Hoi An Activities
What to Do in Hoi An
Being a UNESCO World Heritage place, Hoi An's old centre is veritably bursting with history. Of course, you can walk through the streets for free, but if you would like to visit several attractions in one day perhaps it's best to buy a Multi-entrance ticket.
You buy them in any of the ticket offices that are in some travel agencies in the old town. With one ticket (about US$3) you can visit one of the three museums, one of the three 'old houses' and one of the three assembly halls. The money goes to the old town maintenance.
Hoi An also has lots of festivals and celebrations, some of which are unique to the city and others that are celebrated throughout the country. Note that most events are based on the lunar calendar, as opposed to the Western calendar. Visitors are more than welcome to participate but it pays to know what they are about beforehand.
Try a cooking school
Vietnamese cooking is in a class of its own and Hoi An is especially well respected as being a culinary destination. To properly appreciate this light but tasteful fare it's best to learn from the professionals. Try a cooking course at an accredited school. There are two cooking schools in Hoi An and they offer half day, full day and evening programs everyday of the year. Highlights include a guided tour of Hoi An's colourful central market, boat trip on the Hoi An River, and hands-on cooking classes.
Red Bridge Cooking School
Address: Thon 4, Cam Thanh.
Tel: 84 (0) 510933222
Morning Glory Cooking School
Address: 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street Hoi An
Tel: 84 (0) 510241 555
Scuba Diving at Cham Island
The waters off Hoi An teem with marine life. There are over 135 species of coral and 202 species of fish here.
Why not book a dive or two to explore them? 2 main dive centres offer diving around Cham Islands:
Cham Island Divers (tel: 84 (0) 5109120782), and Rainbow Divers (tel: 84 (0) 510927678)
Hoi An Festivals & Events
Hoi An Legendary night
Hoi An Legendary Night is a colourful monthly festival unique to the town. This event is held on the 14th evening of every lunar month and during this festival, the city lights are shut off between 17:30 and 22:30 and the streets are lit up by an array of colourful lanterns.
Motor vehicles are not allowed in the city during this evening, which allows pedestrians to walk the streets care-free, enjoying the relaxing mood, cultural music, and atmosphere similar to ancient times. This night there are many activities and performances throughout the city.
Lunar New Year
Celebrated nationwide, the first days of the lunar New Year are very important. On these days, Hoi An inhabitants are involved in many activities and organize traditional cultural festivals.
Visitors can see performances of many traditional dances like the four noble-animal dance and the unicorn dance. Afterwards many people go to pagodas and shrines to pray for profit and wealth and pay visits to one another and enjoy traditional dishes.
Mid-Autumn Festival
On the 14th and 15th of the eight month of the lunar year, Hoi An organizes traditional cultural activities such as a Mid-Autumn Party to enjoy the moon-light and watch the unicorn dance, the procession of lanterns, and music and song competitions. This festival is popular with children. Drumming, moon cakes and lion dances are all involved in this festival.
Hoi An hotels and resorts at the best rates, from Five Stars resorts such as Palm Garden Resort Hoi An or Swiss Belhotel Golden Sand Resort, to budget accommodation like Van Loi Hotel Hoi An or Green Field Hotel, you are sure to find the accommodation you are looking for.
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