This past weekend, some of my GESI-mates and I travelled to Hội An in central Vietnam. We arrived in the lantern city after a short flight and drive from the Da Nang airport. With mountains in the distance, Hội An sits between the ocean and riverways and is absolutely beautiful!
We arrived in the evening and immediately took to exploring the night market. The market had everything from bánh tráng nướng (a kind of vietnamese pizza cooked on rice paper that is folded with toppings inside), grilled barbecue octopus, bánh chuối thái (chocolate banana crepe), and the BEST Chè I have ever eaten (with coconut milk, ice, many kinds of jellies and fruits, toasted coconuts, and peanuts). We meandered through the streets of vendors and stumbled upon the Thu Bồn River full of lantern-adorned boats. The multi-colored lanterns illuminated the Hội An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and created a whimsical scene for our first night.
The next day, we rode bikes through the city, and along a road through rice paddy fields, on our way to the beach. To avoid the most touristy areas, we road a bit out of the way and followed a path just north of the more populated patches of beach. We spent the morning swimming through the warm waves before heading back through town to try Hội An’s special style of bánh mì (and so many more snacks).
Overall, the weekend consisted of exploring and delicious foods: What more could you want?
Though I have enjoyed my time in Hanoi, taking a break from the everyday GESI-work to explore a new part of Vietnam was a welcome retreat 🙂
Bright lanterns along the river
Swimming in the warm water of An Bàng beach