It just takes a 5 minute walk through its streets to realize why Hoi An was recognized as UNESCO Word Cultural Heritage. This little town located next to the coast used to be already in the sixteenth century a strategic location for commerce, used as a meeting point for the merchants from both Asian and European countries, with a special relevance of China and Japan. This background is undoubtedly mirrored by numerous charming wooden stores, the fancy merchant houses, and the so called “Chinese Assembly Halls”. These are beautiful temples belonging to Chinese families, used not only for religious purposes but also as a community center, where, among other things, they used to set the prices of goods.

In addition, Hoi An appears to have much more to offer. The narrow alleyways lined with moss that cross with the main streets, the fishermen’s boats along the riverside, and the endless lights that color the town as soon as the sun goes down are just some examples of it. In our case we can’t avoid to mention the truly exquisite dining experiences, especially at Le Cafe des Amies, a restaurant were we ate the first night. It was not a fancy place, in fact it had a pretty decadent look. It was something in between an old bohemian French coffee place and a fisherman’s tavern. The owner couldn’t be friendlier, and one could notice he was enjoying the French music (Georges Brassens) that was playing. The result was just a unique atmosphere and a real taste of authenticity compared to many places that nowadays try to imitate this style.

During the days we spent there, we treated ourselves and had some dresses and suits tailored, which is something very common to do in Hoi An, it was actually quite a fun experience. For the rest we enjoyed walking and biking around, and going to the beach. The last day, Josep had the brilliant idea to go surfing in Da Nang, given that it was nearby the airport, and is very well known for surfers. The result was 25 minutes in the water and two waves taken. The cloudy day, the strong wind and current, and looking at how Martina was slowly turing into a human dune while sitting in the sand, were convincing signs that the show had to be over.

Next stop Ho Chi Minh City.