Hoi An Ancient Town Walking Street Food Tours med natmarked

Favourite place in Vietnam! Hoi An Ancient Town is one of Vietnam’s most captivating cultural treasures, and our afternoon guided tour offered a deep and memorable insight into its rich heritage. Centuries ago, this riverside trading port thrived through vibrant exchanges with Chinese, Japanese and Spanish merchants, creating a unique blend of architecture, culture and tradition that still defines the town today. We explored a beautifully preserved Old House, where generations of families have lived and traded, each room showcasing intricate woodwork, antique furnishings and stories of Hoi An’s prosperous past. The iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, with its ornate design and centuries‑old history, was another highlight - an enduring symbol of the town’s multicultural roots. One of the most enchanting parts of the experience was wandering through Hoi An’s bustling market life, which remains the beating heart of the town. The markets were alive with colour and energy: vendors calling out their daily specials, stalls overflowing with fresh produce, spices, handmade lanterns and traditional textiles. The scent of street‑side cooking drifted through the air - grilled meats, steaming noodles and fragrant herbs - creating an irresistible sensory tapestry. Locals and travellers mingled effortlessly, negotiating prices, sharing smiles and moving through the narrow aisles in a rhythm that felt both chaotic and beautifully coordinated. This vibrant marketplace offered a glimpse into the everyday life that has sustained Hoi An for generations, adding depth and authenticity to the historical charm of the Ancient Town. Our visit continued through an Old Temple, offering a peaceful glimpse into the spiritual life of the community. The afternoon revealed why Hoi An Ancient Town is considered one of Vietnam’s most enchanting destinations - rich in history, beautifully preserved and full of cultural depth. We ended the day with an overnight stay in Hoi An, already eager for what the next morning would bring.

Lovely at night with lanterns, markets and plenty of options to eat and drink. Did the boat trip and lit a honky candle! Amazing food, tried the local specialties. Only did a 4 hour trip from Da Nang, would be nice to stay here and enjoy more if the food options.

A must place for you to go. Lots of quality clothes and tailors to make anything. Great cafes and shops.

The city is just an open-air market...they write to accept credit cards but they don't. No reduction for disabled people Trap for tourists In the market almost always the price has quadrupled. In sites more space to sell items than rooms to show Staff at the ticket office for rude vosites Places to visit are small and often irrelevant

This is beautiful place to visit and enjoy boating

I waited Hoi An the most in our Vietnam trip, the city is beautiful and vibrant but i have to say that over-tourism will kill its vibe. You could not enjoy the lantern boat ride beacuse of the loud “rock” music comes from the bar next to the river, or even your dinner in the other side of the river. Also the place is full of plastic neon kind of lights, so you cant feel the ancient town vibes anymore. Also next to the river there are some aggressive, arrogant people trying to sell you something. I really hope they are able to go back for its original vibe.

Insanely congested. The whole place is a sausage factory designed to get you to spend money. Feels like trying to get off a plane the whole time. Yes there’s nice lanterns and buildings but it’s no where near worth visiting for. Perfect definition of a tourist traps. Hard to believe it’s still heritage protected Coconut boats where similar. Ok river system but again, insanely cramped and crowded with everyone trying to take your money. I went to Vietnam with the intention of learning more about the culture and appreciating its natural beauty. The only thing I have learned and seen is the commercial gentrification it’s undergoing and how the tourist economy functions. It’s ugly and unsettling. Skips this and Da Nang IMO although Da Nang is not quite as bad

The rickshaws are a major nuisance now. This is our third visit and first time i have seen them. They charge around busy narrow streets peeping and shouting, spoils the town. Town is flat and no need for them.

I’m of the opinion the view that Hoi A was a little overrated. We’ve travelled extensively across other parts of the world, particularly to other unesco world heritage sites. My view of hoi an is as follows: 1. There are too many retail outlets selling the same products, much of which is cheap, mass produced touristy souvenirs. There’s a lot of rubbish one can purchased to take home, much of which is repetitive. There’s very little genuine arts and crafts reflective of Hoi An’s local community. Quite disappointed. 2. The buildings were old - many of which were also reproductions. There was little control by the heritage sections of the local government to carefully curate what was the original design and the newer reproductions. 3. Tourist guides need to be better trained to provide accurate historical background for Hoi An. Some of the ‘Japanese’ script on display was actually Chinese, suggesting some measure of inaccurate representations of foreign traders in Hoi An at that time.

Too many hawkers and some very aggressive ones. I mean how many leather shops does one need? Massage, junk stores. Scams like lady draping a fruit basket on you for money or now the new one is timeshares. I don’t know if you need more than a day here. Go explore the rest of Vietnam instead. If you ask some their price on their counterfeit Northface “Goretex” they get downright nasty. Best to avoid.