Hoi An Nightlife

Tam Tam Bar is a very good place to spend your nights in Hoi An. Start there with a wonderful dinner - the food is delicious, probably the best Western food available in Central Vietnam.
Try to get a table on the balcony or in front of the building and you can watch the passers-by from up there. After that have a refreshing cocktail, a tasty fruit shake or a cool beer and move to the bar area. You'll easily get into contact with the people there - mainly Australians, as it seems. As far as I know, the owner is from down under, too. Tam Tam offers a wide selection of drinks and food and, although the prices are above average, should not be missed.

Dress Code: no dress code

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As night falls the whole of old town is lit up with lanterns especially near the Thu Bon river. It is so bright and colorful and I really like the different colors and shapes. Looks like big christmas trees all around town. Check out the pictures and you will know what I mean.

The best thing to do in Hoi An, at night, is to talk about the tiny streets and lanes and admire it... it's one of the few well-lit cities in Vietnam, and - in the darkness - you don't sense so much the fact that the town has become a bit of a tourist trap.

Walking about you'll feel taken back in time... the longer you'll wait, the better the feel will be - as people tend to return to their homes or hotel bedrooms really early... At 10 PM you will have Hoi An almost to yourself... and it will be a very enjoyable feeling

Dress Code: Casual is fine.

Set over the other side of the river to the old town, Salsa club doesn't really get going until after 12. They have a full moon party every Thursday, free drinks on arrival. The moto drivers will tell you that Salsa isn't very good (it's within walking distance, so you don't need moto). The interior is funky with comfy seats. The music, I think depends it on what the owner puts on. Can be interesting. Drinks are reasonably priced.

If it looks empty from the outside, that's because everyone is inside.

Dress Code: No dress code

After a couple of visits, we discovered that most people head upstairs. Tam Tam is in a restored tea warehouse. Upstairs there is a lounge area that is great for groups, with smaller tables for couples. Music is mixed, gets people into a party mood. Before you know it's 2.30am and it's closing time. It's not the cheapest place to drink, but the atmosphere makes up for it. Pool table, connect 4 etc as well.

Dress Code: No dress code

Hoi An is one of those nice little town that most ang-mos will love to stay for days or even weeks, but do very little of everything.

If i'm not limited by tight schedule, i'll stay here for at least one week.

This is what you should do, where everyday you will be doing slow breakfast, and then follow with tea breaks, then dinner and beer at some bar with live traditional musical performance. And next day repeat the same.

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Ok. This event was one reason I was happy to be in Hoi An, and was one of the highlights of a monthlong trip. Of course, you don't NEED to be in Hoi An to participate in karaoke, but this is where I happened to experiece the full Vietnamese karaoke works.

Long story short:

Took a cooking class. Ended up talking to the chef, who offered to take me around the outskirst of Hoi An on his motorbike. I graciously accepted. While I was drinking a cup of Vietnamese coffee with him, in a place with no tourists, I happened to catch a glimpse of a karaoke sign. Quite innocently I asked, so, do you do karaoke? Yes, came the reply. And it just so happens, that today is payday, and the staff from the cooking school is meeting for karaoke. And, guess what, it's about 50 meters from your hotel. (I'm an American, don't know from meters, but take it that it's pretty close.)

So, he says he'll pick me up at my hotel at 8. Ok. He doesn't arrive until 8.30, by which time I had scheduled a pedicure. Some slight confusion ensues.

We drive the 50 meters to this place. Now, when I've done karaoke, it's in a bar. But, this, this was a room. A small room on the second floor or some building, with a tv, a sofa, a coffee table, and a colored disco ball. A few of the women from the cooking school are sitting around, a bit confused as to why I was there. Then the music started. (continued below...if you care to read on....)

Dress Code: continued...

I'm confused. I'm hot. This is a bit odd, but I'm loving it. More people arrived, and again, they are shocked, shocked that there is a paying customer from the school.

People look through the karaoke book, play a bit with the remote control, and start singing these songs. Now, I don't know Vietnamese, but I can just tell that they are the cheesiest of love songs. I mean, beyond cheesy. And, for the most part, they are being sung earnestly.

They tell me to sing. The selection of songs in English is maybe two pages long. I pick Carole King's "It's Too Late Baby," but the music is off, and the video is weird, and I can't finish. But, even more important than that, I sense that I am losing my audience.

I stay quiet for a while.

They ask me to sing again. This time I pick, "We Are Family." It's a hit. The group sings along to the "We are family, I've got all my sisters with me," bit. I'm delightfully happy.

I sing again. My last song. This time I pick, "We Will Rock You." (No one can say that I've not learned my song picking lesson.) Again, I hit. I feel redeemed!

theres no real nightlife in hoi an-try treats, or tam tam's. or have a beer in mango rooms. everywhere ***s at 11pm. if you want a late one go to the dream bar, out of town, youll find it as people will come around the bars telling you to go around 11pm, its usally open til 1am, as long as the police dont turn up. it seems a bit dingy but its ok, usually got a free bbq too.

try da nang for a night out, the new phong dong club is expensive! 38k for a beer and the music so loud! or try the red bar. not many tourists in da nang so more of an experience.