Hoi An

Hoi An is famous for it's tailors. Our plan was simple - go nuts and get work gear made to measure for a fraction of the cost we'd spend in the west. With this in mind we spent a day doing reconnaissance to determine our plan of attack.

Through inspecting fabrics and looking through catalogues showing the latest styles we quickly sussed out the situation and got down to business.

There are pretty much two options. The first is to go through a family outfit and the second is to go to a larger chain. The family outfit is cheaper than the chain but the quality is unpredictable.

As with anything you pay for what you get and we wanted to make sure that our suits looked sharp and that we didn't waste our money. We decided on the chain option and graced Yaly's with our time and custom.

Yaly's has Hoi An on lockdown with four stores operating and the locals don't like it. They have a smear campaign running where they bag Yaly's and say it's overpriced and that they (or their family) make the "same same" for "cheap cheap". It's true that you pay a bit more at Yaly's but it's still a pittance compared to what you would pay back home. And hey, it can't be that bad if it attracts celebrities such as Jennifer Hawkins and Mick Jagger.

The next few days were spent getting measured and attending fittings. We spread the love (and the risk) around when it came to getting shirts. Having appointments and tasks to do each day was a refreshing change from the unstructured travel we've been doing.

One of Clint's suits is shown below. Forgive the wrinkles, it's been in a suitcase for a few days.

Dan opted for a three piece ensemble, the wrinkly result is below.


Hoi An is a great small city. It has retained it's old fashioned charm with cobbled streets and small traditional buildings. The French left a nice touch behind with the elegant architecture and fine cuisine. We focused on shopping this time, but we'd both like to return and spend more time there.


A great way to spend the evening is to select a restaurant and devour a set menu before moving on for dessert. Arguably home to the best desserts in Vietnam.



Random Fact: When the sun sets and the locals pack up the market the rats come out to play. They are big and everywhere.

Highlights
- Breakfast in the same market. Three courses for $1.50 NZ.

- Bartering with the locals. Most of the stores are busy which means the staff barter in a fun and friendly way as they aren't overly hung up on making a sale.

Lessons Learned
- Make sure the women who helps you choose your suit has good English and a pleasant personality. You don't actually meet the tailor and she is the go between so get someone nice.
- If you decide to get a suit from Yaly's go to Yaly #4 to choose your fabric. Situated slightly further out of town the fabric is cheaper.