Vietnam Part 5: Hoi An

Although we had decided to focus on Northern Vietnam for this trip, we did also manage to include a trip to Central Vietnam, and the town of Hoi An.  There are four UNESCO World Heritage sites in Central Vietnam, and we would be visiting two of them; the Hoi An Old Quarter and My Son.   

So, why Hoi An?

Hoi An was an important trading port from the 15th to the 19th century, and attracted Chinese, Japanese and European traders.  There are over 1,100 timber frame buildings with brick or wooden walls that are still standing from this period. Some of the houses have been converted into museums, some have been preserved as they were in the 18th and 19th century, and some are now functioning as shops.  In addition to the old houses there are also a number of Chinese assembly halls.  These assembly halls were places for the Chinese community to meet, trade, socialise, and gather for religious purposes. 

There are 21 of these old buildings that are open to the public and which can be accessed with a visitors ticket. We visited the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, Cantonese Assembly Hall, Museum of Ceramics, House of Tan Ky, and the Museum of Folk Culture. 

Phuc Kien Assembly Hall (above and below)

Dragons as sculptures and artworks feature in a number of the old buildings

It was seriously hot while we were there.  Sometimes a short shade break was enough, other times we opted for a longer break in one of the local cafes sitting under a fan.  One of the drinks that we had heard about, and which I was keen to try, was coffee made with egg yolk (Cà Phê Trứng).  

I can't remember which cafe we were in when I ordered this drink (see photo below), but then I'm not sure if this is the best example of egg coffee.  The drink was very thick and the only way to 'drink' it was by eating it with a spoon.  Apparently Giang Cafe in Hanoi is where Cà Phê Trứng was first invented, and still considered one of the best places to have egg coffee.  We didn't know about Giang Cafe when we were in Hanoi, so will have to put it on the list of places to visit when we return one day. 

Inside the old house that has been converted into the Museum of Ceramics (above and below)

House of Tan Ky (above and below)

A folk show at the Hoi An Museum of Folk Culture (above) and
The Japanese Covered Bridge (below)

While the old buildings are all great places to visit, it is after dark when the Old Quarter really comes alive. Lanterns that fill the streets are all switched on creating a great festive atmosphere. 

And the sunset wasn't bad either

A slightly different kind of lantern (above) and 

various colours and shapes of lanterns for sale (below)

The Japanese Covered Bridge - lit up

Whilst we had enjoyed some great meals so far, it was in Hoi An that we really experienced some of the best food that Vietnam has to offer.  Our favourite restaurant, by far, was Vy's Market Restaurant.  The restaurant is based on the idea of with various stalls set up around a courtyard.  Each stall specialises in something different, such as noodle dishes, rice dishes, or the 'weird and wonderful'.  We ordered a few dishes to share and were blown away by the flavours.  

com ga (shredded chicken, rice and herbs; above) and

mi quang noodles (noodles, shrimp, pork, rice crackers, peanuts and herbs; below)

There are also a number of cooking classes available in Hoi An, and we had been thinking about doing one before arriving, but hadn't booked anything.  As Vy's Market Restaurant also offers cooking classes, and they still had space available for one of the classes that was being run the next day, we decided that this would be the one to sign up for. 

The class that we took part in was a beginners class, and included a trip to the local market before the actual cooking part of the class.   

Tony, our tour guide, showing us around the market

When we got back to the restaurant we had some time to try a few of the dishes from the 'weird and wonderful' stall, and also to try our hand at making noodles.  Some of the interesting dishes that I tried were black pepper steamed pig brain, spicy lemongrass frog, and silk worm  salad.  I'm not sure I would be brave enough to try these dishes from a seller on the side of the street, but at this restaurant it seemed like the perfect opportunity to give it a try. 

Tony doing a brilliant talking frog impersonation.

Bron having a noodle making lesson.

And then it was time for the cooking class with Bo.  What a great and tasty class.  We made cabbage leaf dumplings with broth, green mango salad, springrolls, and 5 spices bbq chicken.

Whilst in Hoi An, we also managed to include a trip to My Son. This religious complex was built between the 4th and 13th centuries and has Hindu origins.  My Son was rediscovered in the 1890's by a group of French archaeologists.  For our trip to My Son we opted for the sunrise tour.  It meant an early start, but if you are looking to beat the crowds this is definitely the way to do it.

After our time in Hoi An, it was back to Hanoi for one last night and then back home to Perth.  Vietnam is a beautiful country with some stunning scenery and we will definitely be back one day.

For now though, we are already planning our next SE Asia trip:  Thailand.  More to follow in the new year.


Travelling between Hanoi and Hoi An:
There are a few options for getting from Hanoi to Hoi An.  You can take a bus, take the train, or fly.  With domestic flights in Vietnam being relatively cheap, and because we were looking to make the most of our remaining time in Vietnam, we decided to fly.  The airport is actually located in Da Nang, which is about 40 minutes (30km) north of Hoi An.  We had pre-booked our accommodation in Hoi An and the hotel arranged a taxi for us.  For about US$ 17 each way it seemed like a good deal, especially when compared to the cost of a taxi back home.

Some other useful info:

Before entering the Old Quarter you will need to buy a book of entrance tickets.  The book of tickets is your entrance ticket to the Old Quarter, but the five tickets in the book can also be used to enter any of the 21 buildings that are open to the public.  This is a useful website for more information:

http://www.hoianworldheritage.org.vn/en/news/Useful-Information/Entrance-Ticket-in-Hoi-An-ancient-town-222.hwh
Although this website mentions that the book of tickets is only valid for 24 hours, we managed to use this the same book of tickets over a period of a few days.