springstraveler

Hello
We are spending 20 days in Vietnam and have a choice to spend more time in Hoi An or Nha Trang. Neither of us is into going to the beach all day. We really want to experience the Vietnam culture, food and history. Which place -- Nha Trang or Hoi An deserves another 2 days.
Thank you .

Kathie

Nha Trang is really just a beach community. I'm not sure why you would go there at all if you aren't interested in the beach. Hoi An has some other attractions in addition to the beach. But why limit yourself to those two? Where else are you going? Maybe one of those places deserves more time?

crellston

There is more to Nha Trsng than just the beach but that is the main reason people tend to visit. There are some great trips along he river out to surrounding villages. The nearby Po Nagar Cham ruins are definitely worth a visit as is the fish market. Is their enough to keep you busy for two EXTRA days? Probably not. The food scene in NT is particularly good.

Hoi An is one of the most visited places in Vietnam and rightly so. It is very quaint and picturesque and, unsurprisingly, very busy. It really only takes a day to see the sights in the town although there are other activities. Bike rides into the surrounding countryside are worth a half day at least. The Cham ruins at. My Son are a UNESCO WH site close by. The food scene here is vibrant if expensive for Vietnam and aimed squarely at the tourist market.

As Kathie has indicated in her post, if you are not into beaches, neither place is really that great for you. Could you possible add/ include time in say Hue or maybe other places in the central region. Kontum, Buon Ma Thout etc.

NoFlyZone

Hoi An is not really close to a beach ... it's not a beach town per se. I spent three wonderful days there and never saw sand. (My Son is an excellent and easy excursion.)

rhkkmk

NFZ---I think you are wrong... the beach is not far away at all from HA...

crellston

We cycled to the beach from the centre of Hoi An in around 20 mins

NoFlyZone

20 minutes by bike is about right. A town that far from a beach is not what I would call a "beach town" especially when it has so much more to offer.

yestravel

Agree that Hoi An is not a beach town, but the beach is very close as indicated by others. I enjoyed Hoi An as a charming place to kick back & relax during our 3 weeks in VN. We visited My Son for a morning, but other than that just explored the little town including an afternoon checking out the beach.

jgg

We were in Hoi An for 4 nights, and due to the weather (there in Dec.) never spent anytime on the beach (even though our hotel was right on the beach). There is plenty to do in Hoi An. We did a great cooking class with Van of Green Bamboo, and incredible street food tour with Neville of Taste of Hoi An, and an excellent bike tour with Heaven and Earth Bicycle Tours. Here is a link to my trip report along with pictures: http://www.fromhometoroam.com/2012/0...mas-in-hoi-an/

Dat_Hoang_blog

Let's pick Hoi An. Nha Trang is beautiful but it just be a coastal city, like any landscape. But Hoi An is more special, it's traditional culture of Vietnam. You may also bath in beautiful beaches in Danang city, not far from Hoian city

thursdaysd

I would not visit Nha Trang if you are not into beaches. I would not spend long in Hoi An if you are not a shopper, although My Son should not be missed (best if combined with the museum in Danang). (I have visited Hoi An twice and never went near the beach, although I did go for a boat ride.) But what is the rest of your itinerary?

springstraveler

Thank you everyone for the comments.
Kathie asked where else we were going and whether extra days should be allocated elsewhere on our journey.
Right now our plans are to travel from Saigon including Mekong Delta and maybe Phu Quoc Island to Hanoi, Sapa and Ninh Binh. Nha Trang, Hoi An and Hue were on the way.
Any other suggestions would be welcome.