This Vibrant Asian Canal Town Is Like A Mini Venice Without The Crowds And Hefty Prices

Dainty lanterns blowing on the breeze, colorful buildings reminiscent of a bygone era line alleys, and streets filled to the brim with museums, street art, and steaming night markets. The atmosphere of Hoi An is a special brand of magic. Cutting through the heart of the city, canals break off from the serene Thu Bon River and intersect the historic old town, reminiscent of Venice. While lending an undeniably romantic air to the city itself, these are the remnants of Hoi An's days as one of Southeast Asia's largest trading ports.

Hoi An's days as a bustling trade hub also explain its unique mixture of architectural styles, from Chinese to Japanese and French. Unlike Venice, Italy's grand European architecture, this city of canals is pieced together with canary-yellow colonial facades, high walls dripping with pink flowers, and a rainbow of lanterns strung across streets. As proof that Hoi An is truly something almost ethereal, the entire old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

But above all, Hoi An is a city that's best explored by night. As evening falls, the streets — and canals — come alive with lantern light. Traditional sampan boats float along the languid surface of the Thu Bon River, twinkling in the dark. With so much beauty and heritage to explore, visitors might be shocked to know that Hoi An is a much less expensive destination to visit than touristy Venice. You'll soon see why taking a trip to Asia's canal town is a once-in-a-lifetime destination you can't miss.

There are multiple ways to experience Hoi An's waterways. The first, and most popular, option is sailing down the Thu Bon River by traditional sampan boat. While you can take a trip down the river during the day, under the moonlight is especially magical as the boats travel by lantern light after darkness falls. Float beneath bridges and along the palm-fringed canals to experience the city in the most romantic way possible.

Another popular way to get on the water in Hoi An is by coconut boat. Located on the outskirts of town, visitors can take part in a fun and exciting adventure, swirling inside a traditional coconut boat. The experience starts by rowing into the lush backwaters of the Bay Mau Coconut Forest, before watching traditional fishing demonstrations and getting topsy-turvy inside the coconut boat if you so choose. Your local guide knows exactly how to maneuver these basket boats for a thrilling ride, twirling in the water. 

Last but not least, Hoi An is also home to some of the best beaches in Asia. Head for palm tree-lined stretches of sand like Cua Dai Beach (rated as one of the 25 most beautiful beaches in Asia by TripAdvisor) or An Bang Beach with views of the Cham Islands in the distance. You can even make a day trip out to these budget-friendly tropical islands from Hoi An.

While Hoi An's canals might remind you of Venice, the prices won't. Vietnam was recently listed as one of the cheapest and most affordable travel destinations in the world, so you know you won't break the bank with a visit to this idyllic canal town.

Accommodation in town isn't quite as cheap as other locations in Vietnam, but it's still much less expensive than Venice. The average hotel price in Hoi An for two nights, mid-week in September was just $47 a night, according to Booking.com. Searching by the same parameters for an Airbnb in Hoi An will reveal an average nightly price of just $40 a night. Transportation around town is easy as many people walk if they're staying in the historic center. Many hotels have complimentary bicycles, but you can also rent them for around $1 a day. Similarly, motorbike rentals are as little as $7 a day.

Visitors who do decide to visit this UNESCO beauty will also find that everything from food to transportation is incredibly inexpensive. Grabbing the Vietnamese (and Hoi An) specialty, banh mi, can run as little as $1.20 per sandwich, but you can also easily sit down to a multi-course, traditional dinner for upwards of $100 (although you might have to try to spend that much). Tours and excursions are also shockingly cheap. A ride in the local coconut boats will run visitors just $5, while the lantern boats are only $8 on average. Even an in-depth cooking class is only $25.