By night, the Vietnamese city of Hoi An is transformed into a dazzling paradise with brilliant silk lanterns, paper luminaries, and warm candlelight.
With the sky cloaked in darkness, we strolled by the Thu Bon River and watched as the colorful luminaries danced on the water. Vendors of all ages sold them along the water’s edge to visitors who passed by to admire the night’s splendor.
If you plan to visit Hoi An and are feeling romantic when you do, consider taking an evening boat ride on one of the small vessels. The locals are eager to rent them for half an hour or more. From there, you can send a delicate luminary or two off on a midnight journey.
Enjoy some “light” wisdom while taking a virtual stroll through the lantern-adorned streetscapes pictured here.
“Light is the symbol of truth.”
James Russell Lowell
“It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
“Knowledge is love and light and vision.”
Helen Keller
“Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.”
Buddha
“Beyond a doubt truth bears the same relation to falsehood as light to darkness.”
Leonardo da Vinci
“There are two kinds of light – the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures.”
James Thurber
“Moonlight is sculpture.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne
“We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own.”
Ben Sweetland
“We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.”
Evelyn Dunbar
“There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”
Edith Wharton
“An age is called ‘dark,’ not because the light fails to shine but because people refuse to see it.”
James Michener
“The stars are the street lights of eternity.”
Unknown
“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.”
Kahlil Gibran
“I will love the light for it shows me the way. Yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.”
Og Mandino
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.”
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
“The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world, who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world, himself a light.”
Felix Adler
“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.”
Aaron Rose
Where in the World?
Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell, unless otherwise attributed. All Rights Reserved.
Travels With Tricia 
Hey Tricia, I never returned the congratulations for your “Best Blogs” award!! Love the new theme, I am currently ‘shopping’ for a new theme myself and it’s driving me crazy!!! I love these images, particularly the Mother and son woth the coloured lanterns – truly magical! Happy travels :)
Sarah, thank you for the reciprocal congrats on the Washington Flyer Best Blogs nod! I had been in the market for a new look for my blog for a bit of time, then very spontaneously took a liking to this one when I saw it so nicely modeled by another photography enthusiast blogger. I decided to give it a whirl myself.
In what country are you now, miss globe trotter extraordinaire? :)
I loved the lanterns in Hoi An – gorgeous images here, thank you.
Suzanne – many thanks!
It’s fun when readers can relate to the special places because they’ve been there too; what was your favorite activity while in Hoi An? Our highlights were taking a cooking class, riding in a basket boat and glimpsing the city by night, all aglow. :)
We really enjoyed the Red Bridge Cooking Class and the general ambience of the town. So lovely at night – especially when they had candles floating down the Thu Bon River. A magical little town.
These are all absolutely gorgeous Tricia! Particularly like the one of the mother & child!
Hi Madhu & thank you! I was drawn to that scene as well; I really liked the gentle lighting on their faces, and the child’s sense of wonder while investigating the flame.
Oh, Tricia, once again you take me to a place that I want to stay longer. Your photos are a work of art and the quotes are “illuminating.” No pun intended.
Lynne, it seems we’re both longing for Asia! Did you visit Hoi An and Luang Prabang on your same trip, and if so, how’d you get from place to place?
And, pun or no pun intended, I love and am flattered by your comment. Glad you enjoyed the images and the words of wisdom to accompany them.
After Vietnam, we went to Cambodia and then flew to Luang Prabang.
Does that mean you missed the 12-hour overnight ‘VIP buses’ and music at decibels befitting a very loud concert? :-)
Hi! I really enjoy your blog so I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award!
http://nikitasmits.com/2012/08/22/versatile-blogger-award/
How flattering, thank you so very much, Nikta! Hope you’re having a wonderful week and enjoying your new lens. :)
Love the variety of colors and shapes of the lanterns. Absolutely wonderful. Thanks again for the travel inspiration. Cheers.
Bespoke Traveler, I also loved the lanterns and was feeling torn by their charm. On one hand, I’d wished that my backpack was just a bit larger so I could have taken one home, but then, as a result of traveling for 5 months I’d developed a new philosophy on possessions: the art of minimalism! :)
A great post Tricia, which brings back happy memories of our trip to Vietnam. One day I will finish my series on that trip.
David, I’m so glad to hear that this posting brought back special memories for you. I know that you went to Ha Long Bay while in Vietnam (because your lovely header image from there comes to mind) – what were some of your other destinations in Vietnam? And, I know how you feel – traveling provides so many stories that I want to share! We strolled past these lanterns back in January, and I just now ‘put pen to paper.’ :)
Tricia, we did a rather intensive 12 day package tour, which didn’t allow much time for a really good photographic experience. It started in Hanoi and finished at Ho Chi Minh City, with internal ‘hop’ flights down the coast. Our trip was in March 2010. so it is proving quite difficult to organise my thoughts, which has delayed posting somewhat. Your excellent posts have inspired me to finish the job though. I just need some spare time. It’s hell being retired!
David, that’s nice to hear that my posts have inspired you to create yours! That’s one beautiful thing about taking lots of pictures. Whereas I’d love to keep a travel journal (and should record the details) sometimes the busy days just don’t allow for it. That’s where pictures come in and serve as a wonderful visual journal.
I can’t wait to see your impressions of Vietnam now!
I love your images of the lanterns accompanied by wisdom quotations, beautifully done, Tricia, thank you for sharing
Vielen Danke, Cornelia! The Hoi An lanterns were so lovely – it only seemed fitting to intersperse them with words of wisdom. Hope you’re well and enjoying the summer. I’ve been away from Deutschland for 2 months and I miss it.
Tricia, I know what you mean by missing Germany, I miss the lush green meadows, die frischen gruenen Wiesen und Felder and the smell of deep forests and the lakes to swim in summer time. But hey no complains I get to swim in the pacific ocean here in California. The other day I was in “Little Tokyo” downtown Los Angeles and there were red lanterns all over the place happyly dangling in the wind and I had think of your images. Be well….
Cornelia, what a fun comment to hear! I have yet to visit Los Angeles – there are so many destinations yet to visit in my home country. :)
It’s nice to see a bit of German sprinkled in your comments. I’ve found that since I’ve been away from Germany for a few weeks that my vocabulary is getting more and more rusty.
I know I keep saying – this is your most beautiful post ever… but today – this is just a positively incandescent, illuminating, fantasy post. The quote are superbly chosen. Brilliant. Virginia
Greetings, Virginia, and thank you so very much for the encouraging words! I enjoyed searching out appropriate quotes for this piece. Some much wisdom to be found within… The past weeks have been unusually busy, hence I’ve been quiet in the blogosphere. But, I’m off to check out what you’ve been up to! :)
Lovely photos, all of them! Great post Tricia!
Marina, so glad you enjoyed them. I sure think it would be fun to incorporate a mélange of lantern types into a home!
Stunning post as usual Tricia, love the one of the kids lighting the candles and the figure in the boat is great, sense of movement and calm together.
Hello Mark! Thank you for the flattering words. Those little ones had mischievous and engaging personalities! I think their mother was selling paper lanterns across the way. It’s fun to observe the similar behaviors kids around the world exhibit, even if they’re from what seem like very different cultures.
Great series of photos. Nice to see what we missed. The streets along the river were flooded most of the time we were there. Regret not buying some lanterns to bring home. Next time!
Ron, when were you in Hoi An? We visited Vietnam in early 2012, and though we’d just missed the dramatic flooding in Bangkok, we didn’t see any flooding in Hoi An. (Not sure if the Thu Bon River flooded then.) In any case, it sounds like a return trip to the region is in order, based upon what Lynne writes. Hopefully you’ll catch the lanterns all aglow during your next visit! :)
What a fabulous post, Tricia. I’ve read about and seen lots of features on Hoi An, and if I ever make the Far East I will definitely be drawn there.
Jo, I hope that you’ll have the opportunity to visit there – not only Hoi An, but also around the region. From history, to cultural tidbits, to introspective lessons, we learned so much during our travels through Southeast Asia! If you find yourself planning a trip, I’m happy to answer any questions too. :)
Beautiful, thanks for sharing
Thank you for stopping by, Real Footprints. Are you in Bangkok now? How I miss the fresh mango and pineapple!
I’ve been living in Bangkok for almost 3 months, and one of my favourite things is street fruit and motorbike taxis.
Wow, so beautiful! I have a thing for lights…now, if my husband would just let me decorate the entire house inside and out, like that store front, I totally would!! LOL. Great shots:)
Desiree, me too! Since you’re so artistically-gifted, I bet you could make some yourself. :) We watched as one Hoi An merchant worked on some one evening, and were impressed by how collapsible the lanterns were. When I was writing this piece, I happened upon a few sites that show how to make other styles. You could change the motif on these, I bet: http://www.marthastewart.com/875300/chinese-lantern-dragon
Great, I’ll check that link out. Thanks. I like to make simple paper lanterns for Chinese New Year, but I’ve never made anything ‘fancy’ before…but this post inspired me, so maybe the next time around!
This is gorgeous, Tricia. I love the rainbow of light shots interspersed with beautiful quotations. Pure class.
Generous words, Rachael! Thank you, and here’s hoping that you and your family are enjoying a fun and relaxing weekend! On a side note, I finally got my new external flash. Now, on to learning its ins and outs. :)
Your photos are gorgeous! I’m going to have a serious conversation with my camera and let it know that it needs to pick up the slack! It’s seems unlikely the failings would be my fault…. Hope to get to Vietnam!
Kay
Kay, your comment made me smile; thank you. My camera had a similar conversation with me and said I need to learn how to play around with the settings more. :)
Vietnam is a magical place. We were lucky enough to see most of the main cities. Sapa, however, has so far been elusive. I hope to make it there sometime soon!
It’s a pleasure to connect and until next time…
Tricia, such wonderful pictures of Hoi An, its lanterns and luminescene! And, great choice of quotes too.
Hello Mark, and thank you for your kind comment! As I was perusing your site earlier today, I read that you’re originally from Vietnam. In which city were you born? Have you been back?
Hoi An was really a delightful stop as we made our way north from Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City. So much history, quirky architecture, and much culture. I hope to return again someday soon, as our boat ride and cooking class there were some of our trip’s highlights.
Hi Tricia, yes I am from Vietnam and was born in Da Nang, so not far from Hoi An… one reason I’m quite a fan of the Central Coast. I have been back a number of times.
Hoi An can be a quirky place as you mentioned, and such wonderful traditions like with the lanterns, art, cooking and fantastic beaches.
Mark, we drove through Da Nang on the way to Hué. I’d like to return to Vietnam again – Sapa looks particularly special! Are there any other spots you can recommend?
If everything goes well, I should be in Vietnam this December. Can’t wait to experience this magical country! :)
Yulia, I’m excited for you! I’ve been to the north (Hanoi and Ha Long Bay) and also along the coast (Ho Chi Minh, Mui Ne, Hoi An, Da Lat, Hue, Vinh, over into Laos), so I’m happy to help if you have any questions. For how long are you planning on traveling there?
Hi Tricia,
well… It looks like it will be Turkey now! Vietnam airfare was too expensive :) May be some other time…
Yulia, I think you’ll really enjoy Turkey. I was in Istanbul about ten years ago and enjoyed the architecture, cuisine, history, talking to the locals, and strolling through the Grand Bazaar. When do you leave for your big adventure?
I think I will enjoy it too! I just bought my ticket last night, the countdown begins :) I will be there in mid-December for 8 days, Istanbul and the west coast of Turkey by car. Should be interesting :)
Sounds really fun, Yulia; my husband hasn’t yet been, so I think a return trip is in order for us too – which I’d be thrilled about.
Happy trip planning!
Thanks Tricia!
Beautiful post! I was blown away from the moment I visited your home page, it’s absolutely gorgeous.
That’s kind of you to say, Genevieve. Travel and photography are two of my passions, and blogging is a fitting way to combine them.
Enjoyed seeing your posts from France. How long were you an exchange student / visitor there?