BEAUTIFUL, HISTORIC HOI AN

The historic 'Japanese Bridge' in the Old Town of Hoi An

Hoi An is a seaside town unlike any other. Founded in the 16th century, this is the best preserved old port in all of Southeast Asia; a historical site for the ages. This has Vietnam's best preserved old buildings, which precede the French colonial times.

Traditional lanterns in an Old Town shop

During the war years, Hoi An was spared the destruction that raged throughout the rest of South Vietnam. By luck, or by design, neither side launched major attacks on this rare ancient town. That left Hoi An's rich heritage intact. It makes one wonder how the rest of Vietnam may have looked, if this beautiful country had not been so damaged by so many wars over the centuries

Hoi An was once a major trading port

As Hoi An lies is a coastal town which lies on the Thu Bon River, it does suffer one annual indignity: flooding. Unlike other old river towns, Hoi An lacks levees, so each spring the streets are flooded. However, it is flooding that the town's residents have learned to live with. The only movement seen in the town's streets is by boat.  

An artist does restoration work on a local Buddhist temple

Rather than the usual destruction of flooding I've seen before, the strong foundations and building materials in this old town are such that the old buildings are able to withstand the annual floods (for the most part.)

Colorfully painted boats in Hoi An's harbor

Once a major trading port, over the centuries the town had communities of Chinese, Cham and Japanese. Even the Dutch and Spanish were here. Today, it is distinctly Vietnamese.

Waitresses chat at the door of a Hoi An restaurant. The town is excellent for seafood.

Inside one of the oldest homes in town is a very heavy, old wooden pillar, with a series of marks on it. These are dated high water marks, showing the actual height that the flood reached that year. When the annual floodwaters subside, the town's residents clean up, and the tourists, return to Hoi An as usual. 

A night time view of Hoi An's waterfront

This burg has long been known as a 'must see' place for foreign visitors. With excellent restaurants craft markets, and comfortable scenic hotels, its reputation for tourism is well deserved. With romantic views, the Old Town is popular with honeymooners.

Hoi An has some of the best preserved architecture in all of Vietnam

This ancient little port was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999, so the unique and historic old town should be spared from unscrupulous redevelopers in the future. With that kind of protection, this beautiful old town should remain relatively unchanged for future generations of tourists, who wish to come and experience the charm, the tranquility, of old Vietnam.

'The Old Man and the Sea' in Vietnam