Hoi An, City of Silk

As "Tet", the Vietnamese New Year approaches, I don't think I could've chosen a more colorful and festive place to be than Hoi An. Famous for its silk and hand tailoring, Hoi An attracts people from around the world, though its distance from both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh keeps crowds around here small.

I spent 6 nights in Hoi An and was able to watch as the town was decked out in colorful lanterns and flags for the New Year.

The New Year is a BIG deal in Vietnam - the celebration lasts a full week and preparations started months ago (no joke!).

I stayed at a place called "Under the Coconut Tree" (yes really) that was outside of town near the calm and quiet An Bang Beach. Getting into tpwn was a 10-15 mn bike ride that took me through beautiful rice paddies.

After seeing so many places these past 6 weeks, I decided to stay in Hoi An for a stretch to rest, relax, and regain some inner balance.

The Coconut Tree

Oh, and get scuba certified!

Huang (my instructor) and I after our open water dives.

Cham Islands, our dive site.

Post-dive lunch at a mindblowingly beautiful beach.

Hoi An was a beautiful place to slow my gears down, read, write, meditate, get sick, eat pho, get better, eat more pho, and really reflect on my travels and many other life questions.