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 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 5 dishes to try in Nha Trang

Well known for clean beaches and beautiful eco-tourism sites and islands, Nha Trang is also famous for its cheap and delicious cuisine. While the city has amazing 5 star hotels with luxurious restaurants to boot, you can experience authentic Nha Trang food in more local and inevitably delicious places in town. Check out our 5 top dishes to try while in Nha Trang. Centre Vietnam travel

Hải sản

Translated as “seafood”, this really isn’t a dish, this means a medley of different seafood. Not surprisingly in this beach town, the selection and quality is top notch. Any number of dishes will have the option of “hai san” which will include fresh fish, crab, shrimp and/or squid. There are abundant seafood restaurants, street stalls and beach resorts offering the best hai san the city has to offer.

Local insight: Most places have seafood on display so you can pick which items you want to have for dinner. Halong bay tours

Top 5 dishes to try in Nha Trang

Bò né

A breakfast favourite of locals, Bò Né is a beefsteak served with pate, eggs, bread and chili sauce in a blisteringly hot plate. It is accompanied with a mix of salad, tomato, cucumber, onion and vinegar. One notable item is the bread which is always served warm and crusty.

Local insight: Check ou the Bo Ne at 41 A Le Dai Hanh. It’s tasty, filling and at VND35,000 a plate, a steal. Mekong river tours

Nem nướng Ninh Hoà

The sauce is the key to this dish and simply put, is amazingly delicious. Minced pork is mixed in a sauce that is equal parts peanutty, salty, and sweet. The dish is served with grilled pork, a deepfried spring roll wrapper, and salad wrapped in rice paper. Price ranged from VND40.000 to VND60.000/set.

Local insight: The area of Dang Van Quyen street, near Dam market is the traditional centre of “Nem Ninh Hoà”.

Bánh cuốn thịt nướng
Different from it’s cousin to the south, this spring roll usually served with minced pork meat, called “chả lụa”. It still comes with the prerequisite greens, pickled daikon and carrots along with the smattering of herbs inside a rice wrapper.

Local insight: You can get the best banh cuon at the restaurant located at the corner of Ngo Gia Tu and Bach Dang Streets.

Bún cá sứa

Your trip to Nha Trang wouldn’t be complete if you don’t have this kind of noodle soup. Not many people are fan of jellyfish but this is one of specialities in Nha Trang and fresh tuna or marin is also served with the jellyfish. Dip the fish or jellyfish into a special fish dipping sauce to create a taste sensation not usually found in the country.

Local insight: Bà Năm restaurant, Dam market or the corner of Bach Dang and Nguyen Thien Thuat streets are reliable stops for the best bun ca – bun sua in town. And if it’s too much for you, the jellyfish is optional.

Hope you enjoyed reading out top 5 dishes to try in Nha Trang and feel free to let us know what you think of them!

A guide to souvenir and gift shopping in Vietnam

We all know that happiness is real only when it is shared. And the best way to share the happiness after your travel is to bring souvenirs and make gifts for people you love. Because only in such a way we can share our impressions and let them also feel energy of the places we saw and literally touch the culture and history of the country. And of course, don’t forget to make a gift for yourself – it will remind you about all the days and moments that you spent in beautiful and mysterious Vietnam! Are you tired of fridge magnets and need ideas of creative and valuable gifts? We are here to help you! Vietnam travel

Conical Hat
Conical Hat has become one of the true symbols of Vietnam and, probably, nobody is coming back home without the one on a head and few more in a suitcase! The hats may have different styles, depending on a region where it comes from.  For example, Tay group has distinctively red color, Thanh Hoa has only 20-hem frame, Hue’s is thin and elegant while Binh Dinh’s is thick. So not only the hat itself, but also a story behind it will be a great reminder about Vietnamese adventures! It also possible to make it with your own hands with the help of locals craftsmen. JAHAN CRUISE

Silk
Silk items or silk fabric can be a great gift for the people you love, including for yourself! Every time when the person will wear or touch a beautiful silk dress, scarf or suit, he will touch the entire history and culture of Vietnam at the same time. One of the best places to shop for silk is Hoi An, a small beautiful town located on the coast of the East sea and famous for its old traditional craftsmanship. Here you will find more than 400 silk and tailor shops with a great choice and the highest quality items .Paradise Cruise

A guide to souvenir and gift shopping in Vietnam

Silk Paintings
In Vietnam silk is used not only for making clothes! Do you have a friend who is an art lover or passionate about Eastern culture? Then silk paintings maybe a right choice for you! You can find paintings in different sizes, colours, prices, but each of them is a real piece of art, created by Vietnamese artists using ancient traditional techniques and ornaments. Such a gift will be a great decoration for any house in any part of the world.

Guoc Moc
From Vietnamese, guoc moc is translated as sole sisters. For people here, this is not only everyday shoes, but also an important part of a history and culture of the country as guoc moc shoes for the first time were mentioned in a third century book as a footwear of a Vietnamese resistance movement leader. Nowadays literally everyone in a Vietnam has a pair of guoc moc, and these stylish and comfortable shoes will be the best gift for any fashion-monger!

War Souvenirs
There are many collectors in the world interested in collecting war memoirs, and if you know one of them (or you are the one), then in Vietnam you should definitely visit Dan Sinh Market (also known as War Surplus Market), that sells genuine and authentic surplus of Vietnam War. Here you can buy war memories from both, Vietnamese and American sides, which remain important historic relics.

Vietnamese Ceramics
Vietnam had been famous for its high-quality ceramics for centuries. One of the places where you can buy a great porcelain is an ancient Battrang Pottery Village, which is only 10km away from Hanoi, on the left bank of the Red River. Here you can not only buy beautiful items, but also participate in a workshop with local craftsmen and make a piece by yourself! Isn’t it the best gift for the one you love?

Vietnamese Embroidery 
Another stunning gift from Vietnam is a handmade embroidery. It comes from a 700-year-old tradition and even nowadays girls are expected to know how to decorate their clothes, pillowcases, curtains, tablecloths, etc. So such kind of gist will be not only a beautiful decoration element of a house, but also a great example of deep roots of Vietnamese culture.