Vietnam Part 1/6: Falling in love in Hội An 🇻🇳

Here is the first post of my Vietnamese series. Drop by to read and travel with me!

I was very excited for my first visit to Vietnam. Having only one week for a trip, I was looking into several options but glad that we have chosen centrally located Hoi An over popular Halong Bay and Hanoi (where I wanted to go in the beginning but though that in the beginning of February it might be too cold after me being used to the Malaysian heat).

2.5h flight to Da Nang with AirAsia from Kuala Lumpur and I can feel the fresh air of a coastal Vietnam. Another 45 mins by taxi (which is easy to catch right at the airport) and we are in Hoi An...which is meeting us with the cloudy mood but chilled vibe.
Despite the gloomy weather I fall in love with the city immediately. The former port city, Hoi An is a mix of eras and styles. French colonial buildings are neighbouring with the wooden Chinese shophouses and temples, Vietnamese ornaments are intertwining with the Japanese patterns and lead you to the Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda…What a diversity!

I felt like being in the Asian fairytale…

Especially when I found out that I can make all my wishes come true. Jokes, of course not all, but here I’m talking about the abundance of tailor and shoes workshops! Locals are so talented that they can literally create any clothes or shoes you want if you show them the picture within 1 day. So if you want custom made and very affordable sandals, shoes, bags, ANY clothes, Hoi An is a heaven for you.

Back to the fairytale: the city is very cozy and easy to navigate around. Almost every guest house will provide you with bicycles to go around and you won’t need any other transport. But if you do, they have uber and grab apps available for you as well as cycle rickshaws around the downtown (but it seemed to me more like a tourist attraction than a convenient way to go around because those cyclists are literally driving through you because even the walking streets are accessible for them).

Did I mention how obsessed I am with the buildings, architecture, walls and beautiful ornaments?

 If these all also has a nature around, I’m pretty much sold. So Hoi An literally stole my heart.

The place we stayed is a little homestay overseeing the river (Thu Bon Riverside Homestay for the reference and if you will be looking for a quiet local area to stay in) with a very lovely family who were taking care of us exceptionally well!
 

Temples and Assembly halls with the nice gardens 

with beautiful mosaic floors I couldn’t stop photographing

Below is the complex of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples of My Son Sanctuary. In the places like this or Angkor Wat or Pagodas of Bagan in Myanmar I feel the unbelievable power of ancestors and human potential as well as the power of the religion...Because it’s impossible to imagine what it took for people to create such architectural wonders several hundreds or even thousands years ago without any solid equipment. It was all possible because of the deep (sometimes blind) belief in a superior force which will make their lives unbearable unless they respect and do everything for it. What an engine of the social progress!

Hoi An has so many dogs! 

So it was definitely a luck to be there before the start of New Lunar Year of the Dog.

Narrow streets and lovely restaurants 

opened to offer you fresh spring rolls, pho, bahn mi and vietnamese coffee at any point of the day. (well, the food deserves a separate post).

Hoi An has a great beach just 15 mins away...and believe me on the way there you don’t want the time to pass by because you will be cycling through gorgeous rice plantations!

Practicing Qigong on the empty beach wasn't such a bad idea after all.

I’d like to tell you so much more about Vietnam. But It’d be too long for one post as I don’t want to make you miss other cool stuff people are writing about.

I’ll share with you more as I find it super exciting and hopefully useful for you too.

I have several ideas in mind but what would you like to read about next? (plz comment below) 

1. Vietnam 2/6: How to evaluate if the city has a good coffee culture? (and my verdict upon Hoi An) (✅POSTED)
2. Inspiring photo project helping to preserve the knowledge and the heritage of Vietnamese ethnic groups
3. The best cooking class experience!
4. Magic of the lanterns
5. Surprisingly enjoyable stay in Da Nang 
6. The significance of rice agriculture for Vietnam

Or ask a question about my experience in Hoi An or Vietnam and I’d love to share my thoughts with you. 

Thank you for reading and your support! 

Follow and share your feedback if you feel like :) @vikapuzach