Kim Bong Carpentry Village

Kim Bong sits on Cam Kim island across the Thu Bon from Hoi An and its carpenters built the town opposite - the timber houses, the assembly halls and much of the joinery that the old town's inscription rests on - working in a tradition that combined Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese methods as the port's trade brought them together. Nguyen records show craftsmen from here summoned to Hue to work on the imperial buildings. The village still has workshops doing carving, boatbuilding and furniture, at a much smaller scale, and the crossing from Hoi An by boat takes a few minutes.

What you actually see

• The carpenters of Hoi An's old town - who built what is now inscribed.
• Mixed Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese methods - from the port's trade.
• Craftsmen summoned to Hue - recorded under the Nguyen.
• Working carving and boat yards - at a reduced scale.

When to go

February to August. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The village is much quieter than it sounds and some workshops are essentially shops. Boat prices from Hoi An are negotiated. It is best combined with a cycle around the island rather than as a destination alone.

Nearby

Hoi An is across the river; Thanh Ha is upstream on the northern bank.