Ordinarily, I’m not the kind of traveler who circles back to a place. Like many, I’d rather put the cost of airfare flying abroad toward discovering a new city or country. But something about Hoi An’s Old Town lingered with me, an appeal that made the idea of returning feel less like repetition and more like certainty.
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| Rows of beautiful shophouses like these fills the streets of Hoi An's old town |
I
first spent five days there, ringing in the New Year of 2018 during a two-week
journey across Vietnam that took me from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat, Hoi An and
Da Nang. A month ago, I
finally returned, urged on to accompany a friend from Europe who had never been
to Vietnam, and guided, in my own mind, by the lingering pull of the old town.
Oi,
Oi, Oi Hoi An
No
Doubt’s cover of the Vandals’ original song “Oi to the World” looped in my head,
not only because it conveniently rhymes with Hoi An, but because it captured
that holiday-bright feeling of returning to a place in Southeast Asia that,
after all these years, still ranks among my favorites.
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| The Japanese bridge, which dates back to the 16th century, is a popular photo-ops spot |
When my friend and I arrived at our hotel, we slipped easily into a spacious room with a bathtub and a balcony overlooking the Thu Bồn River. River Suites Hoi An Hotel sat just 200 meters from the Old Town, close enough to view the lantern-lit boats cruising over it every night. At 1,200,000 VND, or about 2,600 pesos, the deal felt almost too good to be true (when compared to hotel prices in the Philippines).
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| View of the river in the Old Town from the balcony of our hotel room |
With free breakfast buffet on a riverside corner, an indoor pool,
and that view stretching out toward Hoi An’s historic center, by all measures,
it was a steal.
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| In front of one of the many heritage houses turned shop / restaurant / cafe in Hoi An |
We
wasted no time, even with four full days in Hoi An, quickly unpacking, changing
into comfortable clothes, and setting out for a walk through the Old Town.
Coffee
Culture and the Art of Slowing Down
Beyond
the familiar iced milk coffee or a black brew, Hoi An offers a world of coffee
to sip. There’s coconut coffee, egg coffee, even salt coffee, each made from
beans ranging from Arabica and Robusta to the elusive civet variety.
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| Trying out which is better; egg coffee or coconut coffee? |
Paired
with local delicacies: white rose dumplings, fresh spring rolls, Bánh mì, or
sweet treats like tapioca pudding and assorted cakes, the ritual becomes a slow
pleasure. Sitting on to a low chair, cup in hand, and just people watching, especially
observing the rhythm of cyclos passing by, those three-wheeled rickshaws with a
passenger seat upfront and the driver pedaling behind, feels like the perfect
way to spend an hour or two, letting your feet rest from all the walking
around.
A
Culinary Maze: Noodles, Bánh Mì, and Hidden Gems
Hoi
An’s Old Town is a treasure trove of cafés, restaurants, galleries, and
boutique shops with about hundreds of them, winding along narrow streets and
alleys. For foodies, it’s less of a question of “what to eat” but of “how many
days will it take” to sample the best, discover the hidden gems, and stumble
upon the random surprises that appear around every corner.
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| A nice first meal, giant platter of local dishes |
Cao
Lau Ba Le, tucked deep in a narrow alley, rewards the determined with its
signature noodles and tender barbecued pork. Madam Khanh, known as the Bánh Mì
Queen, has been serving the Old Town since 1975, and under the guidance of the
founding couple’s daughter, offers six variations from pork and sausage to egg
and chicken. Across the town, from street-side stalls to small eateries, Bánh
Mì appears at every turn, each one as good as the next.
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| You can randomly select a place to eat and leave satisfied |
For
lighter fare, Hoi An boasts White Rose Restaurant for its delicate dumplings,
and a string of cafés: U Café, Mót Hoi An, Poison Café, Hoi An Roastery, The
Espresso Station, Rosie’s Café, and Reaching Out Tea House, just to name a very
few, invite leisurely pauses. And whether it’s a cold Bia Hơi and Saigon Beer, or a hot cup of coffee,
getting a seat with a riverside view, the Old Town unfolds like cinema in real
life.
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| Favorite activities in Hoi An? walking, and eating |
I
found myself constantly converting Vietnamese Dong to Philippine Pesos, tempted
by souvenirs from T-shirts and fridge magnets to small artworks, but each time,
I decided to spend most of our money on food and coffee instead.
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| Bahn Mi, love you long time |
In
Hoi An’s Old Town, the appeal extends far beyond cafés and cuisine; history is
woven into every street and building. Found among dozens of century-old
heritage structures: mostly two- and three-story houses, many inherited from
Chinese merchants, are a number of museums and cultural sites. These include
the Hoi An Museum of History and Culture, the Cao Dai Temple and Museum, the
Hoi An Museum of Trade Ceramics, and Precious Heritage by Réhahn, as well as
several historic homes open to the public.
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| Love the many artworks being sold in Hoi An |
One
such residence, the Tan Ky House, bears a stark reminder of the town’s
relationship with the nearby Thu Bồn
River: a series of markers on its wall indicate the highest floodwaters, some
exceeding seven feet.
Lanterns,
Light, and the Architecture from History
What makes strolling through Hoi An’s Old Town after sunset particularly captivating is the explosion of colors from countless lanterns, their varied shapes and designs casting a warm, romantic glow across every street and alley. Lanterns hang from shop façades, while lantern-lit boats drift slowly along the Thu Bồn River, reflecting in its waters.
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| Let these lanterns guide you home |
The
back-and-forth glow yellow and neon lights highlights the patterns of the Old
Town’s heritage architecture, making every building and detail come alive. In
such a setting, it is almost impossible to leave, and one that will make you
extend your exploration on foot well into the evening.
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| Riding a boat through the Thu Bon river is another way of exploring Hoi An |
Once a bustling port in its pre-colonial heyday, Hoi An welcomed traders from across China and Asia, later absorbing influences from Japanese settlers and, eventually, French colonizers. The result is an intriguing patchwork of architectural charm: yellow-washed facades, narrow winding alleys, short bridges, French embellishments, Chinese-style merchant houses, and Indochina aesthetic, all layered with nods to wider Asian design.
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| Colorful lights and lanterns illuminate the stores at night |
The effect is both timeless and modern: for Gen Z travelers armed with cameras, it’s a dreamlike Instagram backdrop; for the culturally curious, it becomes a living classroom. Walking through the Old Town, every carved door, tiled roof, and lantern-lit corner offers lessons in history, trade, and design. It’s a tangible narrative of a city that has absorbed centuries of commerce, culture, and creativity while retaining its signature appeal. One that still appeals to me. And yes, a third visit is not too far in the future.
