October 8, 2025
We had to shake the kids awake at 8:30am so we’d have time for breakfast before meeting our guide. Len laid down at the breakfast table and Ollie complained multiple times that he was tired. They had an especially long day yesterday since thunder woke them up around 6am and they snuck an iPad to watch shows under their blanket. We kept today’s early start time since we knew it would only get hotter around midday but looking back we may have been better off with a later start.
Our guide Huang met us in our hotel lobby at 9am and we were off for our walking tour. We walked along the Thu Bon river and were soon spotted by a man selling rubber band powered flying birds. We were an easy target and soon negotiated the price down from 200,000 Dong each to 100,000 Dong (~$4 USD) for two. We then stopped at the Japanese Covered Bridge and managed to snap a picture with two already disgruntled boys.
The Japanese Covered Bridge in Hoi An, built in the early 17th century, was constructed by the Japanese community to link them with the Chinese quarter across the stream. Featuring ornate carvings and a small temple dedicated to the northern god Tran Vo Bac De, it reflects a blend of Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese architectural influences. Today, it stands as one of Hoi An’s most iconic symbols and a testament to the town’s multicultural trading history.
Next up was the Tan Ky Old House where Huang did his best to tell us about the home’s original owners and historical importance but the boys were already sweltering and their irritability at an all time high.
The Tan Ky Old House in Hoi An, built over 200 years ago, is a beautifully preserved merchant’s home that reflects the town’s rich trading past. Its architecture harmoniously blends Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese influences, showcasing carved wooden beams and intricate mother-of-pearl inlays. Still owned by the original family, the house offers a glimpse into Hoi An’s prosperous history and enduring cultural heritage.
We did manage to learn about the Confucius cup that had a hole in the bottom and when filled ~80%, no water would leak out. But once filled past that mark, the cup would spill all the water out through the bottom. The moral is that excess and greed lead to loss, while balance and restraint preserve harmony and fulfillment. We didn’t buy one of the cups but we did get the boys each a necklace with the Chinese Zodiac animal on it. Ollie was born in the year of the dog and Len the year of the rat— Kyle and I think both animals match their personalities.
We stopped for mid-morning gelato hoping it would improve the boys’ moods but even this didn’t work. It was hot, they were tired and didn’t feel like walking around at all. Thankfully, lantern making was next and this hands-on, seated activity kept their attention and they happily followed the instructions of the expert lantern makers.
Next we went to Phuc Kien where the afternoon continued to devolve. The boys had zero interest in learning about the temple and took to rough housing and pushing each other near some of the statues. We zoomed through the temple to head to a tailor recommended by our guide.
The Phuc Kien (Fujian) Assembly Hall in Hoi An was built in the late 17th century by Chinese immigrants from Fujian as a place of worship and community gathering. Dedicated to the sea goddess Thien Hau, it features intricate carvings, colorful mosaics, and ornate dragon motifs symbolizing prosperity and protection. Today, it stands as one of Hoi An’s most vibrant temples, reflecting the town’s rich multicultural heritage.
Most we know who’ve come to Hoi An recommend getting some tailor made pieces here. The tailors are known for their fast turn around time, often just a few days, but quality and pricing reviews have been mixed. We walked a bit outside of old town and were told by Huang that the quality and pricing would be better in this neighborhood. The boys got some Pokémon time while Kyle and I reviewed the linen options and got measured. Kyle was happy to deploy his negotiation skills and expertly reduced the offered price while also throwing in an extra dress for me. We’ll go back tomorrow for the progress fitting and the following day we’ll pick up our clothes— 2 linen shirts and a pair of linen pants for Kyle and 2 linen dresses for me.
We had a set menu for lunch where we sampled some new to us Vietnamese dishes like second floor noodles. We learned from Huang that this was once considered a fancy dish and received its name as the fancy foods would often be served on the second floor of buildings in Hoi An where they were much less likely to flood. The boys stuck mostly to French fries and rice here save for a few friend spring roll nibbles. Their behavior continued to devolve and we knew we needed to get to the room and some aircon as soon as possible. They were laying on the bench and fighting which resulted in lost iPad free time at the room— Ollie was distraught and pouted the whole way home.
At the room, the boys were left to use their imagination for quiet time and they took to launching their capybaras around the room and attacking them with their new bird/planes. Despite their exhaustion they refused to take a nap while I collapsed onto the bed and quickly fell asleep. After an hour of this, we headed to the pool where Kyle and I took turns watching the kids and working out at the hotel gym. The kids swam and jumped for nearly 2 hours straight and Len impressed Kyle by swimming the entire length of the pool! Len promised he’d show me his swimming process tomorrow because he was tired by the time I finished at the gym.
After baths, we had a quick dinner at the hotel restaurant. The food was fine but Kyle and I were excited to get a proper margarita for the first time in months. Kyle stood by the bartender while he made it, giving him explicit instructions throughout. The kids were begging to watch a movie after dinner but we knew they needed to go to sleep early-ish. After we ate and told the boys that we’d have a few cookies in the room for dessert, Len started to lose it. Ollie told him, “Don’t freak out Lenny, we can still watch a show!” and through tears Lenny goes, “But I AM freaking out.” We eventually settled on a Netflix show about tiny animals. Kyle snuck out before bedtime to get a 2 hr massage at the hotel spa— just $38 USD after a generous tip.
