Bad hair day and in sudden need of a hairdresser in Hoi An? It happens to the best of us. Here we are, on holidays, making memories and carving life experiences and suddenly we catch a glimpse of ourselves in the mirror. The mop on our head has become windswept enough to make the daily weather report. We need a hairdresser real bad.
And that’s a shame.
Whilst there are some good hairdressers in Hoi An you really must be careful who you choose. It’s not hard to work out why. Just look at the thick, black tresses of your Vietnam holiday hosts. You’ll find no curls, frizz or dark roots in the Vietnamese hair world.
And therein lies the hair danger.
Strong, straight and black is the hair playground of Vietnamese hairdressers. Imagine their bewilderment when faced with someone asking for a shade of ash blonde or a particular cut to enhance their curls. Many a time I’ve walked into a hair salon for a touch up on my auburn hair only to come home with jet black.
But don’t despair, below are some Hoi An hairdressers we can happily recommend and some barbers too. And as with so many services in Vietnam, they are amazingly cheap compared to Western hairdressers back home. And it’s not just hair services on offer in many Vietnamese hair dressing salons. You can get head massages, manicures and if you really want to get your glam on, go for their eyelash extensions too.
So here are the Hoi An hairdressers we feel sure will better your barnet:
Best Hairdressers in Hoi An
Ba-Le Well Beauty Salon
Ba-Le Well Beauty Salon is the Go-To-Hairdresser in Hoi An for many Westerners living here and it’s not just because of their Western gossip mags. Using international hair products, the owner, Nguyet, has extensive experience cutting and coloring diverse hair types (but ensure you know your color levels on the chart in advance).
Nguyet shows that you don’t need Vidal Sassoon certification to produce a first-class haircut. Having your hair done at Ba-Le Well is a pleasurable experience, not least because a divine head massage is sometimes thrown in for free.
What about men’s haircuts?
Yes, there’s plenty on offer for men too. Even the most hair-challenged will be happy. Proving herself to be a master of the “I’m not really bald’ cut, Nguyet delivered my own nearly-bald bloke back to the 21st century with precision engineering. His cut took longer than mine …. less is obviously more.
What other services does Ba-Le-Well Salon provide?
Ba-Le Well offers a range of beauty services for men and women including manicures, pedicures, paraffin wax treatments, nail art design, hair removal by waxing and threading and facial and body massage. Hairdressing services include cutting, conditioning, straightening, coloring, highlighting and perming. The set prices are reasonable by Western standards.
Price Guide:
Haircut (women) | 12 USD (280,000 VND); Haircut (men) | 7 USD (160,000 VND); Coloring | 25 –50 USD (580,000 – 1.1 million VND); Hair Wash (includes massage) | 6 USD (140,000 VND); Hair Treatment (similar to Olaplex) | 20 USD (460,000 VND)
Tuan Boy Beauty Salon & Spa
Tony & Guy certified, Tuan, is another Hoi An hairdresser with extensive hairdressing experience. Using international products such as L’Oreal, Morrocan Oil and Schwarzkopf, Tuan Boy is also a go-to hairdresser in Hoi An for expats.
But…
Whilst the salon has prices advertised on their website, they do not make them visible in the hairdressing salon. Make sure all agree on the price before you sit down. In the past, Tuan Boy staff have angered many tourists and Hoi An expats by inflating their prices.
But ….
He’s good. He understands the complexities of working with Western hair, gives good haircuts and has nailed the color I wanted every time. They also include a pretty nice face and head massage.
Tuan does good men’s haircuts. Working from a photo he was able to perfect the exact style our office manager was after. Whilst Tuan and his staff have basic English you’ll find it more than enough to get by.
What other services does Tuan Boy provide?
Tuan Boy offers several other services, including body waxing, manicures, pedicures, hair extensions, hair treatment and threading. (For those not in the know, ‘threading’ involves some dexterous hand movements to remove hair on the face with a piece of string. (Just a note of advice, if the women next to me was anything to go by, directly after the treatment your face is likely to resemble an explosion of busted bums.)
Price Guide:
Haircut (women) | 10 – 18 USD (230,000 – 420,000 VND); Haircut (men) | 9 – 10 USD (200,000 – 230,000 VND); Coloring | 55 – 70 USD (1.2 – 1.6 million VND); Hair Straightening | 40 – 80 USD (925,000 – 1.8 million VND); Hair Extensions | 100 – 300 USD (2.3 – 7 million VND); Spa Treatments | 10 – 20 USD (230,000 – 460,000 VND); Olaplex Hair Treatment | 10 – 20 USD (230,000 – 460,000 VND); eyelash extensions | 17 – 22 USD (393,000 – 500,000 VND)
A. Nho Hairdressing Salon & Spa
As Hairdressing salons in Hoi An go, A. Nho’s is probably the funkiest. With its red and black interior, international hair products on sale and impressive modern equipment, this salon would not be out of place in the trendiest parts of Sydney.
Passionate about hairdressing from an early age and an avid fan of Vidal Sassoon, Anh Nho has seven Master Hair Stylist certificates under his belt. These were awarded by overseas trainers from Korea, Japan & Italy. A master of hair cutting (‘I love the focus on the geometry of the face and creating a style that suits it and is easy to manage’) he is also skilled at coloring hair. His careful checking and cross-checking delivered the exact rich gold and copper shade I wanted.
He’s great with men’s hair too but be careful. Make sure you get Anh Nho to cut your hair and not one of his apprentices. It will be the difference between a great haircut and a basic, short back and sides kind of affair.
Whilst Anh Nho does not speak English his wife does so if body language and picture pointing don’t do the trick with this talented Hoi An hairdresser, his wife is a phone call away.
Price Guide:
Haircut (women) | 9 USD (208,000 VND); Haircut (men) | 5 – 8 USD (115,000 – 185,000 VND); Coloring | 20 – 108 USD (460,000 – 2.5 million VND); Hair Wash (includes massage) | 6 USD (140,000 VND); Hair Treatment (similar to Olaplex) | 22 USD (500,000 VND)
Do Hairdressers in Hoi An Cut Men’s Hair too?
Hoi An Barber Shop Experience
There are many hair cutting options available for men in Hoi An. However, one of the best hairdressing experiences and one definitely to be experienced is at a barber shop.
Any man seeking a haircut or a beard trim should head to one of Hoi An’s many barber shops. They will encounter a whole new level of ‘hairdressing’. You see, men are the Kings in Vietnamese society and this pampered man-centric world is epitomized in the barber shop experience.
These little shops are basic. There’s no hair coloring, no scented oils, only the essentials. The essentials to help you feel your best. And you will feel your best after you walk out from a Hoi An barber shop!
A complete barber shop experience incorporates a haircut followed by a shave (with a cut-throat razor). But don’t be concerned. It’ll be the closest shave you’ve ever had. Next, follows the nose hair and ear hair deforestation. After this, a neck, between the eyebrows, along the ears and even a chest, shoulder and forehead shave depending on how hairy you are.
Is that it? No, there’s a massage.
And just when you think ‘that has to be it’, the ear cleaning rod comes out. You may like to avoid this.
You certainly want to avoid the next ‘make-over’. Inner eye-lid cleaning (yes, the inside!) If the barber moves towards you with a long rod, eyeing your eye-balls, throw him the 6 – 9 USD (140,000 – 208,000 VND) cost of the service – and run for the hills.
If you’re not after the ‘barber works’ a straight hair cut or beard trim will cost you 2 USD (46,000 VND). Whilst most barber shops are okay in Hoi An, these are the ones our staff have used:
Thanh Barber Shop:
Hours | 8am – 7pm; Address | 578 Cua Dai
Dang Xi Barber Shave:
Hours | 8am – 6pm; Address | 7 Phan Chu Trinh.
If you want a little bit more upmarket experience and staff who speak some English, you might like to try:
The Hangout Tattoo Piercing & Barber Shop:
Hours | 9.30am – 8pm; Address | 91 Ba Trieu.