From a short TikTok video recording a fun moment of imitating dance moves in the program "Hoi An Memories", Catherine Helmer - a tourist from England - unexpectedly received great attention from the online community.
Not just simply an entertainment experience, her trip to Vietnam also brought deep emotions about history, culture and global connection.
Catherine said she comes from Worthing, a coastal town in southern England, near Brighton and Hove. She came to Vietnam in February 2026 and spent four weeks exploring the S-shaped country.
The nearly month-long journey took her through many places, but Hoi An is a place that left a special impression. Mentioning the most memorable experience here, Catherine did not hesitate to talk about the real-scene performance program "Memories of Hoi An".
This is one of the largest real-scene shows in Vietnam, staged on a tens of thousands of square meters wide stage with the participation of hundreds of professional actors. The program recreates more than 400 years of Hoi An's history through music, lighting and performance art, becoming a unique cultural tourism product attracting a large number of international tourists.
According to Catherine, the program is like a time travel journey, recreating the formation and development of the ancient city from its early days to becoming a bustling trading port.
“I feel that the story and message are expressed very subtly throughout the performance. The visual staging helps guide viewers naturally, making it easy for me to follow and feel,” Catherine shared.
Among the scenes, she was particularly impressed with Scene 4 - Ben Bo. This is a reenactment of the important historical period when Hoi An became the intersection of Japanese, Chinese and European merchants. According to Catherine, this intersection has contributed to shaping the identity of Hoi An today.
I find this scene very close and meaningful. It reflects the spirit of global connection - something that tourism today is still maintaining," she added.
Not only stopping at enjoying, Catherine also actively "merged" into the program's atmosphere in her own way. The video she posted on TikTok recording her imitating the dancers' dance moves quickly spread, bringing a cheerful and energetic image.
Catherine said that imitating dances came very naturally, stemming from the excitement of watching the performance. She and her mother were captivated by the accuracy in each movement of the dancers, combined with lighting effects, music and impressive stage setting.
“We tried to redo the movements and quickly realized they were much more difficult than imagined,” she said.
However, this challenge brought unexpected joy when receiving cheers, laughter and applause from those around us. "That made us feel very welcome and contributed to making the experience more memorable," Catherine shared.
Hoi An is not the only stop in Catherine's journey. Before coming to Hoi An, she started her trip from Hanoi, then conquered the routes of Ha Giang, Sa Pa, to explore Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh.
After Hoi An, she continued to Da Lat before ending the trip in Ho Chi Minh City.
Looking back at the whole journey, Catherine said that Vietnam has become one of her favorite countries she has ever visited. She is impressed with the friendliness and hospitality of the people, as well as the way traditional cultural values are still clearly present in daily life.
Besides, she also did not forget to mention gentle but memorable experiences, such as exploring coconut coffee and egg coffee - two drinks that she humorously said had become her "new favorite" after the trip.
