Taking it Easy in Charming Hoi An, Vietnam

The charming little French-inspired town of Hoi An, Vietnam is the perfect place to relax and take in the atmosphere in the middle of your trip to Vietnam. If you’ve just come from bustling Ho Chi Minh City or have been whisking off to waterfalls and villages on the back of a motorbike in Dalat, Hoi An’s relaxed vibe, pretty stucco buildings, and charming lantern-lit streets are the perfect setting to take in the simple beauty of central Vietnam.

Hoi An's streets are especially charming at night.

That said, Hoi An is not the place for those looking for excitement or adventure. Aside from the endless opportunities for shopping (Hoi An is famous for its clothing, both custom and ready-made) there are basically three attractions: Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Ruins, and Cua Dai Beach.

Food, Travel, and Accommodation:

We took the bus from Nha Trang to Hoi An, an 8 hour ride that cost $11. When we arrived at the bus stop the customary taxi drivers were there to take us to our hotels, but we opted to walk instead. Hoi An is a pretty walkable city, and the center ended up not being too far from the bus stop. We stayed at Hop Yen Hotel on the outskirts of the city center, a great location. Hop Yen has dorms for $5, but we bargained for a double room with a detached bathroom for $6 a night. It was a great bargain for a room with free wifi, but the added price was having to climb five flights of stairs to get there! Hop Yen also has a pretty decent-priced restaurant downstairs, though we didn’t eat there. One of our favorite places was Des Amis Cafe in the city center for their fantastic and very filling pancakes, lovely French music, and great coffee! We also frequented a great noodle soup street stand for dinner located near Mermaid restaurant.

Hoi An Ancient Town:

The river near Old Town

Hoi An’s Ancient Town (or Old Town) is a curious attraction, as admission works on a coupon system. At the various ticket booths around the town’s center, tickets are sold for 90,000 dong ($4.50) and will gain you admission to all of Ancient Town’s old streets and five attractions: one of the four museums, one of the four “old houses,” one of three assembly halls, the handicraft shop and a traditional show, and either the Japanese covered bridge or Quan Cong temple. Kim and I decided to forego tickets to Ancient Town, as we were enjoying the rest of town just fine and weren’t sure if the admission price was worth it for us. To decide if it’s worth it for you, check out this feature on Travelfish; the prices are a little outdated, but it will help you decide which attractions to hit, and which ones to miss.

My Son Ruins:

At the My Son Ruins

The My Son Ruins 55 km outside Hoi An are remains of the ancient Cham Kingdom and some of the most important ruins in Vietnam. While the ruins are an important historical and cultural sight, when seen in terms of value, the ruins take on a different significance for budget travelers. 

Tours to the ruins run from $5-$7 depending on which you choose. $5 will get you a bus there and back with an English speaking guide. $7 will get you a bus there and a boat back with an English speaking guide, free lunch, and a stop at Cam Kim Island to see a local handicraft village. At first glance, the $7 tour seems like a great value. We booked this tour and found ourselves on the way back from the ruins sitting on an extremely loud, water-polluting boat, eating a tiny rice and vegetable lunch (we ate a second lunch upon our return to Hoi An), and our stop at the handicraft village was only a ten-minute stop at a single store that sells wood carvings. For those who really want to see the ruins, book the $5 tour and get back in time to eat a real lunch and take a ferry to Cam Kim later on your own.

That being said, there are some who won’t want to do the tour at all. The ruins themselves aren’t very impressive, especially since many of them were destroyed by U.S. bombs during the Vietnam war. Our tour consisted of our very bored tour guide leading us through one of the major sites, explaining a few historical facts, and leaving us to see two other sites on our own. The tour itself lasted about half an hour. My favorite parts of the whole thing were understanding a bit more about the destruction the Vietnam war caused to the landscape and hearing our guide humorously explain the yoni and linga symbols placed throughout the ruins. So, is it worth it? For budget travelers who have already seen ruins such as those in Siem Reap or Ayutthaya, no. We certainly weren’t very impressed. But for those who have a little more time and money to spend, or who are especially interested in the cultural and historical significance of the ruins, it’s not a bad way to spend a day.

Cua Dai Beach and Other Ways to Spend Your Time:

For those who forfeited a stop in Nha Trang, the tourist beach capital of Vietnam, Hoi An is your chance to make up for it with a little sun-soaking. Cua Dai Beach is easily accessible by bike, and bike rental is only around $1 for a day’s use. Kim and I opted not to make the trek, but reviews of the beach are generally positive and we met one fellow traveler who said it was worth half a day and the short ride/walk out of town. Another idea is to take a romantic sunset river tour with your significant other, or shop ‘til you drop at the dozens of clothing shops lining Hoi An’s streets. By far our favorite activity in this city was simply sitting back at our favorite cafe and enjoying the quiet, pleasant atmosphere of Hoi An.

Happy traveling!

Da Lat: A City of Love

Da Lat (or Dalat) is the capital of the Lam Dong province in Vietnam and has a population of a little over 200,000 people. It is located in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, and with its elevation of 4,900 ft (1,500 m) its weather is significantly cooler than most other parts of tropical Vietnam. It is a popular tourist destination, particularly among the Vietnamese themselves. A Vietnamese friend once told me that Da Lat is “a city of love,” and with its mist covered mountains, French colonial architecture, and plethora of cozy cafes, it is not difficult to understand why. 

What to See

Da Lat Cathedral

At the center of Da Lat is the beautiful Xuan Huong Lake. Walking along the lake gives you stunning views of Da Lat and its surrounding areas. There are a few restaurants along the lake if you want a relaxing place to sit and enjoy a meal. For the more active, swam-shaped boats can be rented and taken out on Xuan Huong Lake, although Sarah and I chose to skip this.

While roaming around Da Lat’s city centre, you are unlikely to miss the high-rising Da Lat Cathedral. It is known locally as “Cock Church” in honor of the man-made rooster standing at the very tip of the church on the beautiful bell tower. The priest and staff are very friendly and welcoming. There are numerous Mass services held here throughout the week, and we attended one of the 5:00 pm services while in Da Lat. The inside of the church is beautiful, and although the services are all held in Vietnamese, it is a beautiful and interesting event to experience.

If you are interested in architecture or are a fan of Walt Disney, check out Hang Nga Guesthouse, popularly known among locals and tourists as the “Crazy House.” Vietnamese architect Dang Viet Nga is the creator of this beautiful piece of art. Many people compare the design of this building to artists such as Walt Disney and Salvador Dali. This magical building incorporates things such as caves, giant spider webs, stairs leading to the sky, bridges, mushrooms, giant animal sculptures, and trees in its beautiful and incredibly complex design. For 35,000 VND you can explore the Crazy House, and if you are willing to pay the price you can even stay a night or two in one of the spectacular rooms scattered around the building. This is a fun  and unique place and, at minimum, will produce many humorous pictures!

Crazy House

Easy Riders

If you visit Da Lat, you will undoubtably run into many Easy Riders enthusiastically offering you tours to pretty much anywhere in or around Da Lat. Easy Riders is a group of local tour guides who provide tours of various cities in Vietnam via the backs of their motorcycles. It is a way to travel “off the beaten track” and see the beautiful views Vietnam offers firsthand. Da Lat is the birth place of Easy Riders, and you cannot walk more than a few minutes without running into one. They offer tours through the Central Highlands, the Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh Trails, and more. They can even take you to the next city you are heading to if you want to make it into a two or three day excursion. They also do shorter and simpler day trips to nearby waterfalls or villages. Their prices are usually pretty reasonable, and they can be bargained with to reach a happy medium. If you need more convincing, you will more than likely be presented with a binder full of pictures from past tours and notes from previous clients saying how wonderful their experience was. In the end, Sarah and I decided not to do one of these tours, but it could be a fun way to spend a day or two if you have the extra time and money!

Where to Eat

In the city centre of Da Lat

There is no shortage of places to dine in Da Lat. Many cute French style restaurants line the streets, most complete with free pots of tea and soothing European music playing in the background. There are numerous bakeries scattered around Da Lat, and most pastries they sell are surprisingly good. Sarah and I both developed an addiction to the miniature loaves of banana bread sold at several bakeries around town (for remarkably cheap prices!). One budget restaurant that we particularly loved, but unfortunately only discovered during our last couple of days in Da Lat, is Peace Cafe. Peace Cafe, not to be confused with the nearby Peace Restaurant, is located at 64 Truong Cong Dinh and occupies the bottom floor of a family run hotel. There is a book exchange here, and the menu is full of both Vietnamese and Western dishes for cheap prices. I particularly loved the pancakes (which, unlike the crepe-like things misleadingly called pancakes at most eateries in Asia, could legitimately classify as a pancake). Definitely stop in here if you are looking for cheap, tasty, and filling food!

There are also several unique foods produced and sold in Da Lat. One of my favorites was the artichoke tea sold at many tea shops throughout Da Lat. It tastes unusual but good! It’s a fun thing to try and could be a unique thing to bring home to family or friends. Another popular thing produced in Da Lat is fruit preserves. Some of the most popular types include strawberry preserves and raspberry preserves. They look delicious and can be incorporated into many different recipes if you have room in your bag and aren’t traveling for much longer! 

View of Da Lat from "Crazy House"

These are just a few of the highlights of Da Lat and the many possibilities it offers its visitors. The overall feel of the city is very laid back and quaint. With its chilly weather and French architecture, it gives off a very strong European vibe. At one point, I glanced down one of the streets and suddenly felt as if I was looking down a strikingly similar road I had once walked down in Edinburgh, Scotland. Spending just a few days in Da Lat made me feel incredibly nostalgic of my time in Europe and reminded me of how much I love and miss it there (and convinced me that a trip back is needed in the very near future!). Needless to say, if you’d like to see some of the beautiful mountains in Vietnam and get a little break from the hectic and bustling lifestyle of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat may be the perfect option for you!

Getting a Taste for Vietnam: Surfing in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, was the capital of South Vietnam before the country’s reunification in 1976. As the site of so much history, and as one of Vietnam’s biggest cities, there is a lot to see, learn, and taste in the city that is now beloved Uncle Ho’s namesake.

One word for HCM City's streets: Motorbikes!

After our three weeks in Cambodia, we traveled from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City ($10, 6 hours), the former capital of the Southern republic of Vietnam. The three things that soon came to embody my experience in Vietnam—food, history, and new friends—were overwhelmingly present in this busy, bustling motorbike city!

Our five days in Ho Chi Minh City are basically a testament to the wonders of Couchsurfing. We surfed with a host family in Thu Duc District, a 30 minute bus ride from District 2 (in the city center). Our hosts, a 22-year-old university student and her family, gave us an introduction to Vietnam we will never forget! They went above and beyond, showering us with Asia’s famous hospitality, especially in the form of food—tons and tons of wonderful Vietnamese food! We met our host’s university friends and were even invited to big family dinners with extended relatives, where we sat in a large circle on the floor and ate, drank, and laughed for hours on end. Much of our time was spent with our new friends, buzzing around on the backs of motorbikes to out-of-the-way pagodas, street food stands, and local coffee shops. One of my favorite nights was spent on the roof of a cafe near the airport, where the planes flew right over our heads as they came in for landing! We truly had an unforgettable experience, and looking back on our five days in HCM City, it seems like two weeks. Because of Couchsurfing we were able to experience much more in a short amount of time than if we were on our own, and we left feeling as if we were leaving family. Because of our new friends, I learned that Ho Chi Minh City can be an engaging and dazzling place with the right people guiding you. The lesson here? Make local friends whenever possible! Couchsurfing.org is the perfect place to do this. I will never forget the amazing hospitality of our Vietnamese family in Ho Chi Minh City! Here’s a little of what they taught us:

Kim and our host sister Queeny eating street food in University Village

Vietnamese street food:

Street food is a normal part of most Vietnamese people’s daily lives, and local eateries with their own specialties can be found almost everywhere. Some of my favorite meals in Vietnam were on plastic chairs and concrete, and our hosts in HCM City took a lot of time in teaching us about local foods. Here are a few of my favorite street foods we tried in Ho Chi Minh City:

• Phở (pronounced “fuh”): This classic Vietnamese rice noodle soup is a staple throughout Vietnam, but you’ll find it tastes different in the North and the South (it’s a bit sweeter in the South). It is customarily served with fresh herbs, like basil and mint, halved limes, and fish and chili sauces that you can add to taste, and can include chicken (phở ga) or beef (phở bo). Many people eat it for breakfast, but it can be eaten at any time of the day. This is a must-try anywhere in Vietnam!
• Bánh tráng nướng: This is made with a round, thick piece of rice paper filled with various ingredients, rolled, and cooked on a small grill. We ate this delicious snack in University Village, and it contained a simple medley of veggies, chili sauce, and a healthy dose of the staple Vietnamese fish sauce.
• Ram bắp: Delicious Vietnamese hand rolls, usually with meat inside. Our host mom made these often for dinner and I could never get enough of them!
• Tàu hũ đá: This is an iced soy drink our host introduced us to that can include various candied fruits and flavored gelatins. A unique desert!
• Cà phê: Vietnamese coffee is some of the best in the world, and is uniquely prepared in Vietnam with a phin, a drip filter similar to a french press that filters the coffee straight into the cup. It can be served over ice (cà phê đá) and is normally prepared with sweetened condensed milk. This sweet milk coffee can be hot (cà phê sữa nóng) or iced (cà phê sữa đá) and is another must-try anywhere in Vietnam!

What to do in Ho Chi Minh City:

Reunification Palace

We split our time in Ho Chi Minh City between the city center (mainly districts 1 and 2) and Thu Duc district. While most travelers don’t find a reason to head to Thu Duc, I loved our time in this part of the city. Thanks to our wonderful new friends, we had the opportunity to experience Ho Chi Minh City in a very different light. During our five days, I didn’t see a single other tourist in Thu Duc. It’s a great place to try traditional Vietnamese food and chat with the super friendly locals! Local bus fare from Thu Duc to the city center is around 25 cents.

This isn’t to say we didn’t get our tourist on in HCM. We started at the Reunification Palace (or Independence Palace), which used to be the administration center for South Vietnam’s government. The palace has been kept exactly as it was when North Vietnamese troops breached the main gate on April 30, 1975, down to a replica of the tank on display toward the front of the palace. Admission to the palace is 30,000 dong per person and includes a free guide. Our tour took around half an hour and we got to see all the most important parts of the palace, including some very vintage and important-looking underground control rooms! It definitely feels like stepping back in time!

Beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral

Just a few blocks away from the Reunification Palace is the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, constructed in the late 1800s by French colonists. The beautiful brick red building was made with materials imported from France, and the statue of Mary at the front of the cathedral is stunning. This cathedral will definitely be a welcome taste of home for Catholic or European travelers, and it’s a great place for photos! There is an English mass every Sunday at 9:30 am and the church is surrounded by some very classy restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries.

A protest poster on display at the
War Remnants Museum

About ten minutes’ walk from the Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral is my favorite tourist site in Ho Chi Minh City, the War Remnants Museum (admission 15,000 dong). If there is one must-see attraction in HCM, I’d say this is it. The museum was created as an anti-war museum and aims to raise awareness about the atrocities of war, specifically the atrocities and war crimes committed during the American-Vietnamese war in the 1970s. The museum includes exhibits on worldwide protest of the Vietnam war and war propaganda, American war crimes, and a heartbreaking and informative exhibit on the use of chemical weapons by the U.S. Army. Those expecting an objective and detached approach from museums won’t get this at the War Remnants Museum; the pain, destruction, and insanity of war experienced by both the Vietnamese people and U.S. soldiers in Vietnam is boldly on display in this museum with a very specific agenda: to encourage peace in Vietnam and around the world. I would especially recommend this museum to American travelers to get a Vietnamese perspective on the war.

A short walk in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City is enough to discover the importance of a single man in the history of divided and unified Vietnam. The image of the city’s namesake, Ho Chi Minh (or Uncle Ho as he is affectionately called by locals) can be seen on red banners throughout the city, especially around the Reunification Palace. Our friends recommended we learn more about Uncle Ho by visiting Dragon House/Ho Chi Minh Museum. This isn’t a very popular tourist stop, and we saw almost no tourists there when we visited. While it’s not the most exciting place, from what I gathered from our friends, it’s an important building to locals because of it’s relation to Ho Chi Minh. This building, which Uncle Ho himself passed through on his way to his famous sojourn to Europe and America, is named the dragon house for its architecture. The museum includes personal items of Ho Chi Minh and a detailed history of his life and political path organized chronologically into several rooms on the second floor. My favorite part was the top floor, where many poems Ho Chi Minh wrote while in prison are on display—a very beautiful exhibit! Admission to Dragon Palace is 10,000 dong.

Shopping in Saigon:

The main shopping hub in Ho Chi Minh City is Ben Thanh Market, a sprawling shopping center with clothes, handicrafts, textiles, and local food. The market is in downtown HCM City across from the main public bus terminal in an impressive pale yellow building. You’ll be able to find just about any souvenir you need here, but expect to haggle. Our friends suggested we go to the old post office, just across the street from Notre Dame Cathedral, to buy souvenirs at fair prices. There are just a few small shops inside, near the entrance of the post office, but for those uncomfortable with haggling, the prices are fixed and fair.

Happy traveling!