The big city marathons may be appealing to the majority of runners, but small town marathons certainly have their own charm. If you’ve been thinking about running at places that are still under the radar and off the beaten path, Hoi An International Marathon is the race to join.

The race will take place on 17 September 2017, at The Centre for Culture and Sports of Hoi An city. The route offers participants the chance to explore the exotic Hoi An City on foot.

We think there are 5 reasons why you should run Hoi An International Marathon this year!

1. Various race categories for runners with different abilities and preferences.

Marathoners and aspiring marathoners, sign up for 42km full marathon to discover the whole Hoi An city, from charming old town to lively new town. The full marathon category will flag off at 4 a.m.

For a less taxing distance, opt for the 10km mini marathon, which starts at 5:30 a.m., where you get to enjoy Hoi An city while working out a good amount of sweat. Runners and families who are looking for a short and relaxed race may choose 5km fun run, which will flag off at 6:30 a.m.

2. Carbo-load before and after the race with delightful Vietnamese cuisines.

At Hoi An, you can stuff yourself with pho (noodle soup), banh mi (baguette), white rose (prawn dumplings in translucent dough), cao lau (pork noodle), spring rolls, wanton dumplings, and many other Vietnamese delicacies. There is a food for every budget and palate.

3. You get to race through a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Hoi An has more than 2,000 years history. The ancient town has retained its traditional wooden architecture as well its original street plan, infrastructure and historic landscape setting.

The heritage buildings include ruins from Cham empire, temples, Japanese covered bridge, pagodas, wooden shop-houses, French-colonial houses, and old canals.

4. Easy to reach from most Asia countries.

You can catch a direct flight to Da Nang airport from most Asia countries, such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Siam Reap, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo and Taipei.

The city of Hoi An is just 40 minutes away from Da Nang by taxi, shared car or bus. Do spend a day or two at the beautiful beaches in Da Nang to soak up the sun.

5. A great runcation destination.

There are many activities you can do in Hoi An to truly immerse in the culture, such as joining a cooking class, cycling to the countryside, eating street foods, drinking local beers and chilling out in wooden shophouses.

If you’re adventurous and can’t be easily satisfied, do excursions to nearby towns, such as the historical city of Hue, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site at Cham Island, another UNESCO World Heritage Site at My Son Sanctuary, as well as the coastal city of Da Nang.

Registration

Registration fees are THB 2500, 1200 and 900 for 42km, 10km and 5km run. Runners are entitled to race singlet, finisher’s medal and race kit bag.

The race pack collection will be held on 15 and 16 September 2017 at Song Hoai Square, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If you are keen, you really need to hurry up and register now.