Hoi An

From Sapa in the far north of the counrty, our next stop was Hoi An, a city resting on the central coast of Vietenam. To get here we left again on the night train which brought us back to Hanoi, arriving bright and early at 4:30am. We headed to the airport as we didn't know what else to do on the streets of Vietnam at that time that would not lead to potential trouble. Our flight was scheduled for 9:55am so we had some time to kill. Snuggled up on some metal seats, our big backpacks as pillows and our smaller ones cuddled protectively in our arms we took the true backpacker stance and slept a few hours. After paying am extobanent amount for 2 coffees ($5) we decided to check in and head south for some sun.

Although a typical tourist hotspot, especially for backpackers we were happy to get into some heat, and away from the big cities! Tam and I are in agreement that we prefer small towns for big cities. I like rural local areas off the beaten path and Tam loves somewhere she can escape the blazing sun and jump into the water of a beach or pool.

Farmer in the Rice Paddies

Hoi An offered a little of both. If you we willing to rent a motorbike/scooter hybrid and wander down some of the rickity roads you could easily get lost amongst the rural stick houses and rice paddies. There was also a long stretch of beach that was about a 20 minute bicycle ride outside of the town. So arriving early enough in the day we donned bathing suits, rented a bicycle for a dollar a day, and started peddling. Now I should note, these bicycles are not a lovely mountain bike to help you steer through the pothole pocked streets, or navigate the sandy gullies on either side when passing busses or motorbikes come honking along. Nope, these are 1 gear bikes with breaks that either stick threatening to throw you over the handlebars, or  virtually no breaks at all leaving you wondering if you'll just drag your heels Fred Flinstone style, or hope that there is a soft rice paddie to launch into if need be. We took our rickity bikes to the beach stopping at a coffee and sandwich stop run by an Australian woman that had such amazing sandwiches and food we came back at least once if not twice a day for the rest of our trip in Hoi An. 

Rice Field

The beaches of Hoi An were a nice reprieve from Sapa, where we had spent out last night huddled under our electric blankets with a fire in our in room fireplace.

Hoi An is also known as the spot to go to have clothes made. The next morning after our day on the beach, we headed into the downtown, apparently the epicenter of custom tailors. Every other store was a tailor shop, and between those were shoe stores that promised to make you any shoe you could dream of, custom made to your foot. I had died and found heaven in Hoi An. At the end of a short 3 days I had procured 2 blazer jackets, 4 dresses, 2 pairs of sandals, and a pair of custom leather boots; much to the dismay of my backpack, or my shoulders when I put that same backpack on.

Fishing Boats

After our morning of shopping and fittings and SPENDING, we rented the motorbike/scooter hybrid, stopped at our local lunch spot and then headed out to the local beach. We had previously gone to the tourist beach, cropped full of other tourists, locals selling trays full of souvineres, lounge chairs and big palm covered umbrellas, wave-runner rentals, and tourist after tourist lining up to go parasailing. 

Looking to escape, we took our motorscooters further down the road to the local beach. Here they still had the beach chairs for rent, or free if you purchased food or drink from one of the local restaurants, but free from the wave runners and gimmicks. Instead fishermen sat in bowl shaped boats fixing and seeing their fishing nets from beneath the shade offered by a piece of plastic tarp cut and posted to a bamboo pole. 

2 days was spent alternating between our lunch spot, the local beach, and wandering the towns streets at night. We took the motor bikes one day to some of the off road alleyways and dirt paths throughout the local area, in the rural area away from the town, weaving through rice paddies, dogs and chickens wandering the streets, trying to dodge gaping potholes or locals weaving on their motorcycles much more adeptly than us. 

Chinese Lanterns

Hoi an is also known for the Chinese laterns that line the streets of the old quarter, and every full moon all artificial light is shut off and all the shops light candles in their lanterns. They then go to the river and set floating paper lanterns in the water to float gently down lazy river. Sadly we arrived jut before the new moon. In the old quarter the shops and streets are filled with lanters, but they are lit by light bulbs, and tourists can purchase the floating lanters to set into the river for themselves, but I imagine it is not quite the same. It is actually against the law on the full moon to have artificial light lit in the old quarter. The streets in this same area are blocked from cars and motorbikes making it much easier to walk about without feeling any moment you may be run over by some crazy local, or more likely  an unaware tourist.

Bridge over river at night

On our last night we rented bicycles as we had to return our motor-scooters. I felt more unsafe and more nervous about the streets on a "safe" pedal bike than I did on a motor-scooter, I am sure much to the dismay of my parents. Happily we made it safely from dinner back to the hotel. The next day, full of clothes and Chinese lanterns (because they were such a good deal!!!.........)  we headed southwest to Ho Chi Minh City, aka Saigon.

Local Fisherman fixing his net

Tourist Parisailing