If you visit Vietnam, Hoi An is a must-visit city for anyone who is looking forward to discovering the culture. The ancient city is packed with sights to see, wonderful cuisine, colorful architecture and surrounded by gorgeous countryside.
Old Town
The Old Town of Hoi An is a remarkably well-preserved South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Many of the historic buildings are built in a traditional Chinese style, and the roads are narrow and winding. Classical music is piped into the Old Town, and a single ticket allows you entrance into the main attractions. Highlights of the Old Town Include the Japanese Covered Bridge, the three so-called Old Houses, and the Quan Cong Temple. There are several museums in the Old Town, but you may want to skip them in favor of watching the incredible folk music performances held several times each day at the Hoi An Handicraft Workshop.
The Japanese Bridge
These days, the Japanese Bridge has become a Hoi An's signature, but turn back into the 17th century, when the bridge was built, it simply serves as a way for the Japanese community who lived on the other side of the stream to reach the Chinese quarter. The Japanese Bridge has been restored many times over the years but has mostly stayed true to the original whose simple design stands in contrast to the generously embellished Chinese temples nearby.
Old House of Tan Ky
Located at 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, in the Old Quarter of Hoi An Ancient Town, Tan Ky Old house is an almost perfect example of an 18th merchant’s residence in this major commercial port town. The name Tan Ky, meaning “Progress Shop”, was given to the house by the second generation to express the owner’s wish for a prosperous business. In spite of the decline in business of the town and the huge devastation of annual floods, seven generations of the family have continuously strived to keep the house in good condition. Though it’s not the oldest, Tan Ky is the most well-preserved in Hoi An.
Hoi An Night Market
There is no shortage of shopping opportunities in the city, but one of the most interesting is found at the Hoi An Night Market. The market is located on Nguyen Hoang Street, just opposite the Japanese Covered Bridge. The market opens around five each evening when more than 500 vendors open up their stalls to sell everything from souvenirs to clothing to fresh food. Perhaps the most-spotted item for sale is the paper lantern, which glows beautifully after nightfall. You can buy a colorful lantern to cast a glow as you shop, or you can take it home as a way to remember the colors, vibrancy, and excitement of the Hoi An Night Market.
Phuc Kien Assembly Hall
Located at the same street as Quang Trieu, Phuc Kien Fujian Assembly Hall is the largest and most famous of the assembly halls in Hoi An’s Ancient Town. Originally the site of a Vietnamese pagoda dedicated to Buddha, the land was later sold in the mid-1700s to the largest group of Chinese traders in Hoi An, the Fujian, and Phuc Kien Fujian Assembly Hall was built in its place. Phuc Kien honors three goddesses, all with extraordinary talents in relation to the sea, from being able to spot ships from thousands of miles away to protect fishermen out at sea.
Quan Cong Temple - Quan Am Pagoda
Connected and thus considered a single site as far as ticket stubs go, Quan Cong Temple and Quan Am Pagoda are both relatively small places of worship, especially in comparison to the size of Hoi An’s assembly halls. Quan Cong Temple was built in 1653 in honor of Quan Cong, a prominent Chinese general known for his courage, loyalty, and integrity. His likeness has been preserved in statue-form, and if you make an offering to him, the same person who takes your ticket will ring a bronze bell for you. The adjoining Quan Am Pagoda, dedicated to the Chinese goddess of mercy and compassion, can be accessed by following the passage behind the temple.
An Bang Beach
One of the busiest beaches in all of Vietnam is An Bang Beach. An Bang Beach offers a stretch of sandy shoreline and access to the blue ocean, and it is the perfect place to relax in the sun or head in for a refreshing swim. Unlike other coastal destinations in Hoi An, erosion isn’t a problem at An Bang Beach. That means there is more sand than in many other surrounding coastal spots. Countless vendors are lined up under the shade of the palm trees to feed hungry beachgoers throughout the day.
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