January 2018 | w w w.boatinternational.comPHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES; MICHAELA TRIMBLE; 4CORNERS IMAGESclearlydescribedinanyspecificregulations,”
says Sytske Kimman, Northrop & Johnson
Asia’sexecutivedirectorandayachtagentfor
Vietnam. “Although the understanding about
yachting as a tourism activity is growing, the
formalities have not been adjusted yet.”
Despitethis,somenotableyachtshave
passed through. When Feadship’s 44.6 metre
HelixdidanAsiatour,Kimmanremarkson
some “fantastic parties” held in Vietnam, and
67 metre Alloy sailing yachtVe r t i g o(m a n a ge d
forcharterbyY.CO)sailedherewithherowner
nearly five years ago.
Thosewhodotakethetimetovisitare
rewarded, finding a destination that is still raw
but with plenty to do beyond the water’s edge.
“It was very interesting, but challenging. They
[the Vietnamese authorities] didn’t really know
what to do with us,” recallsVe r t i g o’s captain,
BarrydeKock.“Butonceyou’reonshore,it’sa
wonderful place. The owner and guests loved it
becauseit’ssodifferenttoanythingelse.It’snot
manicured and tourist-friendly like Thailand.”
Owners and guests who would like to
experience these unusual cruising grounds can
flyintomeettheiryacht,andHoiAn’slocation,
alongthecentralVietnamcoastline,makesit
anidealplacetobeginexploringnorthorsouth.
ThelargercityofDaNang,30minutestothe
north,isthemainportandairport,butthedraw
ispicturesqueHoiAn,listedasaUNESCO
WorldHeritageSitesince1999.Towanderthe
dusty streets is to step back through time,
ablendofVietnamese,Chinese,Japaneseand
French architecture, the most striking from
the 15th to 19th centuries. Known as the City“The owner and guests
loved it because... it’s not
manicured and tourist-
friendly like Thailand”
Visiting the central market
in Hoi An is quite an
experience. The bustle,
the smells and the variety
are remarkable, but
be prepared to barter192