Lanterns, ruins & a slow train south.
Central Vietnam is one of those rare places that rewards taking it slowly — perfect for travellers who'd rather linger than tick boxes.
Hoi An at night is the postcard everyone tries to take. The Japanese Covered Bridge — lit gold against the canal, paper lanterns drifting past on the water — is genuinely as good as the photographs suggest. Skip the day-trip crowds and stay overnight; once the coach tours leave, the old town softens completely.
From there, take the train. The four-hour run between Hue and Da Nang clings to the coastline as it crosses the Hai Van Pass — sea on one side, jungle-cloaked mountains on the other. It's been called one of the world's great rail journeys, and for once the rumour is true. Pack a coffee, sit by the window, do nothing.
Inland, the temples and tombs reward a half-day each. The detail inside is extraordinary — porcelain mosaics, gilded statuary, ceilings painted like night skies. An hour out of Hoi An, the My Son ruins are quieter still: red brick Hindu temples slowly being reclaimed by the hillside, with barely a soul around if you go early.
