Colourful Hoi An

We found ourselves trawling the old streets of Hoi An on a blazingly hot Thursday. I have heard so much about the beauty of this town that I must see it with my own eyes. Colourful handmade lanterns (yes, they are still handmade) adorned the streets of this Unesco World Heritage Site. 

Hoi An is a really small town and all you need are a few hours. Unless you are looking to explore the back alleys and small villages in the town via a cycling trip, there is a no need to go with any tour operators offering day trips to Hoi An. Armed with a simple map, it is easy to find your way around the  conserved shophouses and temples.

Undoubtedly, with the badge honour of being a world heritage site, Hoi An is very much a touristy town.

The ancient Hoi An buildings are all mustard yellow in colour. Someone told us that the French intentionally wanted that colour on the Vietnamese buildings so that dust wouldn't look so prominent on the buildings. 

After the Vietnamese War, Hoi An was actually very much abandoned and these old shophouses then wouldn't have been worth more than US$20,000 each. Once it was awarded the world heritage site status, investors started coming in and these protected ancient buildings are now converted in cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops. And of course, it would take you a few million USD to get one unit now. 

Back at Danang, our butler suggested that we take lunch at Morning Glory restaurant and try their recommended Com Ga (chicken rice)

White Rose dumplings and 

the specialty dry noodles. Unlike the north and the south, the people of Central Vietnam have palate closer to the chinese than the vietnamese. 

To be frank, before going to Danang, I was a little worried when reviews after reviews tell me that I should make Hoi An (instead of Danang) the base of my travel around Central Vietnam. And boy, am I glad to defy that advice. While Hoi An is quaint and charming, the culture and heritage is not something we are unfamiliar with in Southeast Asia. Perhaps, the clan houses and temples would be appealing for western tourists but for one who is born and bred in Asia, a half day trip to this ancient town would be more than enough for me to bear. :)

Been there, done there. Another world heritage site. Check!