Aloha from Hoi An
Trip Start
Nov 01, 2007
1
12
81
Trip End
Jun 28, 2008
Hoi An,
Vietnam
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
We arrived in Hoi An on December 1 from Hue. Only three and a half hours by bus (however it is less than 100kms away!)
Our only bit of advice for Hoi An is to leave your credit cards locked up in a safe at your hotel. There are over 500 custom tailors here, and they are very good and at the ready to make you anything you want! Custom suits, dresses, tops, bikinis, you name it - they can make it within a couple of days. All you need to do is show them a picture, or even sketch something out, and they will reproduce it.....for a pretty reasonable price too!
Malcolm and I did indulge a little bit. We are now the rather proud owners each of a pair of cashmere/silk trousers; Malcolm has a new linen shirt, and I have a couple of rather funky tops. Not that either of us really needed a pair of cashmere trousers while we are traveling, but still - when else are we going to be able to afford to do this?!?!? All told, everything set us back less than $70, so not too bad for a splurge. All I can say is, thank goodness we are not here just before we go home, or else I would've been buying more suitcases and going right to town!
We also decided to treat ourselves to a hotel with a swimming pool. Certainly a luxury we haven't had yet. Again, not a bad price - $15 per night including breakfast!
Hoi An is really well set up for tourists, but I think sadly, tourism is going to ruin the town soon. The locals are really catching on quick and everything else seems to be getting more expensive compared to other places in the area. It is really really lovely here though - Hoi An is one of the few places around here that wasn't bombed during the war. However, it does have problems with flooding in the fall - we missed a terrible flood here a couple of weeks ago. Still, the locals seem quite used to it; and things are repaired and back to normal quite quickly.
It is very different here than anywhere else in Vietnam - it feels more like we are in South America or Cuba in a way. Because of the humidity and flooding, all the walls of the buildings have peeling paint, and bits of moss growing on them.....it is definitely the shabby chic look that lots of people like!
Yesterday we went to My Son, an ancient cham ruin, about 50km from Hoi An. It is much older than Angkor Wat, but sadly in much worse condition (mostly from the bombing during the war)
We are here today, and then tomorrow we are heading further south again to Quy Nhon. Its not on the normal tourist trail, so here's hoping that we can manage to get a hotel, dinner, etc okay!!
All our love,
Karyn & Malcolm
Comments
Great White North
We had our second snow storm in less than 4 days. This time we lost the old crab tree in the back yard! We didn't lose the electricity like many Islanders. Margot was in the dark and spent most of the day with us. I found the book S E Asia on a shoestring that you left here and I wondered what clothing you would purchase at this location! You didn't disapoint.Enjoy your next stop just as much.
Love, Momma & John
enjoy Quy Nhon
after Hoi An Quy Nhon will be another World for you. We are here today Dec. 5th and there is no traveller at all. Although it is not a nice city, it is a typical Vietnamese one. Children smile on you and shout 'hello' not wanting to sell any postcards. If you want to head south to Nha Trang the Meilinh bus company (green buses) is worth taking
happy xmas!
was writting my xmas cards and cant send you one so just wanted to write it here!! miss you guys (mi manchi tanto!!!)
love fee fee x
ps please more photos!! i enjoyed the last ones!!