Hoi An in the Rain! Curse or Blessing?

1993, 2003, 2023, 2025.

When we first visited Hoi An in 1993, it was nothing more than a historic Chinese port town: the buildings were dilapidated, there was a single hotel that could accommodate only a handful of tourists. Vietnam had only just opened up a few weeks earlier, lifting travel restrictions in the country. By our second visit ten years later in 2003, the city was unrecognizable. Having gained UNESCO World Heritage status, the place was experiencing a boom. The old town had been largely restored, and countless small shops and luxurious hotels had sprung up. A tourist gem, the city of lanterns and lights.

Another twenty years later, in 2023, we wished to visit Hoi An once more. We were traveling in November. Coming from Hanoi, we could only make it to Hue. Then, heavy rains set in, flooding the roads in central Vietnam, and it became impossible to reach Hoi An. We barely managed to get to Hue airport by taxi before all access routes were submerged, and we flew to Saigon. We later heard that the driver who took us to the airport was unable to return to the city due to road closures.

2025: It is November again. A few weeks ago, a severe typhoon swept across the Philippines and Vietnam, and Hoi An was flooded as well. However, after hearing that the major flood damage had been cleared, we decided to take a chance - come what may! More rain was forecasted, but as long as there was no sign of another approaching typhoon, we would go for it. The curiosity about what has changed in the past 22 years prevailed.

On the drive from Saigon to Hoi An, we saw many heavily devastated coastal areas: destroyed houses and huts, uprooted trees, debris blown and washed up along the route, a car swept off the road on a hillside. In Hoi An, the river was high; some streets right by the shore were still ankle-deep in water, but the shops and restaurants had been remarkably cleaned up in a short time: no trace that the water had literally been up to people's necks.

The day before yesterday, on our first day after arrival, we rented a scooter and went out to the beach at Hoi An. We had read about how touristy Hoi An had become and considered whether we should perhaps stay in a hotel a little outside the city, by the sea. Upon seeing the devastation, we were astonished by our naivety: how could we have assumed that a raging storm would not leave traces on the beaches!? Many people have been drawn here; we feel fortunate to have found accommodation in the city.

During the day, rain sets in. It starts lightly, yet the water level in the city rises quickly; the rainfall in the hills of the hinterland must have been substantial. The residents of Hoi An take it in their stride. Where shops are threatened with flooding, they quickly clear out and load up. The boat drivers who usually approach tourists on the shore are now offering their tours deep into the city's alleys. For us tourists, it is an experience!

At night, we stand amazed in front of the hotel, where the water level has risen to knee height. Despite great concern and the impending hardship, everyone around remains calm and composed. There is much laughter.

Yesterday, on the second day, we booked a scooter again. I would have dared to ride, but the hotel owner looks at us skeptically due to the high water and suggests we should take bicycles instead. Rarely have I enjoyed cycling so much; what fun! And certainly more pleasant than wading through the water!

Running through the city is Duong Tran Phu, the street through the old town, where tourists crowd. We get a vague idea of how it might look in peak travel season. For us, the rainy season turns out to be a blessing, discovering Hoi An in a new, extraordinary way.