Hoi An - Vietnam

Hoi An, Vietnam is a small town in Central Vietnam on the coast of South China Sea. Located at the estuary of the Thu Bon river, Hoi An was a busy international commercial port in the 16th and 17th centuries. Herein Chinese from various provinces, Japanese, Dutch and Indians had settled down during the same period. Today Hoi An stands as an example of ancient architecturee and is declared as a World Heritage by UNESCO for being one of the best preserved ancient Southeast Asian trading ports.

Hoi An, Vietnam is one of the most popular of the Vietnam tourist attractions. It lures the tourists in Vietnam, with its ancient charm of temples, shrines, Chinese style tile-roofed wooden houses and a unique blend of Japanese and Chinese architecture. A vacation in Hoi An,Vietnam would be an ideal one for those looking for a break from the busy city life with peace and tranquility around.

Some of the popular tourist attractions in Hoi An, Vietnam are Old Houses

Phung Hung Old House built believed to be built in 1798 is the most visited among all others. This three storied house has a mix of Chinese and Japanese structural designs and used to be a shop house of merchants. The other similar Old Houses in Hoi An, Vietnam are the 200 year old Tan Ky Old House, the well preserved Quan Thang Old House and the Diep Dong Nguyen Old House.

Temples and Shrines

These are the most visited places for sightseeing in Hoi An, Vietnam. The prominent among them are the Tran Family chapel built in 1802 by the Tran family, the ethnic Chinese shrine called Truong Family Chapel, Japanese Tombs,Trieu Chau Assembly Hall and Phuc Kien Hall,Japanese Covered Bridge

Beaches, Islands and Lagoons

These are the most popular Hoi An, Vietnam tourist attractions. Among the beaches the Cua Dai Beach famous for sunbath and fresh seafood is widely visited. Cham islands , a cluster of 7 island and Hai Van Pass with hills,Thu Bon River, valleys and lagoons are no less popular.

My Son Holy Land

Located 60 kilometers from Hoi An, Vietnam this UNESCO declared World Heritage Site houses 17 temples and towers of 13th and 14th centuries belonging to the Champa people

Museums, Churches and Pagodas

Some of the prominent museums are Hoi An Museum of History and Culture, Museum of Sa Huynh Culture and Hoi An Museum of Trade and Ceramics, Some pagodas and churches are also worth a visit in Hoi An, Vietnam like Cao Dai Pagoda, Chuc Thanh Pagoda, the Hoi An Church and the Cham Museum in Danang is just 15 km away

Shopping

Hoi An, Vietnam offers a good selection of Vietnam art, handicraft and clothes with more than 140 shops in the city as in 2002. The cloth market is filled with small tailor stalls that are cheaper than shops elsewhere's.

Getting to Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An, Vietnam is easily accessible by rail and air, another reason for it being one of the prime Vietnam popular destinations. The nearest airport and rail stations are at Danang. There are regular traveler buses running to Hoi An, Vietnam from various other cities of Vietnam.