27 April, 2026. Leaving Hue for Hoi An.

Leaving Hue

Hotels and breakfasts have varied considerably. Breakfast this morning was good and leisurely, as we weren’t leaving until 09.30.

Once on the bus for the approximately four hour drive to Hoi An, Long entertained us with details of his wedding and the marriage procedure, over three days, in Vietnam.

We stopped at Vietnam’s largest lagoon for a refreshment stop. I tried a coconut iced coffee. It was delicious. The lagoon is an important producer of oysters.

Sacks of oysters awaiting pick up.

The journey continued with much hilarity as Long advised us on our Feng Shui. My year of birth makes me a water buffalo and my element is fire. I should wear red, orange, yellow, green but not blue or black. We climbed to the top of the Hai Van Pass, 496 meters and stopped for a photo opportunity.

Our next stop was for lunch at a Bahn Mi stall. This is Vietnam’s answer to a baguette. Very tasty. Nice and crispy. Dennis’s stuffed with Pork and salad and mine with beef.

Back on the bus we passed through Da Nang, now a very modern city. Dennis and I remembered it as a major American air base during the Vietnam war. At the time, one of the busiest airfields in the world. It was used by the US Air Force, Marine Corps and Army from 1965 to 1973 as a key operational hub for offensive missions and for landing some of the first US combat troops in 1965.

Modern Da Nang

In Hoi An

After a short rest, Long took us out for an orientation walk. We stopped at the gate to the old city to purchase tickets to allow us entry to the centre and to some of the museums, temples and other attractions. We have a free day, the day after tomorrow, to explore these.

The streets are crowded with tourists, locals, bikes, scooters and pedicabs (cycle rickshaws). Souvenir shops, lantern shops and tailors everywhere. We walk through the market to the riverbank where small boats decorated with lanterns prevail. We will board one later after dinner.

Before dinner we visit a tailor’s shop where we are presented with pattern books and surrounded by fabrics of all sorts and all colours. Some of the group order dresses, shirts, blouses etc Dennis was rather partial to a purple patterned suit 🙂

What the modern man wears?…:)

We dined in a riverside restaurant and enjoyed some local cuisine, before boarding one of the small boats to release floating candles in the river. It was a hectic day, so we walked back to the hotel to a very welcome bed.

Tuesday, 28 April. Cycle and Bamboo Basket Boat Tour

Four of us set off on the bike/boat tour. Most of the rest of the group came along by buggy. We stopped to pet some water buffalo, visited a vegetable farm, more market garden, and learned how they planted and watered their vegetables. Next we stopped for “happy water”. This is rice wine. We learned the wine making process and most tasted the 30% proof clear spirit. As I was riding a bike, not happily among so much traffic, I decided I wouldn’t indulge.

Gentle creatures, water buffalo.

Market gardens

Rice wine still and production.

Arriving at the river, we first had some drinks, snacks and fruit before a trip in the circular, bamboo boats. We were all very sedate, none of us spinning. Some younger people were being wildly spun around.

Back on the bikes, we cycled to a point where we boarded a larger boat with the rest of our group and returned to the hotel.

Oodles of Noodles

After a very quick shower we headed off to Oodles of Noodles. Here orphans and underprivileged teenagers are taught English and the catering trade, so they can gain employment in hotels, restaurants etc. It was a very moving presentation. Dennis had tears in his eyes. G Adventures funds them. We were given a noodle making demonstration and then made some of our own noodles, before being served a noodle lunch.

Noodle making….🤔 from rice paste.

Hoi An Ancient Town

Today was a free day. After a leisurely breakfast, we walked to the old town. Hoi An’s Ancient Town is a superbly preserved 15th – 19th century trading port in Vietnam’s Quang Nam Province. Situated along the Thu Bon River, the fact that the river became silted up stopping trading, probably aided the town’s preservation. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its yellow-walled, lantern lit streets, Japanese Covered Bridge and Chinese assembly halls, blending indigenous Chinese and Japanese cultures.

We had purchased tickets the night before last to allow us entry into some of the significant buildings. Before visiting any we wandered the streets which are full of souvenir shops and tailors. We bought a lovely lantern with no idea where it can be used. When we reached the river front we stopped at a very smart cafe for some liquid refreshment. It came accompanied by cold towels, coconut crisps and was followed by glasses of iced water.

Our next stop was an ancient communal house. Full of lanterns and Chinese and Japanese artifacts. This was followed by a wealthy family residence. This also turned out to be a major souvenir shop, so we beat a hasty exit.

In the process of visiting the wealthy family residence, we managed to lose the map. We continued wandering the streets and eventually found our way back to the hotel.

We spent the afternoon by the hotel pool. I think we are lazier than the rest of the group who have all gone on a cookery course.

Tomorrow we will be up early to depart at 07.30 for a flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Dennis will take over from here.

Views: 29