Vietnam: Hoi An & Ba Na Hills

Wow, I'd heard a lot about Hoi An being a real gem in Vietnam but I really hadn't realised quite how much I'd love it. We arrived at the nicest hostel we stayed in for the entirety of Vietnam; Tribee Ede Hostel. It was the perfect location, had fab rooms with actual beds as opposed to bunkbeds, and the free buffet breakfast was next level. We were chuffed.

We checked in and got some tasty jackfruit burgers at Leo Leo which was only a few minutes walk away. Next up we went to the Old Town via the Japanese Bridge which led us down a gorgeous street. The whole area was so beautiful with lanterns hanging all around us. We really did feel like we'd entered a little bubble of solace and calm at a time when the world was suffering a major pandemic. I was so grateful to be in Hoi An.

That evening we floated down the river on one of the boats covered in lanterns. It cost us £1 for 20 minutes on the water and we were all given a paper candle to hold whilst we took in the views (so romantic right)! Once back we met some Danish guys at the hostel and all played Jenga together which was a great laugh. Things really were looking up!

The next day we'd booked to go to Ba Na Hills as this major attraction was still running (praise the lord). Finally, Corona was playing to our advantage as we arrived to a ghost town. No queues, no major crowds, we had the place to ourselves ... and what a place it was!

The last cable car to the park runs at 11AM so we arrived in plenty of time. Once we'd boarded, we were swung into the Vietnamese mountains boasting lush vegetation which stretched skywards. Mist surrounded us and then faded as we burst through and got to our first stop; The Golden Hands Bridge. Many people will have seen pictures of this but there is no substitute to going yourself, and whats more it was empty!

Two giant stone hands reach up and hold the breathtaking bridge, it really is such a spectacle! It is actually only 150 meters long, despite looking far bigger, and connects the cable car station to the flower garden behind as the only other way to access this part of the park is by walking up a very steep road (no thanks)!

We relished going through the stunning gardens, walking on another (less impressive) bridge with the cute name "love bridge". There was also a maze, giant chess board and white buddha looking at out into the mountain range. All of it was such a feast on your eyes and we soaked every beautiful sight up. However, we were craving some adrenaline, so it was all aboard another cable cart and onto the Fantasy Park!

This was great fun! We jumped onto a great swinging ride which propelled us into the air and made us all feel dizzy with butterflies! We then tried out the dodgems which was beyond fun as the six of us literally had the whole area to crash and whizz around in. There were also some interactive rides, one being a shoot out and the other a train where you had to try get points by pointing you laser at various lights. Our final bit of fun was on the outdoor Alpine rollercoaster which spun down the mountain and then dragged you back to the top. I was having an absolute ball!

After all that excitement we calmed down by strolling through the French colonial style village which was just incredible. It really did feel like you'd been transported to the streets of Paris with cathedrals and cobbled paths taking you down hidden streets. Towards the back of the park you could climb up to temples where a large gong goes off every few minutes. It. was magical to see the whole park from up high, I felt like I was in a real life Disney film from the castles and colours around me.

It was coming on for 5PM so we thought we'd better head back, especially as it was St. Patricks Day and we were all wanting to celebrate! we glittered ourselves up and headed to the Vietnam Backpackers Hostel which was buzzing but very out of town. It's definitely not the place to stay in Hoi An but it worked for a night out. We met up with friends we'd made along the way and got back onto the pitchers. Oh how I'd missed vodka and lemonade in bucket!

The next day was a bit of a write off but we still made it to the beach. Hoi An doesn't have the best beach we'd been too and the sea was a bit choppy but it was still nice for a chilled out hangover. I reckon if more people were around the beach bars would be popping so if you have time to kill it's worth checking out. We also had a look round the market in the Old Town (it opens at 4PM so you won't see it during the day)! It had lots on offer and I purchased some chopsticks but the markets in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam are all very similar so most things we saw we'd already purchased!

The other top things to do in Hoi An are getting clothes tailor made, making your own lantern, doing a cooking course, visiting the marble mountains and going on the basket boats ... all of which I plan to do on my next visit! Hoi An, an absolute must!