Overview of Hoi an - A place to visit

The picturesque town of Hoi An was an important international trading port from the 16-18th century, connecting Asia and the rest of the world. Today Hoi An is a living architectural museum and one of the best-preserved ancient towns in Vietnam. Visitors to this UNESCO World Heritage site can explore the quaint cobblestone streets, excellent handicrafts, and eccentric building styles that mix Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and French influences. If you want to go inside any of the historical buildings of Hoi An you must purchase a ticket ($3.5 per person) at the booth in the town centre. This entitles you to visit: One of four old house One of 3 museums One of 3 assembly halls A traditional music concert and handicraft workshop Either the Japanese Bridge or the Quan Cong Temple

Old Houses

Tan Ky House: was built around 1800 for a well-to-do Vietnamese merchant. The back of the house which is a short distance from the river bank was used as a storage area for goods unloaded from the merchant ships that visited Hoi An. Wooden panels inlaid with mother of pearl are hung from many of the columns that support the roof of the house. A great deal of care has been taken to preserve this building and it is well worth a visit.

Diep Dong Nguyen House: is a former dispensary of Chinese medicine and is about 120 years old. The upstairs section houses the owners private collection of antiques.

Also open to the public are the Tran Duong House and the House at 77 Tran Phu

Japanese Covered Bridge

The original bridge was built in the late 16th century to link the Japanese and Chinese quarters of Hoi An. Each entrance to the bridge features stone carvings, a pair of monkeys on one side and a pair of dogs on the other side. On the north side of the bridge is small Chua Cau temple.

Quan Cong Temple

The temple was founded in the mid 17th century. A statue of Quan Cong sits in the central altar of this Chinese temple. The statues of General Chau Xuong and Quan Binh sits to the left and right of Quan Cong.

Assembly Halls

Fujian Chinese Hall: was originally used by the local community as a place to hold meetings. Later it became a temple dedicated to Thien Hau. The main hall has several murals depicting Thien Hau and heads of Fujian families who fled from China after the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty.

You can also visit the Cantonese Congregation Hall and the Chinese All Community Hall. Further afield is the ancient Champa Kingdom at My Son.

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Hoi An town is small and peaceful, the kind of place where you may get stuck for a few days, whether it is intentional or not. Originally known as Faifo, this antique town is bordered on its southern side by the Thu Bon River, along which there's a number of small cafes.

In the past Hoi An has been used by the Japanese, Portuguese, Dutch, French and the large remaining Chinese community where all sorts of produce and wares were traded. Remnants of these past traders¢ influences can still be seen lining the streets of Hoi An. There are nine different types of historical sites in Hoi An with an average age of 200 years. They include private houses, family chapels, community halls, communal houses, temples, pagodas, bridges, wells and tombs. Many of these buildings have been maintained close to their original form, allowing you imagination to recreate a prosperous trading town. The houses are small and colorful with wooden doors and two round "wooden house's eyes" above, window shutters and ornamental furniture. A pleasant change from the iron bars and metal grates of other towns.

Hoi An is full of shops selling artwork, from lifelike memorial family portraits, to stylized images of Hoi An houses and streets. Next door to the art shops are places selling souvenir statues, ceramic plates, and ¡antique¢ bowls. At the market place beside the river, you can pick up almost anything you want. Tourists are often being lured into the markets to buy silk and to have quality garments tailor made. You can have anything from dresses and trousers to shirts and hats made for a cheap price.

Another noticeable quality of Hoi An is its relative silence. There are few cars and people do not feel the urge to use their horns every two seconds. The streets are filled with the hum of voices, motorbikes and the shuffling of thongs along the ground. Hoi An is small enough to get around on foot, and you will need a set of wheels if you are going to Cue Dai Beach, or on a day trip to the Marble Mountains or Da Nang.

A relaxing activity around sunset is to hire a boat from the waterside by the market place. Many of the locals will wait on the river and offer you this service throughout the day and night

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