Travel Goals

1. Climb to Everest Base Camp.
2. Climb Mt Kilimanjaro.
3. Learn to Scuba Dive.
4. Visit every continent.
5. See the Galapagos Islands.
6. Sail down the Amazon River.
7. Climb Ayer's Rock.
8. Ride the Trans-Siberian.
9. Go into space.
10. Go wild at La Tomintina.
11. See the sunrise from Mt. Fuji.
12. Gaze at Borobudor.
13. Visit the Pyramids
14. Safari in East Africa.
15. Go to the World Cup!
16. See Machu Picchu.
17. Join the Century Club.
18. Visit Antarctica.
19. Do development work.
20. See Petra Jordan.
21. Backpack the Eastern Block.
22. See the Northern Lights.
23. Vegas Baby! Vegas!
24. Greek Island hop.
25. Cycle Tuscany.
26. Visit India.
27. Lounge in the Seychelles.
28. See Morocco.
29. Oktoberfest!
30. Caravan across the Sahara.
31. Visit Tibet.
32. Fly first class.
33. Go to Israel.
34. Carnival!!!!
35. Mardi Gras!
36. Cannes Film Festival.
37. Sundance Film Festival.
38. Eat a sushi meal at NOBU
39. Pacific Island hop.
40. Spend a night in the Ice Hotel.
41. See Glacier National Park.

Learn a Foreign Language

Are you planning to travel around Europe? Why not learn Italian or French before you go to maximize your experience.

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Hoi An is located in central Vietnam and is the center of Vietnam’s clothing industry, at least for tourists. Hoi An was a major international port in the 16th and 17th centuries and a major center for Chinese and Japanese immigration. Many of these ancient structures are preserved and the heart of the city is still the Old Town, full of winding lanes and Chinese-styled shop houses. A river flows between the town, cutting the old section (and the tourist section) off from the main residential area.

The city has managed to preserve much of its historic buildings and the rapid development you see in other parts of Vietnam has seemingly skipped this area. The city’s economy relies heavily on tourism and clothing. Tourists (including me) come to this city for three reasons: food, clothing, and the Old Town.

Hoi An is known for its food. I’m probably the only person who went to Vietnam and did not like the food. Throughout the country, I was just not impressed with what I ate. However, I did like the food in Hoi An. I loved the Cau Lau, a dish similar to Pho but not as slippery. There’s pork, noodles, spices, and fresh herbs and veggies but the taste and texture was much better. Real Cau Lau is only found in Hoi An as it isn’t considered authentic if the water used isn’t from a well in town. The White Rose, a shrimp dish, is also good as is the fried wontons. Here’s a tip though: Eat across the river! Most of the tourists stick to the restaurants in the Old Town or close by but if you cross the river into the more residential area, the owners practically chase you down for your business. Prices here are half of what they are in the Old Town and you avoid the mass of tourists squawking away during dinner.

Clothing is probably the biggest draw in Hoi An. In a country known for cheap clothing, Hoi An is known to be in a league of its own. Everything can be made here and made cheap. Stores all over the city sell t-shirts and jeans for a few dollars and the town’s central warehouse will make anything you want. Flip through magazines and just point and the next day it is yours. Want a new pair of Nikes? You can make those too.

The quality is also really good. Most international clothing makers have their stuff made in Vietnam so the craftsmanship and quality is the same. Half the material is probably lifted from the Versace or Nike factory anyway! Suits can cost as little as 30 dollars and a whole wardrobe can be purchased for less than a hundred. It’s such big business here that the Vietnamese postal service has a special office dedicated to just shipping packages overseas.

Lastly, there is the beautiful Old Town. This section of town has been preserved by strict zoning laws, something I found very unusual in a country that seemed ready to develop anything. The old town is a collection of historic Chinese and Japanese residential buildings and temples. You can visit all the temples and a number of houses. I showed up at one house and the old owner showed me around and gave me tea. He didn’t charge me anything either. To this day, I still don’t think he fully understand while I was there. I enjoyed the Japanese temple and the Japanese bridge the most out of all the temples. However, the best part of the day is ending it with a twelve cent beer watching the sunset over the river. Many cafes line the riverway and, during sunset, fill up as people enjoy the last remnants of the day.

Overall, there isn’t a lot to do in Hoi An. Without a good book or a desire to shop, you’ll find yourself itching for some excitement but the beauty of Hoi An is that is a oasis of calm in a country that can sometimes be overwhelming. I liked some parts of Vietnam but Hoi An is the only part I really loved.

4 Responses to “The Saturday City: Hoi An”

1. NP on July 12th, 2008 7:56 pm

   Great post! I like the pictures of the Old Town. It reminds me a lot of the Vietnam I grew up in.

2. Dawn on July 13th, 2008 9:54 am

   I totally agree with you about the food…we are in Vietnam right now and I am disappointed. Although my husband is happy because at the prices he can keep trying different things….
   Great photos!!

3. Cristina on July 14th, 2008 1:34 am

   A lot of people tell me that Vietnam is beautiful… as not being so far from NZ, it’s on the top of my list of countries to visit after coming back.

4. Vietnam travel on July 15th, 2008 2:24 am

   I love the pictures. This is my home too. Thanks for you info!

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