Photo Tour: Hoi An (Vietnam)
This post may contain affiliate links where, at no additional cost to you, I receive a small commission when products are purchased through those links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any commisions earned helps keep this site sustainable. Click here for privacy policy.
Of all the cities I’ve visited in Vietnam, Hoi An is the one that I would definitely visit again and again and again. One of the few cities that managed to escape being bombed during the Vietnam war, Hoi An still retains much of its original infrastructure and charm.
Hoi An ancient town is very walkable – not just distance-wise, but motorized vehicles are not allowed (although there was the odd motobike) so very pedestrian friendly and many people (including my mom) rented bikes to go sightseeing. You can even bike to the beach and go scuba diving (click here for my diving post).
I enjoyed meandering through the narrow streets on either side of the river and soaking in the sights and sounds. There were an abundance of restaurants serving traditional, Western as well as East-meets-West cuisine.
There are tailors up and down many streets and it is true that Hoi An is the tailoring capital of Vietnam. I spent about US$60 and had some beautiful pieces of clothing made including a long flowy floral dress, a shirt, and a pair of silky pants.
All completed within 24 hours! I think I’d rather fly to Hoi An than drive to Satwa or Meena Bazaar.
Ever wonder how silk is produced from silk worms?
One of our first stops in Hoi An was a silk factory and after seeing how the poor silk worms are dunked in boiling hot water to kill them off, I can never look at a piece of silk fabric without thinking of those poor caterpillars again. Will that stop me from wearing silk?
Probably not. But for me, ignorance was bliss in this case.
After leading us through the different things we could buy from the factory including the way overpriced upstairs tailors, we thanked our guide and told her that we were not interested in anything. Suddenly, we were promptly escorted to the door.
It was extremely hot while we were there (in mid-April). There were moments when I felt like I was being fried alive but there were so many sights to see I felt compelled to continue exploring.
Hoi An by night:
* * * * *
The food and vegetable market in Hoi An was amazing. Just packed with all sorts of fresh produce.
The vendors were used to tourists so didn’t give me a hard time when I poked my camera at all their goods.
Have you ever seen fresh straw mushrooms instead of the soggy canned variety? I was told they have to be eaten fairly quickly, like the day they are picked, so don’t export very well, hence the canning.
I was just blown away by the variety of freshly made noodles:
Not sure what these are:
Besides raw ingredients, there are also ready prepared food.
I hope you enjoyed this Photo Tour of Hoi An!
Next up is the Mekong Delta…
Subscribe to my monthly newsletter and receive a FREE noodle guide PDF:
*We respect your privacy and will not send you spam. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Hi Ginger,
Thanks very much for sharing your photo and thoughts on your trip. We are going to be in Vietnam in a couple of weeks and we are traveling with 2 young children, so I’m going to take notes of what food you ordered and places you have been.
My husband is also a Chinese who grew up in NYC and we live in Europe.
I don’t know if you have time. But I would really appreciate if you could suggest food or kitchen gadgets that I could legally bring back to Europe. I’m definitely going to bring back some good fish sauces but not sure of what else to look for and brands.
I’d really appreciate that.
Thanks,
Francesca
Hi Francesca,
Sorry for the late reply.
I don’t know of any kitchen gadgets that would be illegal to transport. I would think your only limitation is the size of your luggage.
As for foods that are legal to bring back into Europe – I’m afraid I don’t have the answer to that as you’ll have to check with your country’s department of agriculture website or your country’s equivalent. Even when I go home to the US, I find the limitations confusing and most of the time, it’s just a matter of luck as to if your luggage gets singled out for inspection or not.
As for the fish sauce, please check with your airline if you can bring that aboard. It is banned on several airlines – I flew Vietnam Airlines and it was definitely banned according to their website. They are worried that if the bottle breaks, then it will cause an odor disturbance for the whole plane as the smell is quite pungent.
Have fun with your travels!
Lovely pictures, especially the different varieties of noodles. I adore noodles. I could eat them every day. I’m enjoying all your Vietnam post immensely.
Thank you Fong. Big fan of noodles myself 🙂
You’ve been nominated for spinning some great food-inspired stories 🙂 Read about it here http://platetrotter.weebly.com/1/post/2012/07/food-stories.html and visit http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/for more details
Aw thanks Radhina.
Love the photos! The Hoi An Market and Hoi An River were my favs 🙂
Mine too!
Another amazing post Sandy – I just wish that your Vietnam posts wouldn’t stop! The pics capture the pulse of the city… keep sharing your love:)
Only a few more posts left I’m afraid. So glad you are still enjoying them 🙂
Hoi An was on my wish list already, now for SURE it is. Fab photos. Aren’t these “caterpillars” bamboo worms? They look similar to those I saw on the markets in Chiang Mai, a popular snack.
Thanks for the lead on the bamboo worms. Will look into it and update the text as needed.
Love it Sandy! makes me definitely want to visit.
would be fun to visit together!
Thanks so much for sharing your impressions and pictures with us! a wonderful city. I’d love to visit Vietnam.
Cheers,
Rosa
You must visit VN if you ever get the chance 🙂
I want to go to that market! Wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing!
Best market I’ve been to in Vietnam for sure.
Lovely photos! I look forward to the Mekong Delta post :).
Hi “Ginger”,
I love your blog!! (“Scotch” told me about it while he was in NYC. We used to work together.)
Your photos are amazing!! I always look forward to your next post.
“Little Scotch” could not be any cuter!
Continued success!!
~~Christine