Hoi An Ancient town
Located at the estuary of the Thu Bon river in the Centre of Vietnam, Hoi An was a busy international commercial port in the 16th and 17th centuries. Herein Chinese, Japanese, Dutch and Indians had settled down during the same period. Today Hoi An stands as an example of ancient architecture and is declared as a World Heritage by UNESCO for being one of the best preserved ancient Southeast Asian trading ports. Set in a quiet environment and surrounded by peaceful villages, beautiful river, sea and sunny beaches Hoian lures tourists with its ancient charm of temples, shrines, Chinese style tile-roofed wooden houses and a unique blend of Japanese and Chinese architecture. Furthermore, offshore, Cu Lao Cham Islands are very famous for sheltering their prized birds’ nests. 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. Best time to visit is between March to October when rainfall is minimal. Temperatures creep up towards August so if you’re a fan of the heat and are planning to spend some time on or under the water plan for a mid-year visit.
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Attractions |
Cua Dai Beach
Cua Dai Beach is located in the area of Cam An Ward, about 4km to the north-east of Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province. Cua Dai Beach is over 3km in length and up to 300m in width. The beach boasts fine white sand, clear and blue water, moderate slopes and small waves, which make it ideal for recreational activities like swimming and other sea sports.
Japanese Covered Bridge
Also called the Pagoda Bridge (Chua Cau) is located in Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province. The Pagoda Bridge was built in the 16th century and is still incredibly well-preserved. More than 400 years have passed and the covered bridge has always been a good shelter for passers by escaping from the rain and heat. On the northern side of the bridge is a Japanese pagoda to protect sailors. There are statues of two dogs located at the western end of the bridge and two monkeys at the eastern end. It is said that the construction started in the year of the monkey and finished in the year of the dog, according to Chinese calendar. Other legend is said that the statues on the bridge might have been put there by the Japanese to control this monster, since the dog and the monkey are sacred animals according to their Totem religion.
Kim Bong Carpentry Village
Kim Bong Carpenter Village is located in Cam Kim Commune, Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province.
The carpentry of this village is believed to originate from North Vietnam, and has long been famous with its arts of wood carving and sculpture. Through contact and exchange with artisans of the same trade from Siem, China, Japan and so on, combined with their own skills; these Kim Bong carpenters have created pieces of work which have normally great meaning in philosophy and fine arts. Products made here have been marketed in domestic as well as oversea markets.
Lantern work
Located in Hoi An Ancient Town, Quang Nam Province.
Hoi An lantern is various size and shape, from normal lantern to dragon lante rn or fish lantern with full of color. Hoi An people highly pride on their lantern. It is very simple and easy to do only with hard-work. In past, there was no “night of ancient city”. There are about 30 families working lantern in Hoi An. They have to use the old bamboo soaking ten-day in salt water against wormhole and moth then drying it and sharpening it as the size of lantern. Cloth must be silken or nylon cloth, enough toughs for stretching and stretching worker need good technique to do it. To be done a couple of lantern requires 4-work day and 3 decorative works.
Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall
Located at 46 Tran Phu St., Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province.
Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall, also called Kim Son Pagoda, was built in 1692 by Chinese Phuoc Kien merchants. It has since been restored and enhanced many times. Because it was used for worship as well as for meetings by the Chinese from Phuoc Kien Province, this construction is now called the Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall.
The Holy Mother and the Goddess of the Sea, Thien Hau, are worshipped in the main sanctuary. The Phuoc Kien ancestors and the God of Prosperity are worshipped in the sanctuary behind the main one. This temple is architecturally unique with its artistic ornaments and beautiful statues. The Chinese architectural style combined with Vietnamese workmanship has enriched it with Hoi An’s cultural character.
Tan Ky Ancient House
Located at 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc Road, Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province.
Tan Ky House was constructed almost two centuries ago as the house of a Vietnamese merchant. It has always been lovingly preserved and now looks almost exactly as it did in the early 19th century. The design of Tan Ky House shows how local architecture incorporated Japanese and Chinese influences. Japanese elements include the crab shell-shaped ceiling supported by three beams in the living room. Chinese poems written in mother-of-pearl are hanging from a number of the columns that hold up the roof.
Tra Que Vegetable village
It is a small village being distant about three kilometers from the North – East of the old town, located at the bank of Tra Que lagoon. The village is named after the sweet scented vegetables that spice up the everyday meals of the Pho Hoi people. Here a new spirit for traditional Hoi An dishes like Cao Lau, Quang noodles, enjoy cooking class served by host with the local ‘Tam huu’ spring roll which were primarily made from Tra Que vegetables and cake with meat (Banh xeo) has been enlivened. A whole day living and working with the villagers in Tra Que vegetable planting village, tourists will have chance to approach the farmer ’s living being sweaty to make sweet products for life.
Thanh Ha Pottery Village
Thanh Ha Pottery Village is located in Thanh Ha Ward, Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province.
Having its origins from Thanh Hoa Province, the pottery-making profession in Thanh Ha Village absorbed some techniques, original in Quang Nam Province and hence their products have become different from all the others in Vietnam, though also based on clay with manual manipulation and kiln heat. The originality of their products resides in the color, durability, lightness and decoration. Thanh Ha Pottery craftsmen had ever been invited by the Court of Nguyen Dynasty in Hue to create special products for activities of the imperial palace. The same as Kim Bong wood craftsmen, they were put at the eight or nine grades of mandarin system. In the recent some decades, Thanh Ha pottery has still been sold throughout the country and sometimes abroad (Canada, America, France).
Besides the pottery work, Thanh Ha Village is also famous for bricks and tiles. So far, it has ever supplied double, zigzag and tubular tiles for the old architectural constructions, of which the Hoi An Ancient City with the restoration and embellishment of places of historical interest.
