Vietnam was the last place I expected to fall head over heels in love with on our south east asian adventure. We knew we wanted to add a bit of a beach escape to our busy Singapore sling, and we most definitely almost had a week in Bali on the cards. However after speaking to my Uncle and his wife, and hearing about the various places they had visited on long weekends and public holidays, we ended up settling on 5 days in Hoi An instead. It blew our expectations and hope for a tropical paradise right out of the water.
Singapore is a pretty convenient hub for flights when it comes to exploring that side of the world. There are so many different options if you're looking to use Singapore as a base or as a starting point for your travels. It's expensive to get there, but once you're there, the options are endless and definitely don't break the bank! We flew from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City, onwards to Da Nang, then a private transfer via taxi to Hoi An which took around 30 minutes. We stayed in The Boutique Hoi An Resort, which was just a 5 minute taxi ride to the old town and only cost a few quid. For 5 nights including all transfers this set us back around £400 each. We probably spent much less than that with food, shopping etc while we were there, because as I said it is all super cheap! Our hotel was absolutely insane, in the most beautiful setting with a private beach and the service being second to none. This is where we blew most of our budget, as we really wanted a wee week of luxury while we were there. I'd imagine a similar hotel back home would cost you upwards of £300 per night, so in reality it was a total steal.
Hoi An really comes alive at night and the heat is much more bareable to walk around in than what it is during the day. We realised this after our first day there. Mornings should be spent at the beach or the pool, doing very little (or as much as you can possibly muster in the 40 degrees plus, which was always mega humid too) Once the sun sets it's much more easier to explore the town without feeling like you're melting. The temperature normally went down to 20-25 degrees by then. Which was much more enjoyable for exploring the night market, walking down the river, checking out the endless tailor shops which Hoi An is so famous for, and sipping a vietnamese coffee while watching the hustle and bustle go by.
Food was such an integral part of our trip, and each evening when we ate out a three course meal including drinks generally never came to any more than £20. Our favourite spots for coffee were Hoi An Roastery and Coco Box, The Dive Bar and Tiger Tiger for drinks, good music and Shisha. Then Morning Glory and Miss Ly for the most delicious food we tasted while in Vietnam. The streets in the old town become completely pedestrianised between certain times and into the evening, so once you've passed the main road with a sea of motorbikes crossing your path, it's all clear to walk from there.
All in all, Hoi An felt like a town frozen in time. It posesses so much beauty and charm, wonderful people, and a deep rooted heritage which still shines through despite the growing popularity with tourists and western influences. Well rested (and well fed!), we were sad to say goodbye to this wonderful place, and definitely left a little bit of our hearts in Vietnam.
