A Night Walk Through Hoi An Vietnam

We were lucky enough to spend 9 nights in Hoi An Vietnam. It was such a great place to slow down and just relax. What impressed me the most about this town and ancient village, were the beautiful nights. We happened to be visiting over Christmas, but I have a feeling this place is like Christmas every night.

Come with me on a night walk around the UNESCO World Heritage city of Hoi An.

Each night at dusk the floating lanterns would come out. These ladies were selling the candles from their boat. In the background you will also see the Japanese Bridge, which is a wooden structure with a pagoda on it, dating from the 18th century.

Hoi An Vietnam Japanese Bridge — Japanese Bridge Hoi An Vietnam

Floating candles were everywhere and the locals weren’t afraid to approach you to buy them for about $.50. Often the ladies would be out selling them and they would also have kids along with them. The kids were very difficult to say no to.

Just look how adorable they are dressed up in their Santa suits. We did find them to be a little aggressive when we said no. The kids would often put on the sad face and say that we needed to buy one now so they could go home to do their school work. They had many tactics for trying to get you to buy one.

Of course many tourists did purchase the lanterns and it was beautiful to watch them float along the river. You were to place it in the river and make a wish. If you didn’t want to make a wish, you could just have the “bad” go away in your life. Not a bad deal for $.50!

Often around town, we would see newlyweds taking their wedding photos. It is our assumption that this is a destination location for weddings in Vietnam. They were always dressed so beautifully and we just couldn’t resist taking a few photos of them ourselves.

I just love any water town, as I feel so comfortable when I am around water. San Francisco is my all-time favorite, but I also love Amsterdam, Almuñécar, and other locations as well. The energy and vibes of the people when they are around water are great. There is often a cool breeze which comes along with water as well. But my favorite things are all of the lights and their reflections. It is truly magical to watch it all glisten, dance, and make the water come alive at night.

This ancient village is also known for the Hoi An Lanterns. The streets are lined with shops selling the handmade lanterns, which are covered wood frames with silk fabric. They were also strung along the streets between trees and around restaurants. It was really beautiful to see.

Walking through the village following our Christmas Eve Dinner Cruise was just magical. Everyone was in good spirits and the town was alive.

If you want to spend more time in the area, take the time to check out this central Vietnam itinerary.

Last but not least, we loved meeting up with a fellow traveling family, The Traveling Hamsters (Suzanne, Jim and Lily). It was fun to hangout with them and walk around town at night. The bridge crossing the river was also full of lights and color.