Hoi An Old Town

Hoi An is an unusually well preserved old trading port, and its UNESCO centre is a warren of narrow lanes lined with mustard-yellow wooden shophouses, ancient merchant homes, temples and the famous Japanese Covered Bridge. Once a busy international port, it is now car-free and magical after dark, when thousands of silk lanterns and floating candles glow along the riverfront in a spectacle of colour.

History

The land on the lower Thu Bồn River, about 28 kilometres south of today's Da Nang, belonged first to the Sa Huỳnh culture and from the 2nd century to the kingdom of Champa, which made it one of its main trading ports, a stop on the maritime Silk Road. From the end of the 15th century Vietnamese settlers arrived and the area passed to the Nguyễn lords, and from the early 17th century Chinese and Japanese merchants settled and traded here, making it one of the busiest ports in Southeast Asia for some two centuries. In the 19th century trade moved to Da Nang and the old port declined, which left the town largely as it was; it holds some 1,360 monuments, among them 1,068 old houses and the Japanese Bridge, and has been a World Heritage Site since 12 December 1999 (Wikipedia, Hội An Old Town).

Highlights

• The lantern-lit old town - the glowing silk lanterns after dark.
• The Japanese Covered Bridge - the famous covered footbridge.
• The merchant houses - the ancient wooden shophouses and assembly halls.
• The tailors and riverfront - the famous tailors and the candle-lit river.

When to go

February to April for the driest, mildest weather, before the summer heat and the autumn flooding season, as Hoi An can flood badly from around September to November. The town is at its most magical after dark, and the monthly full-moon lantern festival is special.

What to expect

It is very popular and can feel touristy and crowded, especially in the evenings, with relentless offers from tailors, shops and boat vendors. It floods badly in the wet autumn months. Its beauty is undeniable, but for quiet, wander the lanes early in the morning before the crowds and heat.

Nearby

The beaches near Da Nang, the ruins of My Son and the Marble Mountains are close.

Key facts