Destination Hoi An

About a 20-minute walk from Hoi An's historic centre, Lasenta Boutique Hotel is a comfortable hotel overlooking the rice fields. Its main attraction is the infinity pool, with open views across the paddies. There's also a gym, and breakfast offers plenty of choice.

Pip Bar is a small, intimate bar in Hoi An, with a lovely open terrace and a particularly friendly atmosphere. It's the kind of place where you can simply stop for a drink and easily strike up a conversation with other guests. What makes it special is its warm welcome and inclusive atmosphere, particularly towards the LGBTQ+ community.

At nightfall, the Hoài River in the heart of Hoi An fills with small boats decorated with colorful lanterns. For around twenty minutes, you glide among the illuminated boats, with the chance to make a wish and release a small paper lantern onto the water. It's a very touristy activity, but one that really adds to Hoi An's charm.

Hoi An isn't just about lanterns and the old town! A few kilometres from the centre, in Cam Thanh's water coconut forest, you can hop aboard unusual round bamboo boats called thúng chai. Originally used by local fishermen, they're now mostly used to take visitors through the coconut palms. It's definitely touristy, but a fun way to spend about an hour, with a few activities along the way.

A few kilometres from central Hoi An, surrounded by rice fields, Duck Stop offers a wonderfully unusual activity: leading a flock of ducks! With a guide, you feed them, have them follow you around and try the famous 'duck massage', where the ducks peck at seeds sprinkled on your feet. A fun change from the usual sightseeing in Hoi An.

Just a short bike ride from Hoi An’s historic centre, the scenery changes completely. Busy streets give way to rice fields and narrow paths, where you might pass locals on scooters, farmers at work and the occasional buffalo. Around Cam Chau and Cam Thanh, a few cafés offer a lovely spot to stop and look out over the fields.

Set on a boat moored along the Hoài River, Boat Living Hoi An is an unusual bar just steps from the old town. It's a lovely spot for a quiet drink while watching lantern-lit boats pass by. A few snacks may also be available.

In Hoi An, it's hard to miss the made-to-measure shops. The town has made a specialty of it: clothes, suits, shoes… You can have almost anything made to your taste. Even though shopping wasn't part of our travel plans, we ended up giving in too!

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hoi An's Old Town is a maze of narrow streets lined with old yellow-fronted houses, small cafés, shops and colourful lanterns. It's a charming historic centre best explored on foot, with plenty of opportunities for spontaneous stops along the way.