Hoi An is a mandatory stop in Vietnam’s tourist trail. Secondly, because it’s a historic city, a UNESCO heritage site with lantern-lit cobblestone streets and centenarian homes that survived multiple wars.

But firstly because of fashion. There are an estimated 500 tailor and cobbler shops that make any – I mean ANY – custom-fit clothes. All this in a town of barely 120,000.

In Hoi An, your imagination is the limit. You can design your own clothes. Show up with a picture of a model wearing a surreal dress at a fashion show and ask for one for yourself. You can pick something from one of their phonebook-thick catalogs with men’s, women’s and children’s fashions from American and British brands.

Or you can settle for dresses, shirts and suits from their mannequins, which look identical from store to store.

We spent five days there and lament to admit that it was mostly inside shops or walking among them, browsing windows, getting measured, trying on the results and asking for alterations.

Yes, we became slightly insane, somewhat fascinated, and entirely obsessed. And we learned numerous lessons from our wins and misses. Hopefully you won’t have any of the latter with these tips.

1. Know what you want

It’s better to make a list of things you need before browsing the shops. It gives you focus, essential when making comparisons and setting budgets. You won’t spend money needlessly or feel overwhelmed by the choices in their catalogs.

I preferred to invest on classic pieces with the best fabrics possible, which will never go out of style.

2. Know their limitations

I ordered a pair of black capri pants made with a wool-cashmere blend, the same fabric used in suits. The pants came out exactly as I wanted. But since it’s a snug fit, and the fabric isn’t stretchy, I realized that I’ll struggle to sit down with it.

And because of that, I probably won’t use it much.

We learned that sellers are there to do what you ask, not to to give fashion advice or tutor you in the limitations of each cloth. If you’re a sartorial lamebrain, don’t invent anything. Go for what has been tested and approved.

3. More expensive does not mean better

I ordered from three shops. The most pleasant experiences, at all levels, was with the cheapest one: Thu Vân 2, on 499 Cua Dai St. I bought a total of eight garments, including a suit, for US$150. Many clothes means more bargaining power, but all the pieces came out perfect, and I only had to ask for alterations in half of them.

While chatting with the seller, I learned that the owner has two other stores that sell the same clothes at a much higher markup. Why? They’re in better locations with more foot traffic.

Meaning: When sellers insist their high prices reflect better quality, it’s a lie.

At Bin Hahn, a shop on 53 Tran Hung Dao St., I spent a lot more. Just a three-piece suit cost $105. When I compared to the other stores, the quality and fitting appeared exactly the same. A trench coat that cost me $70 could have been made for $40 in less snazzy shops.

Though I came out lucky, Roberto didn’t. A suit he ordered needed seven alterations on the jacket. On the fifth, it was mangled so badly they had to redo it from scratch. And it still had flaws on the lapel and the collar, which he couldn’t fix becasue we had a bus to catch.

And because he was fed up.

4. Give yourself time

Alterations will always be needed to ensure a perfect fit. Ask them to fix a garment two, three, as many times needed until you’re 100% satisfied.

Go shopping in the morning or at sunset. Stores aren’t air-conditioned and trying on a wool jacket at the height of tropical heat is not only unpleasant, but it makes you overlook some details in your rush to take it off. It happened to me.

But if you don’t want to travel to Vietnam just for clothes, make an order by email. Send your dimensions and a picture of the garment, and they’ll send it to your home.

But be ready to pay a tailor in your city to fix whatever they make.

Here are capsule reviews of the shops we used:

Bi Hahn – 53 Tran Hung Dao St.
Tel. +84 935 071 349
bihanhsilk@gmail.com

The most expensive of the bunch where patrons are served bottled water and wet napkins at each visit. Our experiences were varied: I was happy with my clothes but doubtful whether the prices were justified. Time will tell.

Roberto was extremely unsatisfied with his suit jacket, which needed seven(!) alterations and it still wasn’t perfect. They promised to refund $30.

Thu Vân 2 – 499 Cua Dai St.
Tel. +84 510 3915 007
thuthao@dng.vnn.vn

Not to be mistaken with Thu Vân 1, which is in the heart of the old city and is much pricier (I checked).

I liked what they did and the seller was delightful. Prices were unbeatable. As we say on eBay, A++++++++ seller!

Thu Tâm Fashion – 70 Tran Phu St.
Tel. +84 510 3911 021
clothshopphuoc_ha@yahoo.com

The store that sold me the grey coat with red trimmings (see pics below). Good experience; the coat needed only one alteration. Medium prices if you negotiate.

See the result of this marathon below.

[View with PicLens]

Photo by emanuela marchiafava

To add a little challenge to my trip I did the following:

1. I stuck to off-the-beaten-path locales
2. I stopped using a guidebook
3. I started arriving at strange cities at late hours and without a clue

Result: it was still laughably easy.

This is because the world is getting more convenient each day. Even little-traveled places are getting smart to tourism and have reliable information close at hand. Most people in the world are happy to see foreigners and willing to help. If the people around you don’t speak English, they will know someone who does.

And even if they don’t, communication with hand gestures, noises and scribbles can get you close enough to what you want.

To have a truly challenging travel experience these days, you have to undertake days-long treks in countries most people never knew existed. You have to go to places blacklisted by most foreign relation ministries.

And such places today are quickly heading for extinction.

The Internet is everywhere, whether by fiber, cellular towers or satellites. Banks are connected to a global electronic system. There is always a place to stay anywhere you go.

Of course, there are places in the world where safety is a problem, where you can’t just arrive at 2 am without an idea of where to go. But taking simple precautions vastly reduce the chances of something bad happening.

This all distills to a single message:

There is no excuse to not travel independently and on the cheap.

After six months on the road, organized tours and all-inclusive packages seem utterly needless. They are the travelers’ nanny states, telling you how to live and protecting you from yourself.

They restrict you in what should be an exercise in absolute liberation: the freedom to choose where to go, when to go there and what to see.

Money is likewise a poor excuse. With more broke backpackers on the road than ever before, budget services vastly outnumber high-end options. No money? Start saving now.

So what’s keeping you form taking your dream trip?

“You’re so lucky,” people often tell me when they learn I’m taking a year off work to travel with Bianca. “I wish I could do that.”

The sentiment is understandable, but luck had nothing to do with it. I’m certainly fortunate to be in the position where I can do this.

But it wasn’t luck.

Truth is, I’ve been saving for this trip for nearly three years. While friends were buying condos, cars, nice furniture and having babies, I was putting money away. Most of my furniture were gifts from departing friends and family. I take public transit every day and keep the social expenses to a minimum.

In other words, I made the choices and sacrifices that allowed me to take this trip.

No secret recipe

I can’t tell you how exactly to accumulate enough cash for transport, lodging, food and activities for one year, since there are too many factors, such as a) where you want to go, b) where you live, and c) what your financial profile is. All I can offer are general guidelines to help you consider your own financial plans.

But everything can be distilled to a single sentence: don’t live beyond your means. Better yet, live below your means. Spend a lot less than you earn.

It sounds like common sense, but given that the the average household debt in Canada is nearly $40,000, it seems too many people suffer from dismal financial acumen.

Some folks just have to have the big plasma TV or the SUV. Even if they can’t afford it.

Trust a pro, not me

Before I dispense any advice, know this: there’s nothing I can’t tell you that a financial adviser can’t do better. That’s their job. They listen to your goals, analyze your financial situation, and draw up a plan suited to your needs. So before you listen to me, visit your bank or Google one in your town.

Now here’s my suggestion based on what I did.

Start with a financial profile

The very first thing you must do is calculate what you earn and what you spend each week and month. If you still have money left by the end of the month, pump your fists. This will be a lot easier. If you already have some savings set aside, even better. You’ll reach your goal even faster.

If your balance is negative, however, it’s time to make some tough decisions and simplify your life.

Open a low-risk, high yield investment account

You want your money to grow as much as it can in a short time, but most standard savings accounts give you lousy interest. You want to put it in an instrument that yields higher returns but isn’t too exposed to the volatility of the stock market. In fact, if you want to take your trip in less than five years from now, you want as little exposure to stocks as possible. Unless you’re a day trader, it’s too risky to expose yourself to a possible market correction.

My savings were barely affected by the global recession precisely because I put them in safe, predictable securities.

You have lots of options here:

• T-bills
• Bonds
• Guaranteed investment certificates (GICs)
• Tax-free savings accounts
• Low-risk mutual funds

Each has its own pros and cons. Again, a financial planner is the best source to help you decide.

Funnel your salary in

Set aside a part of your wage and have it transferred automatically to your investment account. Make it weekly or monthly. It doesn’t matter. This should be easy to do with online banking. As long as you don’t touch the money yourself. That way, it will be money that will never go into your checking account and you won’t think of using it.

Your savings will grow not only with your deposits, but with the compounded interest you earn. And the more money you have in there, the more interest you receive.

Cut expenses

Now you just have to spend less in your life so you can gradually add even more money to your savings when you have extra cash left over.

Tips to do this are abundant online, but here are some obvious ones:

• Cook your lunch instead of buying it at work
• Cut down on coffee and treats
• Rent movies instead going to the theatre
• Eat out less
• Have beers at home with friends instead of going to the bar
• Resist buying stuff you can live without
• Pay your credit card bills fully and on time

If you have too much credit card debt, consolidate them in a low-interest loan, like a line of credit. You’ll be charged less each month.

Multiple benefits

Stay on course and you’ll reach your goal in no time. But not only will you have lots of money put aide, you’ll learn a few things:

How the financial world works.

How to make a financial plan, which will help you in the future.

That you really don’t need to keep buying stuff to be satisfied.

Happy saving.