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city can been seen in the shop windows,
graceful houses and upper class eating
establishments.
There is much to explore in Hanoi,
whether you choose to tick off the tourist
sites and museums or just mooch the
streets, discovering knotty little markets,
cosy coffee shops or temples that swirl
with incense.
Eat
pho
(noodles), ride in a rickshaw,
and – if you are feeling bold – jump on a
train for a real experience of travel as you
head southwards to another top spot.
Hoi An
I challenge anyone to visit Hoi An and not
fall in love with the sleepy riverside city
which, despite the glaring ‘touristiness’ of
the place and armies of visitors, is at once
relaxing and stimulating, cooling the soul
and letting the traveller ease in to a slower
pace of life.
This adorable city on the coast of the
East Seawas once amajor port and evokes
a historical richness with its squat, ornate
houses and pedestrian-only narrowstreets.
The majority of dwellings in the old heart
of the city – clustering along both sides of
the river – are now graceful restaurants,
cafes and souvenir shops, although the
loud noisy riverside market can offer a
reminder of the work-a-day grind of real
Hoi An.
Spend the day exploring the temples
and wonderful old clan houses dotted
around the centre of the old town, or hire
a bike and speed off to the nearby coast
where a strip of white meets blue and
offers that paradise you had dreamt off.
Evenings are colourful and atmo-
spheric, with restaurants packed with
people and life centred along the banks
of the river. Watch out for the local ladies
in traditional outfits casting lanterns into
the water, adding a bobbing glowof magic
to the vista.
One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi
Many Vietnamese
continue to wear their
traditional outfits
Hoi An’s beach is
well worth a visit
Cycling the streets of Hoi An
Hoi An is centred
around the sleepy river
With many streets
closed to cars, the bike
is king in Hoi An