The shopping experience in Hoi An is somewhat different from what you would find in the typical Far East countries. True you do get the typical badgering touts and sales people but Hoi An has an exquisite array of ‘custom made’ products. Their tailor-made outfits happen to be the most popular among the tourists. Outlets that make tailored clothes are usually quite hard to find and in the Western world even if you do find it, it comes at sky rocketing prices. Hoi An has a huge array of tailoring shops that provide quite well tailored clothes at really cheap prices.

You may drown in the amount of stores located all through Phan Chu Trinh, Hai Ba Trung, Hoang Dieu and the riverside. Thanks to the exorbitant number, competition thrives keeping the prices at rock bottom levels. To find the best quality keep in mind that a lot of walking is required. If you like a particular shop, go with your gut feeling and try out one piece before changing your entire wardrobe with one seller. Keep in mind this will eat up quite a bit of your time in Hoi An.

In addition to tailoring fabrics, there is a thriving leather industry as well. Cobblers design and make shoes according to your tastes. It is fairly alright but always view their pre finished work to assess quality before committing to any orders. The opticians in Hoi An is also another big thing and can be tried out if you already have a prescription.

However above all Hoi An’s skills and talents its work in the jewellery industry is perhaps the finest. The silversmiths in Quang Nam are fantastic with their craftsmanship and actually happen to be the best in all of Asia. In addition to artefacts that beautify the self, the area is a goldmine for exquisite handmade pottery, statues, furniture, embroidered sheets, quilts and so many more items. Even the paintings in the area are truly one of a kind and if you have specific colours or themes in mind you can even get paintings custom made.

When it comes to an exquisite Hoi An Hotel, try the Anantara Hoi An Resort which tops the list for more than one reason. This Hoi An Spa resort is the best there is in the city.

Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.

Google+