Has anyone been to Hoi An

From what I read about its one of those places that they say –see it before its ruined by tourist. —Or by the time you read about it--maybe it’s too late already.

I want to do a Vietnam trip in the next month or so (I have done a few over the years, last one Hanoi) —was going Ho Chi Minh –but this place sounds nice, its 30Klm from Da Nang , which I haven’t been to either. So as my wife is a shopaholic, I thought about doing 4 days in each. So- anyone know is Da Nang good for shopping many markets etc.

Or advise, scrap that idea and just do HCM.

 

Thanks for any feedback.

In april we went to VIetnam, my wife, grandchild 7 and I, first trip to Vietnam, but not the last.

Since we live in Sisaket province we took the bus from Ubon R to Pakse in Laos and stayed there for a couple of days. Then we took the bus from Pakse to Hue and stayed in Hue 3 days. The bus ride was challenging on the Lao side but we survived. Hue was OK with sightseeing and restaurants, we are not into shopping, so can't tell about that.

 

Then with the train from Hue to Da Nang because grandchild and wife had never tried the train, we had a sleeper cabin for ourselves and that was fine.

In Da Nang we stayed for 10 days sightseeing, visiting friends and got visit from family from my homeland, but no shopping. Da Nang was fine for walking around, going to the beach and many restaurants.

 

One day we vent to Hoi An and that was a disappointment filled up with tourist.

 

Hotels in both Hue and Da Nang were cheaper than in Thailand for the same standard.

 

We used Grab for going around in Hue and Da Nang and for the trip to Hoi An, I have never used Grab before and were surprised over how cheap it was.

 

We left Vietnam for Bangkok and continued our holiday there.

On 7/25/2024 at 4:46 PM, perconrad said:

One day we vent to Hoi An and that was a disappointment filled up with tourist.

 

Thanks for that input perconrad ---I guess I am to late for Hoi An  (story of my life)  About Da Nang when you said no shopping did you mean it is no good for shopping ??

On 7/28/2024 at 1:44 PM, oxo1947 said:

 

Thanks for that input perconrad ---I guess I am to late for Hoi An  (story of my life)  About Da Nang when you said no shopping did you mean it is no good for shopping ??

I only meant that we were not into shopping, so I don't have any knowledge of that.

OK thanks for that---maybe I will get some , advice on Da Nang, although its quite thin on the ground.................

Went to Da Nang in June.  Really enjoyed a few days there, nice beach, nice beach bars, enough sights to keep occupied in the daytime (also have no idea about shopping, not my thing at all).  Good to great food and places to drink.  Nice hotels.  Hoi An is really attractive and great for a day/evening trip from Da Nang, but was utterly rammed with tourists (see pic) on a regular weekday, but I'd go again for the place itself.

Da Nang is pretty horrible, some of Hoi An is very nice, particularly An Bang.  I have been there 5 times in the last 8 months and I have already booked for next year.

 

I wouldn't stay anywhere else in Hoi An btw.

 

 

3 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Da Nang is pretty horrible, some of Hoi An is very nice, particularly An Bang.  I have been there 5 times in the last 8 months and I have already booked for next year.

 

I wouldn't stay anywhere else in Hoi An btw.

 

 

 

 

I like Da Nang.

 

 

Had a great Indian there

11 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

I like Da Nang.

 

 

Had a great Indian there

 

I had 2 great Indian's there.  But Da Nang is dirty, commercialised and the street run off goes straight into the sea.

 

I prefer bohemian and eclectic places.

 

Thanks to the last 4 posters---its left me a little more confused, but at least got some feed back..........

2 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

 

Thanks to the last 4 posters---its left me a little more confused, but at least got some feed back..........

 

Have you booked accomadation in Hoi An yet? where?

6 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Have you booked accomadation in Hoi An yet? where?

No JB I was looking to get some feed back first-----mean to go late August..... there or Ho Chi M...

Hoi An is over 500 yrs old so many has been to the city before you... and thousands / millions are going to.

 

Same in every place. Go and see by yourself.

And as you read here there's as many opinions as readers: "One likes the daughter the other the mother."

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

Da Nang is pretty horrible, some of Hoi An is very nice, particularly An Bang.  I have been there 5 times in the last 8 months and I have already booked for next year.

 

I wouldn't stay anywhere else in Hoi An btw.

 

 

Danang is great, one of my favourite places in Asia 

In An Bang, I would stay at either the Shala Boutique, it's very cheap and good, I stayed there with 6 friends in March. Nice rooms with swimming pool but no restaurant.

 

Or The Waterside, or the Shoreline both more expensive but boutique hotels.  I stayed at The Waterside in March (cocktails in the pool, great breakfasts) Eat at least once at Mr. Hoa and go into Hoi An for an evening and eat at Morning Glory or Morning Glory Signature, she was a finalist on Masterchef.

 

An Bang is very bohemian and eclectic, you'll see what I mean if you go.

9 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

Danang is great, one of my favourite places in Asia 

 

I've stayed there 3 times in the last year.  It one of my favourite places too until I discovered An Bang.

2 hours ago, Northstar1 said:

Danang is great, one of my favourite places in Asia

 

Thanks North star--but why is that--- I am going with the wife , so other attractions  are not really on the menu.

 

Thanks for the feed back from all contributors

3 hours ago, oxo1947 said:

 

Thanks to the last 4 posters---its left me a little more confused, but at least got some feed back..........

Da Nang is great for a beach holiday, sand and sea very nice. Plenty of bars and restaurants. But worthless for sight seeing and shopping.

 

Hoi An is a tourist trap to avoid, packed with Chinese tourists, and souvenir shops.

 

Hanoi is the best sight seeing ever.

 

Saigon is great for beer, hookers and shopping. Not much to see though, but the fast ferry to Vung Tau for a day at the seaside is nice enough.

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

but the fast ferry to Vung Tau

BritMan,

How do you catch ferry from airport? Taxi or?

I wanna check out Vung Tau. They say lots of happy expats there. Did you see any?

5 hours ago, GypsyT said:

How do you catch ferry from airport? Taxi or?

I wanna check out Vung Tau. They say lots of happy expats there. Did you see any?

I worked offshore Vung Tau around 20 years ago, caught the hydrofoil HMC/Vung Tau once a month.

 

The ferry was a great journey, had a bar on board, at times would stop and reverse to remove debris from the intakes.

 

After I left Vung Tau, they built a road, tunnel through the mountains, I don't think the hydrofoil is an operating anymore. 

 

Vung Tau is a nice location, on the beach, trendy city. I've got a few co-workers still living there . 

 

8 hours ago, GypsyT said:

BritMan,

How do you catch ferry from airport? Taxi or?

I wanna check out Vung Tau. They say lots of happy expats there. Did you see any?

I was staying near September 23 park and just walked to the ferry terminal, it wasn't far.

Back beach was nice.

 

12 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

I've stayed there 3 times in the last year.  It one of my favourite places too until I discovered An Bang.

Why did you say it’s pretty horrible?

10 hours ago, oxo1947 said:

 

Thanks North star--but why is that--- I am going with the wife , so other attractions  are not really on the menu.

 

Thanks for the feed back from all contributors

It’s a beautiful city, at night the riverside lights up with the boat’s going up and down the river. 
beautiful beach.

lots of great food.

international airport,

very friendly people.

gorgeous woman.

tons of economical places to stay.

very quiet streets at night in an Thuong.

just a real chilled vibe to it.

I had many Thai travellers that preferred danang to Thailand.

cleanest air in south east Asia.

beautiful breeze off the ocean.

showers and toilet facilities free of charge on the beach( unlike Thailand)

lifeguards on duty( unlike Thailand)

expats you can actually speak with and are of a higher class than the lowlifes in Thailand.

vietnamese men don’t thrive to beat up tourists ( like Thailand)

local youth are much better educated than Thai youth.

the Vietnamese are happy to have you there enjoying their country.

no beggars allowed in the city 

no hookers accosting me on every street corner ( unlike Thailand)

I can go on and on.

14 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

Why did you say it’s pretty horrible?

 

It's very commercialised, acres of tarmac & concrete at the beach, traffic is horrendous and the beach is very dirty.  On one of the trips it was raining heavily and the sewage flowed straight into the sea.

 

I did like the hotels and restaurants there though, I had great food. I've stayed in 3 different hotels there, all ok.

 

I like An Bang because it's a network of 2m wide sandy lanes between all the hotels and restaurants. No cars.