Vietnam 2023 Part 1: Hoi An

We started our holiday in Hoi An, spending five nights at the La Siesta Hoi An Resort and Spa on the outskirts of the old town. It was pretty hot during the day (up to 37°C), so after sightseeing and lunching in town we spent most afternoons back at our hotel, where swimming (the resort had four pools!) and enjoying cocktails during "happy hour" became routine activities. Keiko had a dress made at one of Hoi An's hundreds of tailor shops (though that number has reduced by over half due to Covid). On our final night, after dinner at a restaurant overlooking the river that flows through the old town, we took a 20-minute ride on one of Hoi An's famous lantern boats. It was absolutely magical and we were smiling and laughing from start to finish. We had been warned that Hoi An is turning into a tourist trap, and while this is undoubtedly true, the old town was never really crowded while we were there and we enjoyed taking in the colourful scenery and the history (including the connection with Japan).