Whether you’re travelling for 1 week, 2 weeks or 3, these Cambodia itineraries have you covered for how to best spend your time backpacking in Cambodia.
Unsure how much your Cambodia trip is going to cost? This post shares the cost of travelling Cambodia and things to factor into your travel budget!
Trying to pick where to visit during your Cambodia trip? This guide shares 5 beautiful places to visit in Cambodia, so get adding them to your itinerary!
Planning a trip to Siem Reap? This 3-day itinerary for Siem Reap shares things to do each day and how to maximise your experience at Angkor Wat.
Looking for more temples to see with your 3-day Angkor pass? Check out The Roluos Temples! Here is how to see them as a day trip from Siem Reap.
Dambri Waterfall is undoubtedly the main attraction in Bao Loc. It made its way onto my radar due to its fame as one of the biggest waterfalls in southern Vietnam: The main plunge drops 57m and continues from the main plunge through a series of smaller falls as the water makes its way down the valley. I visited Dambri waterfall during monsoon season and the flow was intense, with the spray drenching us. This guide shares how to visit Dambri waterfall as a day trip from Bao Loc.
For more information on planning your stay in Bao Loc, check out my Quick Guide to Bao Loc which includes details on how to travel, where to sleep and what to eat.
Dambri Waterfall is about 20km outside the city of Bao Loc, in Lam Dong province. This is the best place to base yourself for exploring the waterfall.
The next closest city is the more popular tourist stop of Dalat. You could opt to stay there but be prepared to drive 3 hours one way to explore Dambri from Dalat. It could be a fun day trip! You could also visit Dambri from Cat Tien National Park, but again it would take nearly 3 hours to get there each way.
To visit Dambri waterfall you will need a motorbike. I can’t see any motorbike rental companies that operate online from Bao Loc but I guarantee that your accommodation* will be able to set you up with a motorbike for the day. A daily motorbike rental should cost no more than 150k. If you don’t drive then I suggest asking your accommodation to help organise a motorbike with a driver to take you around for the day.
Dambri waterfall is actually one of two waterfalls located in the same area outside of Bao Loc. If you plan to visit Dambri, then you should also check out Dasara falls while you’re at the site.
The site is really well facilitated for visitors to explore the two different waterfalls. The entrance roads are well marked and designed to deal with high volumes of tourists that visit during public holidays, as well as having a couple of restaurants and cafes where you can grab some food.
Dasara Falls, the first and smaller of the two waterfalls, is accessible via an alpine coaster. Is it tacky? Of course. Is it good fun? Well duh. The alpine coaster takes you down the valley to Darasa falls where you can explore, before taking the coaster in a loop back to the main part of the site. From here it’s a short walk towards the main attraction of Dambri waterfall.
You first approach Dambri from above, being taken down to the pools at the bottom in a glass elevator. It definitely makes the scale of the waterfall that much larger seeing it as you travel down to the base. I wasn’t able to get many photos of Dambri waterfall because the spray was so intense – I visited during the summer months so the flow was really large. We all got completely drenched so I highly recommend bringing a waterproof with you if you plan to visit during this time of year.
The drive from Bao Loc takes around 30mins and is more or less a straight shot from the city to the waterfalls. The roads are quiet and roll through hills covered in tea and coffee plantations. The roads are well mostly well maintained though there is the occasional rocky section that should be approached with caution, and low gears.
Dambri Waterfall📍Thôn 14, Lý Thái Tổ, Đambri, tp. Bảo Lộc, Lâm Đồng ⏰ 6:30am – 5pm (~2 hours to explore both waterfalls) 🛵 ~120k ($5) for a rental bike through accommodation
💰 180k ($7.75) includes both Dambri waterfall and Dasara falls
✍ For more information on motorbiking in Vietnam, check out my Complete Guide to Motorbiking in Vietnam.
One of the biggest challenges you will face when moving abroad is making friends and creating a social life from scratch. While hard to begin with, creating a social life from scratch can be extremely rewarding as you chose to connect with those who share similar goals and interests. I have made some amazing, like-minded friends during my time living
Curious about teaching English in Vietnam? This guide answers questions you might have, including qualifications you need, where to find jobs, when to apply and more.
Picking the right place to call home will shape your experience in Vietnam. No two cities offer the same vibe and with Vietnam being such a long country, the difference between living in the north versus living in the south can be vast. Considering I’m still living in Ho Chi Minh City, 4 years after moving, I think it’s safe
job Teaching English in Vietnam is not a one-size-fits-all kinda business. There are many different types of teaching jobs available and, while most of them still centre around English, there is bound to be one style of teaching which suits you better than the rest. This post shares the types of teaching jobs you can find in Vietnam, with important
To teach English abroad you need a qualification to prove you have the expertise to be in charge of a classroom. In the business, this is referred to as TEFL qualification and it’s required for all teaching positions. As teaching English grows into a popular and attractive way to experience other cultures, so grows the multitude of courses available. Unsurprisingly,
Interested in finding a teaching English job in Vietnam? This guide covers job requirements, creating a teaching CV, where to find jobs, and reputable companies to work for.
Living in Vietnam, Teaching English 
To legally work in Vietnam, and apply for a temporary resident card (TRC), you require a work permit. While you can find work without a permit, good companies will not allow you to work for them without it as they can get fined by the government. I’ve put this guide together to walk you through the process, so you know
I originally moved to Vietnam to pursue a dream of living in Asia and teaching English, but over the past few years, my role as a teacher has morphed from teaching English as a second language to teaching Science and Maths. I actually studied Biology at university, so when the opportunity came along to utilise my degree and teach science and maths at
Being the proud owner of a TEFL certification is one of the big requirements for becoming an English Teacher abroad. With so many TEFL courses out there it can be confusing to pick one. After a bit of research, I decided to go with the 140hr TEFL.org course which has since served me great during my 5 years teaching in Vietnam.
Food plays a huge role in Vietnamese culture. Yet a lot of visitors are nervous to scratch below the surface of the well known classic Vietnamese dishes like Pho and Banh Mi. One of the best things to do in Hoi An is a cooking class. The calibre of schools here is higher than I’ve seen elsewhere in Vietnam, which combined with the beautiful countryside setting makes it a must-have experience in Hoi An. Here’s a peek at what I got up to in my cooking class in Hoi An with Thuan Tinh Cookery School.
After an early pick-up, we dove headfirst into the Hoi An Central Market. Our chef for the day, Hon, took us on a tour around the market to collect all the ingredients we needed. Having a local guide meant we learnt not only about the fresh produce being sold but also about how the market is set up. The market is a hive of activity, with colourful vegetables, mounds of dried produce and even live fish and chickens being sold.
Once we had finished picking up all the ingredients, we headed to the Thuan Tinh Island Cookery School. The market runs alongside the riverfront so we jumped aboard a boat and headed 20 mins down the river. The Thuan Tinh cooking school is set among a beautiful coconut grove, so we moved onto smaller paddle-boats and headed into the grove. This journey to the cooking school was one of my favourite parts of the day.
The all-important question: “What do you cook during this Vietnamese Cooking Class?” During the Thuan Tinh Island cooking class we made (and more importantly ate) 4 traditional Vietnamese dishes. For each dish we were treated to a demonstration by Hon, followed by our chance to cook and eat our food while it was still hot. Spreading the meals out like this broke the day up nicely, but as someone with a small appetite, I must admit I was struggling to finish the final dish. Best to come a little bit hungry.
1️⃣ Gỏi cuốn – fresh spring rolls 2️⃣ Bánh xèo – crispy Vietnamese pancakes 3️⃣ Bún bò nam bộ – beef noodle salad
4️⃣ Phở bò – beef noodle soup
The first dish we made on our cooking class was Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. These rice paper rolls are filled with salad, herbs and shrimps – they’re probably one of the easiest Vietnamese dishes to make. We also made peanut dipping sauce (nuoc leo) which went down a treat.
Next, we learned how to make banh xeo, crispy pancakes, filled with pork and shrimp. Before we could cook the banh xeo we had to prepare rice milk which is used as the base of the batter mixture. It was super quick and simple to make – you just grind rice and water together in a stone mortar. The rice milk is then mixed with herbs and seasoning to make the pancake batter.
Hon artfully demonstrated how to flip the pancake halfway cooking, to ensure it was cooked all the way through. My attempt at flipping was not quite so artful. Not quite on-the-floor disastrous, but I did need 3 support staff assisting in a patch-up job. Thankfully my end product still tasted amazing. Along with the pancakes we prepared a common Vietnamese dipping sauce called nuoc cham, which is a mix of chilli, rice vinegar, kumquat, sugar and salt. To eat the banh xeo, you wrap a folded pancake in salad leaves and dip in nuoc cham.
The third dish of the Vietnamese cooking class with Thuan Ninh Island Cookery School was a zesty beef noodle salad. The salad was the easiest of the dishes to recreate, with a pocket of herbs hidden under a mound of vermicelli noodles, with a refreshing soy sauce vinaigrette and sizzling beef on top.
We saved the most iconic Vietnamese dish for last; Pho. Pronounced /fuh/, this classic and much loved Vietnamese dish is the epitome of fast food being cooked in a matter of minutes. At the start of class, we prepared a beef broth and left it bubbling while we cooked out other dishes, leaving us just to dip the noodles, bean sprouts and beef into boiling water before serving and slurping.
This cooking class with Thuan Tinh Island cooking school was the perfect way to learn about Vietnamese cuisine, as well as getting some insight into Vietnamese fresh markets and an opportunity to see some of the Hoi An countryside. Plus, the dishes learned to make for a unique souvenir to take away from your trip to Vietnam.
The tuition was brilliant; Hon and his many assistants were extremely attentive, always double-checking we remembered the steps and making sure all the dishes tasted amazing. The level of English was very high and the small class size meant that the experience was kept intimate.
Book your own cooking experience with Thuan Tinh cooking school online. The classes are small in size so you need to book in advance to guarantee a space.
💰 $39 / 910k
👤 Small class sizes
✍ For more information on where to stay and other things to do in Hoi An, check out my travel guide to Hoi An.
Koh Rong is now firmly on the backpacker trail for Cambodia, which thankfully makes planning a trip to the island much easier in 2022 than when I first visited in 2016.
To get to Koh Rong, you must take the ferry from Sihanoukville. There are five ferry companies operating the route from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong, so finding a time that suits you is no challenge.
💰 Approx. $25 return ⏰ 45 mins
📍 You can book the ferry in person at Sihanoukville Port Autonomous, or pre-book your ferry using Camboticket*.
TIP: Buy an open return ticket as it will be slightly cheaper than two one-way tickets – just notify the ferry company 24 hours before you want to return to the mainland and they will confirm the ferry pick up for you
While not a huge island, Koh Rong can be tricky to navigate due to a lack of roads so it’s important to pick carefully where to stay. Kaoh Touch beach or the bottom of Long Set beach are great areas to stay on the island. There are many hotels, resorts and hostels along this stretch, so finding accommodation* isn’t challenging.
➡️ For social backpackers, Nest Beach Club* is the place to be, or the nearby Bunna’s Jungle* if Nest is fully booked.
When I first arrived on Koh Rong, I didn’t expect there would be much to do other than lay on the beach, but I was pleasantly surprised to find there are a number of cool things you can do on the island.
Unsurprisingly one of the best things to do on Koh Rong is to disconnect and unwind on the beaches; they are some of the most beautiful beaches in South East Asia after all. The most accessible and popular beaches on the island are Kaoh Touch beach, Long Set beach (also called 4K beach), Long beach and Sok San beach.
If you stay in the areas I recommended then Kaoh Touch and Long Set will be easy to get to, but for Long beach or Sok San beach you will need to rent a motorbike for the day – the great thing is they are connected to the main road which makes getting to them easy!
We booked a boat trip with the 3 Brothers tour company (they have a stand-in Kaoh Touch town). The tour started at 1pm, and included snorkelling, stopping at remote beaches, and fishing. The highlight of the tour for me was watching the sunset from the boat, and swimming with the bioluminescent plankton after dark.
💰 $15
Nest Beach Club is the place to be if you’re on Koh Rong on a Saturday. With a hostel and restaurant, Nest is always a busy place to hang out, but every weekend they host an afternoon of games and drinking called the Nestival. Join the fun and get social with fellow travellers!
Nest Beach Club 📍 Long Set beach (also called 4K beach)
⏰ 3pm every Saturday
This turned out to be one of my favourite things to do on Koh Rong! In the heart of the island is a thick mangrove forest, with a winding river that weaves all the way to the ocean. Paddling down the sleepy river in a kayak is the perfect activity for those that need a break from lounging on the beach. If you don’t fancy kayaking, there is a boardwalk through the forest that you can explore.
Koh Rong’s mangrove forest is a 20-minute drive from Kaoh Touch town, making it too far to walk, so you will need to rent a motorbike or a driver to take you.
📍 Prek Tasok Ecotourism Community
💰 $10/hr (each kayak can fit 2 people)
There are a couple of roads that criss-cross the island, connecting various bays and beaches! I really enjoyed renting a motorbike in Khao Touch and taking a drive around the island. The roads are still in construction in some areas, so are not on Google Maps.
💰 $10/day including gas
Facing the west, with views over the ocean to the horizon, Sok San beach is THE best place to watch the sunset on Koh Rong island. The village next to Sok San pier has a couple of local restaurants with great seafood and a perfect beachfront view of the horizon for sunset, or Sok San Resort comes highly recommended for a sunset cocktail.
If you’re not already staying at Sok San beach, you’ll need a motorbike or shuttle boat to get there.
📍 Sok San Beach
The jungles of Koh Rong hide a couple of waterfalls that you can trek to.
You can climb to Varisan Nureach Waterfall, in Sok San village, without a guide. It’s a small waterfall at the end of a jungle hike! It is not recommended to visit during the dry season, as there will be no water.
For the more adventurous, Nest offer guided tours to a larger, more impressive waterfall hidden deep in the jungle. The waterfall is unmarked making it impossible to find without a local guide! We didn’t have time to hike to the hidden waterfall, but it sounds like it would be such a thrilling trek into the jungle.
Surprisingly, the island is home to a number of beautiful horses; the stables can be seen in the jungle between Kaoh Touch and Long Set beach. You can book tours to take a ride along the beaches and through the jungles on horses through the excursion stands in the Kaoh Touch town.
💰 $30/hour
Only a few people chose to visit both Koh Rong and its nearby little sister, Koh Rong Sanloem. If you only plan to stay on Koh Rong, then why not take a day trip to enjoy the stunning beaches and restaurants that line Saracen Bay on Koh Rong Sanloem.
The ferries run from morning to late afternoon giving you lots of time to explore, snorkel and grab some lunch before heading back to Koh Rong for sunset!
💰 $5-10 ⏰ 15-30 mins to get between the islands
Double check with the travel agents in Kaoh Touch town for the current boat times and prices.
This map shows the popular beaches to visit, along with things to do and places to stay. You can save the map to your GoogleDrive for later by clicking the star next to the map title.
With some of the most beautiful beaches in South East Asia, Koh Rong is a must-visit during your travels to Cambodia. Hopefully, this guide shares some ideas of other activities to get involved in, from parties to boat tours.
Phnom Penh is the domestic and international travel hub of Cambodia, making it easy to get to and explore. Here is some information for planning your trip to Phnom Penh.
With an international airport and both bus and train routes from all corners of the country, getting to Phnom Penh is no challenge. The train station and bus drop-off points are in the city centre, landing you right in the thick of the action. Whereas the airport is on the outskirts of the city – you can expect to pay around $8 for a taxi into the city, and less for a tuk-tuk.
Many of the best things to do in Phnom Penh are located in the city centre so if you opt to stay in the riverside area, then you might be able to walk to some of the sites. However, for seeing things that are further afield, or for when it gets too hot for walking, take a tuk-tuk.
While you can hail cheap rides on the side of the street, I recommend using one of the ride-hailing apps to get set prices and reliable drivers. The two main apps for ordering tuk-tuks in Phnom Penh are Grab App (used all over Asia for ride-hailing) and Pass App (a Cambodian equivalent). Both have similarly cheap prices and an abundance of drivers.
💰 $1 – $2 for tuk-tuk rides within the city centre
The riverside is a great area to stay if you want to be in the thick of the best things to do in Phnom Penh. There are some great accommodation options in the riverside area, though it can be a bit seedy come nightfall (I don’t recommend it for families). Onederz* is a great option for backpackers in Cambodia, located right off the riverfront with a rooftop pool and great facilities.
For our first couple of nights in the city, we stayed at Poolside Villa Phnom Penh* which is in a quiet neighbourhood a short walk from the Independence Monument. They have both private and dorm rooms, with a pool and restaurant and while not the most social vibe, it is right next to Bassac Lane which is full of cosy bars and cafes serving a variety of international food.
At first impression, Phnom Penh is another large Asian city, but there is a lot more to do than meets the eye. These are my top 10 best things to do in Phnom Penh.
Located in the heart of Phnom Penh, the Central Market is housed in a beautiful art deco building dating back to the 1930s. Central Market is one of the largest markets in the city, supplying locals with everything from fresh produce to clothing, electronics, jewellery and even haircuts.
Nowadays the market has transitioned to take some of its trade from tourists, with souvenir vendors lining the fringes of the Central Market, but head inside and you’ll find the authentic side of the market. Be sure to barter, as many locals have told me the vendors often double the starting price for tourists.
On the west side, is a wet market and a food court. The food court is a great place to try Cambodian street food as it’s not only clean but also popular with locals; a sure sign that its good quality!
Shrouded in tales of the Mekong River, Wat Phnom is a historic temple built in 1372 that lent its name to the city of Phnom Penh. It is said that lady Penh discovered 4 statues of Buddha floating in the Mekong and brought them to the hill, building a temple to enshrine them. The name Phnom Penh was given when the city was founded centuries ago from phnom meaning hill in Khmer, and Penh after lady Penh that founded the temple.
Wat Phnom has been rebuilt many times over the years, and now houses the main temple and a white stupa to the back. In front of Wat Phnom is a garden with a clock tower.
Originally a high school, S21 was transformed into a prison where the Khmer Rouge would inflict cruel torture on their victims. Shortly after the Khmer Rouge were overthrown, the prison was reopened as a museum, to educate and shed light on the genocide that occurred here under the Khmer Rouge.
The majority of the rooms are left as they were, with tiny cells, barbed wire, and torture devices, while other rooms display the stories of the shocking 20,000 women, men and children that were detained and tortured in S21.
There were only 7 survivors of the genocide that took place at S21, some of which you might meet at the museum.
💰 $5 plus $3 for an audio guide ⏰ 8am – 5pm
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum 📍 Street 113, Beoung Keng Kang III, Chamkarmorn, Phnom Penh
If you only have time to visit one of the two sites where you can learn about the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge, I would suggest visiting the S21 Prison museum. It’s located in the heart of Phnom Penh and has a bit more information than the Killing Fields (at least without the audio guides).
Note: To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the audio guides at both the Killing Fields and S21 Prison were temporarily suspended. They are set to resume in July 2022, but there are also guides available to take you around both sites for the same prices as the audio guide.
Another site where you can learn more about the bloody history of the Khmer Rouge’s regime is the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, commonly called the Killing Field. After being interrogated, those held at prisons like S21 were passed through to execution sites called killing fields.
The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center marks the mass graves of over 9,000 people, including women, children and men, who were tortured and murdered by the Khmer Rouge during their terrifying reign in the late 1970s.
It’s not an easy site to visit,
To get to the Killing Fields, take a tuk-tuk from the city centre. It costs $5 each way, and while you could find a tuk-tuk on ride-hailing apps, I recommend finding a driver who can take you and wait while you visit to drive you back to the city as it is could be challenging to find a tuk-tuk to take you back to the city.
💰 $3 entrance, plus $3 for an audio guide or $3 for a tour guide 🛺 $10 return
⏰ 8am to 5:30pm
The Royal Palace of Cambodia is notably one of the most popular things to do in Phnom Penh. Despite being the current seat of the Royals, the public can visit a large portion of the Royal Palace, including the Silver Pagoda, throne hall, ornate gardens and courtyards. As it is still an active residence for the Royals you have to dress modestly to visit, covering your shoulders and knees.
💰 $10
⏰ 8am – 11am, 2pm – 5pm
Unfortunately, the Royal Palace was closed due to COVID while we were in Phnom Penh, so we didn’t get to explore it ourselves, but Along Dusty Roads have a great guide to visiting.
✍️ Read more about visiting the Royal Palace of Cambodia in this post by Along Dusty Roads.
Note: The Royal Palace of Cambodia is currently closed due to COVID (June 2022). There is currently no date set for it to reopen to the public, so double-check if it has reopened before your visit.
Set up alongside the riverfront every evening, is the Phnom Penh Night Market. Definitely more of a tourist attraction than a local market, you can browse the stalls of clothing, shoes and accessories before grabbing some food to eat.
The Phnom Penh Night Market is one of the most budget-friendly places to eat in the evening. Most of the vendors sell similar food, a mixture of Cambodian and Asian dishes. The seating offers a local experience, eating on communal bamboo mats in the centre of the market.
💰 Average $2.5 per dish
⏰ 5pm – 11pm
A great way to give back to the local community while travelling in Cambodia is to visit a social enterprise-run restaurant, cafe or shop.
Friends International is one of the biggest social enterprises in Cambodia, and while they had to close down some of their ventures due to COVID they are hopeful that they can reopen soon. With an estimated 25% of residents in Phnom Penh living in poverty, Friends International works to protect vulnerable youth who are at risk of being homeless and exploited.
They have 2 vocational training restaurants in Phnom Penh, “Friends the Restaurant” and “Romdeng, Let’s Eat Phnom Penh”. Hopefully, they have reopened for your visit to Phnom Penh so you can support them.
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday you can watch live kickboxing in Phnom Penh – free of charge! The kickboxing in Phnom Penh is broadcast from the Bayon TV studio in the suburbs and is apparently worth the trip. Unfortunately, the weekend we tried to go was a national holiday so the kickboxing was cancelled. Do let me know how it was if you get to see it!
If it’s anything like watching the Muay Thai in Bangkok (where it is also televised), you will need to cover your knees and shoulders, wear close-toed shoes and possible a collared shirt for men.
💰 Free to watch and $3/4 tuk-tuk each way ⏰ Double-checking the current times with your accommodation, but the fights run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Bayon TV Steung Meanchey Studio 📍 Sola Street (371), Phnom Penh
We tried our best to explore what is famed as Phnom Penh’s hipster neighbourhood but unfortunately had to hide from the monsoon rain in the Russian market for an hour before realising that it wouldn’t stop for a couple more hours and calling it quits.
There are a few cute boutiques I found that we would have liked to wander past, as well as cafes and bars that look amazing. Here are some of the things I wish we could have checked out in the area – may you have sunnier weather to explore!
Penh Lenh 📍 Handcrafted jewellery by local artisans in Phnom Penh
Chrome Studios 📍 Streetwear and skate shop, come bar and hangout spot for the hipster kids in Phnom Penh
Pleng Chan TTP📍 Quirky coffee shop that looks great to work from
Sundown Social Club 📍 Rooftop bar with a view over the Russian market, a $5 food menu and sunset happy hour
If you’re vegan, this looks like a great area to eat with restaurants like Vibe and Sacred Lotus.
You can find my 10 best things to do in Phnom Penh on the map below. Click the star next to the map title to save it to your Google Drive for later.
There you have it; 10 of the best things to do during your trip to Phnom Penh. From historical sites to royal palaces to unique local sites, Phnom Penh is a great place to kick off your exploration of Cambodia.
Vietnam is world-renowned for its delicious food, and Hoi An is no exception as it’s home to some of the best foods to eat in Vietnam. This guide shares 5 unique dishes and drinks to try in Hoi An.
Hoi An is one of the most popular spots to visit in Vietnam; with iconic yellow buildings, lantern-lit streets and world-renowned tailors it’s not hard to see why. But did you know that Hoi An is also a foodie paradise?
Alongside the iconic Vietnamese dishes like pho, there are some unique Vietnamese dishes that can only be found in Hoi An. This guide shares 5 Hoi An favourites that you have to try during your trip, and where are the best places to eat them!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, all marked with * Booking through these links generates a small commission for me at no extra cost to you.
Hoi An is a must on most Vietnam itineraries, loved for its ancient streets and monthly lantern festival. If Hoi An is in your plans, be sure to also explore the nearby beach-lined city of Da Nang, as it offers a modern perspective on the region with lots of things to see and do.
Hoi An is easy to travel to thanks to its proximity to Da Nang, where you’ll find the international airport. A taxi from Da Nang should only cost around 400k, or you can take a shuttle bus for 140k and a public bus for 30k. Check out my Hoi An Travel Guide for more details.
Hoi An is also serviced by buses from nearby destinations, such as Quy Nhon, Nha Trang and Hue. The easiest way to book transport in advance is through Baolau* or Vexere, search engines that compare all travel options to find the best one for you.
Hoi An has no shortage of places to stay for all budgets. There are two main areas I recommend staying in Hoi An; just outside the ancient city (where taxis can drop you off, but still within easy walking distance) or near the beach (An Bang). I also recommend finding a hotel with free bicycle hire.
My favourite place to stay for its location near the ancient city and value for money is Thanh Van Hotel*. For backpackers looking to stay near the beach, Wanderlust* is a great option, with both private and dorm rooms.
Now you know how to get to Hoi An and where to stay, let’s move on to the best food to eat in Hoi An! As I mentioned, the city is a popular place and perfect for foodies, with lots of high-quality dishes to be found. However, there are 5 meals that are unique to Hoi An that should be on your bucketlist to try during your trip!
Undoubtedly the most well-known thing you need to eat in Hoi An is cao lầu. As noted in an article on Afar “You can’t take cao lau out of Hoi An, nor can you take the Hoi An out of cao lau”.
Cao lau is a local Hoi An noodle dish, not found anywhere else in Vietnam as the noodles can only be made with lye water from a local well. Cao lau noodles are thicker than normal rice noodles and topped with pork, herbs, a little fragrant broth and rice crackers. This light and crunchy noodle dish is a favourite of most visitors to Vietnam.
Cao lầu can be found just about everywhere in Hoi An, but Trung Bac in the heart of the old city is renowned as one of the best. If you’re on a shoestring budget, the area by the riverside in the ancient city has street food vendors serving up budget bowls of cao lau.
Trung Bac 📍 87 Trần Phú, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam
White rose dumplings, in Vietnamese bánh bao bánh vạc, are a famous local dish. So-called for the way that the white rice dough falls into a rose-like shape when they are steamed, these local dumplings are filled with shrimp or pork and topped with crispy garlic.
There is only 1 family that supplies all the white rose dumplings in Hoi An. Apparently, the recipe has been carefully guarded for 3 generations. The family has its own restaurant where you can try white rose dumplings, but they also supply many other restaurants in Hoi An with their fresh-made dumplings.
White Rose Restuarant 📍 533 Hai Bà Trưng, Phường Cẩm Phổ, Hội An, Quảng Nam
In the ancient city of Hoi An, one little herbal tea stand has become very popular; Mót Hội An. This refreshing herbal tea is made with lemongrass and decorated with lotus petals. It is very aesthetic and regarded as the quintessential drink to accompany an evening stroll around the ancient city.
Mót Hội An 📍 150 Trần Phú, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam
I have to agree with food guru Anthony Bourdain; the Hoi An has some of the best banh mi in Vietnam.
Banh mi’s are french style baguettes, introduced to during the colonial period, served with a twist of Vietnamese flavour. They are a staple of Vietnamese life, and something you need to try during your travels! The crunchy baguette rolls are filled with pate, mayo, chilli, cheese, pickled veggies and meat/eggs of your choosing.
While Anthony Bourdain professed his love for the banh mi from Banh Mi Phuong, I have to admit that I prefer the banh mi from Phi Banh Mi (his special banh mi includes avocado and it is the perfect addition). Another frequented banh mi in Hoi An is Madam Khanh, nicknamed the “banh mi queen”.
Banh Mì Phuong 📍 2b Phan Chu Trinh
Phi Banh Mi 📍 88 Thái Phiên
Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen 📍 115 Trần Cao Vân
Another dish you need to eat in Hoi An is the Hoi An-style chicken and rice. While chicken and rice (cơm gà) can be found all over Vietnam, the Hoi An dish is very different.
Hoi An-style chicken is boiled, shredded and seasoned with herbs. The chicken is served with yellow rice, an unusual way to find rice in Vietnam. The rice is yellow from turmeric and cooked in chicken broth to give it more flavour.
The ancient city is dotted with many restaurants and vendors serving up Hoi An-style chicken and rice, but these are some of the best places to eat this food in Hoi An:
Long Cơm Gà 📍 16 Phan Chu Trinh, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam
Cơm Gà HÒA LÊ Hội An 📍 11 duong Cửa Đại, Hội An, Quảng Nam (near An Bang beach)
Com Ga Ba Buoi 📍 22 Phan Chu Trinh, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam (often busy)
While the dishes mentioned above are specific to Hoi An, which you can’t try elsewhere, there are some other dishes that you should try while visiting the Quang Nam region of central Vietnam, called Banh Xeo and Mi Quang.
These crispy savoury pancakes are some of the best food in Vietnam. Cooked on a sizzling skillet, these taco-like crispy pancakes are stuffed with shrimp, pork and beansprouts. Best eaten wrapped in rice paper with salad leaves and herbs, then dipped into a sweet and spicy dipping sauce.
While banh xeo can be found all over Vietnam, they traditionally come from this region so it’s a great idea to try them while you’re here!
One of the most famous noodle dishes from the region around Hoi An is Mi Quang, a dry noodle dish, topped with meat, veggies, herbs, peanuts and crispy rice crackers. Normally there is a small amount of fragrant broth added. This dish is an all-time favourite of mine and Hoi An is the a great place to eat this food!
There you have it – 5 unique dishes to eat in Hoi An. I hope you’re hungry because it’s time to enjoy the amazing food in Hoi An!
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Cat Tien is a small town that lies in Lam Dong Province, about 4hrs north of Saigon on route to Dalat. It sits across the Dong Nai river from the Cat Tien National Park, a UNESCO and nationally protected area of primary forest. Cat Tien National Park spans a massive area of 70,000+ ha and is home to an estimated 1,610 species, including ancient trees, exotic birds, insects and two wildlife rescue centres that rehabilitate sun and moon bears. The national park is open every day from 7:30am to 6:30pm, year-round.
How long to stay – the location of Cat Tien makes it impossible to visit as a day trip. A minimum of 1 night is required, though I recommend 2 nights to give you 1 full day for exploring.
Best time of year – The transitional months of Nov/Dec and May/Jun offer the best weather, with slightly cooler temperatures and less chance of rain. Try to avoid monsoon season (Jun-Nov) as there will be lots of mud.
Note: Bring cash as there are no ATMs in Cat Tien town. Some hotels take cards but bring cash to be sure.