Hoi An: A Memoir of Lanterns & Flavors 🏮🍜

A postcard-perfect tourist town? Yes. Worth visiting anyway? Absolutely. ✨ Why Hoi An Shines 🏮 Lantern Galore – Streets draped in handmade silk lanterns (gold, red, blue!) with zero artificial "old-town fakeness" (looking at you, Wuzhen!). 🍜 Food Heaven – Affordable, delicious, and no tourist traps (locals value reputation!). 🏛️ Time-Capsule Charm – Crumbling-yet-elegant Sino-Vietnamese shophouses (thanks to 17th-century Chinese traders!). 🌊 A Fading Legacy Once a bustling Mekong trade port, now quiet but perfectly preserved. Chinese influence lingers in temples & guild halls... yet few Chinese visitors remain. ⏳ How Long to Stay? ✔ 2-3 days max – Lantern nights, coconut boats, and cao lầu noodles are the highlights. ✖ Skip if you prefer raw history – Hue (3hrs north) has deeper imperial vibes. #HoiAnDiaries #LanternNights #RealVietnam