Head To A Tailor
As Hoi An has a rich trading history as a port on the silk route, one of the highlights of any visit is the excellent tailoring service offered throughout the city. You can get everything made here from suits and ball gowns to shoes, shirts, skirts and more! It is important that you visit the tailors at the beginning of your time in the city as they then have time to make your chosen creations and ensure they fit and are finished before you depart.
Explore The Old Town
Next on the agenda is exploring the Old Town, the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site section of Hoi An that includes a wonderful mix of colonial buildings, Chinese temples, wooden shop-houses, and the famed Japanese Covered Bridge. This bridge is arguably the most photographed site in the city, despite being small, as it is one of the very few covered bridges to be built outside of Japan.
Other sites to explore include the Old House of Tan Ky, the Hoi An Market, the Assembly Hall Of Fujian Chinese, the Vietnamese communal temple and the Quan Cong Temple as well as the Museum of Folk Culture if you have time!
There are so many stunning photo ops throughout Hoi An that you can simply spend hours meandering your way through the picturesque streets stopping to snap whenever you please.
Get Some Vietnamese Coffee
Once you’ve discovered some of the top sights in the city, you’ll be ready to sit down and enjoy a cup of Vietnam’s finest coffee, perhaps alongside a French patisserie. We found the best coffee to be from the Hoi An Roastery which is thankfully served up in seven locations around the city so it‘s not too hard to find!
Final Fitting And Collection Of Garments
Head back to the tailors to do a final fitting, and if everything is ok, collect your garments. You’ll be amazed at the fine handiwork of these tailors and might even want to stay a little longer so that you can have a few more items made!
See The Lanterns
Depending on what time of the month you visit, you may be lucky enough to witness the lantern festival that coincides with Full Moon. This is a spectacular festival in which all the city lights are turned off and the town is lit up by colorful lanterns instead. Locals light candles and place them on delicate lily-like lanterns to float down the river with thousands gathering on the riverside to watch this beautiful light show.
Take An Evening River Cruise
If you aren’t in Hoi An over the full moon, fear not as you can still enjoy the river by night by taking an evening river cruise. This allows you to see the yellow city of Hoi An lit up by gentle lights, perhaps experiencing a sunset dinner with candlelight, fresh food, and live music.
Visit the Night Market
A bustling collection of shops and stalls that stretches all the way down Nguyen Hoang Street. The market consists of street food vendors, souvenir shops, clothing, and jewelry stalls as well as plenty of local artwork on sale. There are likely to be more tailors open for business too, so it’s never too late to put in an order. You could spend hours wandering the market stalls, stopping off for drinks and snacks along the way to keep you going. As with all Asian markets, bargaining is encouraged so don’t simply settle for the first price, have fun with bartering for a lower price!
