TRAVEL HOI AN This small ancient fishing town had a lot to live up to. We arrived wary that we held too-high expectations after everyone we’d spoken to declared it their favourite part of Vietnam. Safe to say, it did not disappoint. A foodie’s paradise, and as pretty as a picture, it’s easy to see why it rates so highly with visitors. Hoi An was where we saw the first blue skies of our trip, where we ate some of the best food of our lives and where I could easily spend another week. It exudes a laid back calmness where time seems to slow down. Among other things, we made sure we sampled at least three of the local delicacies, being Hoann Thanh Chien (crispy fried crab wontons with tomato salsa) Mi Cao Lau (delicious thick smoked noodles with pork, only found in Hoi An) and of course the famed Banh Mi, which was first on our list. Celebrity chef, author and television host, Anthony Bourdain, was right to claim these are the best sandwiches in the world. There is no shortage of amazing street food in Hoi An, as well as a huge array of elegant yet affordable dine-in restaurants, and you’d struggle to spend $20 on a single meal. Our first full day was spent scouting the hundreds of tailors lining the streets. We settled on two different stores – a bit of an experiment in case we weren’t impressed with the quality of one, a fear that proved to be unfounded. After measurements were taken and fabric choices were made, we took a short stroll back to the calm oasis of our hotel – my favourite of the trip – Ha An. This boutique-style hotel of only 24 rooms featured large airy rooms and architecture that was a mixture of French Colonial and Portuguese influence. The next day we awoke to welcome sunshine, so after relaxing by the newly constructed pool, we took our complimentary pushbikes into the centre of old town again, for more street food and the obligatory suit fittings. We met up with an old friend of my husband’s, who has called Hoi An home for three years now, and received some great local tips (all about food of course!) and even bumped into people from our Halong Bay cruise in the pretty streets. Hoi An by day is simply beautiful - blue skies offset by ochre and sunset-coloured buildings hundreds of years old, with vibrant pink bouganvilleas on every corner, but Hoi An by night is pure postcard material. 70 Pindara Magazine 2015\2016
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Six
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