A Change of Pace in Hoi An

After the one day delay in Hue I was finally off to Hoi An, a half day drive south down the coast of Vietnam.  It bears repeating that even though two points may look close on the map, getting from point A to B can take a lot longer than you may expect.  The drive wasn't too bad this time round and we arrived in Hoi An by mid afternoon.

Hoi An is just south of Hue in central Vietnam

Unfortunately the American I was rooming with in Hue had to take a different bus (spots were limited).  He had already booked a hostel in Hoi An, but when I tried they were fully booked.  I rarely book ahead and usually it's not a problem.  Although the hostel was full there were lots of other places available, so nothing to worry about.  During the bus ride I met a couple from Austria and we ended up searching for hotels together.  We landed one in the center of town, and in the interest of saving money, went with a triple.  I was glad they were cool with sharing because booking hotels solo can get pricey for a backpacker!

typical street in central Hoi An

Hoi An was one of the highlights of Vietnam.  Natural beauty may rank at the top of my list of sights, but as far as towns go, Hoi An is hard to beat.  Okay, it doesn't have a lot of nightlife (well there was still a backpacker club open to the wee hours of the morning).  And it's also full of tourists, something that I usually try to avoid if my goal is cultural immersion.

Wikipedia describes central Hoi An as "an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century."  In the old quarter you are much more likely to see pedestrians than motorbikes.  Well maintained temples are plentiful.  There are more art shops than convenient stores.  In a country where history is often pushed aside by modern, noisy, crowded city life, the calm and cultured streets of Hoi An are a much needed change up.

the riverfront by day...

...and by night

Much of the country was destroyed during the Vietnam War, so few historical towns remain.  Luckily Hoi An was spared and today has an eclectic mix of architecture representing its former status and an international trading city.  Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and even Dutch traders settled in the town over the years and left their mark on the buildings and artwork.

The old quarter is quite small and easily walk-able, but despite its size has a lot to see.  After a day of exploring the numerous temples, museums, and historical houses I considered staying to do it again.  Most sights are small and only take 30 minutes to an hour for a visit.  For those who enjoy art, be it collecting or window shopping, Hoi An is a good place to take a stroll and check out the collections displayed streetside.  I'd also recommend walking the city centre at night.  The shops are light up and the river running through town looks even more picturesque.

Here are pics of a few temples around town:

I'm kind of surprised that I enjoyed Hoi An so much considering much of the time I try to get away from the tourist crowd (well party islands and beaches aside).  And there were certainly tons of tourists in town.  Despite the crowds the old quarter was chill and relaxed, much different than most Vietnamese cities.  Another plus was locals speaking more English, much more than in most parts of the country.  Even outside the historic town center people seemed friendly and the vibe relaxed.

Maybe I would have tired of the crowds had I stayed longer, but after two nights I was off for another motorbike trip.  This one would be pretty eventful.