DESTINATION HÔ. IAN

SEEKING AN AUTHENTIC VIETNAMESE EXPERIENCE WITH GREAT VEGETARIAN FOOD, PHOTOGRAPHER MARNIE HAWSON RETURNS TO HÔ. I AN.

MARNIE HAWSON IS a freelance photographer committed to working with people that are doing good in the world, whether that is near her home in the Macedon Ranges of Victoria or in a distant destination. Specialising in interiors, travel and lifestyle photography, Marnie is often on the road for Country Style and loves visiting new places. “New experiences open up my eyes again,” she says. “It’s too easy to become complacent when you are seeing the same things every day, in the same environment.” TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRIP TO HÔ. I AN? This was our second time visiting Hô. i An. My husband Ryan and I first came here on our honeymoon eight years ago. It attracted us back as it’s such a beautiful old city and it’s such a contrast to the craziness of Ho Chi Minh City. I like staying somewhere ground level — somewhere that is connected to the outdoors. High-rises are not for me. WHERE DID YOU STAY? We chose a homestay villa right on the beach at An Bang Beach, rather than the centre of Hô. i An. It had four separate rooms and we were lucky enough to have the whole place to ourselves. The peace was welcome after a night in a different villa down the road that was located between a construction zone and a noisy coffee shop that opened at 5am. HOW DID YOU START YOUR HOLIDAY? We arrived in Ho Chi Minh

City at around 3am after our flight from Melbourne was delayed, so the first thing we did was sleep! The second thing we did (the next day) was a four-hour vegan street food tour. It’s difficult to be vegetarian in Vietnam and the tour gave us lots of tips of what to look out for once we got to Hô. i An. Our trip to Vietnam was all about finding great vegan food, which means avoiding fish sauce. WHEN VISITING HÔ. I AN, WHAT’S THE ONE MEAL YOU SHOULDN’T MISS? Cao lâ`u noodles — Hô. i An in a bowl. The fat rice noodles must be handmade and hand cut, with handfuls of fresh herbs, lemongrass, bean sprouts and crispy fried rice– cracker croutons that make it undeniably Vietnamese. These noodles are a regional dish and we had them every morning for breakfast, made with ingredients fresh from the market and cooked by our lovely housekeeper at the homestay. WHAT ESSENTIALS SHOULD YOU PACK FOR HÔ. I AN? Hot-weather clothes, bathers, hat, sunglasses and comfortable walking shoes. I love loose linen dresses for travelling, as they are so comfortable, cool and easy to hand wash when on the road. I took a few Metta Melbourne dresses, a great ethical brand. This trip was my first with a new mirrorless camera, the Sony Alpha 7R III, which, when coupled with a lightweight 50mm prime lens, was very easy to carry around. WHERE ARE YOU GOING NEXT? I have a lot of interstate trips coming up for work: Stanley in Tasmania, the Southern Highlands of NSW, back >

to Tasmania (south to north), then the Dunsborough area of Western Australia in late winter. I’m planning a trip to Bali with friends in the middle of that, and maybe a trip to the Galapagos Islands for a special birthday later in the year. HOW MUCH PLANNING DO YOU DO BEFORE A HOLIDAY? Even when it’s a short trip, I do a lot of planning now! I once tried to wing it on a short trip the way I used to in my backpacking days and it backfired badly. Now I like to organise all my accommodation before I go, as I’m so picky about the feel of a space. It’s best to find somewhere nice to stay before you go. Our previous trip to Vietnam resulted in an awful story about finding something unsavory in my pillowcase. I generally book via Airbnb, and choose sustainable and eco-friendly options. DO YOU HAVE ANY GREAT AIRPORT OR TRAVEL HACKS? The best airport hack I have is to be gifted with Platinum frequent flyer status by a well-travelled husband, so you can use the lounge and take a lot of luggage, but that is pure luck! My travel suggestion is to download Google Map. By typing in ‘OK Map’ you can keep the map you were looking at to use when you’re offline. BEST APPS AND TECHNOLOGY FOR TRAVEL? We bought local SIM cards at the airport in Saigon on arrival: for about AUD$25 we had unlimited data for our entire trip. This meant we could get around using Google Maps, which was super useful. We also downloaded Grab, which is like Uber in Asia, so we used that instead of taxis — very affordable, reliable and easy. Instagram is handy for finding great accommodation. Google Translate comes in very handy, although my pronunciation was a problem. I’m a big reader and I grew up taking boxes of books on holidays, so my Kindle makes it so much easier when travelling light. WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOU NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT? I’m afraid to say it’s a case full of camera gear and tripods, especially when I’m travelling for work. For more information about Marnie, visit marniehawson.com or follow @marniehawson on Instagram

CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW Ginger for sale at Hoi An Market; the inside of a paper lantern; durian; pomelo and other fresh produce; a street stall; vintage plates. FACING PAGE The Hill Station Delicatessen and Boutique is a great spot to stop for coffee and cake.

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE A bike is a great way to see the sights; one of the many markets where haggling is compulsory; Marnie Hawson exploring the narrow streets of Hoi An; the famous Japanese Covered Bridge; FACING PAGE Yaly Couture is one of the many tailors in Hoi An.

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE You are never far from water in Hoi An; organic gardens just outside of Hoi An; a stall selling ceramics; food vendors setting up for the evening trade on the banks of Thu Bõn River. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE, FROM FAR LEFT Tourist boats for hire on Thu Bõn River; a cart selling sweet roti; small, round fishing boats used by local fishermen.