Hội An - The City of Lights

Thanks to its location on the Silk Road, the city of Hoi An used to have the largest port in Southeast Asia. In the early 17th century, the port was opened to the outside and many Chinese and Japanese merchant families settled here. European trading posts were also established in Hoi An during this time. English, French, Dutch and Portuguese settled here. In the 18th century, Hoi An gradually lost its importance. Hoi An is the only ancient town in Vietnam that remained intact during the Vietnam War. The different cultural influences give the city a special flair. French colonial buildings are lined up with typical Chinese houses. The streets are decorated with thousands of Chinese lanterns, which turn the city into a sea of lights in the evening. At nightfall, boats adorned with lights also sail on the river - the reflection of the light on the water creates a romantic atmosphere.

Given its beauty, it's no wonder that tourists flock to this city every year. Not least because Hoi An is known for its tailors and shoemakers. There are over 400 tailors and shoemakers in the city. They specialize in making custom clothing and shoes within 2-4 days and delivering them to the customer's home. The items are of high quality and extremely affordable. We couldn't resist this great offer either. Making custom clothes and shoes was an exciting experience for us. Numerous decisions had to be made within minutes: color, material, cut, length, quality, etc. The advice in both stores was sensational. The Vietnamese are extremely direct. At the tailor's, attention is drawn to every problem area. With a mischievous smile, the ladies pressed their fingers on a little bit of excess fat and then announced that it had to be covered with the clothing. We found it very amusing. In total, we had three fittings until the clothes and shoes had the perfect fit. After completion, everything was expertly packed for transport. A package weighing 18 kilograms will arrive at our home in the next three to four months. ;-)

The making of the clothes took a lot of time, so we spent most of our time in the city itself. There are restaurants, clothing and leather shops, as well as art galleries on every corner. We visited the sights, including the Japanese Bridge, and explored the city on foot. We really liked Hoi An. The ancient town is truly unique and the houses are well preserved, probably also thanks to tourism. But the prices for food and drink are also driven up by the numerous tourists. For our taste, the restaurants were clearly too expensive. We got fresh food at reasonable prices at the local markets. We tried Banh Mi (baguette with various fillings), various noodle dishes, and other regional specialties.

One day, we rented bicycles and rode to the beach, which was about five kilometers away. At a temperature of 35 degrees and a humidity of 85%, we were sweating heavily even with this moderate exercise. The sea was definitely a welcome refreshment.

After three relaxing days in Hoi An, we will continue on to Phong Nha by sleeper bus.