Photos of how Hoi An, Vietnam Lights up the night

Hoi An is known for two things. Tailors and the old town which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is beautiful and romantic with winding cobble stone lanes and amazing heritage style architecture. With foreign inspirations due to it’s history of being a major port city during the 15th to 19th centuries, walking around the old streets at night felt like a dream to me. It’s quite magical. All the hustle and bustle of tailors shouting at you to come inside their shops are closed up or at least calmed down enough that you don’t notice them anymore. Instead, you feel peace inside as your surrounded by the glow of all the lanterns that light up the streets. There are no street lamps, honking taxi cabs, noisy karaoke bars or flashy bumping clubs in the Old town of Hoi An.

We were lucky enough to be there one evening when it was Earth Hour. They had a parade complete with propaganda looking floats and a big stage with live music. For the hour when all lights were to be shut off, all the lanterns that filled the streets were turned off, restaurants served their guests by candle light and many lit floating candle lanterns.

One of many lantern shops

Walking across the bridge into Old Town

Beautiful lit up lantern art floating on the river

Just few of the many lanterns that light up the streets

Lantern found on the covered bridge

Lady releasing floating lanterns from a boat one night for a wedding.

Restaurants had their own custom lanterns to use as signs

About the release my own floating lantern during Earth Hour

Scott being silly

A parade of kids heading to the river with their lanterns during Earth Hour

The only lights we could see during Earth Hour was all the floating lanterns

Hoi An, especially at night, is a place that stays in your heart forever. Do you agree?