Home / Blog / Day 68 – Hoi An

Day 68 – Hoi An

After a short 45 min taxi ride from Da Nang we entered Hoi An to a warm welcome at a delightful boutique hotel. The receptionist was super informative and provided a map of Hoi An Old Quarter and additional info like a good optician for new glasses/tailors/activities and what prices were fair for tours etc.

I’d already been researching opticians here as I would like a pair of multifocal sunglasses which I’ve never invested in before given the cost involved in Australia. So we marched along to the recommended optician who seemed to get great reviews from people from around the globe who have used him. The shop had plenty of frames to choose from and I quickly saw some that would work for me. The optician provided a quote (around 1/3 to 1/2 the Oz cost) which I was happy with so he took a look at my script, checked the prescription and measurements and will let me know (via WhatsApp) when the sunnies arrive (turnaround time 2-3 days). Fingers crossed this all works out…I’ll let you know!

In the evening, we went to see the highly popular Hoi An Memories Show https://hoianmemoriesshow.com. Ponchos were handed out as rain was threatening but fortunately this only resulted in a few drops of rain. This show was an impressive spectacle, although we did have trouble following the storyline, but that did not spoil our enjoyment of all the visual aspects. Hundreds of performers take part, lots of impressive stage sets and costumes, fire, water, great sound system and music…we had a good time. The only downside was getting off the island where the show is held with the other hundreds of members of the audience including tour groups blocking exits and then trying to get a Grab taxi back to the hotel!

Dinner on our first night in Geelong, and this isn’t a bad Thai. In fact, it’s one of the better ones. What makes it better? Fresh herbs and spices; fresh curry leaves and peppercorns are easy to miss. I was asked how spicy I would like it, ‘Thai spicy’, yes absolutely, and it was certainly...

Jumped on the scooter for a trip down the main road to Nongnooch Tropical Garden. Nick had been before as part of an overseas work trip outing but I had no idea what to expect…the place is vast and a bit quirky. In fact it purports to be one of the top ten in the...

After the busy and chaotic few nights in Hanoi, we decided to chill out in Tam Coc. Tam Coc is a small town in the Ninh Binh Province close to the actual city of Ninh Binh but far quieter. We stopped at a lovely little hotel located down a side street off the main through...

Landed in Hanoi after a pleasant 2hr flight with Vietnam Airlines from Bangkok, they even managed a meal service in that time. On landing we made our way to the agreed meeting point to find our free (thank you Booking.com genius reward 😀) ride to Hanoi Old Quarter. Some crazy traffic meant this relatively short...

Aytthaya once served as the thriving capital of the Kingdom of Siam, from 1350 until it was razed to the ground by the Burmese in 1767. The park has majestic ruins of temples, palaces, and statues and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site (https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/576/) We had an early start today to jump on the...