Hoi An

Currency

Rates in the old town are worse than in Da Nang — exchange before arriving, or at a gold shop rather than a tourist-facing counter. The old town charges a ticket fee for entry to its heritage houses.

ATMs & cards

Vietcombank and BIDV machines sit just outside the pedestrian old town. Standalone machines aimed at tourists charge more. Expect low caps and decline conversion.

Bank machines sit just outside the pedestrian zone and cost less than the ones aimed at visitors within it.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Very safe and relaxed, with the old town closed to traffic. The main practical issue is flooding — the river regularly rises into the old town between October and December. Tailors are a local industry, and quality varies enormously.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus up to date
• Rabies for longer stays
• Japanese encephalitis for long rural stays

Getting treated

International hospitals and clinics in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City are good, English-speaking and inexpensive compared with Europe. Public hospitals are cheap, crowded and rarely English-speaking. On Phu Quoc the facilities are basic and serious cases go to the mainland.

Dengue is common in the rainy season. Malaria is not a risk in the cities or the usual tourist areas. Traffic injuries are by far the most common reason visitors need a hospital.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Hoi An has dishes found nowhere else: cao lau noodles, white rose dumplings and banh mi that regularly tops national lists. Eat at the market rather than the riverside terraces.

Getting around

• Bicycle — the old town is flat, largely car-free and cycling is the obvious choice
• Walking — the ancient town is small and closed to traffic for much of the day
• Grab or taxi — for the beach, Da Nang and the airport
• Rented scooter — for An Bang beach and the surrounding rice paddies
• Airport: Da Nang International is about 40 minutes away

Must-see

Things to do

• Walk the lantern-lit old town after dark
• Cycle to An Bang Beach
• Have clothes tailored
• Take a cooking class at Tra Que
• Release a lantern on the Thu Bon river
• Day trip to My Son Sanctuary

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Vietnamese

• HelloXin chàosin CHOW
• PleaseLàm ơnlam URN
• Thank youCảm ơngam URN
• Yes / NoVâng / Khôngvung / khom
• Excuse meXin lỗisin LOY
• How much is it?Bao nhiêu tiền?bao nyew TYEN
• The bill, pleaseTính tiềnting TYEN
• Cheers!Một hai ba, dô!mot hai ba, yo

Tonal, so the same syllable said flat means something else entirely. Nobody expects you to get it right and the attempt lands well regardless.

Religion

Folk religion and Buddhist, officially atheist state

Most Vietnamese practise ancestor veneration at home regardless of what they call it. Remove shoes and hats at temples, and do not photograph people at prayer.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Cross roads slowly and steadily without stopping — the scooters flow around you, and hesitating is what causes accidents
• Remove shoes entering homes and temples
• Use both hands to give and receive
• Haggle in markets, cheerfully, and accept that a small foreigner premium is normal

Don't

• Do not touch anyone’s head, and do not point your feet at people or altars
• Do not show public affection beyond a hand on an arm
• Do not photograph military sites or personnel
• Do not leave chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice