We were looking for a place to chill – our “Luang Prabang fix.” In our quest we searched for a vibrant, yet tranquil retreat filled with daily life, enticing food, exotic architecture, romantic night markets – and we found it. Hoi An, Vietnam.
Village life has an everyday rhythm. The sweeping begins early in the morning. Errant leaves are whisked away.
Caged birds begin to twitter, and the local rooster makes himself known.
Families prepare for school, with two or three kids hopping on the scooter with Mom, and Dad makes sure the toddler has a healthy breakfast.
At the ever-present temples, monks go about their business while worshippers drop by for a quick prayer and offering.
Giant spirals of incense waft smoke toward the timbered ceilings while dragons and Buddhas look on.
Fruit sellers in the market begin their pineapple artistry, and the women get ready for the early-morning shoppers looking for freshly harvested seafood and veggies.
In the Old Town, time-worn shophouses, draped in bougainvillea, continue their trading legacy updated with modern goods and bespoke tailoring.
During the day you notice that beautiful lanterns are hanging everywhere.
And when the sun sets, the lanterns begin to glow. It’s magical.
Travelers come from around the world to experience the enchantment of Hoi An. As with most off-the-beaten path places, the secret seeps out. These hidden gems are eventually discovered and become popular with tourists. But Hoi An is still a deliberate destination, and the travelers who come are curious, appreciative, and respectful. You owe it to yourself to see this side of Vietnam.
Has Hoi An been discovered? Yes. Is it worth the journey? Absolutely!
Wishing you Peace, Terri and James
P.S. And if you need any further enticement …
GALLIVANCE 
I love how Starbucks tries to blend in. Somehow I find it comforting to find something familiar in a place so far from home., even though I embrace the local food and customs for the most part. This place looks lovely. I love the photos of the locals going about their day.
Darlene, after the chaos of Hanoi Hoi An was a breath of fresh air, and lovely. It’s much smaller for a start, and the only thing going on is the historic town so it’s much calmer.
It’s funny about Starbucks. They’ve expanded considerably, and are all over. Sometimes the stores do an excellent (and sometimes downright cool) job of fitting in, and others not. But they’re doing their best to get the world hooked on caffeine, and it’s working.
And if the locals weren’t trying to sell something to the tourists, they go on with their lives and didn’t seem to notice us – probably a healthy attitude if you’re going to live in a tourist destination. ~James
I am working on my own Hoi An post right now! I really enjoyed the quaint and ancient aspects of this little town, but that river scene at night felt very touristy and manufactured somehow. I just stayed on the upper streets and enjoyed my time there very much. I liked your focus on the quotidian; sometimes we forget that these charming towns are filled with people living their real lives while we drop in!
Lexie, we stayed in a Homestay place on a quiet lane off the main road which was a wonderful exposure to the normal village and its daily life. We had the perfect balcony for coffee where we could watch the neighborhood wake up and it was delightful. I’ll be interested to see your post and will keep an eye out.
And we had read how wacky busy the river scene was so we went down early one night at dusk to check it out but when things got crazy we bolted for our hotel. The river was crazy, but some of the backstreets with all the lanterns and bustling restaurants were magical. ~James
Last time I was there it seemed to be overrun with tourists and tailors, but the river at night was still quiet. I had a room overlooking the river near the bridge. Hope you made it to My Son.
Kathy, the night time scene at the river is pretty crazy and crowded, but on the streets parallel to the river it’s not as bad. We stayed in a Homestay place on a quiet alley near the main road. It was really nice being in a real neighborhood. And we were there for record heat so we got up and going really early before the tour groups finished their breakfast.
And the tailors weren’t any problem for us. Guess I didn’t look like the type for a bespoke suit. Anyway, my Mom worked in a clothing factory much of her adult life, so I found the process interesting. We really enjoyed Hoi An. ~James
We loved Hoi An, glad you found it relaxing after your time in Hanoi! Maggie
Maggie, we really enjoyed Hoi An as well. We’re interested in architecture, so seeing all that original Chinese and Japanese architecture was very interesting for us. And the temples and community houses were wonderful as well. We’ll definitely be posting more on Hoi An. ~James
Hope you had some of those pineapples pictured. They are so ripe and yellow, I would imagine even the core would be soft and sweet.
Funny you should mention pineapple Ray, because I had it many times while I was there and it was all delicious. And it was very cool watching that lady in the market sculpting the pineapples. It was an interesting process and took a good amount of skill. ~James
Looking at the photos, I can’t imagine anyone not liking it, James. And those little conical hats are so practical! I’ve got one on my Christmas list. I know! I’ll look silly…
Don’t worry Jo, at this point in our lives people expect us to be eccentric. So I’d say go for any type of hat you desire.
You know, until visiting Vietnam I hadn’t really thought how useful these woven hats could be. They are a very effective head covering, as well as a basket for carrying things. A great idea in fact. ~James
Thanks for this memory stirrer. I have a soft spot for Hoi An.
Peggy we really enjoyed Hoi An as well, and it will go on our list of special places that we will always remember fondly. ~James
I loved Hoi An, and I can see why you were thinking of it to get your “Luang Prabang fix”. Both were undeniably very charming during my visits, although I saw more visitors in Hoi An. I agree how this Vietnamese town is a deliberate destination, and how those who come are usually curious, appreciative, and respectful. However, it was actually here where for the first time ever I saw a White tourist so wasted he felt asleep on the roadside, unable to walk back to his hotel. Hopefully he’s more of an outlier than the norm.
Bama, we’re not part of the party scene, but we saw none of this in our time there. In fact, down on the river at night when the crowds were at their peak, everyone was excited but well behaved. This person must have been the exception for sure.
I think that the Hoi An gets a lot of small tour buses from the resort hotels up the beach in Danang, and maybe it was one of these folks that overdid it. Anyway, it’s always sad and disheartening when you see this sort of thing. But, in the meantime, we loved Hoi An. ~James
Beautiful photos of Hoi An, James. The town is rich in history, art and architecture. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Hoi An myself. Your post brought back many memories.
Natalie, it’s a delightful place and as you say, it’s chock-full of interesting details. We toured a couple of the houses and in one in particular, the attendant was friendly and very informative. He said that his family had lived in the house for 8 generations, and other than electric lights, it must have looked exactly the same for all that time. Awesome. ~James
The colorful lanterns really do add to the ambience, Terri and James.As did the dragon and Buddha. Laughed about the Starbucks poking its nose in everywhere. My prejudice may show a bit here, but better Starbucks than McDs as a symbol of American enterprise.
Curt, as I said to someone else, we’ve seen Starbucks literally everywhere we’ve visited. They’re here to stay, which I don’t really have a problem with. I certainly like it better when they use local buildings and try to fit in like they did in Hoi An. ~ James
Agreed, James. And their coffees come from all over the world. There is that.
Brian and I loved Hoi An, your photos brought back so many good memories. We found it to be particularly charming at night with all the pretty lanterns lit up.
Gilda, it sounds like you enjoyed Hoi An as much as we did. We stayed in a homestay place down a quiet alley off the main road, and it was wonderful to be in a neighborhood that was off the tourist track. And even with all the crowds in the village at night, it was still very cool. It’s a very special place for us. ~James
I’ve long had Hoi An on my list of places to visit, and your post has enticed me further. Even if a bit touristy it still looks absolutely charming. Lovely post guys. One day I’ll get there.
Alison
Alison, forget about the complaints about other tourists, Hoi An is very charming, historically intriguing, and a real pleasure. When you can see it jump at the chance. It shouldn’t be missed. ~ James
Lovely post, and beautiful photographs. My son and I are heading to Vietnam in November (rescheduled from June), and we are looking forward to spending some time in Hoi An.
Thanks for the comment Eric and for dropping by the blog. Vietnam has been on our bucket list for some time, and we really enjoyed our time there. Hoi An was our favorite stop, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. The historic area is lovely and the old Chinese shop houses and temples are wonderful. We read some complaints that it has been “discovered” and that crowds can be a problem, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from visiting. In fact, the night scene in the village is quite festive, and we thought it was fun to join in. Bon Voyage! ~James
Stunning post! We’re here at the moment and immersed in the magic. You described it oh so beautifully. ❤️💜🧡
Miriam, thanks for the comment and for dropping by the blog. Hoi An is such a special place, I’m always happy to hear that other travelers are getting a chance to visit. It’s so unique, and definitely was the highlight of our time in Vietnam. Enjoy the rest of your stay.
And BTW, we did another Hoi An post which takes a more architectural/historical view. Check it out. https://gallivance.net/2024/01/26/beyond-the-lanterns-unveiling-the-historic-soul-of-hoi-an/
~James
Thanks James, I’m off to check it out now!
Whilst it may be the prettiest Starbucks I’ve ever seen, its presence in Hoi An, I find quite off putting!
I’m not even much of a coffee drinker (I don’t dislike it, but prefer tea), but even I had a modicum of pride when they failed in their first effort to crack the Australian market (they’ve since returned, with a real focus on airports, and downtown areas with high international student populations)!
I hope it’s presence in one of my favourite Vietnamese towns doesn’t detract from Ms Vy’s cafe (which was inspired by her visits to Melbourne and watching cafe culture). I believe it and her restaurant at one time allowed to her to employ over 300 locals!
Hoi An is still a beautiful town from what I can see through your post, but it certainly looks so much busier than my memory (I think when we were there, you’d be lucky to see more than a couple of boats on the water at any given time).
At least it can still provide for you that feeling of calm…
Safe travels,
Chris
Chris, we’ve only visited Hoi An once, but from comments it appears to be one of those places travelers have visited over the years just to return and find it’s “not the same.” One of the advantages of having traveled for nearly 5 decades is having the chance to visit some “magical” places from our past. Places like Bali and Luang Prabang come to mind. And of course, like everyone else we noticed and were disappointed that they had been discovered by the crowds and just weren’t the same.
Unfortunately, this is a global reality in today’s travel world. News stories of frustrated locals protesting and spraying tourists with water are indicative of a trend that’s unlikely to decrease. However, as I prepare to get on a plane for a month-long trip to Europe I have to remind myself that I’m part of the problem as well. As cliché as it sounds, the world truly is getting smaller every day, and honestly, there’s nothing to be done about it. But as independent travelers, a bit of work still makes it all worth it. ~James
I feel you.
Reminds me of an old episode of No Reservations with the late, great Tony Bourdain and his comment “This is an example of destroying what I love” talking about how nice this local restaurant they were in is, and next time, after his episode airs, it will be full of tourists.
From what I understand, Instagram & Tiktok are the modern equivalents of such shows, just like once upon a time hotels & eateries clamoured to be in the next edition of Lonely Planet.
As travellers, we contribute to the problem, however, I do see a difference between us visitors who search for the quiet, beautiful places, versus those who are simply there for the hero shot…