There are two aspects to this area. On one hand: it is quaint; car free (not always motorcycle free, only during certain hours) with colourful narrow streets; lots of hanging lanterns; at night the lanterns are lit; the river boats providing evening trips create a very picturesque image. A lot of visitors like that aspect. The other aspect is, they have created an area to enclose tourists and encourage them to dispose of their cash. Every outlet is a bar/cafe/restaurant/shop. The main shops being tailors. There is nothing Vietnamese or cultural. More like an old fashioned Dubai shopping mall. Totally artificial. When you visit, and all tours stop here, you can decide which you prefer. Me ? I will be skipping this place when I come back to Vietnam.

Although, I enjoy much of the rest of Hoi An better, there is a lot to see here. Plenty of shopping and SO MANY restaurants. This is the touristy area of the city, so expect to pay a little more, but it is beautiful.

Although many of the residences are now shops, there are still plenty of buildings which have retained their original architecture. The colours are vibrant and make a beautiful canvas for photos. Plenty of cafes to stop and enjoy traditional Vietnamese dessert drinks. We visited both at night and in the morning - very different vibe so try to do both. Plenty of legends and stories for history buffs to delight in as well.

From 3 pm onwards the roads are only for cycling and walking so , it is nice to stroll but with lots of tourist after 5 pm. Try street food and sweets from ladies who sit in the less crowded streets in the back. They are different , cheaper and tastier than busy night market . Also feel nice when you buy from these small vendor and see genuine smile appear on their face. Night is gorgeous with lanterns every where and buzzling night market . We stayed one night right next to night market street infront of river , so we could go for a peaceful walk in old town early morning to enjoy the architecture.

We highly recommend visiting Hoi An. We have been visiting Hoi An for years and we never get tired of it. Now that our kids are older, we rent bicycles and explore the Old Quarter. There are so many restaurants and coffee shops to check out. Shopping is great fun, especially for ladies, or if you are looking for some neat souvenirs to take back home for family or friends. You can hire a boat to go down the river, take a cyclo ride, or an electric car ride. You can also rent bicycles if you get tired of walking or if you have young kids. This past weekend, we visited the terracotta pottery village (Lang Gom Thanh Ha) and found it quite interesting. We went back the next day with friends.

A must visit if you are in or around Da Nang. A cultural hub full of markets, stalls, and activities. I suggest getting a tailored suit or dress made, and if you visit at the right time you can spectate or join the monthly full moon lantern festival.

Such a lovely place to gather with friends and family to enjoy all of the sights and sounds of this beautiful town. There were so many options for dining with lots of street food vendors. Plenty of places to shop and buy unique arts and crafts. The best part of the night market is the river where light up lanterns can be purchased and set in the river for good luck. It illuminates the river beautifully at night. A must do for tourists.

Nice City for Couples and Solo Travel. Friendly people with cheap and delicious food! I was able to find my partner during my trip to Hoi An. We are gonna get engaged soon. We will choose Hoi An to be our wedding place!

I recommend visiting during the lantern festival (you can google the dates, it's not just one month). Then I highly recommend starting the trip at around 1500, so you can walk the town during daytime. At around 1700 the lanterns and lights start being turned on and at 1800 it gets dark enough to thoroughly enjoy the lanterns. It's also the ideal time to rent a boat ride (20 minutes).

We spend more time here than any others during our long Cambodia-VN holiday. It's a good decision. We stayed and relaxed at a beach resort, but also spent much time visiting the town - about 4km away. It's very nice town, good for shopping.