Finding Happiness in Hoi An

It’s time to introduce you to one of my favorite places in Vietnam. Just thinking about Hoi An makes me smile. 

Hoi An is located on Vietnam’s central coast, on the Thu Bon River. For centuries, it served as a major Southeast Asian commercial port, welcoming traders from China and India. By the mid-16^thcentury, ships also began arriving from Japan and Europe, helping turn Hoi An into a thriving cosmopolitan city. However, the Thu Bon River began to clog with silt in the late 18^thcentury and the city’s importance declined. The Chinese and Japanese influence can still be seen today in the architecture of Hoi An’s quaint Old Quarter, a World Heritage Site. 

The Old Quarter’s narrow streets are lined with shops, galleries, and restaurants. Visitors from around the world come to see the picturesque communal assembly halls, pagodas, temples and market stalls. Colorful lanterns, displayed in doorways and strung across the streets, give the Old Quarter an especially festive air. 

Several wooden houses, built in the traditional style, are open to visitors. We stopped inside the Old House of Quan Thang, which dates back to the late 17^thcentury. This house was built by a Chinese merchant from Fukien. Eight generations later, his descendants still live in the house. The cool, dark interior, with its high ceilings, offered a respite from the intense heat of the tropical sun. Family portraits were displayed on walls, and an ancestor shrine occupied a prominent place in the main living area. We admired the intricately carved ironwood panels and doors, a small courtyard, and the spacious kitchen area. The women of the household greeted us as they sat making white rose dumplings, a Hoi An specialty, which they sell to local restaurants. 

One of the Old Quarter’s most well known attractions is the Japanese Covered Bridge, a wooden structure that spans a small stream. It was originally built in the former Japanese quarter in the early 17^thcentury. Since then, it has been restored several times by the Vietnamese and Chinese residents of Hoi An and has become a symbol of the cultural exchange between these three different groups of people who called Hoi An home. 

Several assembly halls attest to the diversity of Hoi An’s population. We toured the Assembly Hall of the Cantonese Chinese Congregation and admired the beautiful architecture, art work, and gardens of this large complex. 

And then there were the shops. Hoi An is simply a shopper’s paradise. I wasn’t intending to make any major purchases on this trip, but I made sure that there was a little room in my suitcase for a few little indulgences. First, I practiced my bargaining skills in the crowded Old Quarter marketplace and came away with a bag of Vietnamese cinnamon and a set of bamboo placemats. 

While some members of our group headed to tailor shops to order custom-made clothes, Barbara and I spent our free time flitting from one store to another, dazzled by the tempting offerings. I resisted the urge to buy a lantern (not enough room in my suitcase) but I found a beautiful pair of silver earrings at a Fair Trade shop, and somehow ended up with a new summer wardrobe of lightweight silk and silk blend clothing at very reasonable prices. I also bought a colorful kite for Sylvie. It felt so good to be supporting the local economy! 

Of course, even with all the tourists in the Old Quarter, you can always find a quiet spot for a moment's reflection, as this woman did.

   

No hotels are permitted in the historic area, but the hotel where we stayed was conveniently located about a kilometer away from the Old Quarter. The 5-minute taxi ride cost about a dollar. I welcomed the serenity and relative luxury of the Hoi An Silk Village Resort and Spa. Paths through the landscaped tropical gardens led to spacious terraced guest rooms. Towering palm trees shaded the infinity pool. You could dine or sip cocktails in open air pavilions with whirling ceiling fans. 

  

In addition, the property houses a “silk village,” where we learned about all stages of silk production. We watched artisans weaving silk, learned about the burn test* (to determine if a fabric is genuine silk), and browsed through the large selection for exquisite silk products offered in the on-site shop. The scarves were so beautiful (and so easy to pack!) that I ended up purchasing several. 

*[To do the burn test, touch a lit match next to a thread or piece of silk. Silk will burn slowly, with no smoke, and should smell like burned hair. It should also be self-extinguishing and leave behind a dark bead that can easily be crushed into a gritty, fine powder. Fabrics such as rayon, cotton or acrylic will not burn in this fashion.] 

Another highlight of Hoi An was the food. I tried the famous white rose dumplings when Barbara and I stopped into one of the numerous coffee shops in the Old Quarter. 

A couple of hours later, we snacked on some local specialties at Streets Restaurant Café, which we just happened to notice during our wanderings in the Old Quarter. The banh xeo (filled savory pancake) and cao lau (noodles, pork and herbs) were delicious. 

We were also very pleased to discover that the restaurant is part of a non-profit organization that provides vocational training in culinary arts and the hospitality industry to young people who are homeless, orphaned or trafficked. You can see more about their work at the website for Streets International. 

Another enjoyable restaurant meal was the lunch our group had at the Market Restaurant, a sprawling establishment where diners can watch a great variety of food being prepared before ordering from stations placed around the perimeter of the dining room. From banh mi(sandwiches on French bread) to dumplings to “Weird Wonderful Food” (stewed offal and spicy frog roti!), there was something for everyone. Thank goodness An had pre-selected a menu for us that was wonderful without being weird. 

At the hotel, we enjoyed an interactive cooking lesson and dinner where the menu included, among other dishes, fish cooked in banana leaves. I think it’s something I’ll attempt to recreate at home. 

I’ll leave you now with a look at Hoi An at dusk and at night. While the Old Quarter is certainly lovely during daylight hours, it truly becomes a magical wonderland once darkness falls and the colorful silk lanterns are illuminated. Just looking at the photos again fills me with happiness.