After my trip to Hội An in March’18, I’ve been tickled about jotting down the fascinating things that the husband and I did right while exploring this beautiful, touristy town in Vietnam. I suggest that you stay in Hội An for at least 3 nights to experience the following 10 fun things that can spice up your trip:

1. Eat Cao Lau Noodles and Chicken Rice at Pho Xua.

I tried Cao Lau noodles at 4 different restaurants (including Miss Ly Café 22, which probably has the most popular votes) in Hội An, and what they served at Pho Xua was undoubtedly the best. Meanwhile, the husband of mine fell in love with their Chicken Rice. The 3 Hội An special dishes that I came across in my online research were Cao Lau noodles, Chicken Rice, and White Rose. Vegetarians do no have to miss out on any of the fun local dishes; I got my Cao Lau noodles customized without the pork topping everywhere I went. Well I still dream of the Cao Lau noodles that I had at Pho Xua; that’s how much I loved it.

2. Get clothes tailored at the Central Market from one of the large number of tailoring stores. I got a simple, flowy dress stitched, in the pattern that I chose, from store number 41, run by Ms.Emma and her daughter. First, you can look at the patterns that they show you in their design books and bookmark the ones that you like the most. Then they let you choose similar cloth material from their own shop. You have to bargain as much as you can to get the price reduced. These tailoring shops are so touristy that they quote the price in US dollars. I got my dress stitched for $40. You can also get footwear made, in the pattern of your choice, from the same market.

3. Walk around in the Night Market.

You could take a walk in the night market on a random night and on a full-moon night to feel the local vibes. On an ordinary summer night, the street is fully lit, bright, and happy. Whereas on a full-moon night, all the restaurants, cafés, and roadside vendors use minimal lighting and look beautifully romantic. You must try banana pancakes and ice-cream rolls from the street vendors.

4. Get a bicycle from the hotel and ride in the Ancient Town.

Only walking/cycling is allowed inside the Hội An Ancient Town. You can buy the Ancient Town entry tickets to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Fukian Assembly Hall, and the Old House of Tan Ky. The history of the Japanese Covered Bridge dates back to the 1590s. I was so amused by the large incense coils hung, in dozens, inside the Fukian Assembly Hall. The Old House of Tan Ky is an ancient building, on the banks of Thu Bon river, which has withstood way too many flood attacks, with minimal blemishes.

5. Rent a scooter and ride to Ang Bang Beach.

Ang Bang Beach is just less than 5km from the Ancient Town. You can ride down the straight road that leads to the beach, without having to worry about dealing with the mad traffic. It was so wacky to get petrol filled at makeshift filling stations that the locals put up in front of their roadside dwellings.

6. Shop for leather goods.

Use all your bargaining skills to shop for some leather wallets, purses, or bags from the street shops or roadside vendors. You could start by bargaining from 1/3rd of the price, which the street vendor quotes, to get the best deal.

7. Enjoy candlelight dinner on a full-moon night at one of the quaint restaurants on the riverside. We had ours at Trang Vang restaurant, which served delicious food at reasonable prices. The “candlelight” that they provided was in the form of a traditional oil lamp on the middle of our table. It would be perfect if you get one of the tables outside; you can keep looking at the floating lanterns in the river and feel the happy vibe.

8. Take a morning walk through the local market.

In the morning, you could just walk around in the bustling central market to experience the local trade culture. You can check out the fruit and vegetable stalls, the fish stalls, and the meat stalls in the market. They also sell flowers, local spices and other interesting stuff. You will get to soak in the town’s local sights and sounds. You could buy some rice paper, rice noodles, filter coffee, and Vietnamese tea.

9. Take a day trip to Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary.

At Mỹ Sơn, you can see the remains of the Champa empire (AD 192–AD 1832), which the Americans partially destroyed during the Vietnam War. Your hotel can help you book this day trip with a local travel agent, who will give you the option of travelling to the site by bus and coming back by bus/boat. Some information about this UNESCO World Heritage Site is still a mystery to historians worldwide; for instance, nobody has been able to figure out the language that was carved on the stones outside the Hindu temples.

10. Eat Bánh mì sandwiches at Madam Khanh – The Bánh mì Queen.

I read so much about this tiny eatery online and yet was blown out of my mind eating their vegetarian Bánh mì. I literally had a foodgasm! The husband liked my veg Bánh mì better than his chicken Bánh mì.. ha! Never in my dreams did I expect to fall in love with Vietnamese flavours so much! They put spicy Asian sauces and coriander leaves in the sandwich. You can order some local beer or Vietnamese iced tea with the sandwiches. The bread was so soft, very unlike the Bánh mì sandwich that I have had at Phobidden Fruit, a Vietnamese restaurant in Bengaluru. The old lady who owns this snack bar collected money from us after our meal; we presumed her to be Madam Khanh.