Our SE Asia adventure 2026: we (and ‘Time Out’) weren’t wrong - Hoi An, Vietnam, is one charming city

Hoi An sits roughly half-way down narrow Vietnam on the coast at the mouth of the Thu Bon River which flows into the South China Sea. Hoi An was once a southeast trading port town from the 15th to 19th century and, as of 1999, a UNESCO heritage site for it’s preserved buildings, streets, structures, monuments, religious sites, and markets. A good article explaining the importance of this town is Hoi An Ancient Town at whc.unesco.org. Hoi Ann won its UNESCO title for its fusion of cultures (indigenous, Chinese, Japanese, and European) and its preservation of an Asian port.

Hoi An means “peaceful gathering place” and is also known as the City of Lanterns and the Yellow City.  We were smitten, and we weren’t wrong - Hoi An made Time Out’s most beautiful city list for 2026. (“The 51 most beautiful places in the world” at timeout.com.)

Everywhere you look, you will see lanterns in some shape or size or colour - in the street, on walls, on boats, in doorways, above your bed, on the river . . . Lanterns were first introduced by Chinese and Japanese merchants and have both cultural and spiritual value.  They signify life, happiness, and hope. Different colours have different meanings such as red for luck. An informative article explaining the origin and importance and production of Hoi An’s lanterns is “Traditional handmade lanterns in Hoi An ancient town” at  Vietnamlawmagazine.vn. You could attend a lantern-making class which looked delightful,  but how would we get it home? (Even if the new lanterns can be collapsed, we have no room to squish even one more thing in our carry-ons). Here’s just a few:

The colour yellow represents fortune, pride, and prosperity in Vietnam, but yellow is also cooler in humid weather, it’s a harmonious colour, and it’s easier to clean than some other colours after Hoi An’s significant flooding (Hoi An might not flood every year but it is certainly common during the rainy season from October to December with November 2025 seeing one of the worst floods, and people are always prepared). UNESCO has apparently encouraged Hoi An to continue its use of the colour yellow to preserve the town’s heritage. You could go on a hunt for the most picturesque yellow buildings and certainly the best photo op places.

Hoi Ann is also known as a town in which you can acquire your own custom made suit or dress in record time. The streets are lined with tailors, all bragging about the quality and speed of designing and making your garment. The streets are also lined with little shops full of workers and sewing machines, working late into the night. Tailoring began over 100 years ago, but quick-service became popular when tourism began to boom. Reading up, it was difficult to pinpoint how much seamstresses make, but it appears that seamstresses working for well-known small tailors make an adequate living.

Hoi An gives off lots of vibes with it’s Asian and European influences; but there’s also a little taste of Miami Beach along the waterways and in the bars if that is your thing (or a warning if it is not).

We began our visit to Hoi An with a private half-day old-city tour with Tam Le who, we discovered later, has formed his own tour company, Hoi An DayTrip at hoiandaytrip.com, so this was the right choice. Hoi An has an Old Town Pass that allows travellers to visit five main sights in old town for 120,000 Vietnamese Dongs, or just over $6.00 Canadian. You can pick one up at little ticket booths around the old town.

With so many foreign influences from the trading days, Hoi Ann has many pagodas and temples and assembly halls with Chinese and Japanese influences. This is certainly worth researching as they give Hoi Ann a classic, classy, and authentic  charm. But be warned, they all seem to have several names that have evolved over the ages, so it’s sometimes difficult to keep track. I’ve done my best to be accurate.

We began our old city tour at Phap Bao, the largest Buddhist temple in old town Hoi An. Phap Bao means ‘treasure of the law’.  The courtyard was resplendent with flowers from the New Year. It’s not the oldest but it is one of the most important temples as it has served as the headquarters for Hoi An’s Buddhist activities. There are dragons and phoenixes at the rooftop which are two of Vietnam’s holy animals.

Our next stop was the 17th century Ba Mu Temple of which only the restored temple gate remains. The site once held two temples which were burned or damaged in war. ‘Ba Mu’ means twelve midwives who are believed in ancient Chinese and Vietnamese communities in Hoi An to provide protection relating to childbearing. Because of the intricacy of the East Asian gate and the beauty of the reflecting pond with lily pads, this is a favourite photo stop. An interesting article is “Ba Mu Pagoda’s ancient gate becomes Hoi An’s top photo hotspot” at Vietnamnet.vn.

We followed Tam down some of those famous yellow alleys which were just made for photos.

The Japanese Bridge or Cau Pagoda is possibly Hoi Ann’s landmark location. Tam explained that the Chinese traditionally lived on one side of the stream and the Japanese lived on the other side. The Japanese built the bridge in the 17th century to facilitate business and positive relationships. It has a unique design as it has a bridge below a building. The bridge is guarded at one end by two dogs and the other by two monkeys. There is also a legend that the bridge was built as a symbolic sword pinning down the mythical aquatic monster Namazu and saving the people from flooding and  earthquakes. A good article about the Cau Pagoda is “Japanese Bridge in Hoi An – A cultural symbol of the ancient town” at Vinpearl.com.

Tam pointed out an interesting phenomenon inside the bridge - two wooden ‘eyes’ that historians say are specific to Hoi An and which guard the temple inside the bridge and ward off evil spirits. There are some 20 versions of these ‘door eyes’ on buildings in Hoi Ann. Above the eyes, in Chinese, are the words “The bridge that received friends from afar” which dates to 1719, a gift from the reigning emperor.

Hoi An has several preserved heritage homes, and a short walk from the Japanese Bridge down colorful, character streets brought us to the Tan Ky National Heritage Home where, Tam explained, the 8th generation still manages it as a preserved attraction. It dates to 1741 and is considered the oldest and most beautiful home in Hoi An, full of original artifacts and antiques. The architecture is a mixture of Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnam styles. It was truly beautiful. You could read more if you wish at ‘Tan Ky Old House in Hoi An’at vietnamdiscovery.com.

Our next stop was the Museum of Folklore in another well-preserved shophouse. The museum tells the story of early life, culture, and traditional arts and crafts in Hoi An and holds over 300 artifacts. The building is one of the largest residential buildings in Old Town.

Both the Tan Ky House  and the Museum of Folklore back onto the Thu Bon River which would probably have been importent during the trading port days.

Tam then lead us to one of my favourite pagodas or temples, Hoa Van Le Nghia or Trung Hoa Assembly Hall, a smaller Buddhist temple which was much less busy than some of the other ‘attractions’. I loved the calmness and serenity that seemed to seep out of the courtyard and the temple and the blue colour (blue is rare amongst the temples and assembly halls). The temple dates to pre-1741 and is one of the most important  temples as it is used by all five Chinese Assemblies in Hoi An. The temple has a history (as do all ancient structures). It was said to be built to honour the Goddess of the Sea, and there is a lovely red ship inside the temple where people come to pray for safe water voyages. It has also seen time as a bamboo mat cooperative and a school.

Our final temple stop of the day was the Phuc Kien Pagoda, also known as the Fujian Assembly Hall, dating to 1757 with its magnificent gate. It’s another temple to worship the Goddess of the Sea and also contains a small red ship where prayers are made for safe water voyages. I loved the long red incense coils hanging from the ceiling on which people can write their prayers and slowly burn the coil. These coils can burn for 30 days, and the smoke is believed to carry prayers to the gods. It was all beautiful.

The temples and assembly halls in Hoi Ann are truly unique, and I encourage you to check out a good article at “Hoi An Temples & Pagodas – Things to See in Hoi An, Vietnam” by our friend Tam Le at https://hoiandaytrip.com/hoi-an-temples-pagodas/.

On our way to lunch, we strolled through the Central Market which attracts a mixture of locals and travellers. It’s the oldest and largest in Hoi An and contains dry goods, produce, seafood, and meat. Before 1848, it sat on another site before being moved to the current location with easy access to the river and several roads. It was again rebuilt in the early 20th century with it’s yellow walls and tiled roof.

Smitten by the beauty and authenticity of the temples, pagodas, and assembly houses and of the faded yellow paint and the multi-coloured lanterns, we were ready for lunch at Banh Mi Phuong, put on the map by renowned chef and traveller Anthony Bourdain, where we savoured the signature Banh Mi (sub sandwiches?) and Cao Lau noodles which are specific to Hoi Ann. Cao Lau are pork with rice noodles which have been soaked in lye water. Th crunchy morsels on top are dried rice noodles. There’s a legend attached to the noodles which makes  them specific to Hoi An. Apparently the lye has to come from ash made from a certain type of tree in the Cham Islands, and the water traditionally came from only one well in Hoi An. I’m not sure how much of the ancient traditions are followed in the making of Cao Lau today but can confirm that they sure are delicious. You can see from the first picture that the lineups are long. This is another good reason to hire a private guide - they just have the ability to get you past the lineup.

On our second day in Hoi An, we travelled out of town with one of Tam’s contract guides (whom he described as younger and better-looking than himself) to the My Son World Cultural Heritage Site. My Son dates to the 4th to 13th centuries. That is old, very old. It was once the religious and political centre of the Champa Kingdom. I understand that the Cham people were the original inhabitants along the coast of central and south Vietnam, influenced by Indian culture. My Son sanctuary is situated high in the mountains, near the source of the Thu Bon River which drains to the South China Sea near Hoi An.  Way back, this isolated location made it easily defendable; our tour guide told us that, unfortunately, some of the ancient structures were damaged or obliterated during the Vietnam war, so only parts remain. The site meets the criterion for UNESCO status for being an example of an ancient culture adapting to cultural influences (Hindu art and architecture)  and being an “important phenomenon in the political and cultural history of Southeast Asia”. You can read more at “My Son Sanctuary” at whc.unesco.org. You are truly transported back in time at the site, and the smells and sounds and sights of the forest/jungle were intoxicating.

As part of learning about the Champa culture, we were treated to a traditional dance and music:

Scenes from the wild:

On our way back to Hoi An, we were in for a lovely surprise. We stopped at a traditional rice-paper maker - not the paper you write on but the rice paper you form into delicious spring rolls and eat. Here we learned traditional methods before we got to try our hand under the watchful eye of a pig and a few roosters and some fish and under the very close scrutiny of the rice-paper maker (I’m not sure this was to keep us safe or if our skills were in doubt).  Then, we got to sample. We did fine, if I must say so myself. The little lady guiding us was so excited to hear we were from Canada, “Canada 1!”, and scurried to a World Cup soccer poster to point out our flag; and then she kissed us. This was a special travelling moment.

Before we returned to our hotel, we stopped for lunch where we tasted another speciality from Central Vietnam, Mi Quang, wide yellow rice noodles in a small amount of rich pork and shrimp broth with fresh herbs, chicken, turmeric, roasted peanuts, and crisp rice crackers. Again, delicious.

They say one of the ‘must-do’s’ in Hoi Ann is to enrol in a Vietnamese cooking class. We discovered Hoi An Eco Cooking Class by Kien Nguyen.  First, he walked us through a small traditional market frequented mostly (only?) by locals (as opposed to the large Central Market in Old Town). Kien explained that the fish and meat is sold only early in the morning as the custom is to eat fish and meat for breakfast, so he had already picked up the amount we needed for his cooking class.

Next we were in for a real treat - crab fishing from a basket boat or ‘thuyen thung’ at Cam Thanh fishing village. This is a tourist attraction but one that is based on traditional ways. The origin of basket boats is unclear but a common version has it that when the French levied taxes on boats in the colonial era, fishermen fashioned round boats out of bamboo to continue their fishing practices, arguing  that the round shapes were not boats. It took skill to weave a basket boat. Turns out, the basket boats were utilitarian as they moved more freely with the waves in the sea, and they quickly became the chosen method of fishing. Today, the boats are also made with modern materials such as fibreglass.  We had great fun catching little crabs by a string with a piece of meat attached (we then released back into the water).  Our boat ‘pilot’ was especially skilled at spotting crabs in the water coconut forest plants. This was such fun.

The cooking class at Cam Thanh fishing village was stellar for the organization, supervision (making sure we didn’t start ourselves on fire), variety of food, and hands-on experience. Even our two non-cooking men enjoyed making rice paper, spring rolls, fish sauce, banana flower salad with shrimp, beef noodle soup, crispy rice pancake, and aubergine with soy sauce. The real joy was eating.  Larry said cooking was “a lot of work”, though (as I have been telling him for the past 46 years or so).

I mentioned the preponderance and importance of lanterns in Hoi An. One showcase activity is to ride a lantern boat down the Thu Bon River, releasing colourful lanterns into the water.  This is a 20 minute evening float which shocked us with the beauty and ambience. We thought there would be a few boats but when we reached the central area by Old Town, the river was alit with colours gleaming off the water. I imagine this is not just for tourists as it seems like a pretty romantic date for young lovers. Dropping lanterns into the water is a practice at Buddhist festivals for prosperity and good fortune. The lanterns are in the shape of a lotus flower. We found the tourist version quite magical.

Finally, Hoi An is the perfect place to rent a bicycle or use what the hotel supplies, if possible, which is just what we did on our final  morning. The city is flat and small, and you can’t really get lost if you remember where the river is. What a delight pedalling on upright one-speeds through the quaint streets and narrow alleyways out to the rice paddies and water buffalo.  Within minutes, you are in the countryside. You do have to be ever-cautious of the traffic which sometimes seems to have no rhyme or reason, but Vietnam drivers are highly skilled.

There are little surprises everywhere in Hoi An.  One is the Precious Heritage Museum, a free art gallery/shop in which photographer Rehahn showcases his love for Vietnam by photos of people and clothes and artifacts from some 54 different ethnic groups in the country. He has been named in the top 10 portrait photographers in the world. His photos show every nuance, every little wrinkle and whisker. I was mesmerized.

And that ended our lovely four days in charming Hoi An, Vietnam. Again, we felt the ‘gist’ of the community - a mixture of preserved heritage, beauty and charm; but if I would have had another couple of days, I would go on a solo walking tour for all the nooks and crannies and all the temples and assembly halls. I would explore more little alleys where the dogs sleep and the clothes are hanging and the flowers are blooming.   I would find the perfect yellow wall and sit and take photos all day long.

We are off to Kuala Lumpur,  Malayasia, for the final leg of our SE Asia adventure.

Thanks for reading.

Here’s a few final photos: