Hoi An not only has a mysterious charm during the day but also when the sun goes down. Let's explore the list of the best things about nightlife in Hoi An so that you can fully enjoy your time there.
Hoi An, formerly called Faifoo, is an ancient city situated on the coast of Vietnam. Designed more than 400 years ago with the blending of Western and Eastern architecture, Hoi An has been recognized as a UNESCO cultural heritage. Hoi An is well-known by countless domestic and international visitors for years for its well-preserved architecture, rich historical values, and warm local people.
In this article
Visit Hoi An Night Market
Enjoy vibrant Bars and Pubs
Discover Hoi An street foods
Wander Hoi An ancient town
Drop paper lanterns into the river
Indulge Red Dao Herbal Bath
Participate in folk games
Watching the Hoi An Memories Show
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What to do for nightlife in Hoi An?
Visit Hoi An Night Market
The first thing you should consider to spend your nightlife in Hoi An is visiting Hoi An Night Market. This 300-meter long market is located on Nguyen Hoang Street, near the Japanese Covered Bridge, and opens from 17:00 to 23:00 on a daily basis. Over 50 local street vendors start to display their items on roofed trolleys or small stalls along the walkways when sunset falls, ready to deliver to you the most quality and unique products.
Hoi An Night Market has a wide range of products, from silk products, paper lanterns, embroidered handbags, pottery to tourist souvenirs. You should note that the prices asked by local vendors are pretty inflated, so you can feel free to ‘bargain’ for at least 30% lower. If you are not interested in buying stuff, you can still come here to contemplate colorful lanterns and take a few pictures under the shimmering dim light.
Enjoy vibrant Bars and Pubs
Although Hoi An is notable for its ancient beauty, it does not mean that tourists cannot enjoy modern things. There are numerous Bars and Pubs that start to open when the city lights up, with special happy hour deals, talented local artists and DJs, excellent cocktails, and wines. For those who want to have a contrasting and lively taste of nightlife in Hoi An, below is the list of some exciting Bars and Pubs so you can make your choice.
A bar is an ideal for enjoying a nightlife in Hoi An
Q- Bar
As one of the most prominent bars in Hoi An, Q-Bar is a gathering place of ultra-hip tourists and locals who are lavish and willing to spend a significant amount of money to have fun. The menu of Q-Bar is quite expensive, with several types of beers, cocktails, and, most significantly, delight Japanese snacks. Q-Bar is decorated followed by Oriental styles, with much woody stuff, unique lanterns, and dotted with colorful neon lights.
Location: 94 Nguyen Thai Hoc
Price range: 50,000 VND to 200,000 VND
Dive Bar
Dive Bar does attract not only local people but also foreign travelers and diving enthusiasts. As same as many other bars, Dive Bar has a diverse menu, from mocktails to wines. However, besides drinks, you and your friends can also enjoy shisha while playing billiards, watching the moon in the garden area, etc. Another unique thing about this bar is you are allowed to mix your own cocktails, if you want, under the guidance of a professional bartender.
Location: 88 Nguyen Thai Hoc
Price range: 25,000 VND to 110,000 VND
Before and Now Bar
The before and Now bar is extremely noisy, but that is what makes it special. This nightclub always has appealing offers, such as buy two get one free, four happy hours, etc. So, if you want to have a good deal, you should come here from 18:00 to 21:00. In this high-energy atmosphere, you will enjoy the fun, from drinking, dancing, making friends, playing foosball, and so much more.
Location: 51 Le Loi
Price range: 40,000 VND to 120,000 VND
Discover Hoi An street foods
Are you a gourmet who loves to try everything in a new country? If you answer ‘yes,’ then you should taste Hoi An street foods. Besides the ancient architecture, Hoi An is also famed for its mouth-watering local cuisine. As street foods are always sold on streets, you can easily find these along Hoai riversides, where many food vendors place tables, chairs, and food stalls.
A long list of tasty foods that you should try are:
Grilled Meat skewers
Originated in Hue, but Grilled Meat skewers are incredibly famous among locals and tourists. Each skewer is only 5,000 VND, served with rice paper, vegetables, and dipping sauce. But, of course, there is nothing more significant than enjoying hot and flavourful grilled skewers with a refreshing cold beer.
Cao Lau
When coming to Hoi An, Cao Lau - also called Hoi An noodles - is always on the top list of must-try things. Actually, you can try Cao Lau across Vietnam, but only in Hoi An, you can get the most original and authentic taste. A typical bowl of Cao Lau has soft noodles with barbecue pork and hot broth.
Cao Lau in Hoi An town
Sizzling Pancake (Vietnamese style)
The Sizzling Pancake in Hoi An is quite different from other places in Vietnam, mainly due to the sauce. The Banh Xeo has a yellow color outside, and the inside is filled with shrimps, porks, bean sprouts, and squid. When taking a bite, you will feel the crispiness of the cake, mixed with fresh meat and rich sauce.
The diversity of Hoi An cuisine does not stop there. You can also enjoy Bun Bo, Quang Noodles, Banh Beo, White rose, sweet mango cakes, Hoi An chicken rice, etc., at a reasonable price.
Wander Hoi An ancient town
When enjoying the nightlife in Hoi An, it would be remiss if you do not wander the Hoi An ancient town. At night, Hoi An is lighted up with thousands of colourful lanterns instead of white bulbs. That creates an exceptionally romantic and poetic atmosphere.
Walking in the town is great way to enjoy the Nightlife in Hoi An
All vehicles are banned from 5 pm every day. So, you can freely stroll down the streets to discover the old town, immerse yourselves in the Asian elegance and nostalgia, as well as making your soul feel peaceful and lightsome. If you have a desire to broaden your knowledge about Hoi An of the old days, many local tour guides are willing to take you back to the historical past.
Drop paper lanterns into the river
If you want to spend your night most distinctively, another thing you should do is dropping paper lanterns into the Hoai River. This activity is a traditional culture of people in Hoi An. It includes the implication of wishing for health, fortune, and joy, avoiding all unlucky things. Each lantern has a small candle inside, which symbolizes that wishes will be lit and come true.
Paper lantern in Hoi An
Paper lanterns are meticulously produced by the masterly hands of the craftsman and sold for around 20,000 VND each. Along the Hoai River, between the An Hoi and Japanese bridge, there are several hawkers selling paper lanterns. You can buy from them and hire a small boat to drop into the river.
On several days of the month, such as the 1st and 15th (releasing calendar), or the Lantern Release Festival, thousands of people will come to the Hoai river and release lanterns. The atmosphere will become much more sacred and splendid. There is nothing that can be more breathtaking than this experience, isn’t it?
Indulge Red Dao Herbal Bath
After a long day of discovering Hoi An, you can derive pleasure from the nightlife in Hoi An by taking a Red Dao Herbal bath if you get exhausted.
As precisely by its name, this kind of bath has more than 120 different types of herbs and plants of the Red Dao ethnic minority. They bring many benefits to the users, including helps to reduce pain, soothe the skin, and increase blood circulation.
But, most importantly, it will make you feel fully recovered and relaxed afterward. This wellness tradition is also combined with hydrotherapy and aromatherapy.
Each bath only costs from 200,000 VND to 300,000 VND, and you can find this service in many local spas. Although spas start making bath bookings in the early morning, it is better to end your tiring day with this relaxing and healing activity.
Participate in folk games
Another exciting activity is playing folk games, including Bai Choi, blindfolding hide and seek, singing a hut song, dragon and snake, etc. All of these games will help you to understand more about Vietnam’s traditions and people.
Among Vietnamese folk games, Bai Choi is the most engaging one, with the rules similar to Bingo. Every night, near the An Hoi Bridge, people gather in a large yard to take part in this game. As Bai Choi needs players to understand Vietnamese folk songs, it is better if you can go there with a Vietnamese friend. Otherwise, just start buying some cards, and friendly local people will help you play.
Watching the Hoi An Memories Show
The Hoi An Impression Theme Park is a must-see attraction featuring the magnificent Memories Show. With over 500 actors and dancers, this performance is a captivating blend of music, lights, and visual arts, evoking a wide range of emotions.
The show takes place on five enormous stages, showcasing the timeless traditions and spirits of Vietnam through stunning imagery. The combination of traditional dances in ao dai and conical hats with the rich cultural history of Hoi An is truly enchanting.
Ticket options include visiting the park alone for 300,000 VND or enjoying the show. Show tickets cost 600,000 VND for adults and 300,000 VND to 450,000 VND for kids.
Hoi An memories should not be missed for nightlife in Hoi An
Hoi An is always brilliant and magnificent, no matter day or night. Instead of staying at hotels when the night falls, enjoying and participating in the above activities will give you the reasons why Hoi An is on the list of must-visit cities. Hopefully, after reading this blog, you will get an idea of what to do to spend your nightlife in Hoi An.
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