Lights, lanterns and watering cans: Historic Hoi An

We arrived by train into Danang, a large and prosperous Vietnamese city. From there it was just another 1 hour by local bus to our next destination Hoi An. Hoi An was originally a wealthy trade town with a busy port. However, since the emergence of Danang as a much larger more industrial port just down the road, Hoi An has re-invented itself as a charming town irresistible to tourists. It has done so very successfully and it remains one of the wealthiest towns in Vietnam. The river-side town is full of ancient houses, ornate temples and bridges and all the streets are lined with brightly coloured lanterns. It is a beautiful town with so many picturesque images. We timed our stay to coincide with the monthly full moon lantern festival when in the evening all street lights stay off and the old town is lit only by the lanterns and the hundreds of candle lanterns which are lit and sent down the river are even more beautiful. This is big business for the lantern sellers, boat owners and cyclo drivers (see photo of one very large organised cyclo tour we encountered below!) but there isn't too much hard sell or hawking so the town is a real pleasure to walk around.

We found an incredible family run restaurant that offered all the local specialities but fully vegetarian. We visited several times and enjoyed the food so much that we signed up for a cooking course there. The class was run by the mother of the family and it took place in their living room where we made traditional Vietnamese noodle soup as well as tofu stuffed with lemongrass and mushrooms and grilled in a banana leaf.

On our next day in the town we cycled to the Tra Que herb and vegetable village. This is government owned land which is rented to local families, a lot like allotments but much tidier and used to produce for small scale trade. We tried our hand at the traditional method of watering the crops and Ali was even offered a full time position! Sadly Leila did not receive such an offer, despite being the one open to new career opportunities. From there we continued our cycling to the local beach but it was far too windy for sunbathing or swimming, and then on to a local pagoda.

Anyone who has seen that Top Gear special where they take motorbikes from the south to the north of Vietnam may remember the Van Hai Pass. It is a spectacular coastal road that winds its way up the mountain. Thanks to a relatively new tunnel that provides locals with a far speedier route through the mountain the Van Hai Pass is also exceptionally quiet by Vietnamese standards. Bikers for one day, we hired a motorbike and enjoyed the breathtaking views of the coast. Ali was delighted to receive a compliment on his driving in conversation with a passing Vietnamese lady also on a motorbike, although later worried it might not have been sincere.

From Hoi An we again took the budget internal flight option to Ho Chi Minh City, deciding that avoiding 17 hours on the train justified the $20 dollar price difference between the rail and air tickets.