We stopped by Vietnam in January 2024 after our big tour of India, before going to Malaysia for a quick visit with family and friends… and before finally winging our way home to Auckland, NZ.
We had been to Vietnam twice before, but never to Hoi An. This time, it was a quick stop on our way to explore a place we’d heard was interesting and fun. We were excited to try the delicious food, see amazing sights, and experience somewhere new and different.
Our stay in Hoi An was short but vibrant- just 5 days, but full of exploring, eating delicious Vietnamese food, sipping cocktails, and climbing lots of steps and stairs. It turned out to be a fantastic trip packed with colour, culture, and memorable experiences.
Things We Did in Hội An
Exploring and Shopping
We strolled through the ancient streets of Hoi An Ancient Town, soaking up it’s quaint atmosphere and admiring the well-preserved architecture. We visited local shops and boutiques, browsing for souvenirs and gifts to take home and also we followed the sights as detailed on the Hoi An Old Town Ticket.
Japanese Covered Bridge: The Japanese Covered Bridge was closed for restoration during our visit so we could only admire from a distance.
Enjoying Local Cuisine: Between shopping excursions, we sampled delicious local cuisine at cute cafes and restaurants scattered throughout Hoi An.
We had a blast chatting with the restaurant touts who welcomed us with a loud “Ah, Kiwis!! Kia ora!” They invited us in to try their food… and guess what? We couldn’t resist and went back the next night too!
And the cocktails are not just tasty; they’re budget-friendly and pack a punch!
Hội An Night Tour
Hoi An Night Tour: We joined a guided tour of Hoi An at night. We began with a visit to Banh Mi Phuong, known for it’s delicious Vietnamese sandwiches. With the banh mi tucked away we moved on to explored Hoi An Ancient Town, which was beautifully lit up by lanterns. The night market on Nguyen Hoang Street was a highlight, bustling with vendors selling local specialties and handmade lanterns. I picked up a bejeweled pair of crocks!
Immediately, on the first day/night, we were captivated by the town’s bustling daytime atmosphere and vibrant nighttime charm.
Đà Nẵng
Marble Mountains Visit: These tall limestone hills are famous for their caves, temples, and panoramic views. Climbing up the stone steps was quite a workout, but reaching the top was worth it for the stunning scenery.
Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary Sunrise Tour
My Son Sanctuary Sunrise Tour: We started our day early arriving at 6:00 am. Here we explored the ancient temples and structures of the Champa Kingdom. The serene morning atmosphere added to the beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage site, especially during sunrise.
As we were walking back to our ride, Basker stopped to chat with a man heading into the complex for work. It turned out he was an archaeologist with the Archaeological Survey of India, focused on restoring the heritage buildings. It was fascinating to hear insights from someone so deeply involved in the project, especially chatting in Tamil.
Bà Nà Hills
Ba Na Hills Excursion: We traveled to the Ba Na Hills. Here, we took a scenic cable car ride, up to Ba Na Hills Station.
If the weather had been better, we planned to visit By Night Station, Vong Nguyet Hills, Linh Ung Pagoda, and the charming old French Villas. Moving higher, we would have explored Nui Chua Mountain, the highest point in the Ba Na range, and checked out Nginh Phong Peak, Le Nim Villas, and the Orchid Garden. We also wanted to experience Vietnam’s first funicular and see the historic Debay Ancient Wine Cellar, along with the beautiful Le Jardin D’amour and Linh Ung Pagoda. However, due to the weather, we opted for indoor attractions instead.
During our visit, it rained and rained! As we climbed higher, it got mistier. We shrugged and laughed… what else can you do?!!
Fantasy Park : Fantasy Park is an indoor games zone. Here we tried out various entertaining activities such as 4D and 5D films, the death race, and the dinosaur park.
Golden Bridge: The best part of Ba Na Hills was walking on the Golden Bridge. It’s amazing! This bridge has a golden pathway held up by giant hands, and it gives you incredible views of the countryside from 1,400 meters above sea level… Well, unfortunately, we couldn’t see a thing. Sigh.
The Golden Bridge was really beautiful. It looked impressive even in the rain. But that’s when we realized the difference between reality and those picture-perfect photos. It was rainy, crowded, and cold—nothing like the serene scenes in the tourist brochures. I wonder how they manage to capture those photos without any people around?
Wax Museum: We actually had the most hilarious time at the Wax Museum! We had an absolute blast! It was ridiculously funny posing with all those wax figures and teasing them mercilessly. Somehow, the silliness perfectly captured the essence of our trip that day, amidst the rainy and misty weather. We laughed so hard… snapping pics of each other all the time.
Chàm Islands Tour
We cruised to Cham Island on a speedboat and it was nice to feel the sea air on our faces. Nisha was a bit seasick, oh dear. But we arrived safely after a short trip and landed at the wharf.
We strolled through the traditional fishing village with our guide and paused to chat with a family who made traditional Tra La Lao tea. We even got to witness the tea preparation process firsthand. We decided to buy some tea leaves and try it out during our stop for lunch. It was nice, the taste made even better by the purported health benefits.
Exploring Lang Beach: We moved further along to Lang Beach and had a relaxing day on the beautiful white sand enjoying lunch and fresh coconut drinks… and tea. Since it was the off-season, there weren’t many people around. So pretty much it was a down day for us, too cold for us to swim, and we felt like we did not make the most of this place. In the height of summer it would be full of activity.
We explored Cham Island’s Marine Protected Area, visited the Boat Shelter and Hai Tang Pagoda.
Bai Chong Eco-tourism Area: Here you can head to Bai Xep for snorkeling. I think it is also possible to walk underwater while breathing via a specially designed helmet but we didn’t really understand what this entailed at the time and decided to give it a miss… if it was warmer we would have investigated it more.
Huế Full Day Tour
Our day trip to Hue turned out to be even more fascinating than we had imagined. The city is brimming with history, culture, and stories. As the former capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen Dynasty, it boasts ancient tombs, temples, palaces, and gates.
Visit to the Imperial Citadel: We visited the Imperial Citadel, which is surrounded by a moat and thick stone walls. It was the center of power for the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945. We explored highlights such as the Flag Tower, Noon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, and the Forbidden Purple City. It was fascinating, interesting and wonderful!
There’s a VR simulator that shows how the Citadel used to be. It uses a super fast, neck-breaking motion camera to fly you over the palace grounds. It was really a huge amount of fun, captivating!
Visit to Tu Duc Emperor’s Tomb: We journeyed to the elaborate Royal Tomb of Tu Duc Emperor, renowned for its stunning architecture and serene surroundings, reflecting the grandeur of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Dragon Boat Trip on Perfume River: We took a peaceful boat ride on the Perfume River, stopping to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, one of Hue’s oldest and most respected pagodas, which holds deep spiritual meaning for the locals. Surprisingly, we didn’t notice any fragrance, couldn’t smell a thing – maybe it’s only during the flowering season? Who knows!
Our Tour Guide and Company
Usually, I don’t mention the tour company we use, but this time I want to highlight them because the personal touch was amazing, especially with the father and son team we had at P2dtravel. They made all the arrangements through WhatsApp and Facebook, and we very much enjoyed being with our awesome guide, Dat Pham. Thank you Dat, you are awesome!!
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the lovely “La Charm Hotel and Spa,” and it was truly charming. The hotel staff made us feel very welcome and took great care of us during our stay.
That’s all from Hoi An – hẹn gặp lại (see you again)! 🇻🇳 ♡ Janet
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This is such a great part of Vietnam isn’t it? We didn’t visit My Son so you’re giving me a reason to return to Hoi An. I’m craving the food just thinking of it 🙂 Maggie
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I’m glad you enjoyed this part of Vietnam! My Son is definitely worth a visit when you return to Hoi An. The food is amazing, isn’t it?!! 🍜✨
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