Hoi An Things to Do

Of all the old houses that visitors can enter in Hoi An, we chose Tan Ky house; according to many sources the most interesting in Hoi An.
The house is inhabited by the sixth generation of Vietnamese family called Tan Ky. Their ancestors bought the house from Chinese merchants from Fujian province.
The house, similar to typical Vietnamese tube houses (narrow but long), is a bit wider, but has the same layout. In the front part there's a shop, then living room and an open courtyard, then bedroom and kitchen at the back. The kitchen faces the river.
Its design and decorations prove Chinese and Japanese influence on local architecture. The example of Japanese elements may be a crab-shell shaped ceiling. As for Chinese influence - look around for Chinese poems written in mother-of-pearl hanging from the columns.
Some of the family members will surely be there to serve tea to the guests and show them around. They will draw your attention to some marks showing the level of water brought about by floods. There was one year that the water almost reached the second floor.

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This assembly hall was built by the Chinese merchants from Fujian province. The triple entrance gate was added in 1975. The main temple is dedicated to Thieu Hau - a goddess of the sea. On her either side stand two other deities - one is red and the other green-skinned. They are said to inform Thien Hau if either of them sees or hears sailors in danger. Then the goddess hurries to rescue the men.
The temple is often visited by childless couples, as it houses as well the figures of the goddess of fertility, three fairies and twelve midwives, who are said to teach newborns such skills as sucking, smiling, etc.

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The Chinese who settled down in Hoi An came mainly from 5 southern provinces of China. The community of each province had their own assembly hall which played different functions. The halls served as temples, but also as meeting places where cultural identity of the community could be preserved.
Today they are excellent places to admire Chinese culture, perhaps even better than in China itself, where the years of communism left its destructive mark.
All assembly halls follow a similar pattern: a decorative entrance gate with colourful plaster bas-reliefs, central courtyard and meeting rooms on both sides and a temple at the back.
I loved red spiral incense hanging from the ceiling and burning slowly - the sign of time passing by.

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I wouldn't call this bridge beautiful, I wouldn't even call it pretty. But it is an unmistakable symbol of Hoi An.
It was built in the 17th century and used to link the quarters inhabited by the Chinese and Japanese communities. It's a covered bridge with a little temple inside (you can enter it with a ticket). On both ends of the bridge there are altars with its guardians. On one end there are two monkeys, on the other two dogs. Why? It is said that the construction of the bridge was started in the year of the monkey and finished in the year of the dog.

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Visiting tourist attractions of Hoi An is restricted to five places for one entrance ticket. To make things more complicated, you can't visit any five places of your choice, but each one must fall into a different category. The categories are: museums, assembly halls, old houses, cultural events ( which means either a concert of traditional music or visiting a handicraft workshop) and "other" (the choice of two temples). If you want to visit another attraction, you must buy a new ticket. Swapping the attractions doesn't seem to be possible. Tickets cost about five dollars and can be easily bought in various ticket offices in the Old Town.
Although the system may seem annoying, I do understand the town's need for funds, especially with the place being haunted by frequent floods which make the task of conservation very urgent.
From my own experience I can say that one ticket is enough to see the highlights of Hoi An. Luckily, to immerse in its unique atmosphere you don't need any ticket, at all.

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Hoi An is often described as a 'living museum' and it is not a mere reconstruction for tourists but an authentic working town. So if you are tired of visiting its numerous tourist attractions it can be a good idea to walk leisurely around and enjoy people watching.
Hoi An is also renowned for its tailors. Many tourists leave the place with their suitcases filled with made-to-measure clothes for just a fraction of a western price (buying a dress for 10 dollars or a suit for 25 won't definitely ruin your budget). You can make your order on one day and your garment will be ready for the next day.
When you feel hungry, go to one of many restaurants facing the river and sample their delicious food. Being rather conservative with new dishes, I usually opted for fried rice or spring rolls, and I loved them.
What is important, Hoi An is a small town. You don't need any transport to explore it, just a pair of your own legs. The old Town is closed to cars, which is a relief after visiting other Vietnamese citiies.

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One of the nicest things to do in Hoi An is walk along the narrow streets of the old town absorbing its atmosphere.
It might be hard to believe today, but Hoi An was the most important port of Vietnam from the 16th to 18th century. The town grew in prosperity exporting silk, sandalwood, mother-of-pearl and spices. Merchants from Japan and China and from distant Europe came here in big numbers, some deciding to stay longer than their business required. Whereas Europeans left few traces, the Japanese and Chinese highly contributed to the development of Hoi An. Thus the town, as we see it today, is a unique blend of local and foreign influences.
In 1999 the Old Town of Hoi An was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a well-preserved example of South East Asian port.

Cua Dai Beach is the best place to go swimming while in Hoi An. Although some of the more upmarket hotels have their own pools, there's nothing better than swimming in the sea. Cua Dai Beach consists of fine yellow sand with hardly any stones. Furthermore, at its developed parts, it is very clean as well.

The beach is very nice and great for a relaxing day, were it not for the vendors. You won't have ten minutes undisturbed here as mostly old, toothless women come towards you every some moments to try to sell you coconuts, mangos, cigarettes, necklaces and what have you. Usually, a simple "No, no!" will be enough to make them give up for now - but nothing you say is strong enough to make them give up forever. They seem to think that if you don't need a cigarette and a mango now, you might need one five minutes later... The best is to either ignore them or to friendly refuse all offers.

Btw, just placing your towel and stuff somewhere in the sun and then be undisturbed is similarly impossible. Every ten meters, a new restaurant wants to have you as their guest. The typical deal is that you get a nice deck chair in the shadow for free if you eat at the restaurant later. If you only take a drink, a cheaper and less convenient deck chair waits for you. As the prices are not above the usual prices, you might want to consider this.

If you want to spend a really relaxing time, several of the very upmarket resorts at the beach have their private beach where I suppose the vendors are not allowed.