Hoi An

A combination of bad weather and general fatigue led me to take a couple days off from my work in Thanh Tien village and head to the nearby town of Hoi An. I had heard that this was a beautiful spot with a gorgeous beach and a lovely old town that's been well preserved. I was excited to see a bit more of central Vietnam and for the opportunity to spend a day at the beach. However, my first impression of Hoi An was a big disappointment. I felt like I was back in Siem Reap, without the good excuse of Angor Wat. The sheer number of tourists was astonishing after getting used to the more "natural" feel of Hue. The whole old city is overrun by knick-knack shops and a disturbing amount of tailor shops. If you want to shop, this is definitely the spot to be! I was not in such a mood though, so I was quite put out.

Then evening came, and with the setting of the sun, the old city brings out its multitude of paper lanterns and the whole city changes. I became completely enchanted with the riverside. Sure there were still the usual annoyances of over-eager merchants and peddlers, but the air was warm with a nice breeze off the river and lit up with the beautiful glow of hundreds of paper lanterns. I'm told that on the actual full moon the whole display is even more impressive and I will make a great effort to go back to Hoi An to see it!

The next day I discovered the key to liking Hoi An: spend the day at the beach (a mere 20 minute ride away), then on the bike ride back stop for a good Vietnamese-style shampoo, and finally enjoy an evening by the riverside. Such a combination would keep me happy for a good long time! The beach is the most beautiful one I've encountered so far in Vietnam, not too crowded (well, until sunset when the locals arrive in heaps, can't swim when it's sunny if you're Vietnamese after all!), quite clean, with the best size waves for body surfing. A word of warning though, the sun here burns! For someone who until recently thought I couldn't get a sunburn, I was feeling quite roasted even having spent most of the day in the shade. I also want to say a quick thank you to the anonymous girl that came up to thank me for playing my ukulele. This was my first time feeling comfortable enough to play in "public", so it meant a lot! The kindness of a stranger can really make your day.