Hoi An: Operation Silk Shirt Era

A short 30-40 minute drive south of Da Nang lies Hoi An, a beautiful ancient little town set beside the Thu Bon river.

Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage site, as it is a great example of a Southeast Asian trading port from the 1400s-1800s. The bright golden yellow buildings and hanging lanterns that light the cobblestone streets make the city quite charming.

Hoi An is particularly well known for its fabric shops and tailors. With over 500 tailors in the city, it is the best place in Asia to get custom suits, dresses, and shirts made. As I am currently on the quest for a “Gentleman of Leisure” lifestyle and enjoy more tropical settings, suits aren’t really for me.

Light, breezy, barely buttoned casual shirts made from cotton or silk however, fit the bill perfectly.

After checking into my hotel, I decided to check out a few of the local tailor shops to see about getting a few shirts made. Before I could even make it to my first destination, a scout from one of the popular tailor shops struck up a conversation with me and goaded me into promising to visit her shop.

After visiting 4 or 5 different spots and seeing some amazing patterns and fabrics, I ended up getting fitted for 4 shirts and a pair of linen shorts between 3 different shops.

All 3 of the shops took my measurements, and had my new threads ready the next day. I’ll have to come back to Hoi An with an empty suitcase next time so that I can update my entire wardrobe.

Hoi An is also known for some local dishes like Cao Lau, a savory rice noodle dish served with rich roasted pork slices, crispy little squares of pork skin, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts. Another standout dish was the coco duck at Mango Rooms, an Asian fusion joint along the river.

There were some good cocktails in Hoi An as well. One of the bartenders at Libre in Da Nang suggested a cocktail bar in Hoi An, Mezcal Coctelería. A mezcal bar in Vietnam that serves tacos and has an extensive selection of mezcals? Yes please!

The cocktails were complex, delicious, and strong. The tacos were actually really solid as well, especially the baja-style fish taco.

I also stumbled upon another great cocktail bar, Mộng Nguyệt. Kind of a speakeasy located above the Giong Cafe, Mộng Nguyệt is a newly opened cocktail bar in a building that is probably hundreds of years old. The bartender Duy, hails from the big city, Ho Chi Minh, and runs another establishment there. Mộng Nguyệt focuses on Vietnamese craft spirits, mainly gin, and using local ingredients to whip up some unique cocktails.

When I get back to California at the end of this trip, please invite me to parties. I want to show off my new custom tailored shirts.