Highlights of Hoi An

It's that time of year again - tis the season to be jolly!  What better way to spend this time of year than to spend the weekend in Hoi An, a retail Mecca, known for its handmade clothes and shoes.  Only a short 45 minute drive from Da Nang, Hoi An emanates pure charm. Vibrant and modern scenery mixed with the ubiquitous fingerprints left over from China and Japan make this "Ancient City of Vietnam" a place definitely worth seeing.

The streets in the Old Town are stacked, one after another after another, with clothing shops, shoe shops, lantern shops, painting shops and more.  If you see something you like in a clothing shop, simply point to the mannequin thats sporting your future fit, the salesperson takes your measurements, and the next day you'll have a custom outfit made specifically for you.  Alternatively, you can also look through one of the giant catalogs they invariably have in the shop, or bring in a photo or drawing of the look you want and they’ll sew it up for you.

The funny thing about the shops in Hoi An, is that almost every clothing store displays the same style garments.  I wonder if one shop started selling a wool coat with an asymmetrical collar, and then all others followed suit, or if the shops are just fronts for the same 2 or 3 "sweatshops" aka "tailors" that offer the exact same garments.  In any case, it makes it very difficult to decide which store to choose.  This is where the bargaining begins.  Such a large proliferation of almost identical shops makes the competition fierce, and when faced with the customer making a purchase elsewhere, any salesperson is bound to lower their prices to keep your business. 

The vibrant and bustling open air market mixed with the proud old buildings, elaborately carved wooden facades and exteriors colored blues, yellows, greens and reds, from paint made of shells from the sea, make this town's old fashioned charm always visible. 

In the evening, the quiet streets of Hoi An are at their most romantic, bathed in a rainbow of glowing paper lanterns in all manner of shapes of sizes.  I purchased a beautiful orange one that I have hanging over our kitchen table.

Although the city is known for its retail, you can't visit the city and not try one of their specialty dishes.  Hoi An is famous for its Cao Lau dish, which consists of flat noodles mixed with bean sprouts and greens and topped with pork slices. It's served with crumbled crispy rice paper immediately before eating.  Cao Lau is said to be unique in Hoi An because the water used in the preparation of the authentic dish must come from a particular well in town.  I have heard that they sell Cao Lau in Da Nang, but that it doesn't compare to the one in Hoi An.  All I know is that the Cao Lau I had was DELICIOUS, and would be hard to beat!

The alluring, attractive and appetizing atmostphere of Hoi An works its magic on you within a few hours of being there.  At the end of our first night there, we sat in the Cargo Bar, overlooking the Thu Bon River and watched the sun slowly color the buildings of the Old Town as it descended into darkness.

Our evening ended with a boat ride down the river from a husband and wife duo (not the ones seen in the picture.)

Good Times Good Times!  Thank You Hoi An!