Slow Down In Hoi An On A Cycling Tour Around The Ancient Town
Hoi An is a land of an extraordinary beauty that makes both domestic and foreign visitors standing in awe. If this is your first date with this antique and delicate town, cycling is certainly an interesting suggestion in search of ancient yellow walls and mossy tilted houses. Or you're like me, making a comeback to Hoi An to enjoy the laid-back life one more time. It's still worthwhile to join in a day trip on a bicycle, which reveals hidden corners of the town. Pedaling in Hoi An is so distinctive that Agoda, a popular website for hotel booking, has listed Hoi An in Top 6 Stunning Rides For Bikers In 2019 together with Florence (Italy), Paris (France) and so on.
Appropriate Time To Start Your Cycling Tour In Hoi An
Discovering Hoi An by bike is an excellent experience for many visitors, especially foreign tourists. If you are particularly interested in the peaceful and quiet nature of the old town, it will perfectly match your need. Cycling to explore this World UNESCO Heritage protects you from the noise or dust from motorcycles, helping a hand to reduce to the carbon footprint of your travel.
To enjoy all the original beauty of the ancient town, you should wake up early (about 6 am) or choose to go in the late afternoon (around 4 pm). It was a time when the atmosphere cools down. The medium heat ensures that cycling will not get too exhausted. No strong sunlight nor crowded streets. As dawn is breaking over rustic alleys, foliage and grass is wet with early morning dew, reflecting sparkling sunlight. The bright and purified atmosphere after a long night will surely make you fall in love. On the other hand, the faint light after the sun sets slightly lets go of the vibrant yellow on the dark tile roofs of the street. The colorful walls of the ancient house are breathed a new life, lightening up a long-gone era of a busy port city.
What To Expect In A Hoi An Tour On Bicycle
Enjoy The Old Town While Everyone Else Is Asleep
Early in the morning, you can enjoy the ancient feeling of your own when the whole town is still dormant in sleep. For convenience, you should rent a bike right at the hotel or homestay. If you can speak Vietnamese or the hosts know English, don't hesitate to ask for some recommended stops during your ride. Some popular areas that have made quite a name for Hoi An are The Japanese Bridge, Tran Phu Street, Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Here you can come across rustic houses dated back to the 17th century and some famous handicraft shops of the local. From Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, you can make a U-turn to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street to admire the Japanese bridge temple. It appears like the pearl in the middle of the color festival. After having a beautiful selfie on the famous bridge, ride the bike to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai to go to Phung Hung old house if you have more time. That's a basic schedule for a half a day cycling tour in Hoi An.
If you are ready, then, inhale the fresh air in the morning, press pistons, and ride the bike. Don't forget to bring a hat, or you can try the signature conical hat of the Vietnamese to avoid sunlight. A light jacket will also come in handy when the sun shines brighter.
Slowly cycling to admire the streets, don't forget to choose a breakfast shop to continue your journey. Along Tran Phu Street or the river, there are also many breakfast bars with typical flavor of Hoi Hoi Street. After you finish your meal, maybe a sip of Vietnamese coffee can boost your energy and round up the morning. This is also one of the exciting experiences in the bucket list for Hoi An. Choose a high balcony corner, the early morning peace of Hoi An becomes incredibly romantic, surprisingly lovely. Peacefully observing local people in Hoi An waking up, heading to work in the morning, preparing a new day, you can't help but falling in love with Hoi An.
Very Hoi An decoration, very rustic, the aroma of tea, coffee, delicate lotus flavor, will bring great start for a new day. Also, you can visit the famous galleries, the traditional tailor shops, the lantern shops, or check-in the legendary Hoang Van Thu wall, which resembles an oil painting.
Wander Hoi An In The Afternoon
After strolling around the old town, feed your stomach with some street food to continue an incredible plan to explore the charming town in the afternoon. It is now more suitable for you to go away from the neighborhood to discover the natural surroundings. Divert your wheel to the east side, about 3 km from the old town; you will reach An Bang beach. Rest your feet at a small roadside restaurant and have yourself a cup of refreshing tea or a little cake, some junk food and then continue the expedition by bike. An Bang beach is among the top 50 most beautiful beaches in the world, according to CNN Travel. The beautiful scenery with translucent blue water and soft sandy beaches will create a relaxing and refreshing afternoon. If you feel energetic, let's take a challenge to go to Cua Dai beach, which is approximately 6 km from Hoi An Old Town. Here you will catch sight of the serene village with green rice fields, seven-acre coconut forest.
Still, don't let the beautiful nature make you lose track of time. The Old Town puts on a dazzling outfit after dark. So don't miss it. During the daylight, Hoi An cherishes the tarnish of yin and yang tiles. The walls of gold are the brand name of this port city. But Hoi An nights are highlighted by the glow of thousands of lanterns. When the street lights up, there are thousands of silk lanterns hanged in front of packed stores, hundreds of floating lanterns are sparkling on the Hoai River. The whole small town becomes an enchanting place. Make a wish and let it flow with the lantern, now you can call it a day for the cycling tour in Hoi An