Very few people who consider a trip to Vietnam will miss out on the images offered by the romantic lights of Hoi Ann, but we nearly did. We needed a week on a deserted beach somewhere to recharge after all the trips, but it all worked out in the end and we managed to achieve both.

It is worth mentioning that Hoi Ann is on the coast, it sits on an inland waterway that becomes an estuary and flows into the sea. The ancient fishing port of Hoi An is hot and busy, most people stay in the town or visit as part of a day trip from Da Nang about an hour away and has a vibe more like Miami that a desert island.

A bit of further research unearthed the discovery that there is deserted coastline only 10 minutes away by cab. An Bang beach is a relatively narrow stretch of beach that runs for miles with little beach resorts spotted along the coast, so we found our perfect solution, we had our deserted beach to kick back on, whilst still enjoying the fun of Hoi An, top result.

An Bang is a busy little town, with plenty of bars and restaurants overlooking the sea. It has a wonderful array of seafood restaurants, with most of the seafood being grown in large tanks in the restaurants or tanks in the back streets. We were in a little resort 10 minutes’ walk away called Sol An Bang Beach Resort & Spa, it was a smashing place, right on the beach and with friendly staff, just what we were looking for.

We unpacked our bags and called a Grab cab and headed into Hoi An for $3. We arrived in late afternoon and it was notably hotter than the beach. It really is an ancient town, which is famous for the shops that spread out from the river into the back streets. 

Hoi An is particularly famous for their tailors and seam stresses and their ability to create their wares very quickly. The shops stretch back a long way, and peering through the doors you could see tailers busily stitching away in the background.

The first thing that strikes you is the heat, it is much hotter just a few miles from the coast, the second thing is the colour at night, the bright multi coloured lanterns are everywhere.

If it isn’t a tailor, it will be a gift shop or a restaurant, tourists are not interested in much else obviously. Walking along the quay every shop is a bar or restaurant; the key being how well placed they are to watch the boat parade at night with all the twinkly lights.

As the sun goes down the lanterns on the boats come on, and the nightly twinkly parade gets under way. The waterway is split into 2 sections. In one section there are the boats with rowers, they move gracefully on their route down river to the central bridge, turn around and head back to the landing stage.

The other alternative is on the eastern side of the central bridge where the boats are bigger and have motors so move much quicker and you get to see more of the town. As you wander along that part of the quay you will be hassled relentlessly to take a trip on the boats as well.

We opted for the slow rowing boat approach. It was a simple process; you buy a ticket and wait for your boat to turn up. Then you clamber onboard and your helmsman heads off in silence, although he was most insistent that we put on bright orange life jackets, which rather killed the romance considering Wooksie is a redhead.

There are many similarities with the taking a gondola ride in Venice, you cruise down the river and it is quite peaceful. Our boat trip was at dusk and during the trip full darkness fell, so we have the best of the changing colours of the evening and the arrival of the twinkling lanterns.

It got me wondering the tradition what the origins of the lantern flotilla. Hoi An has lantern boats because of a blend of traditional Buddhist rituals, its rich history as a trading port, and a modern desire to preserve the local heritage.

The concept has deep roots and modern appeal for several reasons, but most of all, I suspect it is like lots of things in Vietnam, it makes a fantastic tourist attraction to bring in more customers.

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• Spiritual Ritual: The full moon has long been a holy day in Vietnamese Buddhist culture. On these nights, locals place candlelit, lotus-shaped paper lanterns on the Hoai River to honour their ancestors, pray for good fortune, and make wishes.
• Historical Influence: Dating back to the 16th century, Hoi An was a bustling international trading port where Chinese and Japanese merchants settled. These cultures brought their own lantern-making traditions, which local residents adapted and continued.
• Heritage Preservation: In recent years, local authorities standardized and formalized the hand-rowed boat operations. By removing motorized boats and requiring rowers to follow set guidelines, the city preserves a peaceful, glowing atmosphere that honours its ancient roots while supporting local tourism.

Hope you enjoy the video.