Hoi An Ancient Town – Attraction Of Asia’s Leading cultural destination

Stepping into the ancient town of Hoi An in the south-central province of Quang Nam, visitors can deeply feel a diverse and artistic blend of typical architectural works from the Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and French cultures.

After two quiet years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoi An is now bustling again as it is among the two destinations selected by provincial authorities to reopen its door to international tourists.

Located in the lower reach of Thu Bon River in the coastal plain in Quang Nam province, about 30 km south of Da Nang city, Hoi An has been known in the international market by various names such as Lam Ap, Faifo, Hoai Pho and Hoi An. The only Southeast Asian port-market in Vietnam and very rare in the world, Hoi An keeps almost 1,360 architectural relics intact. These include streets, houses, assembly halls, communal houses, pagodas, shrines, clan houses, ancient wells and tombs. They exhibit both Vietnamese traditional art characteristics and the convergence of eastern and western cultures.

The cultural and economic exchanges that occurred from the 16th to 19th centuries have left in ancient Hoi An most of the forms of Vietnam’s ancient architecture, grouping traditional national arts enriched with sketches of foreign arts.

It is easy for tourists to recognise traces of the time not only in the architectural design of each construction but also everywhere else, from moss-covered tile roofs, walls, sculptures depicting a strange creature or an ancient story. It is a convergence of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Cham artisans. Each construction still bears the cultural hallmarks of many nations. At present, Hoi An is still the dwelling place of thousands of residents, serving as a living museum in terms of architecture and urban lifestyle.

Through centuries, customs and practices, rites, cultural and belief activities as well as traditional foods of Hoi An are still kept and preserved along with generations of ancient street dwellers. The town also boasts a natural environment which is healthy and peaceful with small suburban villages engaged in crafts like carpentry and pottery.