Hoi An
Hoi An is in the middle of Vietnam and a beautiful city where you can do many activities and sightseeing. This city breathes creativity and has a cozy old centre where you can wander around and enjoy the many different craftsman stores.
Cooking class
A must do in Vietnam is a cooking class and Hoi an is an amazing city to do that at. When you stay in Dom hostel you can book the cooking class through them but you can also contact them. The company is called Vinh Vo Cooking Class and during this cooking class you will first go to the market to buy some of the products you need for cooking. Then you will all go with a mini van to the place where you will do the cooking. You will make 6 way to delicious dishes and after every two dishes you will have dinner all together. They send you the recipes so you can also cooking the dishes at home. After the cooking and eating you will go to the river and have a nice boat ride in a authentic round bamboo boat. You will fish for some crabs there and you can enjoy all the other boats on the river and have some fun. After the river adventure they will bring you back to your hotel/hostel. And one thing is for sure, you won't be very hungry anymore for the rest of the day. The price for the cooking class is around 30 euros.
Tailor made clothing
The most populair thing to do in Hoi An is to get some clothing made. Doesn't matter if you want a new casual outfit, fancy outfit or swimwear, the tailors in Hoi An know what they are doing and will make you something stunning. I went to two different places for my different outfits. For a linen outfit I definitely recommend LiMe which is specialized in linen and can literally make you everything you can imagine. The other store I went is Sua Le Tailor where I had two satin dresses made. At Sua Le Tailor you have many options between colors and different fabrics so in case you want something different then linen you should definitely visit this store. Both stores make amazing and comfortable clothes and where definitely worth my money. For my 4 piece suit of a long pants, shorts, top and blazer I paid around 80 euros.
What else is there to do?
Besides the cooking class and letting your clothes made there are many other things to do in Hoi An is all about creativity so why not make your own lantern? You can also visit the beautiful temples called My Son and of course you can visit the night market.
In case you would like a more relaxing day you can visit the beach and enjoy a dip in the ocean. Go to the Cham islands for some amazing snorkeling, diving and relaxing at the beach or visit the golden bridge which is close to Hoi An.
For the motorbike lovers you can rent a motorbike in Hoi An and drive through the Hai Van pass to Hue. You have to bring your backpack with you but it is a stunning drive through the mountains and it is only 21 kilometers long so easily done in 1 day.
Places to eat
Hoi An is not only populair because of all the tailor made clothing but also because of the many food options in their charming streets. A few amazing options for delicious food are:
The Shamrock Irish Pub which is in the city centre and has delicious western food.
Old House of Tan Ky where you can eat cheap but amazing authentic Vietnamese food.
Nha Hang An Do Ganesh Indian restaurant which is close to Dom Hostel.
Nice place for coffee is Phin Coffee.
Dom Hostel
A new hostel close to the old city centre area. Dom hostel has private and dorm rooms and a lovely staff that helps you with everything. Your breakfast is included with your stay and every morning they make you something fresh and different which can vary from noodles, rice, baguette with omelette or pancakes. The rooms are nicely airconditioned and have two bathrooms. Beds are very comfortable and everything is cleaned every day. From Dom Hostel it takes you less than a 10 minute walk to the old city centre where you can find many shops and restaurants and where it in the evening really comes alive.
Staying at Dom Hostel will cost you around 5,50 euros per night.
