Hoi An: Lanterns, tailors and basket boats

Hoi An was a trading port for Japanese, Chinese and Dutch merchants, and the old town survived the wars almost untouched — yellow walls, tiled roofs, and silk lanterns strung over every lane. It is also thoroughly, unapologetically touristic. Accept that, get up early or stay out late, and it's still one of the most charming places in Vietnam.

The Old Town

• A ticket is required for the protected old town, covering entry to a set number of heritage houses, temples and museums
• The Japanese Covered Bridge is the emblem of the town, and appears on the 20,000 dong note
• Lanterns come on at dusk, and on the full moon the electric lights go off for the lantern festival
• Boats on the Thu Bon river sell paper lanterns to float — pretty, and a lot of litter, so decide for yourself
• Mornings before eight are the only time the lanes are quiet

Getting Clothes Made

Hundreds of tailors will make a suit, dress or coat in 24 to 48 hours. Quality varies enormously. Allow at least two fittings — the first garment is almost never right — bring a photo or a piece you already like, agree the fabric and the price in writing, and don't leave the final fitting to the morning of your bus. Cheap quotes usually mean polyester blends sold as wool.

Beyond the Lanes

• An Bang beach — 15 minutes by bike, with loungers and seafood shacks
• Cam Thanh coconut village — the basket boats, rowed through water palms; the spinning routine is pure theatre and best in a smaller, quieter group
• Cycling through rice fields — the countryside starts immediately outside town and most hotels lend bikes
• My Son — a Cham temple complex of red brick towers in a jungle valley, an hour away and best early
• Da Nang — 45 minutes north for the Marble Mountains, the Dragon Bridge and a modern city beach

Where to Eat

• Cao lau — thick noodles with pork and greens, made only here, traditionally with water from a particular local well
• White rose dumplings and banh xeo, both Hoi An specialities
• Banh mi — the town has a genuine claim to the best in Vietnam, and the queues prove it
• Com ga — Hoi An chicken rice, turmeric-yellow and served with herbs
• Cooking classes usually start with a market tour and a boat ride, and are among the best value in the country

Two or three nights. Any less and the tailoring won't be finished; any more and you'll have walked every lane twice. October to November is flood season, when the streets sometimes take to boats.