Hoi An, Vietnam

For our February vacation we decided to head back to Vietnam and explore the city of Hoi An.  We were fortunate to have Natalie's mother join us for a visit to Thailand during this time and also provide an opportunity to vacation with us on this trip.  Hoi An is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is known for it's centuries old architecture.  We quickly discovered that the city is home to many temples, pagodas and ancient homes.  In addition to this the outlying areas, filled with rice fields while surrounded by mountains are very beautiful.  There were so many things we loved about Hoi An beyond the history of the city and architecture.  We found the food to be amazing and it was fun to explore the shops within the city center looking for small mementos to bring home.

Having arrived late on Friday, we decided to utilize Saturday to relax by the pool and plan the upcoming week.  Our hotel was amazing with spectacular views and our room was literally steps to the ocean.  Each night we could hear the crashing waves on the shore and the room provided such a great atmosphere complete with an outdoor shower.

On Sunday morning we decided to begin our exploration of Hoi An with a visit to Marble Mountains.  This cluster of five mountains is also called the "five elements" mountains.  Accordingly the mountains are named after the five elements; Kim (metal), Thuy (water), Moc (wood), Hoa (fire) and Tho (earth). We visiting Thuy (water) mountain, as this is the only one accessible to visitors.  The mountain had caves for exploring and ability to reach the summit for some amazing views of the city.  On the mountain we visited the Linh Ong Pagoda and also a large cave (Huyen Khong) that had several Buddha statues/carvings/shrines.  The area is known for its stone sculpture and stone cutting expertise, of course we bought a small sandstone carving home to remember our trip.

Our next stop in the afternoon was a visit to My Son.  This location is a World Heritage Site and home to a cluster of Hindu Temple ruins constructed between the 4th and 14th centuries, dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva.  It was fun to explore the area and reminded of our trip to Cambodia.

At the end of our day we ate dinner at our hotel while enjoying a traditional cultural dance show.  It was a great way to conclude and day and rest for the further exploring to come.

Monday morning we decided to explore the Ancient Town area of Hoi An.  The town reflects a fusion of indigenous and foreign cultures (Chinese, Japanese and European) and is also a World Heritage Site. The main walking street runs parallel to the river and is lined with small shop houses to purchase souvenirs.  Scattered among the shops are several historical places we stopped to explore:

Japanese Covered Bridge - Constructed in 1590 by the Japanese community to link with Chinese Quarters

Cam Pho Communal House

Toc Nguyen Toung Family Chapel - Family Chapel built in 1806

Hoa Van Le Nghia

Fukien Chinese Congressional Assembly Hall/Phuoc Kien Hoi Quan - Built 1690 as a traditional assembly hall for Chinese

Trieu Chau Assembly Hall - Built in 1845 by the Chinese, dedicated to the god of wind and waves

On Tuesday Natalie and Joan took a two hour cooking class.  I decided to take the boys back into Ancient Town to stay busy.  When we returned we got to enjoy the fine cooking for lunch!  Later in the afternoon Natalie and I enjoyed an hour full body massage which was compliments of the resort.  At the end of the day we watched a traditional Lion Dance Show as we ate dinner.

On Wednesday we took a day trip to Hue (pronounced "Hway").  On our way to Hue we passed through Hai Van Pass.  This mountain range serves as the border between Da Nang and Hue, 600m above sea level.  As we drove we stopped at many places to view the amazing scenery.

Hue is a fortified Imperial City (known as the Citadel) from the imperial Nguyen Dynasty who ruled from 1802 to 1945 (remaining as the national capital until 1945).  We explored within the city walls for a few hours providing a glimpse into the imperial history and architecture.

Next we stopped to see the Thien Mu Pagoda.  This Pagoda was built on a hill overlooking the Perfume River in 1601.

Lastly we stopped to visit Khai Dinh Tomb.  he was an Emperor in Vietnam between 1916 and 1925.  His lavish tomb took 11 years to construct.

Our Thursday began with a fun adventure by taking three sidecar motorcycles for a tour of the countryside.  We stopped and visited a local farm and also a pottery making village, we each took turns trying to master the craft!

Later in the afternoon we headed back to Ancient Town for some shopping, relaxing at a Cafe and finally enjoying a boat ride along the river.  It was a great way to end our day.

Friday was our last full day in Hoi An, thus we took full advantage by doing some more exploring.  First we went to visit the giant lady Buddha.

Next we headed up Son Tra (named Monkey Mountain by American soldiers) for an amazing view of Da Nang City.  This was a former USAF/Marine radar and communications base.

On the way back to the resort we stopped to see the fisherman's village and also Da Nang/China Beach.

Once back at the hotel we rested by the pool while enjoying the sun.  In the evening we concluded our trip with a traditional Vietnamese Water Puppet Show.

In conclusion we loved our second trip to Vietnam and thoroughly enjoyed completing our exploration of the country.  We would love to return some day.