Visit Hoi An

 New general manager for Swiss-Belhotel Golden Sand Resort and Spa, Vietnam 28/04/2009
Swiss-Belhotel International is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Frederick Van Ravesteyn as the General Manager for Swiss-Belhotel Golden Sand Resort and Spa, Hoi An, Vietnam. Mr. van ...
 Hoi An Hotel 06/04/2009
Boasting 19th century colonial charm and modern amenities, business travelers and tourists will appreciate the convenience and atmosphere of this hotel. Located four kilometers from Cua Dai Beach, ...

Hoi An is a silk mecca. The quality and selection are the best in the country, and you'll have more peace and quiet here during a fitting than in Hanoi. Silk suits are made to order within 24 hours for about $35; cashmere wool is $45. There are countless shops, and the tailoring is all about the same quality and fast.

Tran Phu Street is lined with art galleries and good pottery and woodcarving vendors. Along the river, lots of places sell blue-and-white ceramics. However cumbersome your finds are, like those lovely Chinese lanterns, shopkeepers are masters at packing for travel and to fit in your luggage, and will do so before you've even agreed on a price or decided to buy.

There's no shortage of places to eat and drink in this town which is well geared to supplying its many visitors. Along the waterfront there's a whole row of restaurants on Bach Dang St competing heavily for your business. Some of these have upstairs terraces overlooking the river which is a great place to dine in the evening when all the lights reflect in the water. On the opposite side of the river across the little bridge there's a row of bar/restaurants where it always seems to be 'happy hour' (Saigon Export for 7,000 VN = 50 cents). We particularly liked Thanh Phuong (56, Cong Dong St), a family run place where waitress's mother cooks a marvellous fish steamed in banana leaf. The terrace looks back over the river at the illuminated old city.<

On Tran Phu St, the main road through the centre there are plenty more options including Omar Khayyam's Indian restaurant which is a nice change if you're looking for something a little different. Throughout the small streets of the centre there are countless Vietnamese restaurants serving traditional dishes including a local specialities such as Cao Lau (noodles with bean sprouts, greens and pork slices), fried Won Ton and White Rose (steamed shrimp in rice paper).

A great idea is to get transport to the coast to escape the food touts and enjoy a fabulous seafood lunch overlooking Cua Dai Beach where you'll find delicious fresh crabs and lobster at a fraction of what we'd pay in the west.

The Hoi An (Quang Nam) climate is influenced by monsoon. The annual average temperature is 25ºC. It is hot and dry from February to April and rainy from September to December. The average humidity is about 84%. The annual average rainfall is 2,000mm. The average sunny hours: 1,944 hours/years.