Cycling around the old town, boating on the Hoai River, strolling Tra Que vegetable village, and discovering Vietnamese traditional culture are activities of international guests when coming to Hoi An for the Lunar New Year.

According to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam province, during the Lunar New Year holiday, the province welcomed about 58,000 international visitors. Famous tourist attractions such as Hoi An ancient town, Tra Que vegetable village, Bay Mau coconut forest, and Thanh Ha pottery village all welcomed the same number of visitors before the Covid-19 epidemic.

Enjoying beer at a small bar on Tran Phu Street, Mr. Michael (German, right) said that this is his third time traveling to Hoi An, but the first time coincides with the Lunar New Year, the old town is brilliant and colorful. more crowded than usual.

“I really like Hoi An because the city still retains its ancient beauty despite the growing tourism. I chose Vietnam for this vacation because of the history and culture of the land. Before that, I went to Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh City, visit the Mekong Delta. This is the second stop in Vietnam before continuing the journey to Thailand,” said Michael.

On the last day in Hoi An, on the 4th day of Tet, Ms. Scarlet (British) walked around the handicraft stalls in the central market area to buy souvenirs. Scarlet said she chose Vietnam for her vacation because of two factors: beautiful scenery and culture. She feels lucky to be able to experience the Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebrations while in Ninh Binh, before going to Hoi An.

“The atmosphere is bustling, I like the way people gather to greet the first moments of the new year,” she said. Scarlet’s favorite experience in Hoi An is sitting on a boat to enjoy Hoai River. British female tourists think this is a very interesting activity. “At night, everything becomes more shimmering,” she said.

At Hoi An market, Mr. Jeago (Argentine) enjoys Cao Lau, a typical local dish. Because they wanted to learn about some Asian countries, Jeago and his companions chose Vietnam as a destination, next to Thailand and Cambodia. Although finding it difficult to use chopsticks, the Argentine male tourist said that he loves Vietnamese cuisine very much.

A group of tourists from England choose to walk so they can slowly feel the nostalgic beauty of the old city. Ms. Jell Algina Truly expressed that the two things that impressed her the most about Hoi An were the people and the food.

“Vietnamese people in general and Hoi An in particular are very friendly and hospitable. Besides, Vietnamese food is delicious, especially noodles,” she said.

In addition to walking, cyclo, boating, cycling activities are also popular with international tourists when coming to Hoi An ancient town.

About 3 km from Hoi An city center, located on the route from the sea, Tra Que vegetable village is a favorite place for international tourists. Solwen (British) chooses a bicycle to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and faint aroma of a quiet and green 300-year-old vegetable village, a corner of Hoi An that is different from the bustle in the center of the old town.

The roads connecting the center of Hoi An to neighboring areas such as An Bang beach, Tra Que vegetable village are more open with young rice fields. In the photo, an interested tourist stops to record the beauty of the Vietnamese countryside, the scene in stark contrast to the crowdedness in the center of the old town.

“It’s great, we came to Vietnam on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. The atmosphere everywhere is very joyful. Families get together”, Mr. Jeff (American) expressed his excitement and said, “Happy New Year” in Vietnamese. Jeff and the group of tourists rent motorbikes to easily move between destinations.

During most of Tet, Hoi An’s weather is cold and rainy, so An Bang beach is less crowded than usual. Tourists, mainly international, come to An Bang to temporarily get away from the crowded streets of the city center to walk or rest on the sand to enjoy and breathe in the fresh air.

photo: Xuan Phuong