Author
Hương Phạm
Vietnam Travel Editor
Hương edits Nghê Prana's broader Vietnam coverage — itineraries, transport, region comparisons, when-to-visit calendars. She writes for travellers planning their first Vietnam trip and for repeat visitors deciding which province to base in next.
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Articles by Hương Phạm
13 articles published
Hoi An vs Hue: An Honest Decider for Your Central Vietnam Trip
Huế is the imperial-history leg; Hội An is the slow, lantern-lit, restful leg. They sit only about three hours apart over the Hải Vân Pass, so most central-Vietnam itineraries include both. Here is how to choose, and how to sequence the two if you do both.
Anniversary in Hoi An: A Riverside Guide to Celebrating on the Thu Bồn
How to plan an unhurried anniversary in Hoi An — riverside calm, a couple's spa for two, sunset on the Thu Bồn river, and a lantern evening in the Old Town. Real prices, a 2–3 day rhythm, and honest planning notes.
A Hội An Honeymoon Itinerary: Four Slow Days on the Thu Bồn River (2026)
A day-by-day honeymoon itinerary for Hội An built around the Thu Bồn river — riverside sunsets, an early-morning Ancient Town, a couple spa afternoon, the quiet islands by bicycle, a full-moon lantern night, and a farewell morning at An Bàng beach.
Herbal Therapy in Hội An: A Guide to Vietnamese Thuốc Nam Treatments (Bath, Steam, Compress, Oil & Tea)
What does "herbal therapy" actually mean in Hội An? A first-hand guide from our riverside spa to the range of Vietnamese thuốc nam treatments — the herbal bath, xông hơi steam, warm compress, herbal-oil massage and teas — what each does, the plants involved, and who they suit.
Xông Hơi in Hội An: The Vietnamese Herbal Steam Bath, Explained
Xông hơi is Vietnam's traditional herbal steam — a pot of lemongrass, ginger, perilla and citrus leaves under a blanket, used for centuries at the change of seasons and the start of a cold. Here is what it is, the plants involved, how it is done, the honest safety notes, and where to try it on a calm riverside stay in Hội An.
What Is the Da Nang Fireworks Festival (DIFF)? Why One Vietnamese City Became Southeast Asia's Fireworks Capital
DIFF isn't a fireworks display — it's an international competition between national teams over the Hàn River, with themes, lasers and synchronised music. Here's what it actually is, how it got so big, and whether it's worth building a trip around.
The Story Behind the Đà Nẵng Fireworks Festival: How DIFF Began (2008–2026)
The Đà Nẵng fireworks tradition didn't appear overnight. It started in 2008 as a two-night competition on the Hàn River, was reborn in 2017 as a multi-week festival, survived a COVID pause, and became the centerpiece of the city's identity. Here's the real history, cross-checked.
Where Is the Best Place to Watch the Đà Nẵng Fireworks? A Hàn River Viewing Guide
A practical, evergreen guide to watching the Đà Nẵng International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) along the Hàn River — free vantage points, ticketed grandstands, riverside tables and dinner cruises, when to arrive, and the calm way to end the night back in Hội An.
Your Hội An Address Changed: A 2026 Guide to the New Ward Names for Booking, E-Visa and Taxis
On 1 July 2025 Hội An stopped being a city and was reorganised into Phường Hội An, Hội An Tây, Hội An Đông and Xã Tân Hiệp inside Đà Nẵng City. The practical 2026 guide to the new ward names: what to type on your e-visa, why Booking.com and your passport disagree, and what to tell a Grab driver — with one riverside hotel's old-to-new address as the worked example.
Da Nang Fireworks (DIFF 2026) from the Hội An Side: Full Schedule and the Quiet-Water Way to See It
The Đà Nẵng International Fireworks Festival (DIFF 2026, theme "United Horizons") runs six Saturday nights from 30 May to 11 July 2026 with 10 teams. The verified night-by-night schedule, realistic transfer timing from the Thu Bồn riverside, and the case for day-tripping the fireworks from a quiet Hội An base instead of fighting the Đà Nẵng crowds.
Sa Huỳnh and Champa: What German Archaeologists Have Pieced Together About Hội An's 3,000-Year Pre-History
Twenty minutes by bicycle from the Old Town, a Vietnamese–German team excavated 108 pieces of 2,000-year-old gold jewelry at the Sa Huỳnh-culture cemetery of Lai Nghi. The Champa kingdom that followed, the rise of Faifo, and how the Thu Bồn river has been a trading spine for at least three millennia — synthesised from five Vietnamese sources and the German monograph that English-language guidebooks have missed.
Hoi An vs Da Nang in 2026: What Actually Changed When the Heritage Sites Merged
On 1 July 2025, Quảng Nam province was dissolved and merged into Đà Nẵng. Hội An became three wards. Mỹ Sơn moved with it. What this actually changes for visitors in 2026 — sourced from Tuổi Trẻ, VnExpress, Báo Đà Nẵng, and on-the-ground checks at the Old Town gates.
Hội An vs Ninh Bình for Wellness in 2026: Water, Karst, and Which One Your Body Needs
Vietnam's two big wellness destinations do very different things. Karst and herbal baths vs river and sleep. An honest comparison, written after many months in both, for the traveler choosing between them.