Hoi An, Vietnam

After a whistle-stop tour of Ho Chi Minh City, a €30 flight to Hoi An saved us some valuable travel time. Hoi An could not be any more different to Saigon; it’s small, sleepy and quaint... and you actually cross the road. All of the buildings in the Old Quarter are painted a deep yellow colour with wooden doors and colourful flowers toppling over roofs and out of window sills. It is just so pretty.

Helen continued to spoil us with a room at the Sun River, a fab hotel right on the river and perfect for exploring. The hotel also has complimentary bikes for guests, which we made great use of despite the monsoon season downpours! If you’re going to visit Vietnam in October, you’re going to need a poncho.

While ponchos may not be very fashion-forward, there is no problem finding world-class tailors in Hoi An. The town is synonymous with tailors and fabrics and we were so excited to get all Project Runway in Vietnam. There are tailors all over the town who can make suits, dresses, coats, shoes and everything in between within a matter of hours. We heard good things about Yaly Couture (47 Tran Phu Street) and it lived up to its reputation. The girls were so helpful and so professional; they are fantastic at their jobs. 

The three of us wanted to get coats made so we showed them pictures of what we liked, went through endless samples of fabrics and colours and eventually were measured from top to toe. The very next afternoon our coats were ready for our first fitting and alterations, and the day after that they were done! My one-of-a-kind wool and silk-lined coat set me back €60, and I may never take it off.

Once we were finished playing dress up we set off to see the sights of the ancient town of Hoi An. The best way to do this is to buy a ticket (VND120,000) from the tourist office that lets you visit 5 places in the old quarter. You can choose from ancient merchant houses, the Japanese Bridge, pagodas, workshops and performances.  I loved this really colourful and decadent pagoda where you could attach a prayer or a wish to huge coils of incense that burned for your weeks.

We also found a gorgeous spot for tea and coffee called Serene Tea (131 Tran Phu). It was like a tranquil little garden with an all natural menu and the most ornate tea sets. The servers at Serene Tea are hearing or speech impaired and so they have developed really clever ways to communicate.

Our last day in Hoi An was a big one – it was Karen’s birthday! So we went all out with a Vietnamese Cooking Class with River Side Restaurant, where we were very well looked after by the brother and sister duo who own and run the restaurant. First, Bao took us to the local market to show us all kinds of weird and wonderful Vietnamese fruit, vegetables, seafood, noodles and spices. I really loved the market. There were women sleeping under their hats at their stalls, gossiping while making bouquets of flowers, sieving rock salt and slicing sheets of noodles into perfect straight lines.

Back at the restaurant, Bao’s sister showed us how to make 5 traditional Vietnamese dishes – and the best part was we got to eat them too.

We were so lucky to be in Hoi An for their Full Moon Festival. The whole town was pedestrianised and colourful lanterns were hung infront of every shop and house. Then, under the light of the full moon, you can light a floating lantern and send it down the river with a wish, while locals play music and games on the street. Photographs really can’t do this justice; I’m so glad we were there to see it.

Next Stop: Hanoi, Vietnam