Centerpiece of Vietnam

          Located midpoint between Hanoi in the north and Saigon in the south, Hoi An is an ancient city that is on the bucket list of most visitors to Southeast Asia.  This picturesque little hamlet dates back to the 1500s when it was an important trading port, accounting for the obvious influence of Chinese and Japanese merchants apparent in the splendid architecture throughout the town.  The pleasant overnight train from Hanoi to Da Nang took almost 20 hours and cost about $45, which included a comfortable bed with sheets provided.  The ride took us through some beautiful country and provided plenty of time to relax and meet some of my fellow travelers.  We arrived in Da Nang around 3 PM the following day and I took a taxi to Hoi An for about $16.  The 20 mile drive took us past the famous China Beach area and the Marble Mountains.  When I asked the taxi driver for a recommendation, he took me to the Phuoc An Hotel, which turned out to be an excellent place to stay.  The hotel came with a bicycle and I was soon out riding around Hoi An with the big boys!

UNESCO World Heritage Site

          Even if your hotel doesn’t come with a bicycle, Hoi An is an easily walkable town for reasonably fit travelers.  Most of the important sights can be seen in a day, including museums, historic old homes, assembly halls and temples, most notably the Quan Cong Temple.  Two of my favorite sites were the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Central Market.  The shopping in Hoi An is to die for and bargain hunters will find they don’t have enough room in their packs to bring home everything they would like to purchase.  It’s especially fun to walk along the Thu Bon River promenade in the evening, enjoying the beautiful panoply of lights that illuminate this little burg on both sides of the water.  It is in this heavenly setting that you must make a momentous decision…from among the many, delightful and inexpensive cafes and restaurants, which will you choose as a place to sit and relax and have your dinner, all the while taking in the ambience of this other-worldly place.