Travel Diary's first entry: my favourite city in VIETNAM...

It is common fact that Vietnam is beautiful. There simply is no arguing against it. However, what I didn't know before arriving was that I would fall head over heels for a town on the central coast. A stunning, quaint and historic town... ladies and gents, I introduce to you Hoi An.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Hoi An sees tourists and locals alike flock for the world renown tailoring - dresses, suits or shoes; this is the place to mentally plan your perfect piece of clothing, only to seek it take shape within a couple of days. However, while the custom clothing is spectacular, it pales in comparison to the town's beauty, food and atmosphere.

Hoi An's old town is cut off from motorised vehicles; to get around you need to either rent a bike or walk. As a result, you'll find the town's pace to be slow, carefree and joyous - completely divorced from Vietnam's world famous chaotic traffic. The streets are lined with sunflower yellow buildings, while colourful lanterns are strung as far as the eye can see.
Most restaurants have an outdoor terrace facing the river running through the old town. Combined with the absolutely delicious food available, Hoi An is a foodie's dream - or anyone's for that matter, should you enjoy sitting in the sun sipping on a coffee and munching on Vietnamese food while enjoying bright and colourful surroundings.

Oh, did I mention there's a beach?

Only 20 minutes from Hoi An's old town, you will find this stunning beach. Even in the midst of high season, the beach remains uncrowded and clean.

My personal favourite: Hidden Beach. Slightly off the tourist path, you will find signs pointing towards this beach when you head down towards Da Nang. It really isn't 'hidden' at all, but it does provide the perfect escape, should you wish to be alone with your travel company. Often a local will ask you to pay around 2 dollars to rent a sun lounger, but this will be in exchange for a drink, so it really is a win-win. This beach is even perfect for night swimming. I found myself bringing a beer down here after sunset, lying in the comfortably warm water and star-gazing, while discussing life with two friends.

While I cannot be dissuaded that Hoi An is the diamond of Vietnam, it is also useful to know that it is very close to a second favourite: Da Nang; in fact, you will need to fly in to Da Nang airport when making your way over.

I managed to see some tourist-favourites in a day trip to Da Nang, such as the beautiful Son Tra Mountain, commonly referred to as Monkey Mountain. While slightly deceptive of a name (I failed to spot a single monkey), the view from this spot is absolutely breath-taking. Furthermore, renting a motorbike and driving up will provide an experience in itself due to the scenic drive of surrounding mountains. In fact, renting a motorbike and driving around the entire peninsula for the day is an absolute must, should you feel confident enough (not worth risking any injuries!). Finally, prepare to be overwhelmed by the sheer size and magnificence of the 'Lady Buddha'; a statue which towers over the entire city of Da Nang.

Have I convinced you to plan your next holiday around Hoi An? If so, here are some tips I collected along my way.

TOP TIPS

1. Book an AirBnB!
   Affordable and convenient; I booked a room on the beach in Hoi An. It cost me less than 15 dollars a night, yet the room was spacious, clean and well air-conditioned. Furthermore, breakfast was even included in this price. Staying with a local Vietnamese girl allowed me to gain insight into the best restaurants and must-see places; places I would not have discovered otherwise.

2. Check Visa regulations!
   Vietnam requires visa upon entry to the country, unlike it's neighbour, Cambodia, where you may purchase a visa as you a entering the country. Vietnamese visas are purchased online and take a couple of days to process. Due to being unaware of this (and a bad planer) I realised I hadn't bought a visa 5 hours before boarding my flight. This resulting in me paying for an expedited visa and waiting nervously at the airport until it arrived - officials will not let you even board the plane without this visa.

3. Health insurance!
   Motorbiking is such an easy way to see the neighbouring area of Hoi An. While taxi's are ridiculously cheap, driving your own scooter will allow you to stop at all the unexpected beautiful sights (trust me, there are many) and continue at your own pace. However, traffic is very unlike that of Europe and the US - in fact, there seems to be no rules at all. While hopefully you will never experience an accident, should you do, you want to make sure you are covered.

4. Speak to the locals!
   The Vietnamese are amongst some of the friendliest people I have ever met. In chatting to the locals, I was given insider tips on all the good restaurants and sights to see. Up on Monkey Mountain I was even offered coffee by a group of women. While we did not speak each other's languages, feeling so welcomed really did make an impact on my trip. So - put yourself out there and see what happens!

5. Experience the town at night!
   Visit the town at night and barter at the central market, try street food and explore the town by foot. Once a month there is a Lantern Festival. During this night the entire town turns off all its lights in order to light up the lanterns. Pay for a boat and driver, around 4 dollars, and experience floating down the river amongst lit lanterns in darkness. It truly is magical.

6. Finally, visit a tailor!
   Once you have cycled, bartered, eaten and danced your way through Hoi An, make sure to visit a tailor. The quality is truly out of this world, and comes at a fraction of a cost to what you would pay outside of Asia. Make the most of it and create a suit/dress/ anything that will allow for you to reminisce on your time in Hoi An when you wear it.

Hope to have inspired some of you to visit my favourite city; until next time fellow Steemers!