5x Highlights of Hoi An – Vietnam

People would warn me that if I haven’t had a culture shock in Bali yet, I might gonna get it in Vietnam. But for me, it was the opposite. After having traveled in Indonesia for one month, Vietnam was sort of a relief. It’s more quiet and serene, the streets are American sizes (huge), nature and climate are less oppressive… I also found it way more modern than Bali.

Hoi An is an Ancient city in central Vietnam full of yellow-painted colonial houses. It’s a gorgeous little city with interesting history. Let me point out my highlights of Hoi An, Vietnam.

Bicycle Though Hoi An

Hire a bicycle and bike around the city calmly. Enjoy the beautiful colors of the city and its elegant architecture. Notice how the city can be quite chaotically but still radiates some sort of serenity. Bike along the sides of the canals and if you feel like exploring some more on your bicycle: go to An Bang Beach for a relaxing day at the beach.

Banh Mi from the streets

Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich which they typically fill with different layers of meat like beef and pork and a massive amount of coriander. I had the best one from the streets. I remember being amazed by its taste and tried it several times in restaurants after that one, but it was never as good as the one from the streets.

Under The Coconut Tree

I was only meant to stay here a few nights, but no one was able to pull me away from this place. I truly had the time of my life. It’s a hostel slash homestay at An Bang Beach. The cabins are entirely built of bamboo which makes it look super cute. I used to chill and do some work on my laptop in the restaurant (try the papaya salad with shrimps). I met so many different and great people in just a period of two weeks. I seriously had the time of my life here. It’s only two minutes walking from the beach.

Da Nang

The third largest city of the country is Da Nang, only 30 minutes from Hoi An. I used to hire a scooter and drive myself all along the coast to the city. It’s separated by the Han River into two parts and has several bridges that connect them together. All bridges come with their unique designs. The Dragon Bridge probably stands out the most as it fire-breaths every night around 9PM. It’s a spectacle that attracts tourist and locals, but a cool experience anyhow.

Fusion Maia all-inclusive spa

I came to Vietnam because I was invited by Fusion Maia to teach their staff about social media. I stayed in one of their villas my last few days in Vietnam and I look back on these days as special. Fusion Maia taught me how to be more relaxed in daily life. They will spoil you with spa treatments everyday, healthy food and yoga classes.