Hoi An
From Da Nang I went to Hoi An. It’s a well preserved Ancient Town with canals, a picturesque, lovely place overrun by tourists - and no wonder! Hội An is a city in Vietnam's Quảng Nam Province and noted since 1999 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Old Town Hội An, the city's historic district, is recognized as an exceptionally well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port, its buildings and street plan reflecting a blend of indigenous and foreign influences.
There you'll find wooden Chinese shop houses, colourful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic "Japanese Covered Bridge". This mix makes Hoi An without a doubt an irresistible tourist magnet. The town is cosy, small, colorful, beautiful and somehow intimate. By night the illuminations are gorgeous, making this place look almost like out of a fairy tale book.
I stayed there at yet another popular hostel chain not far away from the town centre. It turned out one night wasn’t enough, but I’m still glad I did stay overnight instead of returning the same day back to Da Nang. It’s by night when Hoi An reveals its real charm. The streets were bustling with tourists and locals alike, walking and doing their business along the promenades.
The same evening I returned to my hostel where there was a quiz and a socialising event organised at the bar. I met some new people and we even went out into another bar in the city centre by night. But it turned out the place was almost empty and it just wasn’t the party season, so I didn’t stay long.
In Hoi An you have to be careful with your money, as there’s lots of fraudsters able to do some tricky sleight of hand to steal your money. Never ever let anyone touch your money on the street, and especially not in Hoi An. Apart from this the town felt really safe and exciting. Just remain vigilant especially at night and don’t get too drunk.