Hoi An

Visiting Hoi An was like stepping back in time.  The Old Town has more than 800 historical buildings, most carefully preserved except for the odd ruin.  There was a distinct blue and yellow color scheme.



Once a major silk trading port, skilled tailors and quality fabrics still abound and lure many travelers to this quaint town. Dresses, suits and leather shoes are made to fit in less than 24hours, endless options with literally hundreds of shops to choose from.  

One of Many Tailor Shops in Hoi An

Shoe Shop, Hoi An

When we visited the Thu Bon River was precariously full and frequently spilled over into nearby streets. We crossed over the river on the ornamental Japanese Covered Bridge.

Thu Bon River, Hoi An

The inner roads were closed to scooters and cars for periods of the day.  Those who preferred not to walk could be peddled around in one of the many cyclos for a small fee. Classical music was broadcast over the street loudspeakers creating a truly romantic ambience.

Cyclo

In the evenings the town was lit up by brightly lit handmade lanterns.

Lanterns in Hoi An

The food in Hoi An was unique to the area with a Chinese and Japanese influence.  We had to try the banh boa (white rose) and cao lau. The locals made sure we added all the extra condiments to optimise the flavors.

After a few days in Hoi An, we heard news of the approaching monster Typhoon Haiyan.  We were right in the middle of it's projected path, so decided along with many other tourists and locals to flee south as quickly and safely as we could.  We ended up on a 16hour sleeper train in a space the size of a coffin.  As we were leaving Danang we saw many people filling sandbags to hold down roofs and pruning trees right back.  Everyone was bracing for the coming storm.