When sourcing photos to write this short piece about the very well-documented Hoi An, Vietnam, I was shocked to discover that after spending a few dreamy days there in 2014, I came home with exactly seven photos. Of those, four were non-blurry. One may or may not be my thumb. It was a different time.
Back then, Hoi An had the same magic—but fewer phones held permanently at arm’s length. And I traveled with the bold confidence of someone who assumed memories were enough. You’d head out thinking, I’ll take photos later, and then suddenly it was night, lanterns were glowing, and your phone was buried at the bottom of a bag you hadn’t opened all day.
Hoi An has a funny way of disarming you. Somewhere between the tailor shops, the faded yellow walls, and one too many iced coffees, my phone stopped being a camera and became something I used mainly to check the time. Or directions. Occasionally.
I miss those days—when I wasn’t thinking about angles, algorithms, or whether a moment was “content.” That said, I do wish I’d taken more photos. Just… maybe fewer blurry ones.
So, in honour of my seven-photo album, here are seven things to do (or accidentally forget to photograph) in Hoi An—most of which I absolutely experienced, even if my camera roll suggests otherwise.
- Wander the Old Town
Get happily lost among yellow buildings, shuttered windows, and streets that somehow looked timeless even back then. - Watch the Lanterns Light Up
As evening falls, the town glows. Magical, atmospheric, and very easy to forget you own a camera. - Sit by the Thu Bồn River
Boats drift past, lanterns float, and time slows down—especially when you’re not documenting it. - Eat Absolutely Everything
Cao lầu, bánh mì, white rose dumplings. Food photos were optional in 2014. Eating was not. - Visit a Tailor (or Three)
Walk in “just browsing,” walk out with custom clothes and zero photographic evidence of the process. - Cycle Through the Rice Fields
Green, peaceful, postcard-perfect—and somehow missing entirely from my photo archive. - Do Nothing at All
Sit. Sip coffee. Watch the world go by. Peak Hoi An—and apparently peak forgetfulness.
I miss traveling like that—fully present, mildly under-documented.
Oh well. Looks like I’ll just have to go back.
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