Hoi An

Why Hoi An works

Hoi An flourished for centuries as a trading port where Chinese, Japanese, and European merchants exchanged silk, spices, and ceramics, and its Ancient Town preserves that layered history in a remarkably intact grid of wooden shophouses now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the 1590s to connect Japanese and Chinese quarters of the town, remains the district's most photographed landmark, its small temple shrine tucked into the bridge's northern side. Tan Ky House and Phung Hung House, both centuries-old merchant homes still occupied by descendants of the original families, are open for visits and showcase a fusion of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese architectural styles. Each evening, the Ancient Town's streetlights are switched off in favour of hundreds of silk lanterns, and the riverfront comes alive with vendors selling small candle-lit paper boats to float downstream. Hoi An's tailoring trade, built on generations of skilled seamstresses, allows visitors to have custom clothing made and fitted within 24 to 48 hours. The surrounding countryside adds an easy escape: An Bang Beach for swimming, Tra Que herb village for a hands-on cooking class, and basket-boat rides through the coconut palm forests of Cam Thanh.

Trip Snapshot

Suitable For