Hoi An is beautiful, but dangerous for anyone with bad spending habits. It's home to French colonial architecture, traditional houses, and Chinese assembly halls, all of which miraculously survived the war. Unfortunately, most people miss out on the rich history because they're distracted by Hoi An's other main attraction - custom clothing. We were no exception. We spent hours browsing some of the 500+ tailors and shoemakers. Despite our best effort to save money, we ended up buying enough to fill another suitcase. Most of the items we bought turned out great, but others left us disappointed. A word to the wise - don't fall for the promise to "match any style". You'll get a great fit, but you can't match today's styles using cheap fabric, old sewing machines, and no treatment processes. You end up with something your grandparents would like. Stick with the classic items, like suits and dress shirts.
Hoi An also has some excellent food. It’s home to a number of dishes that aren't found anywhere else in the country. We tried something new with every meal and were never disappointed. Hopefully our new clothes will still fit by the time we get home.
