Hoi An

Hoi An (Vietnamese: Hội An) is a beautiful city in Vietnam about 30 km to the south of Da Nang. The Old Town of Hoi An is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hoi An is also commonly used as the base for half-day trips to a cluster of abandoned and partially ruins of My Son, another UNESCO World Heritage Site in the west of the Central Highlands.

Hoi An, once known as Faifo, with more than 2,000 years of history, was the principal port of the Cham Kingdom, which controlled the strategic spice trade with Indonesia from the 7th-10th centuries and was a major international port in the 16th and 17th centuries. The foreign influences are discernible to this day.

The culture and heritage is mostly from the Cham people whose kingdom originally stretched from Hue south to Phan Tiet (south of Nha Trang). The Champas were most likely originally from Java. The original Cham political capital was Tra Kieu, the commercial capital was Hoi An and the spiritual capital was My Son (Hindu). The Cham people were Hindu, and by the 10th century the influence of Arab traders to Hoi An resulted in the conversion of some to Islam.

The second major influence was Chinese, first by traders, then by escaping Ming Dynasty armies, who after settling in Hoi An for some years, moved further south and created Saigon as a major trading port.

The third and last major influence of culture and heritage was from the Vietnamese and is fairly recent and only came after the Cham lost control of this area. For a tourist wanting Vietnamese culture and heritage, Hue is a much better destination than Hoi An.

While the serious shipping business has long since moved to Da Nang, the heart of the city is still the Old Town, full of winding lanes and Chinese-styled shophouses, which is particularly atmospheric in the evening as the sun goes down. While almost all shops now cater to the tourist trade, the area has been largely preserved as is, which is unusual in Vietnam, and renovation has proceeded slowly and carefully. It's mercifully absent of towering concrete blocks and karaoke parlours.

The culture and heritage that UNESCO WHS status for Hoi An Old Town was trying to preserve is long since gone. Since 1999, when UNESCO status was awarded, there has been a massive increase in mass tourism, with the result that most houses have been sold to speculators and shop owners to be used for commercial purposes. The community and with it their culture and heritage is gone and in their place are shops, restaurants, art galleries, etc. There are hundreds of tailor shops in Hoi An, all selling similar low value products to ever smaller numbers of Western tourists.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status also applies to Hoi An Old Town, but in reality this status, like all other UNESCO designations, has not been accompanied by enlightened site management.

The main thoroughfare in the Old Town is Tran Phu. Just south of the Old Town, across the Thu Bon River, are the islands of An Hoi to the west, reached via Hai Ba Trung, and Cam Nam to the east, reached via Hoang Dieu.

The Old Town, with its historical architecture and very walkable streets filled with shops and restaurants, is arguably at its best at night, when the activity along the river front is lit by the soft light of silk lanterns.

Entry to Old Town is free, however entry to all historical sites is handled via a coupon system, where 120,000 đong (2016) gets a ticket that can be used to enter any five attractions. Tickets are sold at various entry points into the Old Town, including Hai Ba Trung St, and also at some of the attractions, including the Cantonese Assembly Hall.

• Japanese Covered Bridge. The bridge was constructed in the early 1600s by the Japanese community, roughly 40 years before they left the city to return to Japan under the strict policy of sakoku enforced by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and renovated in 1986. Today, it's the symbol of Hoi An. Entry is one coupon, but it's possible to cross back and forth several times without meeting a ticket-checker. If your scruples bother you, leave a tribute for the pig statue or the dog statue standing guard at opposite ends of the bridge.
• Quan Cong Temple, 24 Tran Phu St (near corner of Tran Phu and Tran Quy Cap. Founded in the 15th century, this temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, a Chinese general who is remembered and worshipped for his qualities of loyalty, integrity and justice. Statues of him and several others are inside the temple.

Japanese Covered Bridge. The bridge was constructed in the early 1600s by the Japanese community, roughly 40 years before they left the city to return to Japan under the strict policy of sakoku enforced by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and renovated in 1986. Today, it's the symbol of Hoi An. Entry is one coupon, but it's possible to cross back and forth several times without meeting a ticket-checker. If your scruples bother you, leave a tribute for the pig statue or the dog statue standing guard at opposite ends of the bridge.

Quan Cong Temple, 24 Tran Phu St (near corner of Tran Phu and Tran Quy Cap. Founded in the 15th century, this temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, a Chinese general who is remembered and worshipped for his qualities of loyalty, integrity and justice. Statues of him and several others are inside the temple.

• Museum of Hoi An History and Culture, 7 Nguyen Hue St. The museum contains some old black and white photos of Hoi An taken in the early 20th century. It also houses an old cannon, some two-thousand year old pots from the Sa Huynh period, and a case full of 9th century bricks and tiles from the Champa period.
• Museum of Folk Culture, 33 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. Some may be put off by the bizarre-looking plaster sculptures of Vietnamese peasants, but this museum documents the dress and culture of rural Vietnam.
• Museum of Sa Huynh Culture, 149 Bach Dang St. The museum's main collection consists of pottery and urns from the 1st and 2nd centuries. Upstairs is another museum, the Museum of the Revolution. Its main collection consists of pictures from war heroes and a collection of weapons such as grenade launchers, machine guns and AK 47s.
• Museum of Trade Ceramics, 80 Tran Phu St. The dusty, unlabeled displays of broken pottery are eminently forgettable, but the house itself is nice enough, and it provides a good opportunity to explore the shape and layout of an old Hoi An home.

Museum of Hoi An History and Culture, 7 Nguyen Hue St. The museum contains some old black and white photos of Hoi An taken in the early 20th century. It also houses an old cannon, some two-thousand year old pots from the Sa Huynh period, and a case full of 9th century bricks and tiles from the Champa period.

Museum of Folk Culture, 33 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. Some may be put off by the bizarre-looking plaster sculptures of Vietnamese peasants, but this museum documents the dress and culture of rural Vietnam.

Museum of Sa Huynh Culture, 149 Bach Dang St. The museum's main collection consists of pottery and urns from the 1st and 2nd centuries. Upstairs is another museum, the Museum of the Revolution. Its main collection consists of pictures from war heroes and a collection of weapons such as grenade launchers, machine guns and AK 47s.

Museum of Trade Ceramics, 80 Tran Phu St. The dusty, unlabeled displays of broken pottery are eminently forgettable, but the house itself is nice enough, and it provides a good opportunity to explore the shape and layout of an old Hoi An home.

There are four old houses that exist in an awkward halfway state between museum showpiece and somewhat shabby residence for the family that lives there.

• Old house of Phung Hung, 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St (Just west of the Japanese Bridge. Traditional two-story wooden house, inhabited over 100 years by eight generations; and the current one guides you around in hope of a tip.
• Old house of Quan Thang, 77 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.
• Old house of Duc An, Nguyen Thai Hoc St.
• Old house of Tan Ky, 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. As above, a younger member of the family will provide a cup of tea and a "tour" that doesn't stray from the front room of the house, as you'd need to step over sleeping members of the older generation to go anywhere else. The design of the house shows how local architecture incorporated Japanese and Chinese influences. Japanese elements include the crab shell-shaped ceiling supported by three beams in the living room. Chinese poems written in mother-of-pearl are hanging from a number of the columns that hold up the roof.

Old house of Phung Hung, 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St (Just west of the Japanese Bridge. Traditional two-story wooden house, inhabited over 100 years by eight generations; and the current one guides you around in hope of a tip.

Old house of Quan Thang, 77 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.

Old house of Duc An, Nguyen Thai Hoc St.

Old house of Tan Ky, 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. As above, a younger member of the family will provide a cup of tea and a "tour" that doesn't stray from the front room of the house, as you'd need to step over sleeping members of the older generation to go anywhere else. The design of the house shows how local architecture incorporated Japanese and Chinese influences. Japanese elements include the crab shell-shaped ceiling supported by three beams in the living room. Chinese poems written in mother-of-pearl are hanging from a number of the columns that hold up the roof.

Numerous congregation halls, where Chinese expatriate residents socialized and held meetings, are dotted about the town. They are typically named after the home region of their members, such as Fujian and Canton. Some attractions do not have ticket-takers.

• Cam Pho Communal House, 52 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Phường Minh An.
• Quang Trieu Assembly Hall, 176 Tran Phu St. Built in 1885, it has a calm courtyard with ornate statuary. Take a peek at the half-hidden back yard and its kitschy pastel dragon statues.
• Phuc Kien Meeting Hall, 46 Tran Phu St. Hokien (Fujian) meeting hall built in 1757.
• Trieu Chau Meeting Hall, 157 Nguyen Duy Hieu. Chinese all-Community meeting hall built in 1887. It's near the Fujian hall, also occupying the block.

Cam Pho Communal House, 52 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Phường Minh An.

Quang Trieu Assembly Hall, 176 Tran Phu St. Built in 1885, it has a calm courtyard with ornate statuary. Take a peek at the half-hidden back yard and its kitschy pastel dragon statues.

Phuc Kien Meeting Hall, 46 Tran Phu St. Hokien (Fujian) meeting hall built in 1757.

Trieu Chau Meeting Hall, 157 Nguyen Duy Hieu. Chinese all-Community meeting hall built in 1887. It's near the Fujian hall, also occupying the block.

• Hoi An Art Craft Manufacturing Workshop, 9 Bach Dang St. Folk music performances are offered Tu-Su at 10:15 and 15:15.
• Hoi An Traditional Art Performance House, 75 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.

Hoi An Art Craft Manufacturing Workshop, 9 Bach Dang St. Folk music performances are offered Tu-Su at 10:15 and 15:15.

Hoi An Traditional Art Performance House, 75 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.

There are boat rides on the river, local beaches, diving.

• Cham Island Diving. Has been operating from Hoi An since 2002. The dive centre and international team offer daily boat and speedboat tours to Cham Island for scuba diving and snorkelling.
• Hoi An Silk Village, 28 Nguyen Tat Thanh St, +84 510 3921144. 09:00-21:00. Revived 300-year-old Champa silk traditions. Half day tours encompassing the entire silk process, from silkworms to dressmaking. Showroom in a converted Quang Nam-style house with 100 different ao dai, representing all of the 54 different minority groups in Vietnam. Also a spacious colonial-style restaurant serving local dishes and a silk showroom where professional tailors custom design and make garments for visitors. USD19.
• Cooking lessons are offered at several restaurants around town. If you enjoyed your meal there, it can't hurt to enquire. There are also several established cooking schools with good reputations including Gioan Riverside, Morning Glory, and Red Bridge who offer a variety of courses ranging in price from USD16-55. In these schools you will learn only the mechanics of Vietnamese cooking: how to chop the vegetables and roll the spring roll, etc. All the rest are closely-guarded secrets: the making of the sauce, the techniques of frying the spring roll and the grilling the beef. The instructors are locals, and some are not used to English pronunciations and speak fast.
• Hội An Eco Tour. Is a unique cultural tourist attraction. Learn how to catch fish, row a basket boat with local fisherman in the coconut palm paradise. Rather than focusing on historical artifacts of Vietnam, the eco tour focuses on the historical, and living culture of the people of Hội An. Very friendly tour guide and staff. All drinks and a great dinner included (Fisherman to Coconut palm paradise tour). A bit more expensive than other tours but a very nice experience (doing rather than seeing).
• Hội An Food Tour. 15:30-20:00. Discover the best of Hoi An street foods. Your tour guide will show you best places to eat Hoi An-style foods cheaply and knowledgeably. 4 hours. 5 tasting locations, 8 delicious samples (enough for dinner). Pickup from your hotel. USD45.
• Lifestart Foundation Tour & Craft Lessons, 77 Phan Chu Trinh. Lifestart Foundation, a charity founded in Australia, offers a half day tour to find out more about the Lifestart Foundation Workshop and take part in lantern making and art classes. The morning includes the opportunity to make Hoi An lanterns, one-on-one dialogue with workshop members and a traditional painting class. At the end of your experience you’ll have two miniature Hoi An lanterns. All of the money raised goes towards helping local people in difficulty. USD33.
• Water puppet show, traditional show. 80.000 dong/ 3 euro. Weekends at 18.30h.

• Cam Kim Island Bicycle Tour. 08:30-12:00. Cam Kim is a scenic rural island which is almost entirely free of tourists. Stunning rural scenes, rice paddies, villages, fields of water buffalo and quiet roads are the big draws of Cam Kim. With your bike, you will be able to explore numerous picturesque pathways along with some bamboo bridged. There will be plenty of opportunities for taking photos and just taking in the wonderful scenery. You are led by a student volunteer keen on improving her English. Free except for ferry.
• Heaven and Earth Bicycle Tours, 57 Ngo Quyen (An Hoi Islet, +84 510 3864362. Owned by Pascal, a French expat, and his wife, Thu, who is a native of Hoi An. If you take this tour, they will guide you to destinations that are not accessible to large tour groups. From USD17.
• Hoi An Love of Life Bicycle Tours, 66 Phan Chu Trinh St, +84 235 3505017. 5 hours. Organised by local professional tour guides. Places visited include the Buddhist pagoda and a picturesque fishing village while cycling through luscious green rice fields where buffaloes roam. USD25.

Cam Kim Island Bicycle Tour. 08:30-12:00. Cam Kim is a scenic rural island which is almost entirely free of tourists. Stunning rural scenes, rice paddies, villages, fields of water buffalo and quiet roads are the big draws of Cam Kim. With your bike, you will be able to explore numerous picturesque pathways along with some bamboo bridged. There will be plenty of opportunities for taking photos and just taking in the wonderful scenery. You are led by a student volunteer keen on improving her English. Free except for ferry.

Heaven and Earth Bicycle Tours, 57 Ngo Quyen (An Hoi Islet, +84 510 3864362. Owned by Pascal, a French expat, and his wife, Thu, who is a native of Hoi An. If you take this tour, they will guide you to destinations that are not accessible to large tour groups. From USD17.

Hoi An Love of Life Bicycle Tours, 66 Phan Chu Trinh St, +84 235 3505017. 5 hours. Organised by local professional tour guides. Places visited include the Buddhist pagoda and a picturesque fishing village while cycling through luscious green rice fields where buffaloes roam. USD25.

Cham Island Diving. Has been operating from Hoi An since 2002. The dive centre and international team offer daily boat and speedboat tours to Cham Island for scuba diving and snorkelling.

Hoi An Silk Village, 28 Nguyen Tat Thanh St, +84 510 3921144. 09:00-21:00. Revived 300-year-old Champa silk traditions. Half day tours encompassing the entire silk process, from silkworms to dressmaking. Showroom in a converted Quang Nam-style house with 100 different ao dai, representing all of the 54 different minority groups in Vietnam. Also a spacious colonial-style restaurant serving local dishes and a silk showroom where professional tailors custom design and make garments for visitors. USD19.

Cooking lessons are offered at several restaurants around town. If you enjoyed your meal there, it can't hurt to enquire. There are also several established cooking schools with good reputations including Gioan Riverside, Morning Glory, and Red Bridge who offer a variety of courses ranging in price from USD16-55. In these schools you will learn only the mechanics of Vietnamese cooking: how to chop the vegetables and roll the spring roll, etc. All the rest are closely-guarded secrets: the making of the sauce, the techniques of frying the spring roll and the grilling the beef. The instructors are locals, and some are not used to English pronunciations and speak fast.

Hội An Eco Tour. Is a unique cultural tourist attraction. Learn how to catch fish, row a basket boat with local fisherman in the coconut palm paradise. Rather than focusing on historical artifacts of Vietnam, the eco tour focuses on the historical, and living culture of the people of Hội An. Very friendly tour guide and staff. All drinks and a great dinner included (Fisherman to Coconut palm paradise tour). A bit more expensive than other tours but a very nice experience (doing rather than seeing).

Hội An Food Tour. 15:30-20:00. Discover the best of Hoi An street foods. Your tour guide will show you best places to eat Hoi An-style foods cheaply and knowledgeably. 4 hours. 5 tasting locations, 8 delicious samples (enough for dinner). Pickup from your hotel. USD45.

Lifestart Foundation Tour & Craft Lessons, 77 Phan Chu Trinh. Lifestart Foundation, a charity founded in Australia, offers a half day tour to find out more about the Lifestart Foundation Workshop and take part in lantern making and art classes. The morning includes the opportunity to make Hoi An lanterns, one-on-one dialogue with workshop members and a traditional painting class. At the end of your experience you’ll have two miniature Hoi An lanterns. All of the money raised goes towards helping local people in difficulty. USD33.

Water puppet show, traditional show. 80.000 dong/ 3 euro. Weekends at 18.30h.

The are many ATMs around Hoi An but none seem to allow withdrawals over 2 million dong. They all charge for withdrawals. Agribank and Vietcombank maybe the cheapest with a fee of 20,000 đong, max withdrawal 2 million dong.

• Money changer. If changing cash the best places are the gold shops near the market.
• Marble and marble powder statues - outside the entrance to Marble Mountain. Look for Quan Am, the Vietnamese version of China's Kwan Yin, a female Buddha usually depicted pouring out a flask of water. Small powder statues are available for USD1, marble for around USD20, you can tell them apart by the price. Deep discounts may be available by bargaining.
• Brass gongs and bells - There are many foundries on the road to My Son. Items can be made to order. This is the origin of the souvenirs sold in Hoi An tourist shops.
• Hand made silks and lanterns - Old Town tourist shops

Hoi An is known as the centre for affordable custom-made clothing. There are around 400 tailor shops in the city, some better than others. Most can complete something in one day, so you may wish to make an order on arrival so there will be time to complete the work. The principle of caveat emptor is definitely relevant. Ask at your accommodation. You will probably need to leave a deposit of about half the finished price before the work is started. If there are problems, shops may or may not be willing to make adjustments; you will not get a refund. Some strategies to minimise your risk:

• Use recommendations from your accommodation and not from motorcycle drivers (they get a kickback whilst your hotel probably doesn't)
• Order one thing at a time: if something goes wrong with one item, you lose less money;.
• Take something that fits, they work better with copies.
• Make sure they understand any special instructions: pockets, shortening, etc., the language barrier is not your friend.
• Price things in more than one shop: materials and prices vary.
• Order from more than one shop, again so all your eggs are not in one basket. Tailor shops:
• Len Silk, 74 Tran Phu St. The owner is the 6th generation in the family business. Her grandmother learned to make silk by hand as a young girl. She continued for 50 years. Then mass-produced imported silk became the norm and the village women mostly dropped the craft. Reasoning that traditional techniques of making hand-produced silk resulted in a superior product, she kept the business of using time-worn techniques going. Nearly all the garments in the store made by this method. Only women's clothing is available in hand-crafted fabrics.
• Song Trang 'Moon River', 166 Nguyen Truong To (next to Tran Hung Dao crossroads, +84 510 3936937. 09:00-21:00. Men's and ladies' tailoring. 2-piece suits start about USD100. Many similar in nearby Le Loi St. From USD100.
• Vanda Tailors, 631 Hai Ba Trung, +84 984488811. 08:30-21:30. This tailor shop is very highly rated by many travellers.
• Yaly Couture, 358 Nguyen Duy Hieu St, +84 510 3914995. 10:00-22:00. Top end prices. You pay for the name, and the bag the clothes come in. From USD150.

Len Silk, 74 Tran Phu St. The owner is the 6th generation in the family business. Her grandmother learned to make silk by hand as a young girl. She continued for 50 years. Then mass-produced imported silk became the norm and the village women mostly dropped the craft. Reasoning that traditional techniques of making hand-produced silk resulted in a superior product, she kept the business of using time-worn techniques going. Nearly all the garments in the store made by this method. Only women's clothing is available in hand-crafted fabrics.

Song Trang 'Moon River', 166 Nguyen Truong To (next to Tran Hung Dao crossroads, +84 510 3936937. 09:00-21:00. Men's and ladies' tailoring. 2-piece suits start about USD100. Many similar in nearby Le Loi St. From USD100.

Vanda Tailors, 631 Hai Ba Trung, +84 984488811. 08:30-21:30. This tailor shop is very highly rated by many travellers.

Yaly Couture, 358 Nguyen Duy Hieu St, +84 510 3914995. 10:00-22:00. Top end prices. You pay for the name, and the bag the clothes come in. From USD150.

Money changer. If changing cash the best places are the gold shops near the market.

Food in Hoi An is, even by high Vietnamese standards, cheap and tasty. In addition to the usual suspects, there are three dishes that Hoi An is particularly famous for:

• Cao lầu, a dish of rice noodles which are not quite as slippery as pho and a bit closer in texture to pasta. The noodles are topped with slices of roast pork, dough fritters, and this being Vietnam, lots of fresh herbs and veggies.
• White rose (banh bao vac), a type of shrimp dumpling made from translucent white dough bunched up to look like a rose. Eat it at 533 Hai Ba Trung St.
• Wonton dumplings, essentially the same as the Chinese kind, served up in soup or deep-fried.

• The Central Market has a food court with several stands serving Hoi An specialities and typical Vietnamese food like pho, and spring rolls. It has a few stands catering to tourists with English-speaking staff and menus, and stands catering mostly to Vietnamese which serve rice and side dishes.
• Bale Well Restaurant, 45-51 D Tran Cao Van (In the small alley, +84 510 650 6979. 10:00-22:00. Set menu: bánh xèo, pork savoury pancakes; barbecued satay pork loin, wrapped in a lettuce leaf, with side salad. 110,000 đong each.
• Binh Minh Restaurant, 197 Ly Thuong Kiet St (next to Vinh Huy Hotel. 07:00-22:00. Western breakfasts, standard Vietnamese specialities, family atmosphere and reasonable prices.
• Cafe Bobo, 18 Le Loi. Popular and reasonably-priced. The frappucino-style mocha shakes are great.
• Cafe 43, 43 Tran Cao Van. Biere Lerue for 10,000 đong and bia hoi (pronounced doy in the south) fresh beer for 3,000 đong. The food is general traveller fare but tasty. Try the cao lao noodles which is the local speciality. Portions are adequate. The "fresh spring rolls" (steamed) cost around 40,000 đong, but are huge.
• Lantern Town Restaurant. Hoi An is the home of lanterns and Lantern Town restaurant, housed in an ancient house, combines French colonial architectural influences with traditional Vietnamese style. 20,000 đong.
• Đũa Việt, 126 Tran Cao Van St, +84 90 519 1136. Formerly the Laugh Café and now run by one of its former employees, Đũa Việt (meaning Vietnamese Chopsticks) continues to serve the delicious and reasonably priced dishes of its predecessor, including local dishes and a large selection of vegetarian offerings. Try the grilled fish (or other meat) in a banana leaf with fresh turmeric.
• Orivy Restaurant, 578/1 Cua Dai (off the road, up a side alley. 10:00-22:00. Wooden building in a romantic garden with big tree and lotus pond, hidden in small and quiet alley. Vietnamese food such as: xeo pancake, spring roll (fresh and fried), Cao Lau, brown rice, great Vietnamese salad and fresh fruit juice. 170,000 đong.
• Pho Ha Noi, 448 Cua Dai Rd, +84 907 269 123. Early/Breakfast. The real deal. Pho and bun. Popular with locals. Try out your Vietnamese as English understood. 20,000 đong.
• Restaurant 96. One of the numerous restaurants on the river bank, this restaurant is packed every night of the week. Many of the guests are returning customers, so the food must be good. There are plenty of vegetarian options and excellent spring rolls. The wait for food tends to be longer than normal, but it's worth it. The surliness of the owner does detract from the overall dining experience. 20,000 đong.
• Sun Shine, 46 Tran Cao Van St (Diagonally opposite Phuoc An Hotel, +84 510 391-6902. 07:00-23:00. A homey and cheap restaurant. Serves fresh and home-cooked Vietnamese and Western food. Prices start at 20,000 đong for a bowl of cau lau, and a plate of 6 spring rolls will only set you back 30,000 đong. 3,000 đong for fresh beer and Vietnamese ice tea is free of charge. Proprietor Hoi is offering cooking lessons for 120,000 đong per person, plus the cost of the menu items you wish to prepare. The lesson takes place in the house kitchen behind the restaurant, giving you an insight into Vietnamese City life.
• Thanh Phuong, 56 Cong Dong (An Hoi Island, just across bridge. Cheap and cheerful local eats. A steaming seafood hotpot is 109,000 đong, codfish hotpot 89,000 đong.
• 31 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. Here you can find many small stands which serve good and cheap food quickly. 20,000 đong.
• Treats "Same same only different", 322 Ly Thuong Kiet St (just outside of the old town tourist area, a block east of Vinh Huy and Tan Phuong Hotels, and half a block west of Le Loi St (the main north-south tourist street), +84 905 409 873. 09:00-21:30. Western breakfast served all day. Clean and quiet. Reasonably fast Wi-Fi. Pizza and Vietnamese specialties, and possibly the best cao lau in the city.
• Trung Bac, 87 Tran Phu. 100 years of cao lau and still going strong. A bowl of chewy noodles and lots of veggies costs 15,000 đong.
• White Lotus, Phan Bội Châu (walk along the river from Old Town, through the central market, and straight on for about 50 m, after passing Brother's Cafe. New restaurant with Australian owner. Serves good Asian and Western dishes, staff very helpful and obliging to any request. 20,000-60,000 đong.
• White Rose, 533 Hai Ba Trung. 07:00-early afternoon. The shop that makes most of the "white rose" dumplings served all around town. 40,000 đong per serving, and if you ask nicely they'll let you try to make them yourself.
• Cao Lầu 474, 474 Cua Dai, +84 01215737986. Super friendly. They say "best cao lầu in Hoi An" cheap beer: 800 ml 9,000 đong, pizza 95,000 dong.

The Central Market has a food court with several stands serving Hoi An specialities and typical Vietnamese food like pho, and spring rolls. It has a few stands catering to tourists with English-speaking staff and menus, and stands catering mostly to Vietnamese which serve rice and side dishes.

Bale Well Restaurant, 45-51 D Tran Cao Van (In the small alley, +84 510 650 6979. 10:00-22:00. Set menu: bánh xèo, pork savoury pancakes; barbecued satay pork loin, wrapped in a lettuce leaf, with side salad. 110,000 đong each.

Binh Minh Restaurant, 197 Ly Thuong Kiet St (next to Vinh Huy Hotel. 07:00-22:00. Western breakfasts, standard Vietnamese specialities, family atmosphere and reasonable prices.

Cafe Bobo, 18 Le Loi. Popular and reasonably-priced. The frappucino-style mocha shakes are great.

Cafe 43, 43 Tran Cao Van. Biere Lerue for 10,000 đong and bia hoi (pronounced doy in the south) fresh beer for 3,000 đong. The food is general traveller fare but tasty. Try the cao lao noodles which is the local speciality. Portions are adequate. The "fresh spring rolls" (steamed) cost around 40,000 đong, but are huge.

Lantern Town Restaurant. Hoi An is the home of lanterns and Lantern Town restaurant, housed in an ancient house, combines French colonial architectural influences with traditional Vietnamese style. 20,000 đong.

Đũa Việt, 126 Tran Cao Van St, +84 90 519 1136. Formerly the Laugh Café and now run by one of its former employees, Đũa Việt (meaning Vietnamese Chopsticks) continues to serve the delicious and reasonably priced dishes of its predecessor, including local dishes and a large selection of vegetarian offerings. Try the grilled fish (or other meat) in a banana leaf with fresh turmeric.

Orivy Restaurant, 578/1 Cua Dai (off the road, up a side alley. 10:00-22:00. Wooden building in a romantic garden with big tree and lotus pond, hidden in small and quiet alley. Vietnamese food such as: xeo pancake, spring roll (fresh and fried), Cao Lau, brown rice, great Vietnamese salad and fresh fruit juice. 170,000 đong.

Pho Ha Noi, 448 Cua Dai Rd, +84 907 269 123. Early/Breakfast. The real deal. Pho and bun. Popular with locals. Try out your Vietnamese as English understood. 20,000 đong.

Restaurant 96. One of the numerous restaurants on the river bank, this restaurant is packed every night of the week. Many of the guests are returning customers, so the food must be good. There are plenty of vegetarian options and excellent spring rolls. The wait for food tends to be longer than normal, but it's worth it. The surliness of the owner does detract from the overall dining experience. 20,000 đong.

Sun Shine, 46 Tran Cao Van St (Diagonally opposite Phuoc An Hotel, +84 510 391-6902. 07:00-23:00. A homey and cheap restaurant. Serves fresh and home-cooked Vietnamese and Western food. Prices start at 20,000 đong for a bowl of cau lau, and a plate of 6 spring rolls will only set you back 30,000 đong. 3,000 đong for fresh beer and Vietnamese ice tea is free of charge. Proprietor Hoi is offering cooking lessons for 120,000 đong per person, plus the cost of the menu items you wish to prepare. The lesson takes place in the house kitchen behind the restaurant, giving you an insight into Vietnamese City life.

Thanh Phuong, 56 Cong Dong (An Hoi Island, just across bridge. Cheap and cheerful local eats. A steaming seafood hotpot is 109,000 đong, codfish hotpot 89,000 đong.

31 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. Here you can find many small stands which serve good and cheap food quickly. 20,000 đong.

Treats "Same same only different", 322 Ly Thuong Kiet St (just outside of the old town tourist area, a block east of Vinh Huy and Tan Phuong Hotels, and half a block west of Le Loi St (the main north-south tourist street), +84 905 409 873. 09:00-21:30. Western breakfast served all day. Clean and quiet. Reasonably fast Wi-Fi. Pizza and Vietnamese specialties, and possibly the best cao lau in the city.

Trung Bac, 87 Tran Phu. 100 years of cao lau and still going strong. A bowl of chewy noodles and lots of veggies costs 15,000 đong.

White Lotus, Phan Bội Châu (walk along the river from Old Town, through the central market, and straight on for about 50 m, after passing Brother's Cafe. New restaurant with Australian owner. Serves good Asian and Western dishes, staff very helpful and obliging to any request. 20,000-60,000 đong.

White Rose, 533 Hai Ba Trung. 07:00-early afternoon. The shop that makes most of the "white rose" dumplings served all around town. 40,000 đong per serving, and if you ask nicely they'll let you try to make them yourself.

Cao Lầu 474, 474 Cua Dai, +84 01215737986. Super friendly. They say "best cao lầu in Hoi An" cheap beer: 800 ml 9,000 đong, pizza 95,000 dong.

• Alfrescos, 83 Tran Hung Dao St, +84 510 3929707. Offers comfort food: Aussie steaks, pasta, pizza, Mexican and ribs. Also deliver. Offer a Tuesday, Friday special deal of two for one pizza for delivery. Shows rugby and Aussie rules football.
• Bazar Cafe & Restaurant, 36 Tran Phu (Next to the town market, +84 510 3911229. 08:00-24:00. New in town, serves the best Vietnamese and Mediterranean barbeque in the garden. Comfortable lounge, cocktails and shisha inside the traditional wooden house.
• Bamboo Buddha Restaurant, 13 Nguyen Hoang St An Hoi islet (Across night market, +84 510 3925000. 15:00-24:00. Set in a colonial building with garden across the night market. French food with foie gras, duck magret, BBQ steaks and some vietnamese food. Nice sangria and cocktais, good wine selection.
• Brother's Cafe, 27 - 29 - 31 Phan Boi Chau St, +84 510 391 4150. Tranquil French colonial riverside setting. Big selection of local food, especially seafood.
• Dingo Deli, +84 906 552824. 07:30-19:30. This delicatessen offers an extensive selection of gourmet foods through the restaurant and European grocery store. Attractive ambience, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. A wooden constructed adventure play ground for children to play on overlooks paddocks with buffalo and the Thu Bon River.
• Hoi An Cruise Restaurant, 32 Le Loi St (reservation office at the city centre, +84 510 8505605. Cruise restaurant with a sunset dinner cruise and cooking class.
• Mango Rooms, 111 Nguyen Thai Hoc, +84 510 3910839. Offers Asian fusion food made of fresh local products. As an example is duck breast marinated in five spices served with bitter-chocolate passion fruit spicy garlic butter sauce. The atmosphere is very relaxed with a colourful interior design. Rather expensive. 350,000-550,000 đong.
• Morning Glory. Choose from a variety of local dishes, and be sure to experiment, because everything is truly excellent. The staff speak good English, the place is beautifully decorated, and the food will have you coming back for more. And if you really enjoy the food, ask about their cooking classes. While there are cheaper places to eat in Hoi An, this one is by no means expensive, especially considering how good the food is. Most main courses are between 40,000 and 70,000 đong. Dinner and a drink cost about 80,000 đong per person.
• Moon Restaurant & Lounge, 321 Nguyen Diuy Hieu (East of the market, +84 510 2241396. 07:00-22:00. Beautiful old house, laid-back atmosphere and superb Vietnamese food. Main courses 50,000-80,000 đong; drinks 20,000-50,000 đong.
• Red Bridge Restaurant & Cooking School, Thon 4, Cam Thanh (about 3 km out of town, +84 510 933222. 10:00-21:00. Next to the Thu Bon River within 2 acres of tropical gardens. Offers a wide range of Vietnamese Food, in an open air restaurant. Cooking Classes begin around 08:00 at the Hai Scout Cafe for an Italian-style coffee then a tour of the market to shop for fruit & veg. Booking for dinner is essential. They sometimes close early if there are no customers. They offer cocktails as well as the usual beers and a wine list.
• River Lounge, 35 Nguyen Phu Chuc (across the bridge on Hoi An Island, it's the first double-storey building on the left, +84 510 3911700. 08:30-24:00. Run by two Austrian brothers. Western/Vietnamese fusion food. Set menu for 120,000 đong, 3 course meal..
• Son Hoi An, 177 Cua Dai (Riverside on the Cua Dai beach road. 09:30-23:30. Very popular stopping point for those cycling back from the beach.
• Thanh Restaurant, 76 Bach Dang (City centre, riverside, +84 510 3861366. Great Vietnamese and Western food. Excellent grilled fished in banana leaf and nice river view.
• Vinh Hung 1 Restaurant, 147B Tran Phu St (opposite the Cantonese Assembly Hall, near the Japanese Bridge. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One of the first restaurants in Hoi An open to Western visitors. A family-run restaurant offering a stylish blend of classic Vietnamese, traditional Hoi An specialities, and modern dishes using fresh ingredients. It's a fabulous place to relax over a drink and watch the hustle and bustle of life pass by.

Alfrescos, 83 Tran Hung Dao St, +84 510 3929707. Offers comfort food: Aussie steaks, pasta, pizza, Mexican and ribs. Also deliver. Offer a Tuesday, Friday special deal of two for one pizza for delivery. Shows rugby and Aussie rules football.

Bazar Cafe & Restaurant, 36 Tran Phu (Next to the town market, +84 510 3911229. 08:00-24:00. New in town, serves the best Vietnamese and Mediterranean barbeque in the garden. Comfortable lounge, cocktails and shisha inside the traditional wooden house.

Bamboo Buddha Restaurant, 13 Nguyen Hoang St An Hoi islet (Across night market, +84 510 3925000. 15:00-24:00. Set in a colonial building with garden across the night market. French food with foie gras, duck magret, BBQ steaks and some vietnamese food. Nice sangria and cocktais, good wine selection.

Brother's Cafe, 27 - 29 - 31 Phan Boi Chau St, +84 510 391 4150. Tranquil French colonial riverside setting. Big selection of local food, especially seafood.

Dingo Deli, +84 906 552824. 07:30-19:30. This delicatessen offers an extensive selection of gourmet foods through the restaurant and European grocery store. Attractive ambience, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. A wooden constructed adventure play ground for children to play on overlooks paddocks with buffalo and the Thu Bon River.

Hoi An Cruise Restaurant, 32 Le Loi St (reservation office at the city centre, +84 510 8505605. Cruise restaurant with a sunset dinner cruise and cooking class.

Mango Rooms, 111 Nguyen Thai Hoc, +84 510 3910839. Offers Asian fusion food made of fresh local products. As an example is duck breast marinated in five spices served with bitter-chocolate passion fruit spicy garlic butter sauce. The atmosphere is very relaxed with a colourful interior design. Rather expensive. 350,000-550,000 đong.

Morning Glory. Choose from a variety of local dishes, and be sure to experiment, because everything is truly excellent. The staff speak good English, the place is beautifully decorated, and the food will have you coming back for more. And if you really enjoy the food, ask about their cooking classes. While there are cheaper places to eat in Hoi An, this one is by no means expensive, especially considering how good the food is. Most main courses are between 40,000 and 70,000 đong. Dinner and a drink cost about 80,000 đong per person.

Moon Restaurant & Lounge, 321 Nguyen Diuy Hieu (East of the market, +84 510 2241396. 07:00-22:00. Beautiful old house, laid-back atmosphere and superb Vietnamese food. Main courses 50,000-80,000 đong; drinks 20,000-50,000 đong.

Red Bridge Restaurant & Cooking School, Thon 4, Cam Thanh (about 3 km out of town, +84 510 933222. 10:00-21:00. Next to the Thu Bon River within 2 acres of tropical gardens. Offers a wide range of Vietnamese Food, in an open air restaurant. Cooking Classes begin around 08:00 at the Hai Scout Cafe for an Italian-style coffee then a tour of the market to shop for fruit & veg. Booking for dinner is essential. They sometimes close early if there are no customers. They offer cocktails as well as the usual beers and a wine list.

River Lounge, 35 Nguyen Phu Chuc (across the bridge on Hoi An Island, it's the first double-storey building on the left, +84 510 3911700. 08:30-24:00. Run by two Austrian brothers. Western/Vietnamese fusion food. Set menu for 120,000 đong, 3 course meal..

Son Hoi An, 177 Cua Dai (Riverside on the Cua Dai beach road. 09:30-23:30. Very popular stopping point for those cycling back from the beach.

Thanh Restaurant, 76 Bach Dang (City centre, riverside, +84 510 3861366. Great Vietnamese and Western food. Excellent grilled fished in banana leaf and nice river view.

Vinh Hung 1 Restaurant, 147B Tran Phu St (opposite the Cantonese Assembly Hall, near the Japanese Bridge. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One of the first restaurants in Hoi An open to Western visitors. A family-run restaurant offering a stylish blend of classic Vietnamese, traditional Hoi An specialities, and modern dishes using fresh ingredients. It's a fabulous place to relax over a drink and watch the hustle and bustle of life pass by.

• Hong An, 343 Cua Dai (On Cua Dai, 15 minutes walk from the centre, +84 122 5992823. Good vegan Vietnamese food. Small menu, but includes local specialities. USD1 for a bowl of noodles.
• Karma Waters, 213 Nguyen Duy Hieu (Hoi An centre, opposite An Phu Hotel, +84 510 3927632. 10:00-21:00. Vegan (100% vegetarian) Vietnamese, International & Indian food, fruit juices & smoothies. Cooking classes & tours. Located in Centre of Hoi An Old Town. This place is on the expensive side: USD2.50 for a bowl of noodles soup with vegetables. USD1.50 for orange juice. However, the food is good and the staff nice. mid range.

Hong An, 343 Cua Dai (On Cua Dai, 15 minutes walk from the centre, +84 122 5992823. Good vegan Vietnamese food. Small menu, but includes local specialities. USD1 for a bowl of noodles.

Karma Waters, 213 Nguyen Duy Hieu (Hoi An centre, opposite An Phu Hotel, +84 510 3927632. 10:00-21:00. Vegan (100% vegetarian) Vietnamese, International & Indian food, fruit juices & smoothies. Cooking classes & tours. Located in Centre of Hoi An Old Town. This place is on the expensive side: USD2.50 for a bowl of noodles soup with vegetables. USD1.50 for orange juice. However, the food is good and the staff nice. mid range.

Cao lầu, a dish of rice noodles which are not quite as slippery as pho and a bit closer in texture to pasta. The noodles are topped with slices of roast pork, dough fritters, and this being Vietnam, lots of fresh herbs and veggies.

White rose (banh bao vac), a type of shrimp dumpling made from translucent white dough bunched up to look like a rose. Eat it at 533 Hai Ba Trung St.

Wonton dumplings, essentially the same as the Chinese kind, served up in soup or deep-fried.

Walking along the river at night, you will find a lot of pubs. Beer is around 30,000 đong. Cocktails are 20,000-50,000 đong. There are some bar foods available, such as fried prawn crackers for around 15,000 đong a plate. Just walk into any pub and have a seat. However, Hoi An is not a real party destination and has a rather limited number of nightlife locations.

• BB Lounge, 13 Nguyen Hoang St an Hoi islet (across night market, +84 510 392 5000. 18:00-24:00. The new bar, lounge and club in town, located on the third floor above Bamboo Buddha restaurant. Nice selection of cocktails, rum shooters and tapas. Live music and regular DJs, dance floor. Sky balcony, open late. 30,000-120,000 đong for drinks.
• Before and Now, 51 Le Loi St. Morning-24:00. The most popular bar in Old Town. Reasonably priced drinks and food. Happy hour specials available in the evening. Offers seating, pool tables and bar stool seating. Usually closes at midnight. USD2-10.
• Dive Bar Restaurant, 88 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, +84 510 391 0782. 11:00-02:00. Great bar in a traditional house with a back garden, pool table, Wi-Fi. Plays many kinds of music on request, with music once a week. Great choice of cocktails and beers, wine by bottle or by glass. Food: small tapas, Vietnamese salads, pasta, lasagne, hamburgers, seafood, rice salads. 20,000-150,000 đong for drinks and food.
• Infinity, Far left Side, An Hoi Islet. until late. The new hot place in Hoi An. Very cheap drinks, lots of outdoor tables. Free shisha for groups of 4 or more. Begins to get crowded by 21:00 and is packed until late. As the popularity of this bar has risen, many other bars and previous late night spots of Hoi An are quickly being ignored as this is now increasingly popular.
• Rosie's cafe, 8/6 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street. M-Sa 08:00-19:00. A lovely cafe tucked in a peaceful alley of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. Signature drink is cold-brew coffee which is less acid than hot brewing and cold pressed juice. Not only the food and drink, but also the space to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of Hoi An old townal. 20,000-70,000 đong.
• Why Not Bar, 10B Pham Hong Thai (On the eastern edge of old town. Open until late. Late night bar near old town. Not to be confused with the much different bar/club of the same name in Nha Trang. This very small 3-storey bar advertises free drinks and cheap all-you-can drink specials. Patrons do not come to this bar until at least midnight, when the rest of the town has closed down. Open until late. USD2.

BB Lounge, 13 Nguyen Hoang St an Hoi islet (across night market, +84 510 392 5000. 18:00-24:00. The new bar, lounge and club in town, located on the third floor above Bamboo Buddha restaurant. Nice selection of cocktails, rum shooters and tapas. Live music and regular DJs, dance floor. Sky balcony, open late. 30,000-120,000 đong for drinks.

Before and Now, 51 Le Loi St. Morning-24:00. The most popular bar in Old Town. Reasonably priced drinks and food. Happy hour specials available in the evening. Offers seating, pool tables and bar stool seating. Usually closes at midnight. USD2-10.

Dive Bar Restaurant, 88 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, +84 510 391 0782. 11:00-02:00. Great bar in a traditional house with a back garden, pool table, Wi-Fi. Plays many kinds of music on request, with music once a week. Great choice of cocktails and beers, wine by bottle or by glass. Food: small tapas, Vietnamese salads, pasta, lasagne, hamburgers, seafood, rice salads. 20,000-150,000 đong for drinks and food.

Infinity, Far left Side, An Hoi Islet. until late. The new hot place in Hoi An. Very cheap drinks, lots of outdoor tables. Free shisha for groups of 4 or more. Begins to get crowded by 21:00 and is packed until late. As the popularity of this bar has risen, many other bars and previous late night spots of Hoi An are quickly being ignored as this is now increasingly popular.

Rosie's cafe, 8/6 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street. M-Sa 08:00-19:00. A lovely cafe tucked in a peaceful alley of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. Signature drink is cold-brew coffee which is less acid than hot brewing and cold pressed juice. Not only the food and drink, but also the space to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of Hoi An old townal. 20,000-70,000 đong.

Why Not Bar, 10B Pham Hong Thai (On the eastern edge of old town. Open until late. Late night bar near old town. Not to be confused with the much different bar/club of the same name in Nha Trang. This very small 3-storey bar advertises free drinks and cheap all-you-can drink specials. Patrons do not come to this bar until at least midnight, when the rest of the town has closed down. Open until late. USD2.

Hoi An regularly floods during November. Visitors who plan to arrive during one of their floods should book ahead.

The city stayed open during the November 2013 floods, although there were news reports of tourist evacuations. As hotels near the river flooded, tourists started moving to hotels on higher ground. Flooding affected streets up to four blocks uphill from the river, as well as the hotel and restaurant area across the bridge on An Hoi peninsula. The water levels for this flood seem slightly below the levels of the 2011 flood; the cleanup seemed to be well handled.

• Internet - Most hotels and restaurants have free Wi-Fi, often unsecured, although Facebook may be a problem here as elsewhere. There is also a widely available citywide network: to connect, open your browser and click the banner at the top.

• Cham Islands - UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An 9 nautical miles offshore. Get there by slow boat or speedboat. Day trip (arrange with your hotel or local tour operators).
• Non Nuoc Beach - opposite the Marble Mountains. Accessible by motorbike. There are beaches closer to Hoi An accessible by bicycle or motorbike, with parking near the beach. Cost about 50,000 đong all day, which can probably be negotiated.
• Dong Duong - ruined Cham tower, the sole major remnant of a large Buddhist Cham period (9th century, 875-915 under Indravarman II) temple-complex that was originally 155m x 326m. Other minor remnants are also visible.
• Lang Co - fishing village that includes mountains, a river, a lagoon, an island and a 32 km beach between Da Nang and Hue.
• The Marble Mountains, 9 km short of Da Nang, are well worth a morning or afternoon trip from Hoi An. The largest of the five mountains has temples and caves. Get there by hiring a motorbike (costs less than organised tour).

There is a nominal fee for entry; it is worth paying extra for the small map. No one will tell you how to get to the top to overlook Fire Mountain to the west, there is one trail accessible from the WC—look for the handrails going up—another is nearby, near a temple complex and next to an arch over the trail.

Accessibility: An elevator available for a small fee. It may be broken, but it only leads to platform with an overlook towards the water; you would still need to take stairways to see the temples, so there is no advantage to the elevator. If you can make it up the stairs at the entrance, there will be no problem with the rest of the stairs. Cave floors and trails may be wet but are not slippery.

• My Khanh - Rare seaside ruin of a Cham tower dating from the 8th century.
• My Son - Best done as an early morning half-day trip from Hoi An (arrange with your hotel or local tour operator or any car or motorbike taxi driver for about USD5-7). A return by boat can be arranged. Trails may be slippery in rainy weather.
• Tháp Bằng An - Twelfth-century Cham octagonal tower dedicated to Shiva. By motorbike, about 30 minutes northwest of Hoi An. There may be a someone on the site who will sell you a ticket for 10,000 đong. Can be combined with a day trip to Tháp Khương Mỹ.
• Tháp Khương Mỹ - Three Cham towers, contemporaneous with Bagan in Burma. Small museum on premises. There may be someone at the site who will sell you a ticket for 10,000 đong. By motorbike, a half hour south of Hoi An. Can be combined in a day trip with Tháp Bằng An for about 120,000 đong.

• Da Nang - local bus #01, 18,000 đong - same route as in Get In - #From Da Nang section
• Hue - the former imperial capital, a few hours away by car or train. There are 3 or 4 trains a day, reservations can be arranged a day in advance. Although to catch the train you must go to Da Nang as trains do not go all the way to Hoi An. Besides, this train has the reputation of one of the top train journeys in the world.
• One-way motorbike trips to Hue traveling through the Hai Van Pass are a very popular and scenic method to get north. One-way rentals with an English speaking guide can cost as low as USD25-30. Travel time, including numerous stops, is about 6-8 hours.
• Hanoi is the capital city, and gateway to Sapa

• Nha Trang - Vietnam's premier beach resort town and the next stop for backpackers travelling south on the open bus or train.
• Dalat - built as a playground of the French, who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast. From Hoi An to Dalat is at least 12 hours by bus, and can take several days during the flood season. There are no trains to Dalat.
• Saigon

From Hoi An bus station buses run to Da Nang, ending the route at the bus station, where there are many options. An early bus directly to Pakse, even a looong ride to Vientiane. In order to cross the border to Lao, there are many buses to Kom Tum. Ask the to drop you at Pleikan, is a town where locals gather to take a minivan at sunrise and reach the border when it opens. The minivan will wait for you after the formalities in the Viet side. Back to the minivan you will be drove to the Lao border, where visa on arrival will be issued. And back to the minivan. The route at Attapeu, capital city of Attapeu province, Laos.