Travelfish correspondent Caroline Mills

After years of camping in her back garden in the New Forest, Caroline Mills’ parents went wild and jetted her off to Morocco where her dream of becoming a traveling belly dancer was born. Somewhat wizened to the limitations involved in such a job at age 6, she sat on the idea until her 30’s when she took her dog-eared passport around Euorpe, S.E Asia and India. Finally settling in Hoi An where she traded in her belly dancing ambition (it never worked out) for the role of writer and associate editor of Live Hoi An magazine, where she passes on her passion for food, fashion and culture to the discerning traveler. A high/low end traveler, Caroline has developed an insatiable taste for exploring and become adept at hunting out new and memorable places to go. She is a treasure trove of tips and information, delivering honest, personal reviews and tales of misadventure along the way.
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Posts by Caroline Mills:

• Travelling between Hoi An and Da Nang

  First published: 28 Dec 2012
  

  Da Nang is Vietnam’s fastest growing city, a sprawling metropolis of modern high rise mixed with a sprinkling of French colonial architecture lounging between the Bach Dang river and My Ke, one of the longest stretches of beach in Vietnam. It’s very much a Vietnamese city — as bewildering and as it is beguiling, and not for … read the full post

• Hoi An’s central market food hall

  First published: 26 Dec 2012
  

  Hoi An’s central market food hall sits centre court in the old town, surrounded by a busy, colourful food market. This is a bustling and sociable spot to hang out with the locals and sample dish after dish of Hoi An’s best cuisine. Row upon row of sparkling stainless steel benches laden with fresh raw … read the full post

• Review: The Sunrise Hotel, Hoi An

  First published: 21 Dec 2012
  

  Head down to the Cham Island ferry point along the Cua Dai Road in Hoi An and you can’t fail to miss the futuristic, towering white and glass exterior of the five-star Sunrise Hotel basking high on a hill surrounded by tropical gardens. Located on the outskirts of Cua Dai, there’s not much within walking … read the full post

• The Ho Chi Minh Trail with Hoi An Motorbike Adventures

  First published: 13 Dec 2012
  

  With almost 1,000 miles of remote backwater paths and trails, paddy, narrow mountain passes, isolated hill tribes and dense jungle, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Trail is one of the most rewarding and directionally challenging rides in the country. Unless you have a penchant for getting lost somewhere near the Lao border or breaking down on … read the full post

• Christmas in Hoi An

  First published: 09 Dec 2012
  

  If you are reading this from somewhere predominantly Christian in the West another mention of Christmas is quite possibly the last thing you need to hear; but for those of you lucky enough to be on the road, Christmas can be a tough time to be away from family and friends. But if you’re in … read the full post

• How to haggle — or avoid haggling — in Hoi An

  First published: 06 Dec 2012
  

  Hit the streets of Hoi An for anything from a tailored suit through to a banh mi and you will be thrown into a state of confusion over what really is a fair price. With very few traders working to a fixed price it’s not too uncommon to sometimes feel like you’ve been had. Ask … read the full post

• Banh bao in Hoi An

  First published: 29 Nov 2012
  

  If like me you were once one of those neanderthals where the best nights out you ever had somehow always ended up at a kebab stall then you will thank me for this heads up on late-night food snacking in Hoi An. I’ve researched this article with perhaps a little too much enthusiasm after taking … read the full post

• Vietnam’s most famous bahn mi?

  First published: 24 Nov 2012
  

  Google “best banh mi in Vietnam” and the answer you get is Banh Mi Phuong in Hoi An; go there and I promise you will be met by a random tourist saying “I’ve travelled all the way from Australia/the UK/Finland for this.” Phuong’s little banh mi shop near the Cam Nam Bridge has been on … read the full post

• Review: Vesper Homestay, Hoi An

  First published: 21 Nov 2012
  

  Pulling up outside the cheery blue three-storey family home Vesper Homestay with its windows flung open to views of far flung paddy is reward enough for the amount of trouble you will have finding this place. If you were looking for off the beaten path then you’ve come to the right place: Vesper is right … read the full post

• Extending your visa in Hoi An

  First published: 15 Nov 2012
  

  Compared with Saigon and Hanoi, extending your visa in Hoi An can be a costly and complicated process. Rules and prices change with every travel agent you speak to and prices can spiral out of control if time is not on your side. We spent a day finding out the options, from extending a first … read the full post