Hoi An is an ancient town of Quang Nam Province, some 30km away south of Da Nang City. Hoi An used to be a busy international trading port. It was the meeting point of Japanese, Chinese and Western merchant ships throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
Hoi An was fortunate not to be devastated during the two wars, nor influenced by the massive urbanisation process of the late 20th century, so here, many old quarters built from the 16th century still exist, almost intact and located along narrow streets.
Located in between Vietnamese traditional street houses and French-style houses are premises and temples of the Chinese origin, which shows a very typical mix of cultural interference and exchange on this land . The town is also home to the only existing ancient bridge, which is currently known as Chua Cau (Pagoda Bridge) or Japanese covered bridge.
The bridge which is 400 years old and 18m long, spanning Hoai River and connecting to the Thu Bon River, is a favourite destination of visitors to Hoi An. Hoi An is not only known for its unique architecture but also for colourful lanterns with many shapes hanging around the streets and houses.
It can be said that the lanterns are a symbol that is associated with the breath of the ancient town, bringing visitors to a world of hundreds of years ago.
It seems time stalling here. In 1999, UNESCO officially recognised Hoi An Ancient Town a world cultural heritage. Each year the town receives millions of domestic and foreign tourists./.
