moonlight glides on the Hoai River, the lit lanterns adorn this nostalgic land more colorfully. This makes a brilliant scene and an enduring impression on visitors to remember Hoi An when they see the lanterns later immediately.

Night market – a vibrant highlight in the heart of the town

Hoi An Night Market probably recreated the hustle and bustle commercial scene in the 16th century. Every night, Hoi An street night market lights up with vibrant food stalls and eye-catching souvenir shops. That scene became even more bustling because the greetings of the owner made it difficult to refuse. You also don’t have to look far when all Hoi An specialties converge in that small night market. Let’s try visiting Hoi An ancient town once to experience the night market here. You will be surprised!

Hence, Hoi An is often the first name on the bucket lists of people who own wanderlust souls to travel. So where will you rest after a day of discovering Hoi An? It is a pleasure for Wyndham Hoi An Royal Beachfront Resort & Villas to be your companion while exploring Hoi An ancient town.