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Not far away from Danang (30km) Hoi An town is
small and peaceful, the kind of place where you
may get stuck for a few days, whether it is
intentionasl or not. Originally known as Faifo,
this antique town is bordered on its southern
side by the Thu Bon River, along which there's a
number of small cafes.
Despite the fact that it is now a tourist haven, the artistic
atmosphere and local friendly people create an
inviting environment.
Hoi An was an important port developed in 17th
century and remained so for a long time. There
used to be canals parallel to the streets, so
merchandise could be loaded straight from the
back of houses onto the boats. Hoi An’s
continuance as a port lasted right up until the
early years of the 20 century, when the river
became silted up forcing the cargo ships to call
at Da Nang instead.
In the past Hoi An has been used by the Japanese, Portuguese,
Dutch, French and the large remaining Chinese
community where all sorts of produce and wares
were traded. Remnants of these past traders’
influences can still be seen lining the streets
of Hoi An. There are nine different types of
historical sites in Hoi An with an average age
of 200 years. They include private houses,
family chapels, community halls, communal
houses, temples, pagodas, bridges, wells and
tombs. Many of these buildings have been
maintained close to their original form,
allowing you imagination to recreate a
prosperous trading town. The houses are small
and colorful with wooden doors and two round
"wooden house's eyes" above, window shutters and
ornamental furniture. A pleasant change from the
iron bars and metal grates of other towns.
Hoi An is full of shops selling artwork, from
lifelike memorial family portraits, to stylized
images of Hoi An houses and streets. Next door
to the art shops are places selling souvenir
statues, ceramic plates, and ‘antique’ bowls. At
the market place beside the river, you can pick
up almost anything you want. Tourists are often
being lured into the markets to buy silk and to
have quality garments tailor made. You can have
anything from dresses and trousers to shirts and
hats made for a cheap price.
Another noticeable quality of Hoi An is its relative silence. There
are few cars and people do not feel the urge to
use their horns every two seconds. The streets
are filled with the hum of voices, motorbikes
and the shuffling of thongs along the ground.
Hoi An is small enough to get around on foot,
and you will need a set of wheels if you are
going to Cue Dai Beach, or on a day trip to the
Marble Mountains or Da Nang.
A relaxing activity around sunset is to hire a
boat from the waterside by the market place.
Many of the locals will wait on the river and
offer you this service throughout the day and
night.
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