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SATURDAY
Cruising leisurely through the streets of Hoi An in the early morning, a bicycle will take you to countless delightful places. You can chase after street vendors, stop by the roadside to enjoy a sandwich, or sip a hot cup of coffee while watching the crowds go by. Or simply take a deep breath of the fresh air and enjoy the most peaceful moments of the day – that's already incredibly satisfying.
After breakfast, you can enjoy a leisurely bike ride around the old town to explore its charm. One of the most popular tourist attractions is Minh Huong Village, home to Ong Pagoda (also known as Quan Cong Temple). Built in 1653, Ong Pagoda boasts majestic and grand architecture, and is dedicated to Quan Van Truong (a symbol of loyalty, integrity, and righteousness). Ong Pagoda was once a religious center of ancient Quang Nam, and also a place where merchants frequently visited to secure loans, conduct business, and seek fortune through divination.
The Tuy Tien Temple in Minh Huong village is also a typical and significant historical site in the development of the ancient Hoi An trading port. Built around the end of 1725, it has undergone several renovations. It is a place of worship for the founding ancestors of Minh Huong village in the 17th and 18th centuries, including the Ten Elders, Six Families, Three Families, and other deceased ancestors. The structure includes a front hall, an east house, a west house, and a rear sanctuary, with a yin-yang tiled roof. The architectural details are intricately carved according to various traditional cultural designs. The site was classified as a national historical and cultural relic in 1993.
On the streets, many young women gracefully wear traditional ao dai dresses and conical hats to take photos beside ancient houses that have preserved their unique architecture, such as Quan Thang Ancient House, Tan Ky Ancient House, or Phung Hung Ancient House. Built over 200 years ago, Tan Ky Ancient House has a tube-shaped architecture – characteristic of Hoi An townhouses – with an interior divided into many rooms, each with its own function. The front of the house is used for opening a shop, while the back connects to the riverbank for importing and exporting goods. The interior decoration mainly consists of precious woods, intricately carved with images of dragons, fruits, auspicious symbols, silk ribbons, etc., reflecting the prosperity of the generations of owners. In 1990, Tan Ky Ancient House was granted the status of a national historical and cultural relic.
Another destination, the Japanese Bridge (also known as the Bridge Pagoda), the official symbol of Hoi An, is an architectural structure built by Japanese merchants who came to trade in Hoi An in the early 17th century. The bridge is 18 meters long with 7 wooden spans, crossing a stream flowing into the Hoai River (a branch of the Thu Bon River). The bridge is gracefully curved and intricately carved, with the three Chinese characters "Lai Vien Kieu" (meaning "Bridge of Friends from Afar") embossed above the main entrance. A small shrine dedicated to the Northern Emperor Tran Vu is located on the bridge. At both ends of the bridge are two groups of seated monkey and dog statues.
But please note that you are not allowed to ride bicycles on the bridge!
Chinese assembly halls are a particularly important part of Hoi An's architectural heritage. Among the ancient assembly halls, the Fujian Assembly Hall stands out the most, renowned for its magnificent, majestic, and imposing beauty within a vast space, showcasing the distinctive architectural style of the Fujian people. Legend has it that the predecessor of the Assembly Hall was a small shrine dedicated to the statue of Thien Hau Thanh Mau (the goddess who protects merchants navigating the stormy seas), salvaged from the Hoi An coast in 1697. Through numerous renovations, primarily funded by Fujian Chinese, the Assembly Hall has become increasingly splendid and spacious, contributing to the architectural beauty of the ancient city of Hoi An. The arrangement of the statues – representing the six founding ancestors (six surnames), the midwife goddess, the god of wealth, etc. – profoundly reflects the East Asian philosophy of human happiness. The Fujian Assembly Hall was granted national historical and cultural heritage status in 1990.
While cycling around town, you can also buy yourself some clothing, considered a "specialty" of Hoi An. You can absolutely show a picture of the product you like to ask the tailor for a custom-made item, or you can ask the tailors for their opinions. In addition, during your exploration of Hoi An, don't miss the many ready-made items available at reasonable prices and good quality.
Don't forget to spend some time in the evening strolling through Hoi An's night market, a truly magnificent place with souvenir stalls lining the riverbank. Besides these diverse and abundant souvenir stalls, the riverside also boasts numerous street food vendors offering all the famous Hoi An dishes such as Cao Lau, Quang noodles, and banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancakes)... all delicious and reasonably priced.
An iconic specialty of Hoi An is Cao Lau, a dish with the distinctive flavor of the town. The Cao Lau noodles are made from rice flour soaked in ash water from Cu Lao Cham island and cooked with water from the Ba Le well, served with braised pork sauce, bean sprouts, and fresh vegetables from Tra Que vegetable village.
Therefore, even though there are countless food stalls to choose from around the night market, you should first try a bowl of cao lầu!
SUNDAY
Start your peaceful morning exploring this beautiful town by waking up early and visiting Hoi An Market. Don't forget your camera, because this is your only chance to capture the tranquil yet bustling and vibrant moments of the local people.
After enjoying a bowl of Quang noodles, you can freely explore one of the nearby craft villages specializing in woodworking or pottery. If you want to buy souvenirs for family and friends, this would be a good time. Most souvenirs here are made in China, so buying Hoi An handicrafts will offer much more sentimental value.
Leaving the old town center, a few minutes' bike ride will take you surrounded by rice fields, shrimp ponds, and buffaloes grazing on either side of the road. Stop at Thanh Ha pottery village or Tra Que gardens, famous for a tea-making class using delicious organic herbs. Your lightweight bicycle will allow you to easily navigate around, weaving through narrow alleys. If your legs get tired, you can stop at a familiar roadside shop to rest and enjoy the famous corn sweet soup or corn milk to quench your thirst.
Alternatively, you can continue cycling to nearby beaches like Cua Dai or An Bang if you want to enjoy a sunbath in the afternoon. Ranked among the 50 most beautiful beaches on the planet by CNN Go, An Bang beach, with its long stretch of fine sand and lush green coconut trees, would be a delightful choice for a beautiful weekend afternoon.
As evening approaches, cycle back to the Old Quarter to watch the sunset over the moss-covered rooftops. As the sun sets, the streets begin to light up with lanterns, the Hoai River bustles with boats sailing up and down, young people releasing floating lanterns, couples taking wedding photos, and tourists strolling through the streets…
You can't leave Hoi An without trying some of the city's amazing specialties like chicken rice and cao lau noodles. Both dishes are readily available at upscale restaurants as well as street stalls. Hoi An's chicken rice is quite famous for its rich and flavorful taste, and cao lau noodles are perhaps only truly delicious when eaten in Hoi An.
After dinner, take a stroll around the old town to enjoy the vibrant and bustling atmosphere under the colorful lanterns of Hoi An on a weekend evening.
If your feet get tired, you can stop by a cafe. Hoi An has many interesting cafes such as Reaching Out, which sells beautiful household items handcrafted on-site by people with disabilities; or Hoi An Roastery, which not only serves coffee but also delicious pastries, juices, and beers with unique origins.
Just two days exploring Hoi An is enough for you to have peaceful yet exciting experiences. Soon, after the period of social distancing,Hoi An has reopened for tourism.Free entrance tickets will be offered to attract tourists to visit the ancient town. From June 1st, night market activities, pedestrian streets, and cultural and artistic performances in Hoi An ancient town, Thanh Ha pottery village, and Tra Que vegetable village will resume, promising to create attractive cultural and tourism products for visitors.
Bicycle rental locations in Hoi An
As a long-established service in Hoi An, renting a bicycle for sightseeing and exploration is very easy. You can use the bicycle rental service of your hotel or ask the staff for assistance. If you are only visiting Hoi An for a day trip, you can rent a bike from Mr. Trung's shop (15/1 Tran Hung Dao), Ms. Phong's shop (1 Le Loi), etc. Bicycle rental prices in Hoi An are also quite affordable, with many promotions to encourage tourists to cycle, which is not only convenient for transportation but also contributes to environmental protection.
