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Hoi An

Graceful, historic Hoi An is Vietnam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Once a major port, it boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage, and the 21st-century curses of traffic and pollution are almost entirely absent.

The face of the Old Town has preserved its incredible legacy of tottering Japanese merchant houses, Chinese temples and ancient tea warehouses – though, of course, residents and rice fields have been gradually replaced by tourist businesses. Lounge bars, boutique hotels, travel agents and a glut of tailor shops are very much part of the scene here. And yet, down by the market and over on Cam Nam Island, you’ll find life has changed little. Travel a few kilometres further – you’ll find some superb bicycle, motorbike and boat trips – and some of central Vietnam’s most enticingly laid-back scenery and beaches are within easy reach.

Explore Hoi An

  • Tan Ky House

    Built two centuries ago by an ethnically Vietnamese family, this gem of a house has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. Look out for signs…

  • Japanese Covered Bridge

    Emblematic of Hoi An, this beautiful bridge was first constructed in the 1590s by the Japanese community to link it with the Chinese quarters. Over the…

  • T

    Tran Family Chapel

    Built for worshipping family ancestors of the Tran (陳) clan, this chapel (more accurately an ancestral hall) dates back to 1802. It was commissioned by…

  • Hoi An Old Town

    By Unesco decree, more than 800 historic buildings in Hoi An have been preserved, so much of the Old Town looks as it did several centuries ago. Eighteen…

  • C

    Confucius Temple

    Behind an impressive gate emblazoned with Chinese chu nho characters that simply translate as 'Confucius Temple', this magnificent temple to the west of…

  • P

    Phung Hung Old House

    Just a few steps down from the Japanese Covered Bridge, this old house has a wide, welcoming entrance hall decorated with exquisite lanterns, wall…

  • P

    Precious Heritage

    Hoi An–based French photographer Réhahn has conceived this cross between museum and gallery, combining his outstanding photos of Vietnam's hill tribes…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Hoi An.

  • See

    Tan Ky House

    Built two centuries ago by an ethnically Vietnamese family, this gem of a house has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. Look out for signs…

  • See

    Japanese Covered Bridge

    Emblematic of Hoi An, this beautiful bridge was first constructed in the 1590s by the Japanese community to link it with the Chinese quarters. Over the…

  • See

    Tran Family Chapel

    Built for worshipping family ancestors of the Tran (陳) clan, this chapel (more accurately an ancestral hall) dates back to 1802. It was commissioned by…

  • See

    Hoi An Old Town

    By Unesco decree, more than 800 historic buildings in Hoi An have been preserved, so much of the Old Town looks as it did several centuries ago. Eighteen…

  • See

    Confucius Temple

    Behind an impressive gate emblazoned with Chinese chu nho characters that simply translate as 'Confucius Temple', this magnificent temple to the west of…

  • See

    Phung Hung Old House

    Just a few steps down from the Japanese Covered Bridge, this old house has a wide, welcoming entrance hall decorated with exquisite lanterns, wall…

  • See

    Precious Heritage

    Hoi An–based French photographer Réhahn has conceived this cross between museum and gallery, combining his outstanding photos of Vietnam's hill tribes…

Guidebooks

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