Days 65-67 (May 09 - 11, 2013): Hoi An, Vietnam

The Quick Facts:

* Took the ~3 hour train ride from Hue to DaNang, followed by the ~30 minute taxi ride (~35km) down to the small beach-side village of Hoi An (which, of course, entailed yet another argument with our taxi driver who pulled a new one: accused *me* of trying to rip *him* off AFTER he had already ripped me off!!!  That’s some Jedi mind trick if I ever saw one…)
* Spent three days relaxing: riding bikes around the quaint, beautiful village; sitting at the beach; and, as the town is known for, getting clothes made (well, Carrie at least, who got two dresses made; I resisted all of the “how ‘bout you, Mister?” calls as I sat in the shop watching Carrie going through the process)
* Stayed at the Boutique Hoi An Resort, which is located on the beach approximately 4km from the city center.  OK, we splurged.  After 30 days of non-stop travel in Southeast Asia and facing ~2 months of travel in Europe where I’ll have to sell my own blood to afford a baguette, we decided to get the “Asia value for the dollar” and spend a little more to get a lot.  We were not disappointed.  Five Star hotel for less than you’d pay to stay at the Holiday Inn in midtown Manhattan.

The Good:

* Hoi An is a peaceful, friendly village set on a river and filled with beautiful historic buildings that reflect Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese influences
* The city is also filled with delicious restaurants with a wide variety of Vietnamese and Western cuisine, as well as numerous places for coffee and dessert
* The main tourist streets are closed to cars, which makes for great bike riding with the added benefit of not having to worry about dying every time you step out in the street
* There is (according to some list Carrie found on the internet…you know, official) one of the best beaches in the world not but 4km away from the city center, which is where Carrie and I decided to stay

The Bad:

* Can’t think of anything; another spot that should be on everyone’s travel list if you haven’t already been

As our last stop in Vietnam, Carrie and I took the 3 hour train trip from Hue down the eastern coast of Vietnam to DaNang, which is ~35km north of Hoi An

 

 

Once in Hoi An, we immediately rented bikes from our hotel and rode into town.  Above all else, Hoi An really just radiates warmth and familiarity – from the moment you arrive you feel as if you’ve lived there your entire life, and there’s a part of you that never wants to leave.

 

 

Here is the view from when Carrie and I stopped to have tea at a wonderful shop run by people with disabilities (primarily deaf).

 

There are, of course, sites to be seen here, one of which is Tan Ky, an old house-come-museum that has been owned and occupied by the same family for seven generations.

 

Being on the river, it floods every rainy season.  Note the chalk marks on the wall of water levels from previous floods.

 

And here is some Chinese writing from the living room, and a close-up of the birds that make up the characters.  That is mother-of-pearl in case you’re wondering.

 

Another site is the Phuoc Kien meeting hall, one of many meeting halls peppered about town where Chinese expats used to hold meetings and socialize.  Phuoc Kien was built in 1757 and is the oldest…

 Pretty sure this thing will star in my nightmares for at least a week...

 

The most famous bridge in Hoi An is the Japanese Covered Bridge:

 

Hoi An is dominated by the tailor trade…every street has numerous tailors vying for the chance to take your measurements and whip up some tailor-made clothes, be them suits, t-shirts, or even some dress you saw in Glamour magazine on the train ride down from Hanoi.  Apparently, it’s good business, as the city is home to countless construction projects.  Here is but one view from a morning bike ride Carrie and I took:

 

 

And, as mentioned, we splurged a little to stay at a really nice resort on the beach.  Here it is, the pool was amazing, as was the beach and the accompanying views!

 

 

And that was our peaceful 3 days in Hoi An, a wonderful end to a whirlwind ~30 day tour of Southeast Asia that included 13 cities in six countries.  Next up for us is a brief stay in Dubai, followed by a European tour that begins in Rome.  Stay tuned!
 

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