Hoi An - 2007
I had a 4-week Indochina trip in May-June 2007.
(Melbourne – Bangkok – Thailand – Laos - Vietnam - Cambodia -Thailand – Bangkok - Melbourne)
We travelled from Hue to Hoi An by minibus.
Hoi An is 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
dating from the 15th to the 19th century, its buildings and street plan reflecting a blend of indigenous and foreign influences.
The city is a tourist attraction because of its history, traditional architecture and crafts such as textiles and ceramics.
A nice welcome at our hotel. Probably a permanent sign?
Very friendly staff too!
Notice the nice smelling lotus flowers on the pillow
We did not stay here
Hainan Chinese Temple
A female lion
A male lion
Tan Ky House.
A privately owned house where 7 generations of the family have lived.
I was met with a small cup of tea and shown around by a charming 23 yo girl.
The Japanese Covered Bridge
This bridge was built by Japanese traders around the 17th century.
In the middle of the bridge there is a small temple on one side.
According to legend, the temple is considered to be a sword stabbing into the back of the monster Namazu,
causing it to not swing its tail, causing earthquakes.
I hired a bicycle for $1 for the day.
It is a pleasant 5km ride along the river to the beach (Cua Dai Beach) from the old town.
Then I rode back into town for a Vietnamese concert that ended with Auld Lang Syme
My Son
These ruins date back to the 7th Centuty.
They were built by the Champa peoples.
They are about 40km south of Hoi An, nestled in a lush valley surrounded by hills.
My Son became a religious centre under King Bhadravarman in the late 4th Century and was occupied
until the 13th Century - the longest period of development of any monument in SE Asia.
It is a World Heritage site. Unfortunately American aerial bombing damaged a lot of it during the Vietnam War.
While it may look somewhat like a small-scale Ankor Wat, it is made of bricks,
with a vegetable-based mortar, unlike the stone of Ankor Wat.
There are many, many tailor shops in Hoi An where you can get clothes and footware made for you.
Our tour leader, Andrea, said that once had a new lawyer on one of her trips
who got 7 suits, shirts, shoes etc. made up.
I got a pair of shorts, a zipp-off pair of trousers, and 2 other pairs of trousers made for about $70.
I also got a pair of sandals made for $25
We were driven to nearby Da Nang for the flight to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
The flight took about an hour.
About 15 minutes before we were due to land in Saigon, the pilot said
"We have been put in a holding pattern by Air Traffic Control because of a severe storm
at the airport - don't worry we will not run out of fuel".
You could see that it was very dark and stormy down below. It added about 15 minutes to the trip.
I had a 4-week Indochina trip in May-June 2007.
(Melbourne – Bangkok – Thailand – Laos - Vietnam - Cambodia -Thailand – Bangkok - Melbourne)
We travelled from Hue to Hoi An by minibus.
Hoi An is 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
dating from the 15th to the 19th century, its buildings and street plan reflecting a blend of indigenous and foreign influences.
The city is a tourist attraction because of its history, traditional architecture and crafts such as textiles and ceramics.
A nice welcome at our hotel. Probably a permanent sign?
Very friendly staff too!
Notice the nice smelling lotus flowers on the pillow
We did not stay here
Hainan Chinese Temple
A female lion
A male lion
Tan Ky House.
A privately owned house where 7 generations of the family have lived.
I was met with a small cup of tea and shown around by a charming 23 yo girl.
The Japanese Covered Bridge
This bridge was built by Japanese traders around the 17th century.
In the middle of the bridge there is a small temple on one side.
According to legend, the temple is considered to be a sword stabbing into the back of the monster Namazu,
causing it to not swing its tail, causing earthquakes.
I hired a bicycle for $1 for the day.
It is a pleasant 5km ride along the river to the beach (Cua Dai Beach) from the old town.
Then I rode back into town for a Vietnamese concert that ended with Auld Lang Syme
My Son
These ruins date back to the 7th Centuty.
They were built by the Champa peoples.
They are about 40km south of Hoi An, nestled in a lush valley surrounded by hills.
My Son became a religious centre under King Bhadravarman in the late 4th Century and was occupied
until the 13th Century - the longest period of development of any monument in SE Asia.
It is a World Heritage site. Unfortunately American aerial bombing damaged a lot of it during the Vietnam War.
While it may look somewhat like a small-scale Ankor Wat, it is made of bricks,
with a vegetable-based mortar, unlike the stone of Ankor Wat.
There are many, many tailor shops in Hoi An where you can get clothes and footware made for you.
Our tour leader, Andrea, said that once had a new lawyer on one of her trips
who got 7 suits, shirts, shoes etc. made up.
I got a pair of shorts, a zipp-off pair of trousers, and 2 other pairs of trousers made for about $70.
I also got a pair of sandals made for $25
We were driven to nearby Da Nang for the flight to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
The flight took about an hour.
About 15 minutes before we were due to land in Saigon, the pilot said
"We have been put in a holding pattern by Air Traffic Control because of a severe storm
at the airport - don't worry we will not run out of fuel".
You could see that it was very dark and stormy down below. It added about 15 minutes to the trip.
