*A lantern hanging in the old town of Hoian. Photograph by Emma Byrnes*

Living in the historic town of Hoian for the past month I have definitely seen my fair share of lanterns. Hoian is the UNESCO world heritage former trading village on the coast of central Vietnam and I would have no doubt the town boasts the most lanterns per capita in the nation. Their many shapes and colours mean that at nighttime endless strings of candy-like lights hang above the streetscape, lending the town a wonderful ambience. On arrival in the town I was struck by their exotic presence but after a little while they became part of the everyday streetscape and I didn't think too much about them. But then Pete and I were inadvertently drawn into a lantern buying mission by a neighbour back in Australia and we have written about it on our blog - Lifestyle Traveller.
Em x