The Reaching Out Tea House in Hoi An is a lovely social enterprise that aims to support the local speech and hearing-impaired community.
All of the staff at this quaint café are speech and hearing impaired. But fear not young grasshopper, the Reaching Out Tea House provide communication tools to help. From notes, to word blocks, gestures, and generous amounts of smiles, there are plenty of ways to communicate with the friendly staff.
At the Reaching Out Café in Hoi An, being speech or hearing impaired is not a handicap, but a way of life. And when you are at this café in Hoi An, you realize that the speech and hearing impaired are very much capable of doing many things that we can do. And this café provides a wonderful avenue to help support and provide meaningful employment to those with a disability.
It’s a wonderful cause to support while traveling in Vietnam.
Reaching Out Tea House – There’s Beauty in Silence
Upon entering the café, noise is kept to a minimal. Café patrons do speak amongst each other, but voices are lowered almost to a whisper level.
In fact, the silence is actually quite peaceful and not awkward. Silence is celebrated.
After spending a few hours meandering through the tourist groups and exploring Hoi An, visiting the Reaching Out Café in Hoi An is the perfect retreat.
The menu is simple – there is a selection of good quality tea and Vietnamese coffee to select from, as well as a small selection of cookies and cakes. The pricing for the teas and coffees starts around VN57,000 (U$2.5 | A$3.5). The space is tastefully decorated to reflect old world Hoi An and offers the perfect setting to walk passersby.
To order, you complete a short form, which includes selecting if you want your tea/coffee hot or cold, adding milk etc. It’s a very simple process and the friendly service team gives you a big smile and collects your form with a gesture that suggests ‘thank you.’
There are also mini word blocks you can use to order / speak to the service team, which display simple words such as “bill,” “milk,” and “ice.”
The Verdict
Hoi An is bustling with cafes and restaurants to explore, but no visit to Hoi An would be complete without visiting the Reaching Out Tea House.
It offers a perfect sanctuary to escape the busy streets of Hoi An and provides a tranquil break away from the noise. And most importantly, by visiting, you are supporting a wonderful cause.
It’s a great opportunity to give back to the community and help the less fortunate thrive while you are visiting Hoi An in Vietnam.
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