Visitors to Vietnam often cite charming Hoi An as one of their favourite cities. A thriving medieval port city which was reduced to some backwater country town through the late 18th century, Hoi An was recently reborn like a Unesco-listed World Heritage Site because of its well-preserved Old Town. Nowadays, as much as five million people visit Hoi An annually, most spending a modest VND 120,000 for any ticket to determine five from the town's 22 heritage attractions or not-so-modest sums on getting tailor-made clothing and shoes at the town's more than 300 tailor shops.
However, using its quaint, grid-like streets (pedestrian-only for a lot of the day) ideal for walking and it is flat country roads well suited for cycling (bikes sometimes provided free by hotels), there's a handful of interesting things to do and see in which you won't even have to crack open your wallet.
Wander the Rue des Arts
Phan Boi Chau Street, just east from the Hoi An Market, is becoming a go-to place to go for art lovers. In the space of some blocks on this so-called Rue des Arts, you'll find spectacular photographs of Hoi An and it is people by French photographer Réhahn (in front of the Precious Heritage Museum). There's also Hoi An-inspired watercolours by UK artist Bridget March, and Art Space, a restaurant displaying a selection of sculpture, photography and paintings.
Enjoy incredible sunset views from Cua Dai Bridge
Just near Cua Dai Beach, the nearly 1.5km-long Cua Dai Bridge spanning the Thu Bon River creates a great elevated viewing point, especially at sunrise or sunset. You will find superb vistas in each and every direction, including out over the mouth of the river and also the Cham Islands beyond, and back across town using the mountains within the distance.
Head for that beaches
Just 5km north of town is An Bang Beach and neighbouring Cua Dai Beach. While Hoi An's beaches do have issues with sand erosion, they're still perfectly fine (and free!) being an antidote to all the shopping and sightseeing you'll likely be doing.
Absorb the nice and cozy glow of the Old Town in the cool evening
Yes, the narrow streets of Hoi An's Old Town are lined with boutiques and cafes and resemble an outdoor mall for much of the day. But there's something about the historic shophouses using their clay-tiled roofs and ochre-coloured walls that remain timeless. For any better experience, try visiting in the early morning when the market is populated mainly with locals, or in the cool of the evening, when the town assumes a lantern-lit glow. This particularly special on the 14th day's each lunar month when the Old Town turns off its electric lights and it is lit solely by colourful lanterns for that Full Moon Festival.
Take an in-depth breath in the atmospheric fish markets
If you can stomach the odor of fish before breakfast, head to certainly one of Hoi An's two fish markets – Duy Hai (near where the Thu Bon River empties out in to the sea) or Thanh Ha (near the pottery village). Watch as fishing boats for sale return early in the day hours, offloading their catch which is quickly sorted and sold. The atmosphere is bustling and all sorts of activity in the early morning light is really a photographer's dream.
Browse the Night Market
If you thought Hoi An was touristy by day, just hold back until you see its Night Market. It's a raucous, crowded, 300m stretch of Nguyen Hoang Street, packed with vendors selling everything from snacks and trinkets to paper cut-out cards and silk ties. The lantern shops make for particularly nice photo backdrops.
Cycle round Cam Kim Island
Just across the Thu Bon River from Hoi An is Cam Kim Island using its rural scenes of rice paddies and family shrines. The star of the island could well be Kim Bong village, renowned for its many carpentry shops. Wander the workshops and watch artisans dealing with wood in all sizes and shapes, from hand-carving wooden statues and meticulously inlaying mother-of-pearl to creating furniture and building ships. You can cycle the 9km distance on your own, using the Cam Kim Bridge for the southwest of town, or join a Hoi An Free Tour, led by enthusiastic English-speaking university students. The tour is free of charge, however, visitors are inspired to contribute VND 50,000 towards the ferry ride along with a small donation to the community.
Visit the workshop at Reaching Out
If you cannot visit one of the single-craft villages around Hoi An, stop by the small workshop at the back of Reaching Out where you will find artisans (most of them individuals with disabilities) crafting everything from silver jewellery to intricate embroidery. Book a free tour on the website or just wander around the small workshop on your own.
Visit the Precious Heritage Museum
French photographer Réhahn has spent the greater part of ten years documenting nearly all of Vietnam's 54 ethnic minority groups, some with less than 10 people still in a position to speak the word what. It makes sense the Precious Heritage Museum showcasing beautiful portraits and costumes from around the country.
Explore Cam Nam Island
Just across the Cam Nam Bridge from Hoi An, the river island of Cam Nam is really a quiet spot to cycle. Locals flock to the island in the evenings for its famed clam dishes, but its coconut palm-fringed waterways and lots of cottage industries alllow for an equally interesting backdrop. Go to the harbour at the end of the island watching the fishing boats are available in after the day.
Seek out the crucial component of cao lau at Ba Le Well
Hoi An's most famous dish is cao lau noodles, which gets its distinctively chewy texture from soaking rice in lye water originally procured from the Ba Le Well (which explains why it's difficult to find beyond Hoi An). Strictly for hardcore foodies, visit the unassuming Ba Le Well to see where this famous dish took its start.
Watch artisans at Thanh Ha pottery village
About 5km east of Hoi An is the single-craft pottery village of Thanh Ha. Originally created provide clay roof tiles and other ceramic and pottery needs of the town, the village still churns out hand-thrown pottery, though much of it's now mainly for adornment. Watch as artisans form vases and bowls using a foot-powered potter's wheel, to check out Mrs Phu, now well into her 90s who can still throw an average lump of clay.
Enjoy the countryside by Tra Que vegetable village
Most of the flavourful herbs that is included with many of Hoi An's dishes come from the village of Tra Que. Situated between your town and the beach, the village is known for its organic herbs and vegetables, fertilised using locally-sourced seaweed rather than chemicals. Walk the neat rows watching farmers working the fields by hand. Also consider the scarecrows dressed up in conical hats. While you're in the area, cycle the nearby paths through the beautiful Hoi An countryside dotted with lush rice paddies, inquisitive water buffalo, and ponds stocked with shrimp and fish.
