Hoi An (Hoi An)

Member Name: Hiroshi

Product:	Hoi An
Date:	08/08/00 (44 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful places, great people

Disadvantages: Getting around is cheap but often uncomfortable

If you're travelling in Vietnam and you get the chance, break your journey in Hoi An, its well worth it.

Less well known than the big cities whose names are almost synonymous with the war, Hoi An is a quiet market town about 30Km south of Danang (a dump, avoid) between Hue and Na Trang. Most people get there on the big overnight buses or the smaller hotel minibuses than run from town to town up and down the coast. If you're taking the Unification Express you would have to get a bus from Danang.

The town sits on the Cai river a few miles inland from the coast (the nearest beach, Cua Dai, is a couple of miles away, you can hire a bike to get there and its lovely and clean), there's a long strip of restaurants along the river and they're all great!

There's also a market that sells every spice and foodstuff known to man (frankly I had no idea what most of it was) and a huge clothes market where they'll knock up anything you want in a day.

There's also a fantastic bar called Cafe des Amis, run by the only three foreigners in town, which serves great breakfasts if you want a change from Vietnamese. I don't know why but this still sits in my mind as the best 'ambience' of any bar I've ever been to.

Finally, the people, like most people in Vietnam, are some of the friendliest you'll meet anywhere. Everyone tries to speak English, everyone greets you with a genuine smile and actually seem interested in you. Sure there are people trying to hustle you all the time (particularly the kids!) but not in the aggressive way you get in many other countries.

I'd recommend Vietnam for anyone who can afford it (its cheap when you get there!), and you should go NOW, because 10 years from now it will be just like Thailand, which is a shame.

Summary: