Hoi An, Vietnam

Where busy street markets seem endless, the Cao Lao noodles are always being slurped, and the once startling sounds of honking horns and motorbikes become a sweet lullaby. We were told by many that this was a special place but it wasn’t until we arrived that we truly understood the depth of that sentiment. After our first night, we extended our stay there another week.

Hoi An seems to be one of the last remaining untouched cities in Vietnam. Maintaining so much of its original French architecture is just the beginning, it’s the people that bring this place to life. Strolling through the central market in the early hours of the morning, the mixed smells of herbs, freshly caught fish, fruit, pork grilling over charcoal, listening to motorbikes honking their way through the chaos, and the locals calling out to their regulars coming to pick up their daily bounty, you can’t help but feel like this is as good as it gets. And to us, it was. The western influence can be greatly seen and felt throughout SE Asia but here in this preserved city, it felt like going back in time.

We kicked off this part of our journey by arriving into Da Nang on our Vietnam Airlines flight from Ho Chi Minh City. Easily the best airline we encountered throughout our trip. Our AMAZING hotel, Villa Orchid Garden Riverside, arranged for our pick up and 30-minute transfer to Hoi An. When planning we were told by a few people to take a bus from the airport but I’d suggest just grabbing a taxi or having your hotel arrange a ride for you. By the time you pay for the cab to the bus station and get those tickets, it’s essentially the same price so skip the hassle and give yourself the peace of mind of knowing it’s already taken care of. Plus, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more important than arriving at an airport to someone holding a sign with my name on it. It’s the small things.

Upon arrival at Villa Orchid Garden Riverside, we were greeted with big smiles AND banana pancakes with the best coconut whip cream I’ve ever had in my life. I mean.. what more could you possibly ask for? It was pretty late so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed to our room to rest up so we could start exploring bright and early the next day. We hadn’t done too much research before getting there so that first night, with the help of some recommendations from the wonderful hotel staff, watching some Anthony Bourdain (our first step when traveling pretty much anywhere), and reading up a bit, we made a list of a few “musts”. As always for us, we believe the best way to travel and explore somewhere new is simply just to do it! Walk outside, get lost, eat what smells good, drink with the locals, and just immerse yourself in it. But of course, having a few key things in mind is never a bad thing. Here are some of the things we knew we wanted to do:

• Explore the central market and old town

• Take a traditional Vietnamese cooking class with Bay Mau Eco Cooking

• Get something custom made (this is a Hoi An specialty and VERY affordable!)

• Bike to An Yang Beach and around the city

• Retrace Anthony’s steps and eat Cao Lau noodles (only made in Hoi An) and try what he deemed to be the best Bahn Mi in Vietnam

• Check out the Lantern Festival (we were lucky enough to be there during the first full moon of the lunar new year and it was MAGIC)

• Attend the AO cultural show

• Drink too many La Rue beers and wander around the night market

Other than general exploring and eating as much food possible, Madye’s favorite part was the incredible cooking class we took. I know that seems touristy but we promise it’s an awesome experience. I loved it so much I figured it deserved its own blog so you can take a more in-depth look at that here. Taylor’s favorite part was photographing the market in the morning, getting lost between the many stalls, and finding what was at the end of every alleyway.

Happy exploring! And if you’re out there planning a trip to this beautiful part of the world feel free to message us with any questions you have, we’re always happy to help!