Hoi An’s Touristy Historic District and Tailor-Made Clothing

Matt and I shared headphones and listened to an entertaining podcast as we traveled an hour by public bus from Danang to Hoi An, a medium-sized coastal town in central Vietnam where we would spend the next two nights. The destination is a popular one for tourists, as it is home to a well-preserved historic district with old homes, bridges, temples, assembly halls, museums, and bridges. Hoi An served as a busy trading port from the 15^th to 19^th century and hosted an international population including many Chinese and Japanese merchants. The architectural and cultural influences of these groups are still visible today, distinguishing Hoi An from other towns in the country. The old district itself is a UNESCO Heritage Site, and entry costs about USD $6 per person which includes access to five of the key attractions from a list of 22. The area reminded us very much of the fort we visited months ago in Galle, Sri Lanka, as it was extremely tourist-oriented with souvenir shops and restaurants almost overshadowing the actual historic elements. The narrow streets were beautiful, however, with ivy and flowers pouring over yellow, stone walls throughout the district. At night, colorful lanterns illuminate the walkways and decorate boats that skim over the Hoi An’s small river. The district was a very pretty area through which to take a stroll, albeit the heat of the day was brutal and crowds in the evening were dense. We especially enjoyed the numerous banh mi stalls peppered throughout the old town, and tried sandwiches from three different establishments during our visit.

Walking the streets in Hoi An.

The river that cuts through Hoi An.

Ba Mu Temple Gate in Hoi An.

Lanterns at night illuminate the river as boats coast along.

A delicious vegetarian banh mi sandwich.

As I mentioned above, we were able to select five attractions from the 22 options to visit in the historic district. Our Lonely Planet guidebook made a few suggestions which we followed, including stops the Cantonese Assembly Hall and the Japanese Covered Bridge. The Cantonese Assembly Hall was built in 1885 as a hub for Chinese fisherman and traders to rest and exchange goods on their overseas trips to Vietnam. It featured dragon sculptures and a colorful gate as well as intricate tile work throughout. The Japanese Covered Bridge is one of the most-visited attractions in Hoi An and was constructed in the 1590s to link the Japanese section of town with the Chinese area. There is a small museum attached to the uniquely-designed structure where very cool, old photos depict people throughout history using the bridge.  

Entering the Cantonese Assembly Hall.

Inside the Cantonese Assembly Hall.

Hoi An is also well known across Vietnam for its hundreds of skilled tailors that produce high-quality and affordable clothing for visitors and locals alike. These clothing shops are absolutely everywhere, making tailor-made suits and dresses common souvenirs for tourists. I was actually in the market for a new dress because I had an upcoming job interview (more on that as things develop…) so Matt and I visited a couple of shops to check out prices and styles. I ended up selecting a wraparound, short-sleeve cotton dress style that was displayed on a street-side manikin and picked out a red and blue pattern from a stack of hundreds of textiles in the shop. The seamstress took my measurements, accepted a partial deposit, and whipped up the final product in less than four hours! When we returned, the flattering, $22 dress fit like a glove and worked out perfectly for my interview. It will also serve as a memorable and practical souvenir from our travels in Vietnam.

Getting measured for my dress.

The final product!

Matt and I very much enjoyed relaxing at Countryside Moon Homestay, our welcoming accommodations for the two nights. We had a private bedroom and bathroom that was extremely well-air-conditioned, so I was able to do a couple of intense workout videos (Matt joined me for one!) and spend hours working on a PowerPoint presentation that I had to develop for my impending interview. We also played card games in the outdoor dining area and enjoyed tasty, home-made breakfasts of fruit, eggs, bread, yogurt, coffee, and tea—all included in the price of our stay ($12/night). The homestay had a fleet of bicycles for guests to use on a complementary basis, so Matt and I rode to the beach one day and to Hoi An’s ancient town the next day. Unfortunately the beach was incredibly eroded so we biked home almost immediately after arriving there. Despite that, biking was very convenient and a nice change of pace from our typical days filled with exploring on foot.

I’m glad we stopped in Hoi An to take in its beautiful sights and have my dress tailor-made, but the town was so overrun with tourists and tourist-oriented businesses which detracted from its quaintness. Matt and I boarded a sleeper-bus around 6pm, with a 16-hour ride ahead of us to Dalat, a mountain town in the south which we absolutely loved. Can’t wait to talk about that in the next post! Thank you for reading!