Street vendors with shoulder pole a familiar sight in Vietnam's old town

By Do Anh Vu, Huynh Phuong May 15, 2020 | 01:52 am PT

The bamboo shoulder pole with baskets filled with agricultural produce and other wares could well be the leitmotif of Hoi An.

Two women with baskets on their shoulders walk on the crossroads of Nguyen Thai Hoc - Le Loi. The photo collection was taken by photographer Do Anh Vu to introduce peaceful and slow pace of life in Hoi An, a top tourist destination and hidden gem in Vietnam.

Two women with baskets on their shoulders at the intersection of Nguyen Thai Hoc and Le Loi streets. The photos by Do Anh Vu show the langorous pace of life in Hoi An, a popular tourist destination in central Vietnam.

The bamboo shoulder pole, quang ganh, has for long been a useful piece of equipment for Vietnamese farmers in the countryside to carry their produce and earn a living on the streets of cities, and is a familiar sight in the ancient town of Hoi An.

Baskets of chrysanthemum flowers are on sale on the sidewalk of Hoang Van Thu Street, next to the yellow wall.

Chrysanthemum flowers sold on a sidewalk of Hoang Van Thu Street.

A woman wearing a mask with a basket of grilled corn sits at the deserted Hoi An market. The picture was taken on April 6, when the country was in the social distancing campaign to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

A woman sells grilled corn outside the deserted Hoi An Market. The picture was taken on April 6, when the country was in the midst of the social distancing campaign meant to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

A woman carrying a basket of flowers walk under the rain at the crossroad of Hoang Van Thu and Nguyen Thai Hoc Streets.

A woman carrying flowers walks in the rain at the junction of Hoang Van Thu and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets.

An old lady sells bananas on Bach Dang Street next to the iconic Hoai River flowing through the old town.

An old lady sells bananas on Bach Dang Street by the iconic Hoai River that flows through the town.

A woman carries a basket of rice cracker, a combination of baked coated cake, wet coated cake and some other materials, on her shoulder past a Chinese-style house on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

A woman with a basket of rice crackers walks past a Chinese-style house on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

Strolling through the streets, tourists can see the image of women carrying quang ganh on their shoulders and advertised their voices and invited visitors to buy goods. Types of goods commonly sold are bananas, grilled corn, tofu, duckweed, pound cake or flowers sold on the full moon day.

On the town’s streets, visitors can often see women carrying a quang ganh on their shoulders and hawking their wares. They usually sell bananas, grilled corn, tofu, duckweed, pound cakes, and fresh flowers.

A woman with quang ganh on her should walks inside a mossy-covered small alley.

A woman with a quang ganh walks in a tiny moss-covered alley.

A hawker sells sweet potatoes on Tran Phu Street.

Two women carrying baskets of fruits walk along Chau Thuong Van Street.

Hoi An has been a pioneer of pedestrian-friendly streets in the country since 2004. Motorbikes and cars are banned from the town center from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Most hotels, restaurants and homestay facilities rent bicycles.