We love Hoi An so much that we revisited this old town 2-3 times in one year. Instead of going to new places, we kept going back to HoiAn because we can’t get enough of this charming, historic town. People here are friendly, polite, and sincere from the boat ladies to the cyclo drivers. The food are amazing; everyday we ate Cao Lau, Mi Quang, Banh Hoa Hong,…and still didn’t get enough of Hoi An’s famous dishes. Shopping for silk scarves, sitting for hours in one of many outdoor coffee shops in Old Town Headquarter, releasing lanterns into the river, tasting desserts from street vendors…are all of our favorite activities. For us Hoi An is just like an Asian version of Venice with better resorts, more delicious food, and more value for your bucks.
Here are some of my favorite dishes/restaurants/cafes/activities in HoiAn:
1. Cargo Club: the most photogenic corner of Hoi An
At the corner of Cargo Club and Tam Tam Cafe, we captured some of the most-well dressed people in HoiAn. Just a simple outfit, a hat, and a pair of sandals, this guy really rocked the look. He looks like he just steps out of “The Quiet Americans”.
….and this lady who passed by me..just a simple loose hair style, a Bohemian maxi dress, she brightened up the whole street as she parked her bike at the Cargo Club! And then slowly…she walked like a gentle breeze..and when she sat down at one of the tables to read her book and drink her coffee, that corner was just so lively…She and that corner became an exquisite painting of Phố Cổ Hội An.
2. Hoi An Roastery: very good coffee, friendly staff, beautiful view,…
3. Trung Bac, 87 Tran Phu
Cao Lau is the most favorite dish of Hoi An. The recipe is more than 100 years old and the smokey chewy noodles can’t be found outside this ancient city. It’s a delightful combination of color, texture, flavor, and spice. The famous restaurant for this dish is Trung Bac, 87 Tran Phu.
4. Streets Restaurant, 17 Le Loi
A signature dish of Hoi An, the traditional white rose dumplings gets its name from its shape. The recipe for this dish is more than 120 years old and descendants of the family who originated this delicacy still produce it today. Our favorite restaurant for this dish is Streets Restaurant, 17 Le Loi.
5. Cơm Gà Bà Buội,22 Phan Chu Trinh
Finally we found this place that everyone in town has raved about (glowing reviews from locals and 5 stars from TripAdvisor)….10-min bike riding under the (lovely) rain…here we were at “Cơm Gà Bà Buội” – famous for their Com Ga Hoi An.
6. Tam Tam Jardin
At Tam Tam Jardin, we were drinking coffee…others drawing pictures…or conversing in Italian/Frecnh! We just love the artistic atmosphere on a rainy day in Hoi An!
7. Stop by any street vendors and enjoy the hot ginger “Tàu Phớ”
8. Stop by any lantern shop in the old town to be amazed at how the locals hand made these beautiful lanterns
9. Shopping for silk scarves!
10. Reaching Out Tea House
When you enter the tea house, you immediately stop talking and just enjoy the atmosphere. The staff here are hearing impaired or deaf; you communicate simply by gentle smiles, gestures, wooden blocks with words, and little papers where you write down your order. Besides their delicious locally made tea, coffee and biscuits, they do everything right with the finest details from their teapots to their utensils: imprinted gold-leaf tea cups, condensed-milk clay-pot container,…and more important each teapot is individually made in their workshops by people with disabilities. Enjoying silent tea service and contributing to a great cause make this tea house our all time favorite!
11. Releasing lanterns into the river
December 7, 2015
