Hoi An
30
km from Da Nang, Hoi An town is small and peaceful, the kind of
place where you may get stuck for a few days, whether it is
intentional or not. Originally known as Faifo, this antique town is
bordered on its southern side by the
Thu
Bon
River
, along which there's a number of small cafes. Despite the fact that
it is now a tourist haven, the artistic atmosphere and local
friendly people create an inviting environment.
Hoi
An was an important port developed in 17th century and remained so
for a long time. There used to be canals parallel to the streets, so
merchandise could be loaded straight from the back of houses onto
the boats. Hoi An’s continuance as a port lasted right up until
the early years of the 20 century, when the river became silted up
forcing the cargo ships to call at Da Nang instead.
In
the past Hoi An has been used by the Japanese, Portuguese, Dutch,
French and the large remaining Chinese community where all sorts of
produce and wares were traded. Remnants of these past traders’
influences can still be seen lining the streets of Hoi An. There are
nine different types of historical sites in Hoi An with an average
age of 200 years. They include private houses, family chapels,
community halls, communal houses, temples, pagodas, bridges, wells
and tombs. Many of these buildings have been maintained close to
their original form, allowing you imagination to recreate a
prosperous trading town. The houses are small and colorful with
wooden doors and two round "wooden house's eyes" above,
window shutters and ornamental furniture. A pleasant change from the
iron bars and metal grates of other towns.
Hoi
An is full of shops selling artwork, from lifelike memorial family
portraits, to stylized images of Hoi An houses and streets. Next
door to the art shops are places selling souvenir statues, ceramic
plates, and ‘antique’ bowls. At the market place beside the
river, you can pick up almost anything you want. Tourists are often
being lured into the markets to buy silk and to have quality
garments tailor made. You can have anything from dresses and
trousers to shirts and hats made for a cheap price.
Another
noticeable quality of Hoi An is its relative silence. There are few
cars and people do not feel the urge to use their horns every two
seconds. The streets are filled with the hum of voices, motorbikes
and the shuffling of thongs 
along
the ground. HoiAn is small enough to get around on foot, and you
will need a set of wheels if you are going to Cua Dai Beach, or on
a day trip to the Marble Mountains or China Beach in Da Nang
A
relaxing activity around sunset is to hire a boat from the waterside
by the market place. Many of the locals will wait on the river and
offer you this service throughout the day and night.
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