PL SIMPLE
he view from my balcony in the new East Wing at La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa is enticing: a saltwater lagoon pool dotted with palm trees, surrounded by a courtyard of ochre European- style villas. Te view inside my spacious, colonial- style Junior Suite is pretty decent too: gorgeous handcraſted teak furniture, polished wooden
floors and a blend of modern Asian décor. But what’s grabbed my attention is a striking black-
and-white photograph on the wall; the portrait captures a wizened old Vietnamese couple sharing an intimate joke. Her unforgettable toothless grin beams from ear to ear as her mischievous husband, with an equally iconic tuſt of white beard, tenderly tousles her hair. Te absolute joy and mutual affection radiating from the seemingly poor elderly couple is powerful and utterly captivating. Other art pieces are dotted throughout the room
showing moments from Vietnam’s past – much of it serene scenes of local life. Tere are conical hat-wearing farmers watering their crops, children playing by lily ponds and fishermen steering traditional boats through waterways. It’s the perfect foreshadowing for the next few days of relaxing and soaking up the charming appeal of Vietnam’s slow-paced rural life. Hoi An, in Quang Nam province, is worlds away from
the frantic moped-swarming cities of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, or glitzy resort-filled neighbour Danang, just 40 minutes up the coast and the entry point for most Hoi An-bound visitors via Danang International Airport. In the centre is the well-preserved ancient town, a
major 16th-century trading point in Southeast Asia that was declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 1999. Te town’s legacy as a cultural melting pot is strongly reflected in the unique architecture, comprising an eclectic mix of traditional Vietnamese, Chinese, French, Portuguese and Japanese architecture. Te picturesque maze of alleys is now home to boutique art galleries, shops and traditional tailors that are well worth a visit, but simply exploring and soaking up the atmosphere is rewarding in itself. Unlike many other Vietnamese destinations, where extreme
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