Most places go with the classic four seasons. Hội An keeps it simple: wet and dry. Both are hot — one just comes with a side of monsoon. The dry season stretches from February to July, with June and July turning the heat all the way up. It’s a fantastic time to visit, but seriously, buy a fan first. Trust me, you’ll want it more than a souvenir.
This trip to Vietnam was less about sightseeing and more about writing. I arrived with ten novellas plotted and one half-written. I’m pleased to say I’m leaving with three fully drafted and number four well underway. But more on that later.
Before leaving home, I’d booked two weeks’ accommodation at Zest Villas and Spa Resort, with three more weeks to fill after that. It didn’t take long into my stay to decide I’d stay the full month at Zest. While they have a website the easiest way to book is via booking.com
The setup is perfect for me. It’s tucked away in a quiet village surrounded by rice fields, but just a 10-minute ride in their free shuttle to Hội An Ancient Town or An Bang Beach (or about $5 NZ in a Grab). There’s a range of room options depending on your budget. I chose one of their most basic rooms (around $75 NZ per night including breakfast), and it was spacious, well-designed, and came with a lovely big bath.
If you’re happy to spend a bit more, you can book a corner room with three balconies and a small kitchen. Or, if you don’t mind having less space, there are charming boat cabin rooms available too.
There’s a gorgeous pool beside the outdoor bar and dining area, with large sun loungers and day beds, ideal for writing, reading, or lounging with a cold, delicious coconut coffee (which quickly became my daily ritual).
Free bikes are available, and there are plenty of places to eat and drink within an easy 20-minute flat ride. The staff are friendly and helpful, the breakfast has plenty of variety, and it’s within the pickup zone for most local tours if you decide to explore further.
Some admin to consider before you leave home.
Grab: Download and set up the Grab app before you leave home, especially if you are planning on using an e-sim while travelling. You need to receive a text to verify setup, which won’t come through unless you are roaming.
E-sims: I used Airalo, which has a number of day and data options. If you use code GILLIA6987 you will receive $3US credit off your first purchase.
Wise Card: Now that I’ve used Wise I wouldn’t use another card for travelling. Super easy to pay money onto it and transfer within the card to various countries. Can be used at ATMS to withdraw and to pay at anywhere that you can pay with a card. The really cool thing about it is that you can order a digital card (which is free). I set up my physical Wise card to only be able to be used for physical transactions (ATM’s etc…). The digital card I have loaded against things like Grab or if I make online purchases. That way if my physical card gets skimmed, theoretically it should be able to be used by anyone to do online shopping. I’m not sure if it’s a foolproof system, but it’s worked for me so far. Use this link to get your Wise card for free https://wise.com/invite/ihpc/gillianlindsays1
NB: I’m not affiliated with any of my travel recommendations, but I do get a small credit from both Airalo and Wise if you choose to use the codes.
Some restaurants near Zest to check out:
Buffalo Home – Located at the end of Zest’s short driveway, Buffalo Home is run by a friendly local with great English. The menu is solid, the service is quick, the food is tasty, and it’s cheaper than eating at the resort. Bonus: they also do laundry if you’re looking to get dinner and clean clothes in one go.
Lantern Restaurant – Just a short walk or bike ride to the corner, Lantern Restaurant sits beneath the home of chef Thanh. The menu is varied, the food is delicious and reasonably priced, and if you’re keen to learn some local recipes, chef Thanh also runs cooking classes: https://lanternrestaurantandcookingclass.com/
Tok Restaurant – A slightly longer walk or ride, Tok leans a bit bougie. The menu is small but everything is delicious, and they have a good wine selection. The restaurant overlooks a scenic rice paddy and is close to a local pagoda, where you can hear the monks chanting every evening at 7pm.
https://www.tokrestaurant.com/
The Roving Chill House – About a 20-minute bike ride (or Grab ride) away, this place is all about relaxing. Low tables and comfy chairs face the open countryside, perfect for an unhurried coffee. I only stopped in for a drink, but it was well worth the trip.
Chillax – I didn’t make it here myself, but it’s just near The Roving Chill House and looks great if you’re in the area: https://www.chillax-eatery.com/
If you’re dining in Hội An there are lots of options. I’d recommend at least one dinner on the top floor of the Morning Glory Signature restaurant. Book to make sure you get a table around 6pm to watch the sun set and the river light up.
Why buy a fan? Firstly, in the immortal words of Robin Williams: “It’s hot. Damn hot! Real hot!” Having some moving air on your face, or anywhere else you care to fan, is a welcome relief. Carry it with you at all times. It doubles as an impromptu sunshade and even as a handy safety device for crossing the road.
Speaking of which, crossing the road in Vietnam takes some getting used to. Once you’ve mastered it, you’ll find yourself back home wondering why you can’t just step into traffic and have it flow around you. In Vietnam, pedestrian crossings mean nothing. Green walking man lights? Also meaningless. While you definitely shouldn’t walk straight into a stream of speeding motorbikes, if you wait for the traffic to stop, you’ll be waiting forever.
The trick is to move slowly and steadily at a predictable pace. The traffic will part around you like magic. Holding up your fan during the day, or the torch on your phone at night, makes you more visible. And don’t be alarmed by all the beeping. In Vietnam, beeps aren’t angry. They’re just a polite heads-up: “Hey, I’m here.” You can buy fans all over Hội An, expect to pay 20-40000 Dong (less than $2.50 NZ)
Excursions
There are loads of great trips you can do in and around Hội An. Here are a few I chose, along with my thoughts:
TigerFish Divers
I did a snorkelling tour with TigerFish Divers, though they also offer diving (just bring proof of your PADI). The trip is a full day, starting with an 8 am pick-up. After transferring to the boat, we headed out to the Cham Islands. TigerFish runs what might be the only dual-hull boat on these tours, making it more stable and easier to get on and off than the usual single-hull options.
The boat is well set up, with water, coffee, tea, and fruit provided, plus a change room and a toilet. They supply all gear, including a wetsuit for snorkellers. While the sun was blazing, I was glad for the wetsuit – the water temperature meant that after a while, even with the wetsuit, it got a bit chilly. An English-speaking snorkelling guide took us through two different spots, pointing out interesting fish and coral. Lunch is included at Chong Beach, with time to relax and swim before heading back in the late afternoon. A full day’s entertainment for around $80 NZ.
Hội An Backroad Tours
We opted for the countryside jeep tour, which included stops at small villages to see traditional crafts and local life. Since our tour was in the afternoon, our first stop was lunch (included). Bumping along in the jeep—feeling like extras on the set of MASH* – we visited a home where traditional sleeping mats are made. We saw how reeds are harvested, dried, dyed, and finally woven – each mat taking two people three hours to complete, not including all the prep work.
We also visited a wood-carving village (I tried carving; I was terrible), and stopped at the home of a man who makes ‘happy water’, AKA rice wine. He lost a leg in the war with Cambodia in his twenties, and later taught himself winemaking with help from the government. His wife has a thriving garden out back, and much of it goes into the wine. They also have a pigsty next to the distillery. Their big mama pig happily feasts on the fermented rice mash – and then her, ahem, output is used to generate gas to heat the still.
Hội An Village Experience
For the second time, I joined Cu’s cooking class. The experience starts with a market tour to learn about (and buy) local ingredients. Then it’s off to Coconut Village for a basket boat ride, spinning optional, though I’d recommend the slow version, and a bit of crab fishing. After that, you’re dropped at a dock near Cu’s home, where you’ll cook up a storm and eat until you can’t move. Cu has built this business from scratch and offers a range of other experiences as well.
https://hoianvillageexperience.com/
E-Biking Tour
With friend #2 joining me for a couple of weeks (that’s the second friend, not a rating system), we decided on another countryside tour—this time by bike. We booked the 5-hour Hội An Makers Tour with Electric Smiles Travel.
It cost the equivalent of $74.50 USD in dong – on the pricier side, but totally worth it. We met our guide and bikes in central Hội An (they did offer to drop them at our accommodation, but that would’ve meant riding through the morning madness). After a quick demo (my friend has an e-bike at home, I do not), we were off. It took a moment to adjust to the creative road rules, but soon we were gliding through country lanes and along narrow paths between rice paddies.
We stopped to see how rice noodles and crackers are made, grabbed an included coffee break, popped into the wood-carving village, and returned to visit my rice wine friend and his legendary pig. Even with e-assist and an early start, by 11 am we were toast. It took hours for the bright red glow to leave my face.
Mỹ Sơn Tour
I booked an early morning tour through Zest with Simply Vietnam Travel, which included a Vietnamese lunch.
After a pre-dawn pickup, we headed straight to Mỹ Sơn, a complex of abandoned Shaiva Hindu temples built between the 4th and 13th centuries by the Kings of Champa. Long forgotten after the Cham people moved on, the site was rediscovered in 1898 by a Frenchman. Many of the temples were severely damaged by American bombing during the Vietnam War (referred to here as the ‘American War’), and the landscape still bears the scars, with crater holes and the occasional sweep for unexploded bombs.
We caught a short Champa cultural performance before heading back toward Hội An for lunch, followed by a boat ride down the river and a transfer home. Mỹ Sơn is definitely worth a visit, our half-day tour cost less than $40 NZ.
Thanh Ha Pottery Village
This one we did on our own, via Grab. Located on the river, the Thanh Ha Pottery Village charges just a couple of dollars to enter, and the streets are lined with pottery shops. Entry includes a hands-on go at pottery (extra if you want it fired and sent home) and a small gift, a clay animal representing your Chinese zodiac sign.
The highlight for us was the Terracotta Park and Museum. For another couple of dollars, you get access to several floors of fascinating exhibits showcasing pottery from different ethnic groups and eras. There’s a great café and a well-curated shop on the ground floor.
Coffee class
Fancy making? We did a coffee making class with Hoi An Handicraft tours https://hoianhandicraft.com/ We learned how to make 5 of Vietnam’s famous coffees, black, white, coconut, salt and egg. A great way to spend a couple of hours, just make sure you don’t drink all the coffees you make or you’ll be up all night, and, keep the electric whisk in the cup when you’re beating the egg, or it will go everywhere, including all over your neighbour. The also run lantern making and pottery classes.
Back to the books… After creating the world of Terrific Tours in my What Goes On Tour series, inspired by my own experience working for a major youth travel company, I realised Shaz Green’s chaotic adventures were just the beginning. There are so many more stories to tell.
I’ve planned a ten-book series of interconnected standalones, each one set in a different Terrific Tours location. Characters from What Goes On Tour will make appearances, but every book will bring new characters and fresh romantic twists.
So far, I’ve completed first drafts of a swoony rock star romance set on the French Riviera, a sizzling mafia romance in sun-soaked Sorrento, and an unexpected love story in a French château that might just steal your heart.
While the series is still on its way, you can dive into the Terrific Tours universe right now with a free novella, available when you join my mailing list at
http://www.gillianscottcreative.com
Tạm biệt – goodbye
Gillian Scott Creative 