"Storms don't come to teach us painful lessons, rather they were meant to wash us clean..." - Shannon L. Alder
 |
| (Japanese Bridge at the Heritage Town of Hoi An) |
Day 03: Hoi An Old Town and My Khe Beach
03 November 2019
 |
| (Another heavy breakfast to start the day) |
This morning we started early to visit Hoi An Old City. On the way we made a brief stop at a Marble Shop and Showroom. Here we had the opportunity to watch the making of marble ornaments and shopped for small marble souvenirs.
 |
| (Local scenes souvenirs for sale) |
 |
| (Various colours of marble sculptures) |
We reached Hoi An early and visited a Silk Factory before we began our tour of the old city. Hoi An is situated on the coast of central Vietnam and is home to colonial architecture, rich culture, and breath-taking beaches. Visitors are enchanted by the relaxed pace of life and stunning local attractions of Hoi An.
 |
| (Silk worm cocoons before processing into silk threads) |
 |
| (The ladies nimble fingers sewing using silk threads) |
 |
| (Colourful table cloths and cushion covers) |
Every nook and cranny of the UNESCO protected Ancient Town is picturesque. The whole town is somewhat of an outdoor art gallery with centuries-old tea houses painted in a distinctive golden hue. There are lantern-decorated alleyways, quiet canals, colourful bridges, noisy market places and peaceful locals going about their daily life. Cars are not allowed in the old town. Tourists could rent bicycles or ride on the rickshaw to go around the old city.
 |
| (A street vendor selling fruits and local delicacies) |
 |
| (A rickshaw to transport tourists around town) |
 |
| (An old coffee shop in the old town) |
 |
| (A coffee shop by the river, full of tourists) |
One of the iconic attractions in Ho An is the Japanese Covered Bridge dating back to the 18th century. It was built by the Japanese then residing in Hoi An as a means of getting to the Chinese quarter. It is especially photogenic at night with the reflection of the lights on the water surface.
 |
| (The 18th Century Japanese Bridge) |
 |
| (Hot and sunny weather in Hoi An) |
We visited Tan Ky, a Merchant Heritage House Established in the 17th Century. It is one of the most famous architectural buildings in Hoi An, blending Japanese, Chinese architectural styles. The house has been the home for the family for seven generations.
 |
| (One of the Heritage House in town) |
 |
| (The long history of Tan Ky House) |
 |
| (A typical souvenir shop in Hoi An) |
 |
| (A colourful decorated bistro) |
 |
| (Only rickshaws and bicycles are allowed in Hoi An) |
The Thu Bon River runs through the Ancient Town. During the day, the river is busy with fishing boats and cruise boats ferrying locals and tourists. River cruises are a popular activity and vibrant coloured boats are moored by the riverside waiting for passengers.
 |
| (The busy Thu Bon River) |
 |
| (A river vendor selling local goods) |
 |
| (Taking a rest after a long walk) |
There are a few Chinese Temples in Hoi An and we visited one of them. There are many souvenir shops too. They are super colorful and lively. A wide variety of items are sold here, from local crafted souvenirs, clothes, handbags, shoes and jewellery. You could get a good low price depending on your bargaining power.
 |
| (One of the many Chinese Temple in the old town) |
 |
| (Offerings and prayers in the old temple) |
We had lunch at Zaytun Restaurant situated in Hoi An Old city. The restaurant serves Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines as well as western dishes.
 |
| (Kebab wraps and lentil soup for lunch) |
 |
| (Nan bread and hot spicy curry) |
 |
| (Antique cars for rental) |
After lunch we drove back to our hotel where we performed our prayers and had a short rest before we drove to My Khe Beach a short distance away from our hotel. My Khe Beach has developed a reputation for being one of the most luxurious beaches in Vietnam. From the beach we could see the white statue of Guan Yim Buddha standing at Chua Linh Ung Bai But Temple, the tallest and most impressive measuring 67 m in height. The Lady Buddha casts a protective gaze over Da Nang, with her striking white figure visible from almost any point in the city.
 |
| (Bai Bien Beach) |
 |
| (Tall hotel buildings along the beautiful beach) |
 |
| (The rough sea and the white Lady Buddha statue) |
After a few photo shots at the beach we went to Han Market again as some of us wanted to buy some more souvenirs. After Han Market we went to Big C Supermarket and Parkson for a last minute shopping.
Tonight we had dinner at Mumtaz Restaurant again.
No comments:
Post a Comment