The Oasis of Hoi An – Capitalism in a Communist Country

We all survived the 15 hours train ride from Ho Chi Minh City to Danang in better shape than expected. Our family motto of “sleep is for wimps” came into play but in general it was pretty enjoyable….the scenery had changed when we awoke and we were witness to a more mountainous landscape, more rice fields, lots of rivers and a stunning view of the South China Sea. We read books, played cribbage and ate chicken and rice…at least we think it was chicken and rice.

The 30 km trip from Danang to Hoi An was about half hour, mostly along the coast and then we arrived to a beautiful town – Hoi An. The “old quarter” of Hoi An was designated as a UNESCO World heritage site in 1999 so the streets and the architecture have been well preserved over the last 400-500 years. It was a powerful merchant shipping port for the Chinese and Japanese prior to the arrival of the French in the 19th Century and was untouched by the American War in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

Besides great examples of Japanese and French colonial architecture, Hoi An is also known for its tailors. There are probably over 400 tailors throughout Hoi An – merchants of silks, leathers and great fabric from around the world who will make absolutely anything for you for a fraction of the costs of the same clothes in North America or Australia. Oh ya – it will take about 24 hours as well! This was one reason to come to Hoi An and has been the planned shopping stop for many weeks now. But before we get to the shopping extravaganza, there is also another reason to come here – the beaches are spectacular!!

We have spent a total of 5 days here and they have been very busy. We have explored the streets and laneways of this town. We spent a day on the (very very hot) beach and ate fresh grilled crab caught that morning while looking out at the South China Sea.






We have marveled at the architecture, the ornate wood work on the walls and doors of the carefully maintained houses. We also spent a half day exploring My Son (pronounced ME SON) another UNESCO World Heritage Site about an hour inland from Hoi An - holy site for the Champa people from the 4th to the 15th Century. I will have a separate blog about this impressive place with some pictures in the next day or so. As you can see from these pictures, there is a lot do and admire about Hoi An.



It has been an oasis of calm compared to Ho Chi Minh City. It has also been much hotter despite being near the ocean. It has averaged above 36 degrees with 75% humidity each day and the sun has been searing. Luckily, our hotel (the Thien Thanh - meaning Blue Sky) has a small but well-used pool and we have been in there about 3-4 times a day sometimes just for 5 minutes to cool off.

We have all had fun with the tailors. All of us have had custom clothes made including suits, shirts, skirts, dresses and even shoes for all of us. The tailors have been enjoyable to hang out with (all but one has been women and most of the shops here are all run by women – they say because they are the best negotiators…), they have had fun with the kids and the kids in particular have had fun choosing designs. Even picky boy Josh himself is thrilled with his new runners and hoodie! Yes, for a country that is so committed to communism, they have embraced capitalism and commerce quite well.





And just one other item – the food here has been magnificent!! Joshua has taken pictures of favourite meals (see below) and we cannot get enough of the spring rolls here made with prawns, carrots, spring onions – wrapped in very light rice paper and fried served with garlic, chili and lemon sauce – UNBELIEVABLE!!





Tomorrow we are off to Hue via a car for four hours. I will get the story of our trip to My Son up soon. We are in Hue for two days before another overnight train to Hanoi and Halong Bay.