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Hoi An World Heritage Town

Hoi An Ancient Town: Not far away from Da Nang (30km) Hoi An old town is small and peaceful, the kind of place where you may get stuck for a few days, whether it is intentionally or not.

Originally known as Faifo, this antique town is bordered on its southern side by the Thu Bon River, along which there are several small cafes. Even though it is now a tourist haven, the artistic atmosphere and local friendly people create an inviting environment.

Hoi An town was an important port developed in the 17th century and remained so for a long time. There used to be canals parallel to the streets, so merchandise could be loaded straight from the back of houses onto the boats.

Hoi An’s continuance as a port lasted right up until the early years of the 20th century, when the river silted up forcing the cargo ships to call at Da Nang instead.

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 your 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 marketplace 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 Cua 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 marketplace. Many of the locals will wait on the river and offer you this service throughout the day and night.