I am very grateful to be able to say that I’ve been to Vietnam a few times and having been to about 40 countries, Vietnam tops my list of favorites.  I had the pleasure of experiencing Vietnam for 2 weeks with my partner and on this visit I went to Hoi An for the first time.  Before visiting Vietnam I had a general idea of what we were going to do and experience.  Hoi An was on the list but I had only carved out a few days for it, but then we got to Hoi An…my itinerary quickly went out the window as we ended up staying for a whole week!  Hoi An was romantic, delicious, enchanting, historic, and obsessive all wrapped up into one.  Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage town that is quite small, which makes getting to where you need to go walkable.  From the center of town anywhere you would want to go is about a 10-15 minute walk.  I love places that are walkable because it saves you money on transport and its always nice to burn a few extra calories.  I put together a list of the 5 things you must do while visiting Hoi An, and believe me you won’t be disappointed.
1. TAILOR MADE ANYTHING!
This is why we stayed in Hoi An for a week!  You can get anything you can imagine tailored precisely to your body!  Tuxedo?  Tailored.  Shoes?  Tailored.  Bikinis?  Tailored.  You name it you can get it and without breaking the bank.  Let’s’ be honest I love shoes (I mean what female doesn’t) and there are plenty of shoe stores selling any type of shoe you can imagine and you can get in tailored to your foot within a day or two!  As I always say, you can never have a fat foot day so shoes are always a good investment.  I went a little crazy and got 6 pairs  from boots to heels to gladiator sandals, which made for a heavier bag to lug home but worth every sole!  I was in heaven and if I had stayed any longer I’d be selling bananas and mangos on the side of the street…in my heels of course!
My boyfriend Joe got a few tailored suits with shoes to match of course and even a tuxedo!  There are a few gems in Hoi An that may be a bit more expensive than other shops but its worth the price because the ladies and gentlemen working there know what they’re doing.  I’m a frugal person, I can’t help it, its in my blood but if you’re here treat yourself and feel like the king or queen that you are, its an amazing experience and it still doesn’t break the bank…it just adds a small dent.  If you’re going to get a suit or gown tailored go to Kimmy Custom Tailor, the ladies there are talented at their trade, very good at communicating and have great sense of humors.  They made me waiting for my boyfriends week of fittings very enjoyable and the quality of there product is on point!
2. COFFEE, COFFEE, AND MORE
COFFEE!! Vietnams coffee game is out of control!  Coffee (along with shoes) is one addiction that I will never give up.  And why would you?  It’s delicious, cheap, sociable, and its an tasty reason for me to rise early every morning! There are plenty of out door cafes scattered throughout Hoi An that you’ll be able to sip on a cup and people watch.  This activity could take you hours as its meant to be enjoyed and not gulped down.  And you can enjoy this activity day or night it doesn’t matter as the Vietnamese love their coffee as much as I do!
3. LANTERN LIGHTING Lantern lighting in Hoi An is a beautiful way to end your visit, it was a way of saying
good  bye.  Vendors come out at night selling the paper lanterns with a candle inside for about 20,000VND that you can set  float down the dark river.  The river lights up with lit
lanterns, hence where the romance of the town becomes obvious.  Even if you don’t light a lantern personally, watching the lanterns float down the river from the bridge is a site that won’t be forgotten.  The town itself lights up its silk lanterns that are placed all over town which creates a beautiful essence that you can’t help falling in love with!
4. FRESH BEER Bia ho’i is a very popular draft beer in Vietnam.  Bia ho’i is a draft beer made daily and can be found in small bars and on street corners.  Since each small batch is made daily it has no added preservatives as its meant to be drank within a couple hours after brewing and maturing for a short period of time.  It is a very light lager with about a 3% alcohol level.  It sells anywhere from 3,00-7,000 VND which is equivalent to about 13 to 31 cents in USDollars.  It’s a perfect price for a 12 oz draught and for a boyfriend who drinks beer as fast as he does!
5. HOMESTAYS Homestays are very popular in Hoi An.  They’re family run guesthouses, rather sma
about four to six rooms.  They’re great for getting the local experience as you meet the family that runs the guesthouse and they invite you to dinner, family style every night and it gives you an opportunity to meet others staying at the HomeStay.  I don’t know about you but I love meeting new people and getting to hear there stories.  Its a perfect place to relax in between fittings and wondering the streets of Ancient Old Town.
Thanks for reading and if anyone has anything else they loved when they were there leave a comment cause the more tips the better. #IMJESSTRAVELING to follow my adventures!
Aloha!