Hoi An

We arrived in Hoi An after another flight on 'Sellotape Airlines' and another seemingly never-ending taxi ride. Wandering down one of the streets of the old quarter to find food, we could see that it was worth it. Hoi An is simply adorable, and it well-deserves its place on every traveler's itinerary. The well-preserved ancient houses, lack of modernisation and the notable absence of cars and motorbikes in the old town all lend it a wistful, romantic feel. It's what you'd like to believe the whole of Vietnam is like, or was like.
We spent the whole of our time in Hoi An agenda-less, content to simply wander and soak up the atmosphere. This is the best way to enjoy the place. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and thankfully has been preserved as such, with the ancient houses, pagodas and pedestrianised streets the very epitomy of 'charm'. It's a sad contrast to think that underneath all the tourist tat shops, high rises and motorbike-clog of Hanoi's Old Quarter, the same could be found.

Allowing ourselves the exertion of a boat ride, we comandeered a Vietnamese lady to sail us down the Thu Bon river a little way. This was a great way of exploring a little further and, of course, relaxing. We fell into a bit of a tourist scam involving a photograph of a fishing boat, but shrugged it off. Fair Cop. You can't win 'em all...
Back on dry land, one of the best finds was 'Reaching Out', a handicraft and fabric shop employing only disabled and disadvantaged Vietnamese people in their workshop, which you can go and visit. All of the products are beautiful and very well-made, which made it an excellant place to buy our gifts and souvenirs. If you head to Hoi An, check it out.

SarahHeadsEast xx

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