Danang-Hoi An with 8 Thousand Baht

"Hello, friends of Read me."

This is my first attempt at writing a review, after having only read reviews myself. I would like to share my experience of my first trip to Central Vietnam, which lasted 4 days and 3 nights, with two close friends (13-16 July 2018).

Due to Vietnam's elongated geography, individuals with limited time, such as salaried workers, must select a specific region. The central region of Vietnam, encompassing Hoi An and Da Nang, is a popular choice. One of the main attractions in this region is Bana Hill.

Please watch until the end. We have summarized the expenses at the end.

Let's get started! Before we left, we exchanged half of our money into Vietnamese Dong and half into US dollars at Superrich. The exchange rate for Dong was 0.00143 (finally got to hold a million in my hands! 555+). An easy way to calculate Dong is to remove 3 zeros and multiply by 1.5. However, we recommend exchanging all your money into Dong, as the exchange rate at local shops in Vietnam for US dollars might not be as good.

We traveled to Vietnam on AirAsia, with a direct flight from Bangkok to Da Nang. The round-trip fare was 3200 baht.

Due to the affordable price of the evening flight, we arrived at Da Nang Airport around 5:30 PM. After clearing immigration, we encountered a counter selling SIM cards with Thai-speaking staff. We immediately purchased a SIM card, as we couldn't imagine life without social media. Upon exiting the airport, we turned right and found numerous taxi companies. We negotiated a fare of 400,000 VND for a taxi to Hoi An (slightly regretting it after reading reviews mentioning a 300,000 VND fare).

The journey to Hoi An took 40 minutes. The car dropped us off in front of our hotel, Ivy Hotel, a small establishment located near the old town, about a 5-minute walk away. The room was very spacious, and the staff were incredibly friendly.

As darkness fell after packing our bags, we embarked on a stroll through the ancient town of Hoi An, its streets adorned with lanterns.

Floating paper lanterns here is not a festival. People float them every night. Each lantern costs 5,000 dong.

Feeling hungry, I decided to grab a bite to eat. I ordered some kind of pork noodle soup, but it was bland and came with a salty dipping sauce. I have to say, I wasn't very impressed. 55555

After strolling around and taking photos, we returned to the hotel around 10 pm.

On the second morning, as Vietnam uses the same time as Thailand, it was already bright at 5 am. We woke up early to go shopping for an Ao Dai (we had to buy one because there were no rentals available). Prices started at 450,000 dong and up, until we found a shop and bargained for a price of 380,000 dong. Phew, we were relieved to find a dress that matched the "Old Town, Ao Dai, Hoi An style" theme.

Note: The original text is empty, so the translation is also empty.

Morning Market Hoi An

A Japanese bridge, a must-visit landmark.

The morning atmosphere is very quiet, unlike the hustle and bustle of last night.

Fai fo Coffee, a popular cafe in the old town, offers stunning city views and is a favorite spot for taking photos. (I'd like to add that my outfit, a traditional Ao Dai, perfectly complements the cityscape.)

Bidding farewell to the city of Hoi An, we are left with a lasting impression of its vibrant culture, meticulously preserved and showcased in its everyday life.

The next place we will travel to is "Gam Tan Village", a village located about 10 km from Hoi An. Tourists are popular to go bamboo basket boat, which is very famous. But when we arrived, it rained heavily immediately. (Ugh, I'm so disappointed)

We decided to take a taxi to Da Nang to save time. We arrived in Da Nang around 3 pm and checked into the Pariat Hotel. The hotel is located 500 meters from the Dragon Bridge, on the tail side of the bridge.

The view from the front of the hotel is breathtaking, especially at night when it is illuminated with lights. On Saturday nights, there are even fireworks displays. Unfortunately, it rained frequently during our stay, so we missed out on visiting many of the landmarks.

On the morning of the 3rd, it rained again. It seems like it rains all the time here. (Sigh, at that time, I was only thinking about how I was going to get to Bana Hill.) But luck was on our side. After the rain stopped, we walked to the Pink Church, which was right behind our hotel.

However, I forgot that it was Sunday, and many Vietnamese people were attending church, so I could only get these photos.

There are many trendy cafes in Vietnam. Be careful when walking on the street.

After breakfast, we booked a car to Bana Hills through the hotel for 400,000 VND. The journey took 45 minutes. If we stayed at the Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hill, the taxi would drop us off at the hotel's station. The Cable Cars are separate from the One Day Trip tourists, and guests who have booked rooms receive a special privilege: the Cable Car fare is reduced to 400,000 VND per person. However, since we booked a family room, two of us could ride for free. In total, we paid 400,000 VND for three people. We were very happy about this, as it saved us a lot of money.

On the day of our visit, we were each given a complimentary glass of beer as it coincided with the World Cup final. For those who missed out, there is no need to fret, as a buy-one-get-one-free promotion is available until September.

The abundance of hydrangeas, picturesque photo opportunities, and consistently pleasant weather, including frequent occurrences of mist blanketing the city, make this location an ideal destination for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Feeling hungry, I'm looking for something to eat. Be sure to bring plenty of money, as the food is quite expensive. Even sausages cost 50 baht each.

After a satisfying meal, it's time to find a place to digest. "Alpine Coaster" is similar to the mountain coaster we have in Thailand. Since we're already here, let's take a ride.

One hour wait is worth it for a satisfying play.

By 5 pm, all the tourists had gone down, and the place was all ours. Now we can finally take beautiful pictures without anyone in them.

This place is mainly for taking photos, and the night view is as beautiful as the daytime. However, most restaurants close early, leaving only a few open, which are quite expensive. Alternatively, you can consider the hotel buffet, which costs 350,000 VND.

On the fourth and final day of the trip, I woke up early to a thick fog (my dream of taking beautiful photos instantly vanished). Since I was already awake, I decided to have breakfast first, hoping that the fog would clear up.

This is a basket to the rock hand, but by the time we know it, the tour is over.

This resulted in images like these.

Time flies, and it's time for us to check out. Honestly, this is my favorite place of the entire trip. The weather is fantastic, there are plenty of photo opportunities, the staff is friendly, and the food is delicious. It was worth the trip. However, all good things must come to an end. Our next stop before heading back is My Khe Beach in Da Nang. After getting off the cable cars, we took a taxi as usual. You can contact the hotel counter in advance. We chartered a taxi to take us to the beach, Lady Buddha, and the airport. We agreed on a price of 550,000 VND.

Before heading to the beach, we stopped by a coffee shop. Vietnamese coffee is said to be famous, especially coconut coffee. We tried it and it tasted good, but it had a slightly rancid smell. Once was enough for us... As for this shop, the taste was good, the price was cheap, and the whipped cream was delicious. We'll definitely be back!

Approximate Cost Summary:

Total expenses

Round-trip flight tickets from Don Mueang to Da Nang for 3200 baht

Hotel Bookings

3 Nights:

• Ivy Hotel Hoi An: 900 Baht / 3 people
• Pariat Hotel Danang: 1600 Baht / 3 people
• Mercure Danang French Village Bana Hills: 5060 Baht / 3 people

450,000 SIM cards for 3 people

Taxi from airport to Hoi An: 400,000 VND for 3 people.

Taxi from Hoi An to Cam Thanh village to Da Nang for 450,000 VND for 3 people.

Taxi from Da Nang to Bana Hills: 400,000 VND for 3 people.

Taxi fare from Banahil to Khe Beach, Chao Mae Kuan Im Shrine, and the airport for 3 people: 550,000 kip.

Cable car 400,000/3 people (Family room booking will get 2 free tickets)

The price of the Awa Hnayy 380000 set is 380,000 baht.

Living expenses ~600,000

An average of 8,600 baht per person

For transportation, I mainly used taxis, and I felt that all the drivers were very friendly. The hotel staff was also very helpful. Before I went, I was a little afraid of thieves, scammers, and other things I had read in reviews. However, I want to assure all tourists that we never know who, what, where, or how we will encounter on our journeys. But once we have made a decision, let's go all the way. "Don't stop walking."

A short trip for travel-loving kids