IS THE MEMORIES SHOW IN HOI AN WORTH ITS MONEY?

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Are you wondering if the Memories Show in Hoi An is worth your time and money? In this post I will tell you what to expect, what it was like, and whether I would recommend it.

During my four weeks in Da Nang I took a short mini vacation to Hoi An. And while most of my time in Vietnam was spent fairly low-key, I went all out in Hoi An and did all the touristy things. One of the biggest attractions in town is the nightly Memories Show. Finding good evening activities isn’t easy as a solo traveler so I decided to give it a try.

Read on to see what I thought and to get my top tips to make the most of it!

While not authentic, Impressions Theme Park is VERY pretty

What to expect

The Memories Show is a grand spectacle with laser, lights, fire, and many, many performers. Basically it gives a short overview of the history of Hoi An with music, dance and beautiful costumes. It takes place six days a week (closed Tuesday) within the Impressions Theme Park area on a small island near Hoi An’s Old Town.

The Impressions Theme Park isn’t really an amusement park per se. Imagine it more like a smaller version of Universal Citywalk or Downtown Disney: a collection of restaurants and shops. It is only open for a couple of hours prior to the show. While there are no rides or attractions, there are various mini-shows during the two hours before the show. You will also find plenty of beautiful photo opportunities.

Here you see the Eco (lower right), High Class (middle), and VIP (very top) seats

Booking the Ticket

Deciding which ticket to book

I booked the Memories Show & Impression Theme Park Bundle on GetyourGuide for USD 23.74. The price varies quite a bit though as there are several different tiers with different prices (you can see them in the photo):

1. Eco Class: Seats are on benches (no back) and on the lower tiers
2. High Class: Seats are higher up and have actual separate seats with backs
3. VIP Class: Highest level and the seats have a canopy. You also get water and fruit

There is also an option that includes boat transfers, a High Class ticket and a dinner buffet.

After much back and forth I decided on the cheapest seats as I had already spent quite a bit of my Vietnam budget in Hoi An. Luckily, this turned out to be a good decisions. I think the Eco Class is the best choice. Not only do you save money but they are closest to the stage and you get to potentially interact with the performers!

The main reason for High Class would be if you need/want a backrest (understandable). If sitting on bleachers for the entire performance will give you a backache it might be best to upgrade.

The VIP seats are of course by far best if it should rain. But if at all possible I would avoid a rainy day as I think it would make the whole experience far less pleasant.

Tip 1: Book Eco Class unless you expect rain (VIP) or need a back rest!

When and where to book

You can either prebook the ticket like I did or buy it once in town at various kiosks or at the entrance. Personally, I would not wait until the day of. During my visit the seats seemed fairly full so you may not be able to get the tier you want if you wait too long.

Tip 2: I would buy at least a day ahead to avoid disappointment.

On the other hand I would not prebook weeks in advance but wait until a couple of days ahead so you have an idea about the weather. While I enjoyed the park and show quite a bit, I don’t think it would be ideal in the rain.

Tip 3: Try to visit in good weather!

Getting to the Venue

How to get to the Impressions Theme Park

The Hoi An Impression Theme Park, the arena for the Memories Show and the Hoi An Memories Resort & Spa are located on a small island in the Thu Bon River. To get there you can either take a boat transfer or cross on one of two bridges. The Dinner Bundle includes the boat transfer. I am not sure though if you can also get a boat transfer separately.

On my way to the Impression Park I went south from Old Town to Cam Nam Island and then walked along the island until I got to Cau Ky Uc Hi An bridge. This was a somewhat lengthy walk and while not unpleasant also not especially exciting. There was a ticket kiosk at the entrance to the bridge and it did take you to the park entrance. However, next time I would take the Northern Bridge as I think it is closer to Old Town.

When to get there

I had a hard time imagining what the Impression Theme Park would be like and what to expect from the mini-shows. Consequently, I went fairly early as I did not want to miss out!

The Hoi An Memories Show runs from 8 to 9 pm. The surrounding theme park opens from 4 pm and closes at the end of the show. So basically you will have time to look around, take pictures, and eat in the park from your arrival to when you line up for the show.

But how much time do you need? This will largely depend on the following:

• Do you plan on taking lots of photos, especially without other people in the frame?
• Do you plan on a full dinner in the park?
• Do you enjoy smaller dance or theater performances?
• Are you visiting alone or in a group?

I got to the park around 5:45 pm and it was a bit too much time for me. Next time I would go later. But this is mostly because I was visiting alone, was not having dinner, don’t need a long time to take photos (you can tell by their qualities I just quickly click), and get a bit bored watching shows…

So for me as a solo visitor the wait time was a bit long and boring. But if you are there with a group and plan on having dinner, 6 pm would be perfect. Especially if you like shows.

Tip 4: Time your arrival depending on what you plan to do at the venue: shopping, dining, watching the mini-shows…

Impression Theme Park – what to expect

The many souvenir shops were pretty empty when I arrived

Basically, the Hoi An Impression Theme Park consists of souvenir shops, restaurants, and photo ops. Everything is very cute and pretty, reminiscent of a Disney park. Whether you find this great fun or rather fake will largely depend on your taste.

At a little before 6 pm the park was quite empty still so I felt rather bad for them. I even wondered whether it was worth doing a show with so few visitors. However, the park filled up later and most seats were taken in the stadium so my worry was misplaced!

The park is a pretty replica of Vietnam

The park is in excellent shape. Everythig was clean and looked new and sparkly. There were plenty of great photo opportunities.

And while not authentic, the different areas did evoke Vietnam. There are also souvenir shops so if you are looking for mementos you might find them here.

One of various performances

The main reason I went so early to the park was that there are several mini-performances in the hours before the main show. These are easy to find. They start basically at the park entrance and as soon as one performance concludes, they will wave you on to the next park area.

These were cute shows with dancing, music, and costumes. Some more basic, others fairly involved. Unfortunately, I am not really a big show fan so just watched for a moment or two and then instead found a bench to sit on. This is though not a reflection of the mini-show quality. I get a bit bored even with fancy cruise ship shows so it is a me thing more than anything.

There are plenty of different restaurants

Sprinkled inside the park are several restaurants at different price points. I can’t really comment on them as I didn’t eat dinner there, but they looked inviting and next time I would likely try one of them.

If you don’t want a full meal (maybe you don’t want to miss out on the shows) you can still get drinks or smaller snacks. There were several “street food stalls” on the main plaza that sold smaller snacks or treats. I had a smoothie but they also sold cocktails. You definitely don’t have to go hungry or thirsty!

One advantage of getting to the park early is that you can see (and take photos of) the different areas by day light, twilight, and with illumination. As long as you don’t mind the artificial nature of the park, it is very pretty and romantic!

The Memories Show

Waiting Line

The Memories Show is slated to run from 8 pm to 9 pm and officially the doors to the seating area open at 7:30 pm. However, based on the time stamps on my photos they started letting people in around 7:20 pm when I was there.

I had made my way towards the back of the park where the theater and arena are located a bit earlier. The last show concludes nearby so visitors get automatically funneled to the large building in the back.

As you enter the building, you will see three different lines. One to the left and two to the right. Make sure that you are in the one that corresponds to your ticket category! I believe the Eco Class tickets were further left on the right side (so kind of the middle one but on the right side). However, just make sure to check the signs – I almost waited in the wrong line!

Tip 5: Double-check that you are waiting in the correct line for your ticket category!

If you somehow missed out on eating during the pre-show time you can pick up some snacks or popcorn here, just like at a movie theater.

Getting a good seat

Now my top tip: As I mentioned earlier, I think the cheapest tickets are actually the best (unless it rains)! You are closer to the show and entertainers and have to pay less! However, not all seats in this section are equal. The lowest benches or benches on the sides probably don’t have much of a view.

However, if you line up a bit early you can have your pick of the category. I went in line around 7:10 pm and was one of the first to get in. It was easy to snare a seat in the middle of the top row of the economy section. I think those were probably the best overall. The only ones still better might have been the middle of the lowest rows of the High Class tickets which have a seatback (but cost more).

Either way, I strongly recommend getting in line a bit early to get the best seats of whichever category you booked!

Tip 6: Line up at least 15 to 20 minutes before they open the theater so you can get a good seat!

The Show itself

What happens during the show?

The outdoor show takes about an hour and has various numbers with colorful costumes, music, lasers, and fire effects. It has a huge number of performers – I believe around 500 – and is quite engrossing.

The show has a vague storyline about the history of the town of Hoi An with some romance mixed in. There is a wedding, traders from all over the world, tragic love, storms, and lots more. My recollection is a bit hazy but maybe that is all to the good so I don’t spoil too much!

Tip 7: You are allowed to take photos but not with any sort of professional looking camera or a GoPro (yep, I had to put mine away)

Is it a good show?

I thought so. As mentioned before, I am not a huge show fan but did not get bored and was quite engrossed in it. It is a local show so if you are expecting Cirque du Soleil or a huge Broadway production you might be disappointed. There isn’t really any acrobatics and the dances are fun but maybe not the most complicated (I am not an expert though). But the sheer scale of the production is impressive and it is good fun.

End of Show

The Park closes at the end of the show so all that is left is to make your way back to your hotel (or the nightlife of Hoi An). Again it is all very well organized so you just follow the stream of people.

As you leave you can still admire the illuminations in the park, both while there and from the other side of the river. And of course Hoi An itself is absolutely beautiful with all the lights at night so walking home was a highlight of the night.

So Is the Hoi An Memories Show worth it?

Yes, I believe so. Hoi An’s Memories is a fun, entertaining show at a surprising scale. You will even learn a bit more about Hoi An’s history. It makes for a good evening activity for solo travelers but may be even better for groups or couples as the surroundings are quite romantic.

How much you enjoy the Impressions Theme Park before the show will depend on whether you like smaller dance performances and how you feel about the somewhat inauthentic Disney-style of the venue. But with the right expectatons and attitude it is very pretty and makes for great photos!