Foreign newspapers publish 'rare photos' of Hoi An

Simon O'Reilly, the author of the article, shared that during his recent visit to Vietnam, especially when he had the opportunity to return to Hoi An (Quang Nam), he realized "how much the S-shaped land has changed and developed strongly over the past 30 years".

The author (middle) and his companion Andy (right)

In contrast to today's bustling tourist scene, in 1994 - the first time he set foot in Hoi An, O'Reilly remembers that the entire old town had only two foreign guests: him and his roommate named Andy.

"During the rest of the trip, we didn't see any other visitors. But the memories I had afterwards in this land are unforgettable," O'Reilly shared.

The author said he felt the sincere, rustic and simple feelings of the local people. They pulled him and Andy to watch the boat race and invited them to sip beer and seafood.

"It was the most impressive and perfect sporting event I have ever seen," the author emphasized.

O'Reilly said that afterwards, he and his friends visited Cua Dai beach and walked around the old town, but everything was completely peaceful and quiet, far different from the bustling, vibrant life of the ancient city today.

"At that time, Hoi An was still famous for its old yellow houses but there weren't many shops. Some locals even told me that the electricity grid here had just stabilized for a short time," O'Reilly described in the article.

Although the dishes were not as diverse as today, according to O'Reilly, Hoi An bread was still something "very wonderful" with fragrant pate filling.

Finally, the author did not forget to express his surprise as well as the impressions of tourism that Hoi An has today.

"This UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was recognized in 1999, welcomed up to 4 million visitors in 2024 and has really become a popular destination," said O'Reilly.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/bao-nuoc-ngoai-dang-tai-anh-hiem-ve-hoi-an-2379987.html