Hoi An-Venice of the East

It took the taxi driver over 10 minutes to make a left turn onto the highway headed towards Hoi An. The crush of motor bikes coming from every direction (including the wrong way up a highway) at all times makes driving, bicycling and even walking here incredibly frustrating. A lot like traversing Times Square the weeks before Christmas. The Ancient town of Hoi An on the other hand has moments of peace since it’s closed to motor bikes 2 times a day and located on a set of canals it is an ideal spot to chill. Hoi An is an ancient trading port, dating back to the 15th through 19th centuries, located in Central Vietnam about a half hour from Vietnam’s third largest city Da Nang. It received UNESCO world heritage recognition in 1999 for it’s well preserved architecture which showcases a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese’s and Chinese influences. It’s melting pot history makes it one of Vietnam’s most cosmopolitan cities especially when the tourist busses role in.

Vietnam is known for it’s fantastic food and Hoi An does not disappoint from the street food to fine dining it’s possible to find just about anything. Prices vary widely and depend greatly on how close to the foot bridge an establishment is located. My two vices coffee and wine are in abundance everywhere and there are many great cafes overlooking the water to enjoy either one.