Explore Hoi An with Faryl Cat Hoang

"Our traffic jams are herds of ducks and families of water buffaloes." - Faryl Hoang

Talking with Faryl about her journey, her experiences as a Vietnamese-American rediscovering her roots, and what it’s really like to live in a place as magical as Hoi An was fascinating. Her perspective offered a really balanced view—yes, it’s paradise, but it also has its challenges. That’s something I always try to emphasize when we romanticize a place. Hoi An isn’t just lanterns and slow riverboat rides; it’s also a living, breathing community that’s evolving in real time.

One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation was how we, as expats, often view progress differently from locals. The discussion about KFC and Starbucks coming to Hoi An was a perfect example. While foreigners might resist these changes, the local community celebrates them. It’s a reminder that we’re guests in these places, and our nostalgia for an "untouched" Vietnam doesn’t necessarily align with what people living there actually want.

Also, I just loved the moment when Faryl’s dog started barking because a family of buffalo was walking by her house! That’s the kind of real-life, unfiltered Vietnam I love capturing on this podcast. It was a great episode that blended travel, history, and a bit of cultural reality check all in one.
- Niall Mackay

Key Takeaways:
- The Reality of Living in Hoi An – Hoi An is stunning but lacks Western conveniences. No shopping malls, no major grocery stores—life here requires a slower pace.
- The Changing Face of Vietnam – The arrival of big chains like KFC and Starbucks sparked debates among expats, but locals were thrilled. It’s a sign of progress and accessibility, not just commercialization.
- The Complexity of the Vietnamese Language – Even for someone with Vietnamese heritage like Faryl, learning the language is incredibly challenging due to regional dialects and pronunciation differences.
- Hidden Gems Near Hoi An – Bac Ma National Park between Da Nang and Hue is an under-the-radar spot for hiking, wildlife conservation, and stunning landscapes.
- Hoi An’s Nightlife is Underrated – From backpacker chaos at Tiger Tiger to r

Transcript

Faryl: 0:00

Living in Hoi An, it's paradise in so many ways. But We don't have a lot of the Western conveniences that you do in the cities. We don't have a shopping mall. We don't have a grocery store. It's almost like transporting back in time. Our traffic jams are herds of ducks and families of water buffaloes.

Niall: 0:17

I really hope you're enjoying this mini series of A Vietnam Podcast where we are exploring all of Vietnam from top to bottom and it's brought to you by Explore. They are a leader in small group travel since 1981. What started with just a few tours and a four page brochure has grown into more than 400 authentic journeys worldwide. With Explore, you can experience Vietnam in a small, intimate group guided by locals. Making your adventure both hassle free and filled with those spontaneous moments that make travel unforgettable. Are youu ready to explore Vietnam? Then visit"exploreworldwide.com" and start planning your next adventure to Vietnam today, and join me in this amazing country.

Niall Mackay: 1:08

Welcome to a Vietnam podcast with me, your host, Neil Mackay. I started this podcast in 2019 as a hobby, and we share stories of people connected to Vietnam. I came to Vietnam in 2015 for the first time, fell in love with it, came back in 2016 and basically have never left now in this mini series. We are exploring all of Vietnam. And I've been talking to some amazing people learning so much about this country that I already love. And I'm really excited to talk to my guest today. In this episode, we are going to be talking about one of my favorite places. In Vietnam that I've been to many times, and that's the Hoi An and Da Nang region, and this person actually lives in one of my favorite places in Hoi An that we love to go back to, which is An Bang Beach, which we'll talk more about that in a second. She's originally from San Francisco. She's a Vietnamese background and came back to Vietnam in 2018, like many people, to discover her roots, in her native San Francisco, she was a hairstylist and makeup artist and now runs a hair salon in An Bang Beach in Hoi An. I'm very, very excited to talk to Farrow Cat Hoang. Thank you very much for coming on a Vietnam podcast today.

Faryl: 2:20

Yeah. Thanks so much for having me.

Niall Mackay: 2:23

You are very welcome. So what brought you then from San Francisco, which I hear is one of the greatest cities in the world. I've never been to. It's actually been one of my lifelong dreams to go to San Francisco. What made you leave San Francisco and come? To Vietnam.

Faryl: 2:37

I think like a lot of VQ, I was really interested in self discovery and, exploring a little bit more of my heritage. kind of coupled with the rising cost of living in San Francisco, prompted me to stay. And, I've been in Vietnam ever since.

Niall Mackay: 2:56

it's one of my dreams, as I just mentioned, to go to San Francisco, but that is because when I was in my twenties, I loved Jack Kerouac and the beat generation and read so much about San Francisco. And unfortunately it's not like that at all anymore. that was in my twenties was like 20 years ago and it's changed immeasurably since then. Right?

Faryl: 3:16

Yeah, yeah. So, I lived on Haight Nashbury in San

Niall Mackay: 3:21

No.

Faryl: 3:22

of the epicenter of the hippie revolution, and, I think I sort of caught the tail end of this sort of new bohemia that San Francisco is so known for. My childhood in San Francisco, I was part of the first wave of gentrifiers, but with the expansion and takeover of tech culture, we've really seen the artists and creatives that made San Francisco so special be sort of forced out to the fringes. And, unfortunately the city, I mean, it's still a a special, really, really special place. But it's lost a little bit of the, of that something that made it so unique.

Niall Mackay: 4:04

Well, I'm glad you came to Vietnam because I feel like we are in the sweet spot of Vietnam right now. Had you been here before? Did your parents talk much about Vietnam before?

Faryl: 4:15

Yeah. So, my dad was born and raised in Nha Trang and, we visited a few times when I was a kid. you know, I think my first trip, It was in 1997, 1998, so, Nha Trang was a very different place then, Saigon was very different then, and we didn't go any further north than that. So my childhood experiences of Vietnam are so different from that I live today, it's been really incredible on the one hand to see the country progress and develop and, even just in the six, almost seven years since I've been living here, we've really seen this sort of explosion of modernity and, economic growth. but I definitely hold sort of a candle in my heart for the. Kind of old world Vietnam where there were more bicycles, even the motorbikes and cyclos were actual taxis instead of just tourist traps.

Niall Mackay: 5:09

Yeah, that is a good point. I've noticed that like people in Saigon get the sea clothes around and I'm like, what are you doing? It's just, you're just around traffic. There's just traffic. There's nothing to see you're going through. Like you're looking at office buildings and you're breathing in the pollution of All those modern cars next to you. So I agree with you about that. And I think it's difficult, especially when you think about San Francisco, because. We all kind of cling on to the past, but we all want the modern lifestyle as well. And one thing I mentioned a lot in this podcast in relation to Vietnam is we, a lot of people like we want that romanticized past of the bicycle, the bicycles and the sea clothes and the cheap or even cheaper fun, cheaper lifestyle. But then you remember people were really poor, people didn't have much. And so it's difficult. I find it personally difficult to. think about that and be like, Oh, I wish it was like this. And I still do it. And I still struggle with it. We just went to Phong Nha and had an incredible time. And it felt like stepping into the past a little bit. And it is like Vietnam. It's modernizing. People have cars and houses. But every time I say like, this is like the real Vietnam, I feel a little bit of a cringe or a twinge to be like, that's okay. Cause you want that. But is it good for the people? So I always struggle with that.

Faryl: 6:27

Yeah, I think it's interesting. Hoi An recently, about a year ago, got our first KFC and it turned into a very heated debate on the expat forums on Facebook, as you can imagine, where you saw a lot of foreigners really resisting, big chains moving into our city. the reaction from local people was very celebratory and it takes a bit of unpacking and I think also, kind of decentering in our minds, but, you know, just remembering like we're guests here and like, you know, our. Desire to keep Vietnam in a time capsule

Niall Mackay: 7:07

Yeah,

Faryl: 7:08

what local people want. And, I think the KFC has been a big success. We also have a Starbucks now. I personally, as an American, am grateful. So, you know, I would say in with the new, definitely not out with the old.

Niall Mackay: 7:23

I think that what you've just said there is a perfect example of exactly what I'm talking about. Because same in Saigon, you've seen the expat forums. People will be saying stuff about McDonald's or Starbucks, things like this. And you have to be like, is it what you want or is it what the locals want? Because the locals are super excited that there's a McDonald's and there's a Starbucks and there's a KFC. And while we can pontificate and be like, oh, well, that's. Bad for your health and it's globalization and big corporations. And I agree 110 percent with all of that. The people here are like really excited for all of those things. So who are we to tell them that they shouldn't be excited about that? Now, I have a question for you because I asked this with a lot of people like yourself who come from Vietnamese background and they've come back to Vietnam. And you've said that your parents brought you back here very often, but what did your parents think when you said you were going to move to Vietnam?

Faryl: 8:18

that's a funny question. my dad is Vietnamese. My mom is, American. And so I think my dad's initial reaction was just confusion. you know, he, like a lot of, Southern Vietnamese left as a boat person and literally nearly died escaping, Vietnam so that his future children could someday live a better life. I think. The reality is that that's what my dad wanted for me, was a better life, and whether that was in San Francisco or that was here in Vietnam, know, as long as I'm happy, that was something he could support. And it wasn't long before he visited me. And kind of saw Vietnam, not as like a foreign Vietnamese returning to see family, but sort of through the lens of somebody looking for a great quality of life and, an adventure, he, he saw that this is really a much better standard of living than what a lot of people have in the U. S. Certainly, and I think, I mean, I struggle to find another place in the world that has this high of a quality of life,

Niall Mackay: 9:22

It's such a mind trip, isn't it? Because I've spoke, the reason I asked that question is I've spoken to several people with similar answers and some more extreme where they tell the parents they want to go back to Vietnam and they're like, what are you going to do? They're going to lock you. Like one of them was like, they will lock you up. There's camps and things because that's what they knew they left in the 70s and that's what they knew and they came back and they were like no it's not like that it's safe and it's that and then there's everything in between as well that was the most extreme example and the parents are like similar to what you said it's just such a mind trip to think they left on a boat. For a better life went through some unspeakable thing, moments in their life and then their child is like, ah, I'm gonna go back to that place. Like it's crazy. And then you come back and as you know, it is an a wonderful country. Now, you are a little bit unusual that you have settled in Haan because as you probably know, most expats are either here in Saigon or in Hanoi. I only know of a few in Haan, you know, Etti and the photographer.

Faryl: 10:26

I do. Yeah. Yeah. It's a small community.

Niall Mackay: 10:30

I don't even know him that well. I've met him once or twice. I know him through a friend of a friend, I assumed because it's a small community, you would know him. What made you decide to settle in central Vietnam, Hoi An, Da Nang? What, did you come to Saigon first and Hanoi and then migrate there or what happened

Faryl: 10:47

So, when I initially planned my visit to Vietnam, it was supposed to be six months backpacking through Southeast Asia. I was going to start off in Saigon with my family for a few weeks to get my bearings. And then, as most American and European backpackers do, I got on a motorbike and I drove north. And it was about when I reached Hoi An that I realized, like, I could see myself living here. and I think, it's very easy to romanticize living someplace when you're on vacation. but the feeling really stuck with me, and by the time I got to Hanoi, I said, yeah, this is it. so I actually was living in Hanoi for the first just over two years, that I was in Vietnam. I set up a little home salon. I made some incredible friends. I actually met my husband. He lived in the apartment below mine. then the world shut down. it was 2020. Covid happened. We were, in various stages of lockdown and, it became really obvious that lockdown in Hanoi was not the vibe. so we packed up our stuff, our dogs, and Actually had to escape the city in like the darkness of night to try and make it south but drove to hoi an and we've been here, ever since and I will say, Living in Hoi An, it's, it's paradise in so many ways and I, I really do love it, but it's not without its challenges. We don't have a lot of the Western conveniences that, you do in the cities. We don't have a shopping mall. We don't have a grocery store. we don't even have like a big windmark. so there's, and I'll a slower pace that is sort of required of you, living here, but especially after like a lifetime of city living and a couple great years in Hanoi, it was really exactly what we needed and we're really enjoying ourselves.

Niall Mackay: 12:47

and hey, you got a KFC now and a Starbucks, so

Faryl: 12:50

It's true. We're living in the modern world.

Niall Mackay: 12:54

it's amazing how COVID has just shaped everyone's life. lives. I think partly the reason that my wife and I have been in Vietnam for so long is definitely down to COVID. Before that, we came, we were going to be here for six weeks. We've now been here for nine years. And a lot of people ask why I don't speak the language. And I hate myself for not speaking the language, but it is literally because it was going to be six weeks. Then it was going to be three months. Then it was only going to be a year. Then it was going to be just one more year. And it's just going to be two more years. So it never felt like the need to learn the language because I was always going to leave. And then COVID happened and suddenly you're, we, you could leave the country, but you couldn't get back in. And our life was here. And then before you know it, you're like, Oh no, I live in Vietnam now. And it's been up and down. There's obviously challenges, but now I'm fully in the last couple of years, I guess, coming out of COVID. You're like, no, it's absolutely amazing here. And I want to be here. So maybe I should start to learn the language. Do you speak Vietnamese?

Faryl: 13:49

I'm also ashamed to say I don't, and for different reasons than you, know, growing up, I'm, I'm the only one of my cousins who's mixed race. So it wasn't spoken at home where, you know, for my relatives, it, you know, they learned by immersion. They learned because it was the, you know, one of the two native tongues in their household. I didn't get that, unfortunately. but there was also a lot of pressure, I think, for my dad to assimilate to being American. And so, I think he really pushed a lot of our traditions and culture aside so that he could make sure that I didn't have. To face the same adversity that he did as an Asian American, living in the Bay Area. and then, you know, since I've been living in Vietnam, I have taken an embarrassing amount of lessons and, I think I'm on like a 400 day streak on Duolingo, but I, I can't even really have like a basic introductory conversation. So, I think I'm just useless at this point, hopeless.

Niall Mackay: 14:49

That makes me feel so good to hear. It makes me feel so because I'm similar in that I'm very bad at languages. I did French for six years at school, I think, and I can probably only ask for an ice cream and where is the train station after six years. And I do like, it's an excuse because I haven't tried. But I know that Vietnamese is supremely difficult and then to hear someone like yourself who has a little bit of background in the language, it's in your DNA, you would have been around it, you've heard it, and to still tell me that it's supremely difficult to learn makes me feel better at not learning it because I'm just like, how would I learn if Someone like yourself who, I don't even use Duolingo, someone like yourself who has a 400 day streak, done a lot of lessons, has a background in the culture, and still can't speak it, and I've heard this again and again. When people ask me, why don't you speak it? I don't like to say because it's too difficult, because I think that's an easy out, because I've not really tried. But it is really difficult, right?

Faryl: 15:48

Yeah, yeah, it's really difficult. it's incredibly regional and dialect specific. The alphabet pronunciation literally changes as you travel from north to south. So, yeah, we have a lot of odds stacked against us. I still think we should all try, but, you know, I think trying is enough.

Niall Mackay: 16:07

We are also in central Vietnam, which is a completely different language, almost. One of my favorite stories to share is we were in Da Nang with my friend Kim, who's Southern Vietnamese. She's from Saigon, born and bred. And we were in a restaurant, my wife Kim, and And Kim was like her translator. I'm like, can you ask for this? And she spoke to her in Vietnamese and the girl and her had no idea what each of them were saying. And they ended up speaking to each other in English, because that was easier to understand. Two Vietnamese people. One central Vietnam, one Saigon, and they spoke to each other in English. And so that's like you're saying is, well, what chance do we have?

Faryl: 16:44

Yeah, absolutely. My, and the nail technician at my salon is from Hanoi and,

Niall Mackay: 16:50

Oh God.

Faryl: 16:52

the, An Bang village dialect is just lost on her. She does a lot of nodding and smiling and thumbs up to our neighbors, but yeah, it, we, we have a pretty tough job if we ever want to master this.

Niall Mackay: 17:07

And even like you mentioned the alphabet or the pronunciation, I know some words are completely different. I know pig in the north is completely different to the word pig in the south. And even recently I heard somebody say Auzai. Which I'd never, in nine years, heard it being called an Aozai, because to me it's an Aoyai, because we're in the south. So even that small pronunciation change, if anyone can hear the difference. And what I said there, the G sound is a Z or a Y depending on if you're So that's just one small example of a million examples of the differences between the languages. So you got to Hoi An. Did you fall in love with it like everyone else? Because I've been several times and it There's just something about it, right?

Faryl: 17:47

I'm sorry. My dog's. Let me grab him really quickly.

Niall Mackay: 17:54

No worries.

Faryl: 17:57

I think there's a buffalo walking by.

Niall Mackay: 18:00

But the reason Chicken started barking, what was the reason? This is, I love this.

Faryl: 18:05

we have a little family of buffalo walking by at the moment. they're chicken's arch nemesis. So, yeah, he had to protect us for a moment.

Niall Mackay: 18:15

What I love is I talk about Vietnam and I, we used to make a podcast that's still available called, still on called You Don't Know Vietnam. And I love their intro is Vietnam's not all just buffaloes and rice paddies. But this is the first time that I've actually had a guest who has an actual buffalo going by the house. And even where we live, which is just, we're in the city, we're outside 10, 15 minutes from the city center, we have buffaloes that go by our building, not our building, but there's a paddy, a block over. So it is like, Vietnam's not all buffaloes and rice paddies, but there's a lot of buffaloes and rice paddies.

Faryl: 18:48

Exactly. Yeah, I'm in a little farming commune right next to Anbang beach, but it's almost like transporting back in time. My neighbors live probably exactly like they did a hundred years ago. yeah, our traffic jams are herds of ducks and, families of water buffaloes.

Niall Mackay: 19:42

Well, tell me then, why did you stay in Hoi An?

Faryl: 19:45

Yeah. An kind of has a little bit of everything. it's got the romance of the old town. You have beautiful rivers and lanterns, shopping, delicious food. You've got the beach. You have, you know, bicycles and just a slow pace of life. so for, Us, especially post COVID and post lockdowns, we were looking for tranquility and we were looking for and a little bit of that kind of beachy laid back lifestyle that we had definitely left behind living in Hanoi. And it's been great. Yeah, we really love it.

Niall Mackay: 20:26

Now, obviously, it's one of the mean things to do when you come to Vietnam. It's one of the first things that we did. It's on every tourist route. Why is that? And what should a tourist do when they come to Hoi An?

Faryl: 20:38

I always tell people who are visiting Hoi An that, you know, regardless of what kind of traveler you are, it's one of those places where you really should do all of the cheesy tourist traps while you're here. All of the tourist attractions are just so charming. It's, you know, you take a little boat down, the Tube 1 river and light a lantern. Like, who wouldn't love that? or you get spun around in a basket boat while people sing karaoke in the background. It's hilarious and so fun. and, and just one of those things. It's silly and, a once in a lifetime experience. also really recommend doing the cooking classes here. the Central Vietnamese cuisine is delicious and so fresh. and then, you know, kind of going outside of the city a little bit, some of the lesser known attractions like Miseon. the Miseon Sanctuary is a Cham era temple. That's about the same age as Angkor Wat, and, it's basically like your own tiny miniature version of Angkor Wat, with a lot less tourists, So you have so much to do, so much to see, but you could also shop all day, eat and drink to your heart's delight, or hang out at the beach, and Be, you know, relaxed and do nothing. So you kind of, I mean, it's one of those places you could end up getting stuck here for weeks if you allow it, or years in my case, but, it's a really special corner of Vietnam.

Niall Mackay: 22:09

Misan is without doubt one of the best hidden gems in all of Vietnam. And as I mentioned, we've been to Hoi An several times now, and it was one of the last trips we went to, not the last one, the one before where we hired bikes, motorbikes, and drove out there. And yeah, it's. Like nobody really knows about it. I think there's so many small things in Vietnam that people don't really know about that you can find. And yeah, it's incredible. And there's craters there, like bomb craters. You can still see where it was bombed. Apparently, I think some people used to take shelter in the temples. Is that right? Am I remembering that correctly?

Faryl: 22:42

Yeah, that's correct. I mean, the fighting in this region was really devastating. and so there's a lot of history to be learned. and I think you're right. Some of those lesser known attractions, they're sort of hidden from the typical backpacker to do list. But, There's yeah, it's such a special thing to bear witness to. there's this sort of We were overcome by this feeling of like, sanctity, at the temple, about people 1200 years ago, coming there to worship and, the feat of actually constructing these structures, And then to see how the intervention of the Vietnamese American war an impact on it is

Niall Mackay: 23:27

Hmm.

Faryl: 23:31

one of the special things about a day trip to Miseon is that you get to drive out into the countryside and through the villages and see some of the really beautiful nature in the area. it's a special one and definitely something to check out.

Niall Mackay: 23:47

One of the best things about travel is, you know, those spontaneous moments that happen, that you just never expect. And that happened to us just recently, as I mentioned, we were in Fengya. And an episode of this is going to be coming out soon. It's going to be on YouTube. People, please, you have to watch it. It's one of the most craziest experiences I've ever happened. We went to this, place called the pub with cold beer. That's actually the name of it, the pub with cold beer. And we'd been told by Ben Mitchell, who was a host at the guest house, that he was going to call ahead and book our lunch for one o'clock. So we showed up at one. We followed the woman into the back of the, it's not even a pub. I mean, you know what it's like, it's Vietnam. It's just a bench and a fridge with some cold beer. And we follow the woman behind the back. And then we hear this like violent squawking and she comes out holding a chicken and it dawns on us that they're about to kill this chicken and we're going to eat it. And this is what we've signed up for. And we. We thought we were just showing up for lunch. And so I was like, I don't, again, don't speak Vietnamese, but I'm like, come, come, come, no, no, no. And like, this is not what we want. Long story short, we actually did end up watching the chicken get killed and ate it. And it was delicious. Go watch the video. It's, it's one of those crazy, spontaneous moments. And so to get back on track. When we went out to Mishom, you do go through all these villages. We've following Google maps. It's not like a highway. You have to go through all these like little hams and streets. And you'd no idea where you are. It was, we went early in the morning, which is a good tip because you beat the heat. I think we left at like six or seven in the morning. And then we come to the river and maybe you can shed some light on this. Cause we had no idea what we stumbled upon. It was like a village, a boat race. So the whole banks of the river were filled with. With obviously local people, like packed, like hundreds, thousands of people. And then we saw on the river, like boat races, like two teams racing and everyone's cheering. And I think we were there for the end of it. And then everyone just kind of dispersed. And we were like, what the hell did we just see here? Like, what, what was that? It was like a Tuesday morning or something like that. Do you have any idea what it was? We saw.

Faryl: 25:52

Yeah, yeah, we have similar races here in Hylian City, and they happen maybe. I want to say about six weeks ago, so not that long back, but, they are like traditional long canoe like boats. And, a lot of the times they're painted with a little face at the front. I don't know a ton of details about the competition or the history of it, but it's something that. People get really excited for every year and, it's amazing. and just like you said, it's like people are like swarmed together and then when it's over, they disperse like it never happened. It's incredible.

Niall Mackay: 26:25

Amazing. Do you know much of the history of Hoi An? the, the the Chinese center, the town.

Faryl: 26:32

Yeah, so, I mean, I'm not by any means an expert, but, Hoi An was sort of a strategic stronghold throughout the centuries. and, such, it was, right for colonization and different settlers. So, over the last, you know, few hundred years, you've had the Japanese settle here, the Chinese settle here, obviously the French. and I think one of the things that makes Hoi An so unique is that you have, little glimmers of the cultural influences of all of those different, settlers. So, you've got the Japanese bridge as an example. the famous Chinese lanterns. and I actually didn't know this, but, one of the reasons why all of the buildings in the ancient town are painted yellow is because that was actually, law by the French, to distinguish like the French settler, structure. So, yeah, you know, not the happiest history, but, I think a really rich and beautiful one, that makes Hoi An really unique.

Niall Mackay: 27:34

It's just so beautiful that you go and I like what you said about you've just got to do the cheesy things like don't try and be like, I'm going to be different and not do Hoi An like go do it. spend some money to help the local people as well. Enjoy it. Do all that cheesy things. I've done the boat you talked about where you spin around and there's loud karaoke and you're like, what is going on right now? I've done the cooking class. Food is delicious. You get to make your own rice milk, I think it was. You ground down the rice. So I would recommend doing that. One of the things we loved the last time we went, and this would be a tip for anyone who is going to go to Hoi An, is get out to, there's now a lot of cafes and restaurants in the middle of the rice paddies, right?

Faryl: 28:14

Yeah, absolutely. some that I would recommend are roving chill house is one that's just spectacular, especially if you can catch it for sundowners. it's basically a floating platform right in the middle of the rice paddies and Amney village. but they're popping up all over. And I think, Vietnamese culture really celebrates. It's the natural beauty of the landscape and, there's been a lot of prioritizing that experience. you'll see like a lot of the local girls in beautiful outfits ready for their photo shoot. But, it's a great way to really see and sort of like transport yourself mentally into like a time gone past. I love watching the. Farmers in the fields working and, yeah, it's just beautiful.

Niall Mackay: 29:02

I gotta give credit to my wife for that one. She found those places. I was just following along, but it's just stunning that the locals have seen this rice paddy is beautiful. Green verdant rice. So they build a cafe or a restaurant in the middle of it. It's kind of doesn't really impact or touch the rice paddies and 100 percent agree. If you can go at sundown at sunset, it's just something to see. It's absolutely beautiful. And where you are in Anbang Beach. is without a doubt one of my favorite places. We went there when we first came in 2015. I think there would only have been one bar on the beach at the time. Now there's four or five, I think. I'm trying to remember the name. What's the name of the main, the oldest bar on the beach there?

Faryl: 29:43

I'm not sure the oldest one. there's

Niall Mackay: 29:46

it's been there forever.

Faryl: 29:47

a few. Yeah. my favorite is, Fung's Beach Restaurant. it's right on the sand. They have sun loungers out during, the sunny season. so they'll serve you right at your, sunbed. there's a lot of really great spots up and down. So if you're spending a few days in Anbang Beach, you can definitely sort of restaurant, bar hop across, and get your suntan on while eating good food and having some drinks.

Niall Mackay: 30:14

And get your hair styled as well at your salon.

Faryl: 30:18

A plug to Barbary Coast.

Niall Mackay: 30:21

One of the things that I love about Anbang beach as well, and this may be a little tip for people is hire a bicycle in Hoi An because Anbang beach is about 20 minutes, 30 minutes cycle ride.

Faryl: 30:33

No, no.

Niall Mackay: 30:34

not that long.

Faryl: 30:35

a bicycle, like 15.

Niall Mackay: 30:37

Yeah, right. Yeah. Yeah. 15. Okay. So five minutes on a motorbike, but get a bicycle. It's pretty much flat like most of Vietnam. You come out of Hoi An, a little bit of traffic, and then it will just open up into these beautiful rice paddies. There is a tourist trap there where I think there's a buffalo that you can pay somebody to sit on the buffalo and get a picture. Is that still there?

Faryl: 30:58

Yep, yep. And the buffalo actually has a new baby. you know, if you are the type of person who wants to ride a buffalo, I can't imagine why because they're pretty stinky. But, that guy is definitely there waiting for you.

Niall Mackay: 31:11

We did it recently in Fengya. We didn't even know what we were doing. They had a buffalo called Donald Trump and they were like,

Faryl: 31:18

At

Niall Mackay: 31:18

and see Donald Yeah, the duck stuff. Yeah, yeah. And we didn't know what was happening. And then the next minute we're both on top of a buffalo. So it was quite fun, but get on a bicycle, drive out, cycle out through the rice paddies, go and have some drinks on Anbang beach, get your hair done. get your tan on and then cycle back at sunset. Cause you don't want to cycle in the darkness. That's quite a big tip. Cause I think we've done that. If you leave it too late, you're going to be cycling in the dark and it's not as safe. So

Faryl: 31:43

Yeah, not as safe. And there's lots of mosquitoes and little

Niall Mackay: 31:46

yeah.

Faryl: 31:47

So make it back to your hotel and time to shower up, before dark and then, head out for a night.

Niall Mackay: 31:54

And that's going to lead me to my favorite question is where would you head out on a night out in Hoi An? Because this is another thing I think is amazing about Hoi An and Vietnam. It's the Japanese town or the Chinese town. It's all beautiful. You get pictures, you get lanterns, but there's actually a really good nightlife in Hoi

Faryl: 32:12

Yeah, so the nightlife in Hoi An is quite interesting. So I actually DJ.

Niall Mackay: 32:17

An, isn't it? Oh, cool.

Faryl: 32:18

like another little side hobby for me. kind of see this split in Hoi An nightlife into a couple different directions. I would be remiss to not mention some of the big backpacker bars and clubs. specifically a night at Tiger Tiger. is a really fun way to get rowdy. lots of the young kids on their gap year dancing on tables and listening to top 40 hits. And as awful and cheesy as that sounds, it's actually so much fun.

Niall Mackay: 32:50

we've done it. I can't deny it

Faryl: 32:51

into the cheese.

Niall Mackay: 32:54

I mean I'm, I'm 42 and we've gone and we've been the oldest people there because it is all backpackers and it's just to give people context as well. There's the river down the middle and on one side is like the backpacker district, which is about two miles, but it's pretty wild and it's fun. And then on the other side is the old town, which is a bit more relaxed and refined, I would say, but continue on. Sorry.

Faryl: 33:17

Exactly. Yeah. So if the backpacker bars are not your scene, and you're looking for some good cocktails, two of my favorite places are market bar, which is really cool. It's located right on the top of the Hoi An central market, which is a historical old building. you've got some great people watching. They play great music and they do an amazing happy hour. They have, they call them fish bowls, but they're basically goblets of gin and infused with fresh herbs and fruit and, all types. But, that's a cannot miss bar. I also really love Mezcal, which is, As the name implies, a Mexican themed cocktail bar. the top floor is swanky and modern. They have all types of agave spirits and tequila tastings. And downstairs is a taqueria, so you can get some really great authentic Mexican food. can't miss. Mm

Niall Mackay: 34:17

I love that you brought up Market Bar. I was waiting to see if you brought that one up. That's one of my favorite places. The last time we were in Hoi An, we went there for Adri's birthday, my wife's birthday. And yeah, gin and tonics out there are amazing. And there's another thing that I think can sometimes not be pulled off well, but this was one of my favorite drinks, was the pho, gin and tonic. Because I think it can be a little bit cheesy, maybe like, Oh, we're going to do a pho drink, but it actually tastes delicious. And it's got the fresh spices and herbs and kind of the same flavors as a, as a pho. So, yeah. And it is a really good people watching place right over the market. One of the things I love about Hoi An as well, there's quite a lot of rooftop bars as well, right? Where you can go up and. It sounds silly to go look at roofs, but that is one of the things of Hoi An, right? They have very iconic, are they terracotta tiles? Is that what it is? They have very iconic roofs, right?

Faryl: 35:07

I think they're terracotta, yeah, but beautiful old tiled roofs. and yeah, just special views. It's interesting when you look at old photos of Hoi An from that same perspective. Not much has really changed. Sure, you've added in some neon lights and some colorful lanterns, but, the structures are the same, so it's a really fun experience.

Niall Mackay: 35:31

Amazing. Thank you so much for this. Is there any other hidden gems that you have in Hoi An that I don't know about?

Faryl: 35:38

this is not quite in Hoi An, but I definitely want to mention how beautiful some of the surrounding nature is. so between Da Nang and Hue, is an area called Bac Ma National Park. so if you have an extra couple days while you're visiting Central Vietnam, I highly recommend paying the park a visit. It's a protected nature reserve. So they're really working, for animal conservation and to rebuild some of the species of, specifically birds that were over hunted in the area or, and also that were affected by Agent Orange after the war. It's a beautiful hike to the top of a mountain if you've, if you're a sporty kind of person, but if not, they've got, golf carts that can take you around and there's some really great information centers. so that's definitely a hidden gem that I think, is worth checking out. the surrounding nature is probably what makes me. The happiest about my life in Hoi An. don't get me wrong. If the beach is great, the old town is amazing. But when you venture just a few minutes outside of the city in any direction, you really get sort of a slice of what Vietnam has to offer, I think, and it's so special.

Niall Mackay: 36:54

Barrow, I'm so excited to get back up to high end. It's been a couple of years, so we need to come up soon and I will definitely get in touch with you and we will go to market bar for happy hour.

Faryl: 37:03

Yes Pay us a visit. Cool. Thanks

Niall Mackay: 37:06

All right, Barrow, thank you so much. And I will be talking to you again very soon. Cheers.