Life Abundant

A Yellow Vision

Our second stop on our Vietnam tour was the city of Hoi An in the center of the country along the coast.  We had heard from friends that Hoi An was a must-see destination in Vietnam because of its charming mix of Vietnamese and French style architecture in the old town, fun shops, beautiful lanterns, and amazing food!

One of our favorite things about Hoi An’s old town was its beautiful yellow buildings.  I love it when towns “decide” on a color theme and stick to it. I’ve been to Santorini, Greece where all the buildings are painted crisp white, and to Chefchaouen, Morocco where the buildings are painted the most beautiful blue color, both places were stunning!  Hoi An’s theme is a beautiful warm yellow, which goes perfectly with its people’s warm smiles, and friendly demeanor.

Where To Stay And Explore

One of our favorite things to do in towns like this is to simply get lost.  Hoi An’s ancient town is closed to cars, making the streets perfect to explore without worrying about traffic jams.  You only have to look out for the occasional moto or bicycle that will wiz by.

There is a small fee (about $5.30) that you have to pay to get into Hoi An’s ancient town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), but once you purchase a ticket, it’s good for your entire stay and gives you entrance into five of the historical sites. Of the 22 sites to choose from, our favorites were the Japanese covered bridge and the Tan Ky House. Check out this website for a complete listing of all the historical sites with descriptions of each.

As usual, we stayed in a great (and very affordable) Airbnb just outside of the old town. Our host even had bikes that we could rent for about $2 a day to help us get around and explore “off the beaten path” more easily.

We visited Vietnam in April, which is right in the midst of the dry (and hot) season, so we’re really thankful for the bikes to help us cover a lot of ground in a short period of time.  We would definitely recommend biking around Hoi An!  It’s such a great way to get a good feel for a location and see things you normally wouldn’t if you were exploring only by foot.  There are also beautiful beaches near Hoi An, so if you want to get some beach time in, rent a bike and head to one of these top rated beaches close by!

Hoi An By Boat

Boats are a significant part of the culture in Hoi An, as the river runs right through the old part of the city and out to the sea.  Locals use boats for transportation of their goods (like the fruit sales woman above), or use them to give rides to tourists as the view of the city from the river is quite romantic, especially at night. You can also take a tour on one of the larger boats docked along the riverfront that will take you a bit further down the waterway. Kayak, SUP, or tiny basket boats (also known as a coracles) rentals and tours are also available to explore this water-infused city.

Our Foodie Favorites

If you’ve followed the Life Abundant Blog for any length of time, you know that Chris and I are huge foodies. One of our favorite things to do in a new place is try the best food and drink, for the best price, that a location has to offer.  Here are our a few recommendations for our foodie friends.

We absolutely loved Hoi An Roastery! I would have drunk 5 of their iced coconut coffees per day there if our budget allowed for it.  There are several different locations throughout the city, but we stuck to their locations in the ancient town.  Both had great service, comfortable seating and cute ambiance.  Our favorite things on the menu were their iced coconut coffee, chocolate croissants (thanks to the French influence in their baked goods), and the Vietnamese style white rose dumplings (that come with some of the most delicious dipping sauce you’ve ever had).

The other foodie find was our favorite lunch spot called Phi Banh Mi (click link for location), which was conveniently located right down the road from our Airbnb.  These delicious “Banh Mi” sandwiches cost about $1 and are chock-full of flavor!  The main ingredients are barbecued meat (our favorite was the pork) with an incredible secret sauce that is topped with a slaw of green papaya, cucumber, and carrots, garnished with mint and cilantro, and all wrapped up in the fluffiest/crunchiest baguette you’ve ever tasted.

We also enjoyed a nice meal at a restaurant in the old town called Morning Glory.  Their food was great and we loved the beautiful night-time view of the river from their 2nd floor balcony.  For a good local beer try some “fresh” Vietnamese rice beer (similar to most lagers) which is refreshing and delicious after walking around in the intense South-East Asian sun!

Hoi An Lanterns & Custom Taylors

I’d be missing one of the most beautiful and famous parts of Hoi An if I didn’t talk about the city’s lanterns. The streets are given a charming, soft glow by these gorgeous lanterns that are strung from the roofs of buildings, storefronts, and seemingly any other available location. There’s an area across the river from the ancient town where hundreds of lanterns of all shapes, colors, and sizes are strung up for sale along a number of tiny shops.

Be sure to leave room in your suitcase if you want to bring one of these home with you, and be careful as they’re fragile! If you’re near the river at night, you can also purchase a beautiful candle from one of the venders and float it downstream in a small paper boat for good luck.

Finally, this little town is also famous for having some of the best tailors in all of Vietnam. You can get custom, hand-made shoes, dresses, shirts, suits, or bags made at great prices. If you’re into this sort of thing and have the budget for it, you can take your pick from the hundreds of shops, or do some research on the best tailors in town. Just be sure to head to the tailor shops on your first day there so that you have enough time for your items to be made and to have a test fitting before you head to your next destination.

If you’re headed to Vietnam, be sure not to miss the picturesque town of Hoi An!