Hoi An in Photos

I used to call Hoi An “The Venice of Vietnam” as its narrow streets and colorful houses remind me of Venice. The city is well-known for its lanterns. Highly recommended to stop by for few days, here in the center of Vietnam.

Tet, or the Lunar New Year is by far Vietnam’s top holiday. The country gets together with family and friends, remembers loved ones passed, and sets high hopes for a lucky new year. It is a magical time of the year in Vietnam, but can prove a bit challening for the traveler. Don’t let this stop your Viet-Travel experience. Tet can be unforgettable even if you aren’t a local. The streets are filled with flowers and food, markets bustling and everyone is contagiously happy leading up to the 4 day hiatus from life. But if you’re traveling in Vietnam during Tet, chances are you’re in a hotel- so make your own Tet! Buy some candies, beer, watermelon seeds, playing cards, have a local find some Tet-cuisine... and invite all your friends, fellow travelers and the Vietnamese stuck working the hotel during the holiday. Of course if you can sneak an invite to a local Tet party, that would be ideal, but otherwise create your own fun and luck for the new year- it could be a once in a lifetime experience!

Hoi An is one of the most charming cities in Viet Nam. Hoi An’s Old Quarter is lined with two-story old Chinese buildings that now house shops with elaborately carved wooden facades and moss-covered tile roofs. It is a place where you can get clothes and shoes made at a reasonable price as long as you have a picture. It is also one of the best eating cities in Viet Nam and known for cooking classes and especially delicious food. Hoi An has a lantern festival every full moon. All the lights are extinguished and the town is lit with lanterns. Hoi An is a photographer’s city. You move on to your next destination and your photographs become a testimony that you were there. For more photos go to http://travelwellflysafe.com/2015/04/18/hoi-an-viet-nam/

My friend and I rented bicycles to make our way from the town center to the beach. This is just one of the calming sights that line the dirt road to the shore.

Hoi An is a wonderful town in Central Vietnam with fantastic food, friendly people and great shopping. Old Town Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A ticket to the old town includes entrance to 4 museums within its walls that highlight the history and culture of the region. The town is known for its hand-made lanterns, which you will find strung across the pedestrian streets of old town. In the evening, walk through town while discovering one of the amazing local restaurants and see the various colors and designs of the lanterns. There are numerous shops where you can pick one up to take home with you (they pack down well!).

Take a walk through the magical pedestrian only old city. Have camera handy for unforgettable shots...lantern lit streets...all imaginable colors..unforgettable ambience.

You can take the girl out of Brooklyn but you can’t take Brooklyn out of the girl. While I enjoyed the scooter riding of Hanoi, I was ecstatic to arrive in a city where the main mode of transportation is biking. The roads were beautifully paved and there were racks everywhere.

If you want to ride a motorbike in Vietnam without the craziness of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An is a good place to do it. Ride to An Bang Beach or Da Nang’s Marble Mountains in minutes. Ask at your hotel or home stay- and don’t forget the helmet! It shouldn’t cost more than $5/day.

One of the most colorful, livable, exciting cities in Vietnam is Hoian. Don’t miss it when you travel to Vietnam. The meaning of the name is “peaceful meeting place” and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe it. Rent a bike to go to the nearest rice fields, tour the fishermen village, learn how to make a lantern, have a fitted suit tailored just for you, and enjoy the weather.

There is an endless supply of amazing food in Vietnam, topping the list; French Baguettes... Vietnamese sandwiches served on amazing fresh bread on the street are to die for, but even eating them plain is delicious!

Caught on our bikes in the rain. Typical.

I came across this man and his son getting their portrait drawn on one of the small alleyway-like streets that make up Hoi An. During the day, we rented bikes and rode to the beach, just several miles away. At night, we wandered the lantern-strewn streets and ate delicious food. We ate tried both local specialties and ate at Mango Mango, a Vietnamese fusion restaurant on the river.

This peaceful image was made near the Old Japanese Bridge on the river. Hoi An is a peaceful and picturesque city with a vibrant art scene, great food and friendly locals.

There’s no doubt about it: Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s most arresting places. The narrow streets of the old town abound with visual manna while the gorgeous countryside that surrounds the town is equally charismatic. Learn how to make the most of all these opportunities with a photo tour and workshop run by French travel photographer Etienne Bossot which aims to give travellers the tools to capture amazing photographers.