Top Banner

Azamara Quest Blog #5 from Hoi An

 
by Ben Hall
Photography by Ben & Joanna Hall
 

After the New Year celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City, next port of call is the central Vietnamese city of Danang which serves as an access point to the Imperial City of Hue and the ancient town of Hoi An. We opted for a drop off at Hoi An as we'd been to Hue already.

 

Hoi An was a very busy commercial port in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Merchants from Japan, China, Holland and India - among others - traded with the city.

 

The Thu Bon River however silted up and the town died economically for nearly 200 years and has been given a new lease of life thanks to tourism. Almost all of its architecture including streets, ports and buildings are intact and although it is a little touristy these days there's good reason for it. It's one of the few Vietnamese town that has survived centuries of conflict and it has a real charm which makes it one of the most enjoyable sightseeing places in the country. Much of the original Old Town is pedestrianised as well which makes it a good walking city and most of the original houses now operate as retail outlets selling traditional handicrafts and jewellery.

 

There's plenty to see in Hoi An, including the famous Japanese Bridge, the Cantonese Assembly Hall, the Phung Hung Ancient House and the lively market down near the river. 

 

But this places oozes history and charm from every pore and you could easily spend a day wandering the streets and taking in its easy charm, with the odd coffee stop along the way.

 

We're here to help to provide you with travel guides and travel advice on your favourite destinations and help you find the best travel deals and vacation packages from around the world. If you want cruise deals, hotel deals, flight deals, last minute deals, food and wine travel, spa retreat deals, romantic getaways or family holidays from Australia, Asia, Europe, USA, the Pacific, Africa or the Middle East, then we can take a lot of the legwork out of finding the best deals. We source these travel deals through our own industry contacts and by trawling the web ourselves to find the best deals. Keep checking back for our regular travel reviews for first-hand accounts and photography from some great destinations, hotels, cruises and airlines, along with our reviews on must-have travel accessories. 

 

Check out our Facebook page.

Send To A Friend - Share the Love!

 
Your Name:
*
 
Your Email:
*
 
Friend Name:
*
 
Friend Email Address:
*
 
Message:
 
*
Enter the text in the box
Top Right Rectangular Banner

FAST FACTS

 

TRAVEL DEAL
Boutique luxury cruise line Azamara Club Cruises is offering last minute fares for guests to experience five star service and incredible itineraries featuring the best of Japan, Korea and China in spring.

 

Now on sale, guests are invited to choose from two exciting itineraries with US$500 onboard credit and complimentary oceanview cabin upgrades, and significant savings on veranda stateroom upgrades on select sailings. 

These last chance fares include two 12-night cruises on board Azamara Quest.  The first sails from Hong Kong to Shanghai on 5 March 2011, with highlights including Xiamen, China; Nagasaki, Japan and Busan, South Korea.

 

The second option sails from Shanghai to Hong Kong on 17 March 2011 via Beijing (overnight), Seoul and Jeju Island, South Korea.

 

Pricing for both cruises starts from AUD$1999 per person for an interior cabin, with a complimentary upgrade to an oceanview cabin and an onboard credit of US$500 per cabin. 

 

Veranda stateroom pricing starts from AUD$2729 per person, with a saving of AUD$1030. 

Alternatively, guests can combine both cruises into an exotic 24-night Asia adventure sailing roundtrip from Hong Kong with prices starting from only AUD$3099 per person, plus a free oceanview cabin upgrade and US$1000 onboard credit per cabin.

Smaller than most cruise ships, Azamara Quest is able to berth in smaller ports that larger ships are unable to reach.

She boasts two specialty restaurants with meals prepared by award-winning chefs using only the finest and freshest of ingredients, as well as one staff member for every two guests and a world famous butler service. She also features shopping on board, a casino, theatre shows and art auctions. Her fitness and spa centre is also world-class, with pampering treatments, acupuncture and more. 

This offer is valid for new individual bookings until sold out.  Some further conditions apply.

For more information call 1800 754 500 (within Australia) or visit the Azamara Club Cruises web site at www.azamaraclubcruises.com.

Bottom Right Rectangular Banner
 

Marseille, Mon Amie

Featured Destination
Selection by: Ben Hall
1.Marseille-Harbour-Panoram
2.MarseilleFanny
3.MarseilleHarbour-Ferry
4.MarseilleFishmonger
5.L'Abbaye-Saint-Victor
6.Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde
7.Les-Panier-Cat
8.MarseilleSnails
9.MarseilleHarbour
It’s long been considered the rough diamond of France, but Marseille has been polished into .....
 
 
Bottom Leaderboard Banner