Top 7 local coffee shops in Hoi An

It is no coincidence that you see a lot of coffee shops along many streets in Hoi An. Hoi An people love drinking coffee every morning. With a couple of small table and small stool along the roadside in small part of the old town, reading newspaper while sipping coffee then looking around and enjoy life –life slowly immersed in the heart of the ancient town. Centre Vietnam tours

There are many coffee shops in Hoi An but these 7 coffee shops will be the best ones:

1. Café Des Amis

Located at 52 Bach Dang Street, Hoi An, Café Des Amis is the choice of many peoplewhen coming to Hoi An. Its owner, Nguyen Manh Kim, is fluent in many languages and always satisfy his customers with his cleverness. Des Amis is not a big coffee shop but has convenient position.It faces to Hoai river port which is crowded and riotous all the time with boats and people pass by. There, you can enjoy not only coffee but also some specialities of Hoi An such as white rose, caolau while listening to classical music or flamenco. Moreover, there is a notebook inside the shop so that you can write your feelings about the shop and their staffs into it. Alova Gold Cruise Halong

Café Des Amis

2. Bep Truong (Chef) coffee shop

Bep Truong coffee shop is one of the most familiar coffee shop to both foreigners and local people in Hoi An. Located at 166 Tran Phu street, Bep Truong is a coffee shop, a restaurant and one of the biggest bookstores in Hoi An as well. The second floor in the shop is space for coffee with comfortable seats which is easy for both reading books and enjoying coffee. Books can be brought from ground floor with a variety of headings. If you like the panoramic view of the old town, you can select to sit at the balcony of the second floor or even the top floor where you can easy have an overview of Hoi An from above.   2. Drinking coffee and reading book at Bep truong (Chef) coffee shop . MANGO CRUISE
3. May Concept

May Concept is well-known for its aesthetic and subtle layout and of course its wonderful coffee filters.Its location is in a small alley to your right as you exist the Japanese Covered Bridge on to Nguyen Thi Minh Khaistreet. The exact address is 8C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. The coffee shop is a tiny house with quite, simple rooms decked in dark wood antique furniture. It is a tasteful handicrafts shop, a coffee lounge area for reading or working and a shady walled garden with lily pond.   3. May Concept Cafe
4. Gemstone Art Museum – GAM

GAM is own by a Vietnamese- Italian couple Duong Nga and Fantini. The museum has the collection of hundreds of gemstone art from around Vietnam collected by Duong Nga and her father in more than 20 years and exhibited for tourist all around the world. At its back is a shady courtyard garden cafe that serves up coffee with condensed milk (cafe sua da). On the second floor a wine bar for those wine fan. It is situated at 133 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.     4. Gemstone Art Museum
5. Reaching Out Tea Rooms

Reaching Out Tea Rooms is an extension of the Reaching Out brand- a charity to help the disabled in Hoi An and nearby areas. It stands out on Tran Phustreet with a hand-painted sign on the wall “The beauty of silence” which is exactly what you can feel when sitting in this shop. By enjoying a cup of one of their exquisite teas or coffees, you already help the speech and hearing impaired staff receive the gift of integration into a work environment that empowers them, and the pleasure that their hospitality brings to guests partaking in the Teahouse experience.  That’s a good way to do charity.     5. Ordering in a different way at Reaching Out Tea Rooms
6. U café

Far away from the center of the old town, U café will be a great place for those who love quiet atmosphere to enjoy coffee. The shop is on Huyen Tran Cong Chua street, in Cam Chau ward facing to Hoai river. Its owner is a Japanese women named Reiko Usuda who chose Hoi An as her second home. U Café is a beautiful structures built with local materials which is sustainable and friendly to the environment. It is green space located in a quiet place that is very appropriate for those who need to work with laptop but still want to have great moments with a cup of coffee or a delicious meal outdoors.     6. U cafT  
7. Hai Café

Located at 98 Nguyen Thai Hoc and 111 Tran Phustreet, in the heart of ‘Old Hoi An’, Hai Cafe Bar & Grill is an impressive place to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or a drink. About the drinks, in addition to Vietnamese coffee which is quite strong, you can find European style coffee prepared such as cappuccino, latte, macchiato triple, flat white or simply a concentrated espresso.By night the restaurant becomes a hub of activity as guests watch the chefs in action in the open-air kitchen, cooking in large woks, and traditional barbecues and steamers. It is a great place to chill or go online with a good free wifi connection.     7. Hai CafT  
If you want to know more about coffee culture in Vietnam or wonder what coffee shop is worthyto go for, which onehasgood view, or just simply that you travel alone and want to find some friends to chat while drinking coffee, just contact us. Hoi An Food tour team will serve you all the best.

Hoi An & The Old city

Hoi An & The Old city

Hoi An is a quant, unique town that you want to linger on while backpacking through South East Asia. It’s lovingly preserved Old Town is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, where you can soak up the surrounds by simply walking or cycling the streets. Along the streets of the historic centre are speakers which play soft instrumental music, that literally feels like you are in a movie. Hoi An is full of vibrance and Vietnamese culture, a must see stop on your backpacking adventure of Vietnam.

Once the sun sets Hoi An is set alive with nightly events. Music and dance performances often take place along the riverfront where people release floating candles as well wishes into the Thu Bon River – a magic site to see. Shopping continues as you cross the bridge over to An Hoi island filled with night time markets.

The best way to get around Hoi An is by stretching your legs and exploring by foot, especially through the old town. Cycling is another great way to explore and get to near by beaches.

Hoi An’s beaches

Top up your tan with a short pedal out of Hoi An to laze over cheap beer and sunsets. Two nearby beaches; An Bang Beach or Cua Dai Beach are located 3-5km out of the city that vary in tourist numbers. Travel Halong bay Vietnam

Hub of Tailor Made Clothing

Hailing as the capital of tailor made clothing in South East Asia, Hoi An is famous for its custom made clothing. Temptations will be running high to get measured up and take home a spanking new outfit from a new suit to dresses, blazers and more. Scattered across the city are countless tailor made clothing shops producing quality made to order items within 24 hours at a reasonable price. Allow yourself time for fittings to come away looking extra sharp. Vietnam Mekong river tours

Hoi An & The Old city

Local Cuisine

Hoi An is a real haven for those people with a sweet tooth and interest in scoring secret recipes of local vietnamese cuisine. Thanks to the French influence of the town, you can find delicious cakes and pastries on every street corner. The lively local markets are a taste of organic living, with crops being grown in the surrounding farming countryside. Tea is serious business in Vietnam in particular Hoi An. It’s not just the flavorsome drink, but it comes with a whole ceremony and practice.

Visit the ruins of My Son Ruins of the Cham dynasty

Hidden in a valley surrounded by mountains one hour bus ride out of Hoi An lies the ruins of My Son of the Cham Dynasty. The impressive Hindu structures of My Son now recognised as a UNESCO world heritage site were badly damaged during the Vietnam War, still standing as a sight to see when in Hoi An.

Getting to Hoi An

Getting to Hoi An from Northern Vietnam is a breeze. Our backpacker dedicated Boomerang Bus Vietnam departs from Hanoi Backpackers Hostel and travels south to Hoi An as the last stop on route. The Boomerang Bus Vietnam covers many insanely stunning locations as stops between Hanoi and Hoi An. Another option is to get on a Top Gear Motorbike Tour that departs from our Hue Backpackers Hostel zipping over the renowned High Van Pass.

Top 7 Souvenirs to Buy in Vietnam

The top 7 souvenirs to buy in Vietnam, whether you are on holidays or on a business trip.

Apart from the joy of discovering a new culture, taking photos and tasting the exotic flavors of Vietnam, shopping might bring you more opportunities to get in touch with local habits.

A shopping tour is usually the last step of a trip and it is always a bit tricky. The second “HCMC 100 exciting things”, a campaign promoting activities in the city, announced some time ago the top 7 souvenirs to gift to friends, family members and loved ones. The results came from a poll voted on by travelers and expats. Travel to Vietnam

Hopefully more of these events will be coming to other major cities, such as Hanoi, Hoi An, Hue and others.

CONICAL HAT

Ao dai

Non la (leaf hat) is a circular cone made of bamboo cataphylls, notable for it’s romantic adornments. The non la is more than an indispensable tool for people in Vietnam: it has become a cultural symbol. The style differs by region, so for example those of the Tay people have a distinct color, while in Thanh Hoa they use only a 20-hem frame. Hue’s is thin and elegant, while Binh Dinh’s is thick. Mekong delta tours

Vietnamese wear the non la all year. The shape protects the wearer from the downpours of the rainy season like an umbrella, and provides shade and protection from the heat during April and May, when temperatures climb to unbearable levels.

Top 7 Souvenirs to Buy in Vietnam

Local Insight: At a workshop, you can get a hat for only VND 3,500 - VND 10,000. Depending on the quality, price at souvenir shops range between VND 30,000 and VND 100,000.

Since the 18th century, the ao dai (long dress) has been Vietnam’s national costume. There are three main styles of ao dai nowadays. Halong bay cruise

“Trendy” ao dai reach to the floor and fit the curves of the body by using darts and a nipped-in waist; the “hippy” ao dai is brightly colored and very popular among young teenagers; and the “mini” ao dai have slits extended above the waist and the panels reach only to the knees.

The usual way to acquire an ao dai would be to pick the fabric first. Usually there are two different colors, one for the long dress itself and a second contrasting color for the trousers worn underneath. After the fabric is chosen, you bring it to a tailor specialized in creating ao dais. Usually it takes around one week until you can pick up the finished product, but please keep in mind that during the preparation for Tet (lunar new year), it can take significantly longer.

Local Insight: An ao dai costs at least VND 700,000. If you can spend the time and have experience finding decent cloth and a good tailor, you might have your stylish ao dai at a reasonable VND 1,500,000.

Silk is woven from the cocoons of the silkworm. Thus, It has always been considered extremely luxurious and only available to the nobility. The days when silk had only been manufactured for Vietnamese royalty is long gone, and the fabric has become widely used throughout the country. Silk and its beautiful products are affordable nowadays, so tourists have a chance to choose their favorites and gift them to friends and family.

Local Insight: The price for regular Vietnamese silk is at least VND 70,000/m and over VND100,000/m for premium kinds. Silk below that price is originating from China and of questionable quality.

The art of hand-embroidered pieces of clothing and framed silk pictures is an old handicraft tradition in Vietnam. You will mostly encounter picturesque natural scenes like flowers, trees, animals and birds, patiently stitched one colorful thread at a time. But also daily life scenes, even portraits can be created with this ancient technique. Tourists are frequently baffled by the vast variety of designs, offered in hand embroidery shops, the vibrant colors and the intriguing depth of the artwork.

In some shops, tourists can explain or sketch their individual idea to the artist, who creates a personalized present for friends and family.

If you visit Da Lat, there is a workshop & gallery for marvelous and artful hand embroidery images upstairs in the central market.

Local Insight: You can buy a small hand embroidered product for around VND 500,000. For bigger pictures, the price can be VND 2,000,000 and above.

Sand painting is the art of pouring colorful sand and powdered pigments on a sticky surface and fixating it later with spray, so it doesn’t come off again. However, there is a second art form called sand painting, which is practiced in Saigon: The artist pours the colorful sand between two glass panes or in a specially designed mug or vase. The layers of sand form an enthralling piece of art, that looks stunning on every shelf and makes an excellent souvenir. Vietnamese sand picture art comprise 4 categories: Landscape, portrait, labor scenes and the traditional art of calligraphy.

Local Insight: The price for artful sand pictures ranges from VND 300,000 to VND 700,000.

GUOC MOC

wooden clogs

Wooden clogs (guoc moc) were a sort of traditional footwear for men and women alike in the past. After the feudal period, they mostly remained in a trio of Non la, Ao dai and Guoc moc to increase the gracefulness of Vietnamese ladies when attending important festivals or any special events in town. Guoc moc are rarely used nowadays, but tourists can catch a glimpse of them at traditional activities like the Cai Luong and Ca Tru performance.

Local Insight: Being considered as quite old fashioned footwear, the real Vietnamese wooden clogs are hard to find. If you can find some around VND 150,000 then go for it.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

A handmade musical instrument can also make a nice keepsake. Bamboo flutes and mini t'rungs are very popular among visitors. Since the flute is just a small bamboo pipe and the t’rung can be easily disassembled for transport, they are convenient to carry home and don’t use up too much space in your already stuffed luggage.

The sweet tone of these instruments will thrill your ears and remind you of the most memorable moments from your trip to Vietnam.

If you are in Saigon, there is a nice old man, playing and selling simple flutes in Le Loi street at the sidewalk. If you are interested in hearing more traditional flute play, there is a student club of young flutists, who meet in the evening hours at 23/9 Park near Ben Thanh Market to play and practice. Nguyễn Thiện Thuật street in D1 is also known as “guitar street”. There are many shops and workshops for instruments, mainly guitars and their relatives - like the ukulele.

Local Insight: Prices for a t’rung range from VND 300,000 to VND 1,000,000. Simple bamboo flutes come at around VND 10,000.

You should expect to bargain for the items you want to take home as souvenirs. One “trick”, that can be applied in Ben Thanh Market is to browse the fixed-price shops outside and negotiate with the inside shops for the items you want to buy. We also have a blog post on bargaining at the market which shows you some tips to bargain and suggest some of the best places for shopping apart of the Top 10 Shopping Places in HCMC.

Do I need a visa to travel to Vietnam

Vietnam Visa Requirements

For any traveler a trip planning should start not from booking a flight ticket or arranging a hotel, but from checking the visa policy of the country he would like to visit. Some nationalities can enter the territory of Vietnam without visa. But for majority of the countries it is required. The visitors can obtain a visa from one of the Vietnamese diplomatic missions or via agency on arrival. Also a passport valid for at least 6 months is necessary. Check the policy before you start travelling to avoid problems on the Vietnamese border. Southern Vietnam with extension to Cambodia 10 days

Visa Exemption
Currently 17 nationalities can visit Vietnam without visa for different time periods. In 2014 it was proposed to allow citizens of European Union, the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan to enter the country without visa as well. But in September 2014 this proposal was rejected. Vietnamese government extended the list of the visa exemption countries only for Australia, France, Germany, India and the UK. SONG XANH CRUISE

List of the countries that do not require a visa to Vietnam (with a duration of staying): Image Cruise
Brunei (14 days)
Cambodia (30 days)
Denmark (15 days)
Finland (15 days)
Indonesia (30 days)
Japan (15 days)
Kyrgyzstan (30 days)
Laos (30 days)
Malaysia (30 days)
Myanmar (14 days)
Norway (15 days)
Philippines (21 days)
Russia (15 days)
Singapore (30 days)
South Korea (15 days)
Sweden (15 days)
Thailand (30 days)

Do I need a visa to travel to Vietnam

Visit to Phú Quốc Island
Phu Quoc is designated as a Special Economic Zone and the Vietnamese government are allowing tourists to stay on the island for up to 30 days without requiring a Vietnam Visa. To be able to enter Phu Quoc without visa you should arrive to the island from any other foreign country and land at Phu Quoc International Airport. If you are transiting from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, then you must board your flight to Phu Quoc from the international terminal in order to receive your exemption. Also it is possible to come to the island by a cruise ship sailing from the other international ports. However, if you are planning to continue your trip around the country, then visa obtaining is required.

Visa on-arrival
In order to get your visa on arrival, first of all, you should receive an approval letter. First of all, you  have to fill in the Online Application Form and pay the service fee. Normally, within 2-3 working days you will get your Visa approval letter issued and stamped by the Vietnamese Immigration Department. The same document will be sent to Vietnam Immigration checkpoints at the international airports, wo when you arrive, the documents will be prepared for you. With the approval letter you can obtain a visa at airports in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang for a maximum stay up to 3 months.

Types and cost
The fee depends on a type of visa you would like to obtain and your duration of staying. There are two types of visas in Vietnam: single entry and multiple entry. The service fee for applying starts at USD 17. Stamping fee depends on your type of visa:
Single-entry visas – USD 45
Multiple-entry visas
Valid for less than 01 month – USD 65
Valid for less than 06 months – USD 95
Valid for 6 months or more – USD 135
Transfer of validity of visas or temporary residence from expired passports to new passports – USD 15
(PLEASE NOTE – THESE ARE THE PRICES AT TIME OF WRITING)


Visa extension
Due to recent changes in Visa laws starting 01/01/2015, Visa renewals have become difficult, expensive and sometimes impossible. The rules relating to Visa renewals seem to be unclear at time of writing, with some tourists paying up to $380US to extend their Visa an extra 3 Months. After making phone calls to Immigration, no one can give a clear answer on the renewal process and price.


IMPORTANT
Always ask for information at the Vietnamese diplomatic missions in your countries to check the current visa policy and other relevant and reliable updates.