Hoi An- Ancient Town

It's a great feeling to get a break from the big city vibes and get back to country-side life. Easiest way to get to Hoi An is flying to Da Nang -- from there it is only about a 40 minute drive and costs around $15.

The real magic of Hoi An's old town comes out at night, so be sure not to skip out on it. Pro tip: there are ticket offices that sell tours on the streets that lead into the old town, and some of them will try to scam you and tell you that you can't "get into town" without a ticket. Just ignore them and keep walking.

Making grass sleeping mats in Hot An

Where to stay

Loc Phat Home Stay

Check prices and availability

This family-owned homestay is being run by the most wonderful people. The private rooms are spacious and comfortable. It is a 5 minute scooter ride (rent at the hotel for $5 per day) to Hoi An's old town, and 10 minutes to XXX beach. If you prefer, you can rent and ride bicycles ($1 per day).

Where to eat

 Cocobox

There are a few of these around Hoi An's old town. Fun and laid-back atmosphere with a good, simple menu that includes shakes, sandwiches and salads. Vegan and vegetarian options here as well.

Ganesh

If you feel like taking a short break from Vietnamese cuisine this Indian joint is the best place to do it. Really awesome Indian food!

What to do

Buy yourself a custom suit

Hoi An is known for its many master-tailors that can turn around a custom-made, well-fitted suit within a day or two at a bargain price. It is the perfect opportunity to get yourself covered for that upcoming event.

Heaven and Earth Bike Tour

An awesome experience that will give you an inside look into the local life on the tiny islands around the city of Hoi An. If you're hankering to dive into culture with some light bike riding, this one is definitely for you. First, you will take a boat to the tour's starting point from which you will ride your bicycle through the villages, stopping along the way to learn about local practices and professions: a 96 year old woman still hand-weaves and sells Vietnamese sleeping mats, a local man makes rice wine for the entire village, and a few more surprises we will save for you to discover. Cost: $17 per person or XXX for a morning tour that includes a local lunch.

Basket Boat!

Vietnam Travel Guide

Vietnam is a large country. Even a month won't be enough to explore all of its beauty. We spent two weeks in Vietnam and will definitely be back. We didn't want to run around like chickens without heads trying to push as much as we can into the two weeks so we focused on 3 main places in Vietnam, we started in the south (Ho Chi Minh), and made our way north through Hoi An Ancient Town and then checked out to Thailand through Hanoi. Below you will find awesome recommendations and tips, all of which we've collected first hand.

GETTING AROUND

• Visa: American citizens need to obtain a visa in order to enter Vietnam. While a pretty simple process, it is one of the only countries in East Asia that requires a visa and some planning in advance. You first must obtain a pre-approval visa letter from a Vietnamese agent in Vietnam, it may sound complicated but this is a very standard and straight forward process and there are many different companies that provide this service and can be found online. We used a www.vietnamvisa.com and paid $17 per person. The turn around time was 3 days and you can opt for a "rush" service at an extra cost. You will have to provide them with your nationality, full name, DOB, and passport number/expiration date, as well as purpose of visit and address of where you plan to stay. Once you get the letter in the mail they will include instructions. They also offer a service where an agent of theirs will meet you upon arrival at the airport and will help you thorough the visa obtaining process, this service is unnecessary. Make sure to print your letter and also have one passport photo available to provide the visa agent with (they do have a photo service at the airport but it is probably expansive and will be a hassle). Lastly, it is wise to carry US dollars for the visa payment as their exchange rate if paid in local currency can be poor. Now, how much do they charge for the visa? A steep $135 per person. It used to be $25 for a one month single entry visa but effective September 1st, 2016 they changed it to $135 for a one year multiple entries visa. Although you may not need this extensive option, you don't really have a choice, it is the only one at the moment. Read more about Vietnam visa policies for all nationalities here. Don't be discouraged by the airport's officers strict and cold attitude, it gets better the moment you step out of the airport.

• Main international airports in Vietnam: Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi MInh (South Vietnam), Da Nang International Airport (DAD) in Da Nang (Central Vietnam), and Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) in Hanoi (North Vietnam).

• VietJet Airlines is a low cost airline in Vietnam, we used it several times and it was great. Domestic flights are around $50 each.

• Two most reliable taxi companies: Vinasun and Mai Linh.

• Best option from Airport to your hotel is probably a private car company called Songviet. Booking in advance will get you 30% discount.

• Uber is operating in Vietnam.

• In the big cities, do not wear any fancy jewelry or easy-to-grab bags and be careful when using your phone on the street, there are thrives on motorbikes that may try to snatch it out of your hand.

• I do not reccomend renting a motorbike in the big cities. It is to busy/risky. Taxis are pretty cheap and walking around is easy.

MONEY

• Local currency: at the time of writing this the exchange rate for 1 USD is 22,300 VND (Vietnamese Dong). Click here for current exchange rate.

• The Vietnamese 10,000 and 100,000 (LINK) bills are similar in color. We met two different people that accidentally gave a few 100,000 (about $4.5 each) bills instead of 10,000 (about 45 cents each). Unfortunately, in most cases they won't mention the mistake and will pocket the extra cash, so be sure to be careful and take your time when paying.

• Getting local currency: I find it best to withdraw money from the ATM. Usually best exchange rates. Be sure to inform your bank of your travel plans.

• Credit cards are widely accepted with a surcharge of 2%-4%.

• Cost of living is low in comparison to what we know. We've had great meals for under $10 (for two including alcohol) and awesome accommodations for $20-$50 per night.

• If you plan to exchange foreign currency at one of the counters at the airport, definitely do not settle on the first offer you get. Know the correct exchange rate in advance and negotiate to the closest rate. Jump between the counters, one of them will gives you the fair rate you deserve. 

CULTURAL TIPS

• Vietnamese aren't fans of standing in lines, they will cut thorough you like thin air. Prepare to protect your spots in lines. Obviously stay positive and cool while doing so, you are on vacation. :)

• They love honking in Vietnam, just get used to it.

• Crossing the street can be a real challenge, the roads are very busy with hundreds of scooters and cars. There is no such a thing as courtesy to pedestrians, if you will wait for drivers to stop for you to cross a crosswalk you better be prepared to stay in the spot for the rest of your life. So how do you cross? You just do. Look both ways and then start crossing slowly and confidently while keeping your eyes at the direction of traffic and on the drivers. It will feel like crossing through a huge pack of salmon in a gushy river, but you miraculously make it to the other side every time. Once you start crossing, never step backwards. 

MISC.

• While many know this city as "Saigon", its official name since 1975 is Ho Chi Minh City. "Saigon" is still widely used though. 

• Electrical outlet...

• Fun fact: Vietnamese are big on karaoke!

Our route:

We started in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), from there we flew to Da Nang and stayed in Hoi An (40 minutes car ride from Da Nang). We then flew to Hanoi, stayed in Hanoi's old quarter for a few days, took and awesome two day, one night trip to Halong Bay, and lastly went back to Hanoi for a couple of more days before flying out to Thailand. I am currently writing this sitting on a flight to Bangkok.

Choose and click on a place below to find out where to stay, where to eat, and what to do!

• Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)

• Hoi An (Ancient Town)

• Hanoi

  And the cherry on top of this Vietnamese cake:

• Halong bay!