On our 16-hour train ride to Hoi An, we traded personal space and volume control for a three-tiered bunk bed and Korean soap operas. As two small Vietnamese children plopped themselves onto our beds to chat with their grandma at 7am, we couldn’t help but smile.

After the long haul from up north, we were thrilled to settle in to the charming town of Hoi An. The streets lit up with lanterns at night, and the gorgeous coastline was only a bike ride away. We filled our days with market strolling, cooking classes, dips in the ocean, and endless searching for the perfect fabric. Our tailor, Louise, didn’t disappoint.