Vietnam is flavour of the year among Australians, with new air links from VietJet and the short-lived Bamboo Airways services helping to boost visitor arrivals by almost 200 per cent between October this year and last. It currently ranks in our top 10 destinations to escape to – hardly surprising given its rich mix of history, culture, beach, shopping, nature and that distinctively delicious cuisine.

For first-timers I’d recommend visiting Hanoi, Hue and Hoi An for a compelling combo of all the above contained in a relatively easy circuit.

Of the three cities, Hoi An, a 15th-century river port of mouldering mansions and lantern-lined streets, is the most captivating. It’s also heavily touristed, but its charms still cast a spell on morning or evening strolls beside the Thu Bon River. These are a few of my favourite things to see and do in this colourful riverside city.

1. Take a food tour

Book an eating tour with Phuoc Huu Huynh,  aka Mr Happy (“Phuoc” means happiness). His  brilliant half-day expeditions visit all the best street vendors, home cooks and holes-in-the-wall just outside the old town. Highlights include Madame Nghia’s beef noodle soup, Miss Hue’s pork noodles, a Hoi An staple, and Mister Hung’s duck-egg foetus which obviously I didn’t try but I enjoyed being grossed out by it. 

2. Try a local craft beer

Hi 5 is a new-ish beer hall blazing with  colour, flags, fairy lights and craft beer. Charismatic young owner Huong Nguyen serves up super-friendly vibes and eight Vietnamese craft beers on tap (plus more in bottles), ranging from passion-fruity Hai Van Haze to Fire Eater stout and a Dragon IPA, brewed up the road in Da Nang. 

3. Visit the Precious Heritage Museum

French photographer (and now Hoi An resident) Réhahn is most famous for documenting the 50-plus ethnicities of Vietnam. Visitors can view the stunning images alongside traditional tribal costumes at his Precious Heritage Museum in the old town (free entry), or browse his art in every format from postcards to poster-sized prints at his commercial gallery. 

4. Stop for a quiet tea break

Reaching Out Teahouse offers respite from the tourist crush in beautiful, antique-lined rooms run by hearing- or speech-impaired staff. Silence reigns as patrons place orders using pen and paper or blocks printed with basic requests; superior teas are handled with care and served with crumbly, buttery biscuits. There’s a shady courtyard behind and a rear workshop where craftspeople produce fair-trade gifts and jewellery for purchase.

5. Taste the banh mi Anthony Bourdain loved

Banh Mi Phuong (2B Phan Chau Trinh) was a humble sandwich stall in the market until 2009 when a man named Anthony Bourdain dropped by and raved about Ms Phuong’s banh mi on his hit TV program No Reservations. Her baguette fillings follow the classic recipe – pâté, pork, vegetables, egg and fresh herbs – but it’s Ms Phuong’s special sauce that sets them apart.

6. Grab an authentic coffee

Vietnam is the world’s second-largest  producer of coffee and Hoi An runs on the  stuff. Choose your poison: yoghurt coffee, salt coffee, sweet and milky ca phe sua nong, coffee kombucha, coconut coffee, egg coffee or a plain latte. Hoi An Roastery, beside the landmark Japanese Bridge, sources beans directly from farmers and roasts them on site.

7. Eat the famous white rose dumplings

White rose dumplings, or banh bao banh vac,  are a signature dish of Hoi An. These rice- flour envelopes stuffed with seasoned shrimp or pork are widely available across town but only made in one restaurant – Bong Hong Trang (533 Hai Ba Trung) where patriarch Tran Tuan Ngai guards the secret family recipe.

8. Drink at The Hill Station wine bar

If you’re craving a Petaluma cab sav you’ll find one – alongside Bordeaux reds and Old and New World whites – at The Hill Station, an atmospheric wine bar set in an old shophouse. Dine in from breakfast (gouda omelettes, honey pancakes) to dinner (Penang curry, slow-cooked beef stew with stout), and sample wines by the glass from $7 or bottle from $30.

9. Shop at the market 

The warren of stalls at the Central Market   sell everything from fresh produce to sacks  of spices, express tailoring and souvenir Chinese lanterns. There’s also a central food hall where dozens of vendors serve cheap and cheerful Vietnamese meals. Great for photo opps, but beware smiling stallholders who pose for photos, then sting you for payment afterwards.

10. Relax on Cua Dai beach

Outside of its food and history, Hoi An’s other great attraction is its stretch of white-sand coastline, just 15 minutes’ drive from the historic centre. Of the two main beaches, An Bang and Cua Dai, the latter, shaded by palms and less overrun with tourists, is the pick.

11. Stay at the Anantara

The 94-room Anantara Hoi  An Resort is a riverfront oasis of lush  gardens and creamy-coloured colonial-inspired buildings that offer ringside access to the city’s attractions. Split-level rooms feature lounge below, bed and bath above, while on-site restaurants serve extraordinary breakfast buffets (complete with doughnut station and som tum), streetside pizza or fine Vietnamese dining beside the Thu Bon.

Kendall Hill visited Hoi An as a guest of Anantara. 

See also: 

5 Vietnamese cities you can't miss

5 stunning parks worth visiting in Vietnam

6 things Vietnam does better than Australia