Hoi An
by call_me_rhia
Hoi An is an ancient city in central Vietnam on the coast of the South China Sea now in the Unesco List of World Heritage Sites... which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because many of the old wooden buildings have been restored, and because the city council had to get rid of drugs and prostitution, a curse because it is now full of tourists and tourist-related shops, in particular taylors... you can have a dress made in one day or in one hour, but in any case the quality is very poor, this at least according to some ex-pats we met. Hoi An's importance comes from the fact that it used to the largest harbour in South East Asia, as far back as when the town was called Lâm Ấp Phố (Champa City) in the first century. Plenty of people came to Hoi An, mostly Chinese, but there were Japanese, Dutch and Indians too. For this reason it's full of magnificent buildings to visit... it's a pleasant place to stroll about, traffic-free as some of the streets are closed to traffic. At night, along the river, it's very suggestive and romantic.
4-sight tour ticket
by galy
The standard way of seeing Hoi An's sights involves buying a 4-sight tour ticket ($5).
This ticket allows you to enter four places, picking one place from each of: 3 museums, 3 assembly halls, 4 traditional houses and the Japanese Bridge.
The Japanese Bridge is a public road and no ticket is necessary, but it's on the list anyway. It is possible to see a traditional house without the ticket by paying about 10,000D to the house owner, though some will charge more. To enter more than one place from each group, show the used ticket and pay an extra 10,000D The assembly halls are beautifully decorated and worth a visit.
Hoi An Legendary Night
by Blatherwick
On the 14th day of every lunar month from 5:30 to 10 pm the city turns off all the electric lights in the historic centre and it is lit only by lanterns. There is theatre, games, and of course food during this monthly event.
Hat and water
by albaaust
Make sure you have a hat, sunblock and water bottle that you carry with you at all times. If you can get a carry case that is a "cooler" even better especially if you are travelling around August when we were!
My Son
by magor65
My Son is a definite "must" if you visit this part of Vietnam. Situated about 40 km from Hoi An in a lush green valley it is one of the most important archeological sites of Vietnam. Once the ancient centre of the kingdom of Champa, it is nowadays the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Although My Son cannot compare to the temples of Angkor in Cambodia, it is undoubtedly an evocative place of great historical value.
The earliest temple constructions come from the 4th century AD, but most structures whose remains we can see today were built around the 10th century AD.
The American war reduced a big part of the buildings to ruins. Some of the decorative elements and carvings that 'survived' the war have been removed to the Cham museum in Danang. But still the place makes a lasting impression.
The ticket comprises the transport to the sites, which are about 2 km from the ticket office.
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Having a drink at the dive bar in Hoi An.
Chinese Bridge, Hoi-an
My Son Sanctuary,Vietnam.
Museum of History and Culture,Hoi An,Vietnam.
