Hoi An Vietnam – Travel Ideas For A Luxury Stay

Is a magical and mystical travel experience what you are seeking? If you are needing wellness from eating, praying and loving a journey, then Hoi An Vietnam is your town. This mystical Japanese historical town is all about cafe culture, eating fusion foods and shopping for lanterns and silk.

Locals like to team western clothing with hats. It really does work, so create your own very social media street style here in Hoi An.

The old women wear hats for sum protection. The bamboo used is strong and cool.

Buy A Vietnamese Outfit

The traditional costume of Vietnam is the Ao Dai, coupled with the iconic conical hat called Non-La. Many Asians buy the outfit and walk the streets of Hoi An for social media marketing and entertainment. More and more this Ao Dai is hard to buy I saw none when reviewing the luxury hotel called Fusion Original Saigon Centre.

Can You Walk Hoi An?

If you are not fit, struggle to climb stairs and need a flat place to walk and explore, Hoi An is that town. If you are old, or elderly needing a walking stick then do not worry this town in Vietnam offers many cafe’s to sup local coffee and take a rest while you explore.

Coffee Culture

There are so many French-inspired decor coffee shops for you to sit and take in the local people riding bikes or selling local produce for them to make money. The coffee plantation is in Da Lat and in Hoi An there are so many different coffee cultures and places to taste coffee as you have never tasted before. Don’t be afraid to taste as many as you can and opt also for the local coffee experience which includes condensed milk.

There are so many coffee shops in Hoi An for you to experience at leisure.

Rent A Vietnamese Cyclo

Way back in 1997 when I came to Saigon the popular way of transport was a  Cyclo. It is a three-wheeled bicycle taxi with a double seat at the front. It looked amazing seeing a city full of bikes and it was so very quiet. When the French occupation, was around the cyclo was mainly used as luxury transportation for French people in Vietnam.

As I said and experienced first hand Cyclo transport was very popular until the early 90s. This would carry two people plus food, clothing and other goods. In Hoi An you can rent one by the hour and explore the town which is so much fun.

Buying A Lantern

Hoi An is famous for its lanterns and at night it is like a fairytale wonderland. You can buy many lanterns and also have bespoke ones made for your specific taste. They are foldable so easy to place in your suitcase and take home. You can also do a lantern course where you can make your own bamboo lantern. At night the locals have a boat and you can rent one and go through the river at night for a very romantic evening. Perfect for a wedding anniversary or Valentine’s day.

They cost on average a big one $10 well worth the price.

I am getting my very own Gracie Opulanza lantern, more to come on that soon.

Bespoke Silk Boutiques

The are many local boutiques that will make you a gown, a traditional Vietnamese outfit or a silk or cotton outfit. Silk is made here in Vietnam and one of my favourite silk shops is called Metiseko the buying experience is wonderful. This mulberry silk kimono is made in the hills of Vietnam and it feels and looks fabulous.

There are so many fabrics you can opt for to make a shirt, skirt, dress or tablecloth. I would also opt for silk bed linen.

Pastries And Afternoon Tea

The parties are amazing and the French influence is wonderful. Imagine a Mango cake or turmeric biscuits with chilli. opt for a creme Brulee or a very yummy croissant. The quality and presentation are excellent. There is a wonderful Teahouse hosted by artisans who are people with disabilities. It is a silent teahouse where communication is made through writing. For every teapot or cup served you can also buy at a fixed price.

The experience of the hearing-impaired staff combined with a wonderfully decorated house is a must-try.

The organisation is called Reaching Out.

Bamboo Circus

If you are seeking a family entertainment experience where very fit and beautiful bodies await. The bamboo circus is made from bamboo and they use all the bamboo for their show. it is an amazing experience and a very unique entertaining acrobatic show like you will never have seen before.

Food Market

There is plenty of food to taste and explore and one of the must-sees in the local market where the food is fresh served and run by women. It offers the traditional food experiences of Vietnam.

Conclusion

Hoi An is a special place to discover and soak up a very unique UNESCO place. There is no other town like it in the world and I have travelled for over thirty years. It is a known fact women run the country here in Vietnam, they work hard and one of my favourite photographs is to take photos of old women. No cosmetic surgery is here. Their wrinkles tell a thousand stories.

I also like how the Vietnamese women combine bespoke tailoring with the traditional sun hat.