Located about 30 kilometers south of Da Nang City, Hoi An is Viet Nam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Previously known as a popular trading port in South-East Asia dating from the 15th to the 19th century, the city’s buildings and streets today reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have contributed to this unique heritage site. Its enchanting riverside setting absolutely befits its heritage; in addition, the curses of traffic and pollution are almost entirely absent here. Hoi An is a living museum of architecture and urban lifestyle.
The city’s fascinating legacy lies in tottering Japanese merchant houses, Chinese pagodas and ancient tea warehouses. Yellow houses draped in bougainvillea, shop fronts lit with a gleam of silk lanterns, fisherman hauling up baskets of slippery fish from their boats – life in old town Hoi An looks like a postcard of a typical Vietnamese riverside town. And yet, residents and rice fields have been gradually taken over by tourist developments. Lounge bars, boutique hotels, travel agents and the rise of tailor shops are very much part of the scene here.
WHAT TO SEE
My Son Sanctuary
My Son, located 69 km southwest of Da Nang, set in a small valley belonging to Duy Phu Commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province, was an imperial city during the Cham dynasty, between the 4th and 12th centuries. My Son was considered as the sanctuary of the Cham Kingdom although it had two sanctuaries belonging to two main opposing clans: the Dua Clan was the place for the worship of God Srisana Bhadresvara, who ruled over the north of the kingdom and the Cau Clan dedicated to Goddess Po Nagar, who reigned over the south had Po Nagar Sanctuary.
My Son Sanctuary is a huge complex of religious relics that includes more than 70 architectural works as temples and towers connected to each other with sophisticated red brick designs. Many of its artifacts, especially statues of female dancers and genies worshipped by the Cham people, were collected and displayed at the Cham Architecture Museum in Da Nang city. Although there are not many pieces left, those that remain to display the typical sculptural works of the Cham nationality’s culture. Furthermore, they are also lively proof to confirm the history of a nationality living within the Vietnamese community boasting of a rich cultural tradition.
Cua Dai Beach
Located 5 km from Hoi An town center and 30 km from Da Nang to the south, guests can go to Cua Dai beach by car, motorbike or on foot. Cua Dai beach has peaceful and taciturn beauty and as Hoi An ancient town. The first impression of this beach is white sand. Along the beach are luxury resorts with a variety of styles. Visitors can freely walk, swim at any location on the beach…. The atmosphere at Cua Dai beach is fresh and pleasant that brings a comfortable feeling to the guests. Starting a new day, from the windows of the rooms overlooking the sea, visitors can catch stunning sunrise. It is particularly Cua Dai beach is very clean, whether you stop at any places throughout the length of 7km of beach here, you will never have to complain about the environment and atmosphere here. Even when, beach tour of Hoi An is quite developed now, many hotels, resorts have appeared but Cua Dai beach is still remained calm, quiet, very clean and very fresh.
The system resorts and hotels here are environmentally friendly and almost no tall buildings. Most of these works still choose architecture style of Viet Nam traditional village. Visitors also can look for restaurants, small shop serving delicious seafood near the beach and are not noisy. That is why so many tourists come here to rest after exploring the different sightseeing in Hoi An…
The afternoon is the best time for tourists to enjoy the cool blue waters here. The gentle surf, sandy beaches and the wind have the salty taste of the sea. Visitors also can lie down for hours on the sand, or experience some exciting water sport. Cua Dai beach at night is also very beautiful and interesting. Local people sell and buy fresh or dried seafood with affordable prices at the place that just a few steps away from resorts. With its own distinctive characteristics, Cua Dai gives tourists an unforgettable memory after leaving this place.
Cam Nam village
Cam Nam Village, just a bridge away from Hoi An's Old Quarter, is a nice getaway from the hectic pace of central Old Town. This tranquil destination, which welcomes hundreds of guest every day, typifies the sort of gastronomical experience available to both foreign and local visitors. Walking around the village, following a beautiful tranquil river lined with starfruit trees, people can explore the local rustic food specialties of the area in dozens of little restaurants.
Cam Nam dishes are special in another aspect: their connection to the surrounding ecosystem. All the dishes described so far express local identity due to their cultural and historical contexts. Thus, “Cao Lau” and “mi quang” have been localized through history, depicting “culinary mythology” that constructs culture connections between food artifacts past and present, and the same can be said about white rose dumplings and chicken rice. Cam Nam specialties, however, are local in one more respect: the baby clams are harvested in the river, right beneath the restaurants, while the corn is cultivated literally all around. Therefore, the “locality” of these dishes is literal and stems, first and foremost, from their ecological embeddedness.
Besides being a charming ancient town, Hoi An contains many hidden attractions that travelers might never know about. Although the local people know about these, they might never evaluate how much these would appeal to the traveler. From the town, across the Cam Nam Village bridge, there are great views of the river on both sides of the bridge, the market and the old town. Moreover, it is also interesting to see the colorful and huge fishing nets being raised up and down.
Thanh Ha pottery village
Thanh Ha pottery village is a well-protected village, where tourists can make pottery by themselves. While making potteries, tourists can also learn the history of pottery. Pottery is a significant and traditional good in Viet Nam as well as an important means of livelihood. Take Thanh Ha pottery village, for example, the pottery industry is the most important industry in this village, where is 3km east to Hoi An. The history of pottery in Thanh Ha has been for centuries. It is worth for pottery and culture lovers to visit it.
The tourist might be thought back to the ancient village during the 3km from Hoi An to Thanh Ha. It is because that Thanh Ha village is not only a traditional village but also a well-protected local village. While the tourist visiting the pottery factory, they might see the worker still using the traditional way to make potteries. For example, two people in a group, one sits at the potter’s wheel, steady hands molding a lump of clay into a vase. The other stands to the side and with deft kicks to spin the wheel with a rhythmic motion. Minutes later, a vase was done quickly and perfectly. On the other hand, it is not able to see a worker stands beside and spin the wheel by feet now. The machine has already replaced the human in order to save the human resource and money. Tourists can also try to make their own pottery by themselves, which is an exclusive and valuable experience. It is fine that if you are not very satisfied to your pottery. There is a pottery market is a village, where tourists can buy some magnificent potteries at the market as a souvenir before leaving.
Duy Hai fish market
Duy Hai fish market is a conventional fish market 10 minutes away from the river to the banks of Duy Hai. If you are a seafood lover, then traveling to Duy Hai fish market is your best choice. No doubted that the seafood there must be very fresh. By the way, the only way to get to Duy Hai fish market is by boat. It might be very cool for tourists to go to a destination by boat. Tourists are suggested get on the boat 15 minutes before sunrise to be able to enjoy and take some beautiful photos of the sunrise on the boat. There are about 2,000 citizens in Duy Hai. Most of the villagers’ livelihoods are based on catching and processing fish or shrimp. While visiting there, you can observe how the villagers sell their seafood to customers. Some of them sell the fishes to the restaurant, some sell it to local markets, and still, some others trade their fishes to the local fish sauce company. As visitors, you are encouraged to buy some seafood for your own use. Tourists can also go to visit fish sauce companies. It might be a good chance for tourists to figure out how fish sauce made. The smell of the pungent fish sauce can be detected from far away. Entered a fish sauce company, you will see some large wooden vats with water and salt to begin their 6 months to 1-year fermentation. In the afternoon, tourists could have lunch at a local restaurant. Try some local foods and fresh seafood. Various kind of seafood cuisine is waiting for you.
Cam Thanh village
Cam Thanh village is a local village where you can not only have fun but also learn some skills. For example, you can learn traditional fishing techniques. This might be a very special option. You can also learn how to control the Vietnamese basket boat, which is made of bamboo. You can observe the beauty of Cam Thanh village with your friends after learning how to row boats. While rowing your boat, you will definitely be impressed by the view.
On the other sides, you can also discover this traditional village by bike and ride your bike to anywhere you want. Nipa palm forest is a place inside Cam Thanh village. It would be a memorable experience to row a boat on canals and feel the pure air. During rowing the boat, you will see that the building is not only very low but also made from Nipa Palm.
Thereafter, you can be ready to enjoy the fresh seafood and watch the sunset on the boat. Cam Thanh village tour is suitable for family or group. Family can seat on the same boat and visit the village together. Kids must be very interested in what they see. It is also a good chance for kids to get close to nature. For groups of tourists, they can take many photos and have a lot of fun while riding a bike or rowing boat. Undoubtedly, tourists will have a good time in this special village.
Hoi An Traditional Art Performance Theatre
The theatre, which offers live performances of Vietnamese folk music and folk dance, is located on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Normally, the shows are from 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM every day. If tourists have already paid the entrance fee into Hoi An town, they can watch the performance for free. Although being a little small and not really comfortable, this place does a good job to make viewers feel interested since they can see the facial expressions of the performers, every twitching of the wrists, and the complex designs on the costumes and musical instruments, especially “Dan bau” – a one-stringed Vietnamese musical instrument with really beautiful sound. Throughout the show, the performers bring about life to the many artifacts and relics that exist everywhere in Hoi An, from houses to houses. Enthusiastic, emotional and professional are what we can talk about the artists on these shows.
Kim Bong Carpentry Village
Kim Bong Carpentry Village is located in Cam Kim Commune, Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province. Kim Bong village is famous for its carpentry. The talented hands of Vietnamese craftsmen have created the style of Kim Bong Carpentry as the excellent combination of Cham kingdom, China and even Japan.
For many years, Kim Bong village has developed quickly and created 3 groups of artisans. The group of ancient architectural construction is craftsmen who are able to maintain the traditional wood carving ways from their ascendant; the civil wooden furniture men can restore the old houses in the city, sculpt statues, making tables and chairs for export; and the rest are shipbuilders. Walking around, visitors could see the artisans working with their skillful hands on the crafts. Kim Bong’s typical products such as furniture, religious statues and finely crafted wooden doors can be found and bought at souvenirs shops. Their costs may range from the few-dollar coasters to large religious statues of thousand dollars. The most well-known shop is Mr. Huynh Ri’s, where tourists may visit the shipbuilding area where wooden fishing vessels are built using traditional techniques.
Tra Que Vegetable Village
Reviewed as an excellent place in Hoi An, Tra Que vegetable village is a charming little village located just a few kilometers from Northeast of Hoi An. Tra Que vegetable was famous for many vegetable products grown on fertile soil, fertilized with seaweed from Co Co River so they have their own unique flavor with over 20 types of leafy vegetables and herbs. The focal point of the visit is a chance to try their hand at actual farming. Visitors will take a trip around the garden and follow the farmers in preparing the land and fertilizing it with seaweed from the local lake.
Furthermore, Tra Que is also as a gorgeous destination for every food-addicted visitor, particularly foreigners, with traditional dishes like Tra Que Salad (Gỏi) or Three Friends Spring Onion Rolls (Tam Hữu). Also, you will live in a cozy atmosphere, very relax and can feel the peace of Viet Nam villages.
Cham Island (Cu Lao Cham)
Cu Lao Cham (Cham Islands) is located approximately 15 kilometers from the ancient town of Hoi An and quite near Cua Dai Beach. This exotic destination is endowed with marvelous topography of mountain slopes and biological diversity. Tourists to Hoi An after visiting the ancient town often travel to this green island on the central coast to enjoy the serene and pristine beauty of nature here. Cu Lao Cham Island has fantastic sand beaches, forested hills and the sea. For those who enjoy marine activities, there are tremendous available facilities for water sports like water skiing, paragliding, kayaking, kite flying and boat racing. Furthermore, the undersea paradise on Cu Lao Cham is ideal for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and especially sea-trekking to adore the magnificent beauty of the coral reefs. After Nha Trang, Cu Lao Cham is granted the license to operate walking tours under the sea from May 1, 2016.
Today the Cham islands are also a Marine Protected Area (MPA) because of their important marine habitats, especially beaches and coral reefs, and rich biodiversity. Cham Islands scores UNESCO-recognized Biosphere Reserve in the world since 2009 with about 135 species in 35 genera of corals. Several marine products of high economic value, such as lobsters, groupers, snappers, crabs, shrimps, and clams, occur in this area.
Tran Family Chapel
Tran Family Chapel was built by Tran Tu Nhac, a favored mandarin who lived under the rule of Emperor Gia Long around 200 years ago. This family chapel located at 21 Le Loi Street, 669m from city centre and about 20 km to airport. It is a place for all family members of the Tran clan to worship their ancestors. The house is located in the center of the old town hence it’s easy getting there, especially by bike and on foot. In late 1802, Tran Tu Nhac and some other mandarins were sent to China as the King’s envoys. Before departure, he wanted to leave something to his offspring and show his gratitude towards his ancestors. So he had this house built. Today, some of Tran Tu Nhac’s belongings are still in the house; most representatives are a sword and a seal. People of the Tran clan often go to the house to pay their respects to their ancestors.
Like other family chapels in Hoi An, the Tran house is situated in the middle of a 1,500 square meters garden with a gate and high surrounding walls. The house is made of precious wood. It is divided into two parts: the main one is used as the worshiping place and the other one as the living space for the clan’s head and for receiving guests. This tourist attraction opens from Monday to Sunday, from 08.30AM to 06.00PM. The Tran Family Chapel is a famous tourist attraction due to its architectural and cultural values.
Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau, or the Pagoda Bridge)
Located between Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Tran Phu Street, 1 km from Hoi An Center and 20 km to the airport, Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cầu or Lai Vien Kieu) was built by Japanese merchants who came to Hoi An in the mid of 16th, 17th century. According to a Japanese legend, there was a monster in the sea namely Mamazu. Its head was in Japan, it tail in India and its backcrossed Hoi An. This sea monster often caused earthquakes in Japan and Hoi An was also not peaceful. To constrain the monster, the Japanese built the bridge as a sword plunging into the back of the monster that made it unable to wave its tail and caused earthquakes.. According to the records remaining at the entrance of the bridge, the bridge was rebuilt in 1817. The bridge is about 18 meters long, connecting two roads Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Tran Phu and is also a special architectural monument.
Pagoda and bridge are made of carved and painted wood and meticulously. At the beginning and the end of the bridge there are animal statues of dogs and monkeys (maybe the bridge was built from the year of the monkey and completed in the year of the dog). These animals are worshiped by Japanese in the past. Although it also knows as a pagoda, there is no Buddha Statue there. Due to the impact of natural disasters, the bridge has been rebuilt and fixed several times so many of the Japanese architectural elements are lost, and it has some architecture style of Viet Nam and China.
Hoi An Handicraft Workshop
Visiting Hoi An Handicraft Workshop will help visitors to understand about the importance of handicraft to this region. Also known as the handicraft village of Hoi An, Hoi An Handicraft Workshop is located Phi Yen ancient house on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, aimed to maintain the handicrafts tradition of Quang Nam. Now the handicraft workshop has 12 professions including pottery, carpentry, art lanterns, rattan, wood carvings, lacquer, weaving, embroidery …
This place has a lot of artisans and their products are not only for exhibition but also for sale. All products are locally produced with high quality and supplied to souvenirs markets of Hoi An, Da Nang and a number of major centers such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi. Visitors coming to Hoi An handicraft workshop, in addition to sightseeing, see the exquisite products, observe the work of artisans, but also have the opportunity to participate in some stages of production. Hoi An handicraft workshop is not only where gathering traditional handicraft villages in Hoi An, but it is also the place which highlights the typical culture of Hoi An.
Thu Bon River
Thu Bon River was formed from small streams flowing down from Ngoc Linh Mountain that borders between Quang Nam – Kon Tum (Duy Xuyen district). It has gentle beauty and is the ideal destination for visitors. In the war against the French (1946-1954), Thu Bon River is a military boundary. There have been many fierce battles in the past during the war time on both sides of the river and on the river.
A lot of Vietnamese patriots sacrificed their lives for the nation here. Thu Bon River is now not just only the main source of livelihood for many residents of the town but also serves as a venue for numerous festivals and events in Hoi An. Visitor can see the ancient port and the picturesque waterfronts along the river. Thu Bon River is an important part of Hoi An tourism with values of geography, culture and history.
WHAT TO EAT
From delicious and surprisingly cheap street eats to fabulous five-star feasts, Hoi An is the ultimate gourmet getaway. A trip to Hoi An is incomplete without trying its famous dishes including Cao Lau, My Quang noodles and shrimp dumplings and so forth. Local specialties can be found at almost any restaurant,. If you would like to have some Western-style dishes, lots of restaurants in Hoi An offer a variety of exotic European food.
Street food
Hoi An is a paradise for street food lovers. A myriad of specialties can be found right on the street. The city used to be one of the busiest cities in Cochin, which converges the East and West cultures, therefore, local food is unique, diverse and abundant. Make sure you taste some exotic street food like Tofu, Chicken rice, Banh Mi (Vietnamese Banquette), etc.
Place to eat: Banh My Phuong: on Phan Chau Trinh nearly to the intersection with Hoang Dieu; Madam Buoi Chicken Rice – 22 Phan Chu Trinh Street; Madam Huong Chicken rice – on the street at 58 Le Loi Street
Vietnamese traditional food
You will definitely fall in love with a surprisingly exotic taste of Vietnamese cuisine in Hoi An while experiencing some exotic theme design together with a welcoming and great atmosphere.
Place to eat: Morning Glory Restaurant, 106 Nguyễn Thái Học; mermaid Restaurant, 2 Tran Phu St; Bo Bo Café, 18 Le Loi St; The Market Restaurant & Cooking School, 3 Nguyen Hoang St; Golden Fish restaurant, 79 Lac Long Quan St, Cua Dai Beach.
Cao Lau
Cao Lau is one of the most popular traditional dishes of Hoi An. Cao Lau has “meatier” noodles that are yellowish and cloudy. The dish can be really incredible, especially when served alongside bean sprouts, herby greens, pork, crispy wafers and a salty soy-ish sauce. Place to eat: 474 Cua Dai; Thanh Cao Lau, 24 Thai Phien St; Stall 034, Hoi An Market; Trung Bac, 87 Tran Phu St.
European and other Asian cuisines. If you are looking for a break from local specialities and rice dishes, lots of restaurants in Hoi An offer a variety of exotic European and Asian food.
Place to eat: Cargo Club, 107 Nguyen Thai Hoc St; Dingo Deli, 277 Cua Dai St; Ganesh Indian Restaurant, 24 Tran Hung Dao St; Brasserie Cava, 53 Nguyen Phuc Chu St; Green Mango, 54 Nguyen Thai Hoc St; Good Morning Viet Nam, 102 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.
WHAT TO BUY
Tourists to Hoi An love to shop at two main shopping areas including Hoi An Central Market and a plethora of tailor shops downtown.
The tailors of Hoi An are very skillful and well-known throughout the world. Besides, its colorful lanterns also make this place stand out. Of course, many other items are on sale in Hoi An and shopping here is a vibrant, colorful experience that will delight even the most jaded traveler.
DON’T MISS
Hoi An Central Market
Located on Tran Phu Street Road, Bach Dang and Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Market is a place to exchange all kind of good in Hoi An ancient town. The market is divided into different areas: food and drink area and fresh- ingredients area. Outdoor market located around the main market, close to Thu Bon River. According to the general pattern of the market, Hoi An Market is located near the river pier, near the temples, pagodas. When moving to a new place now, Hoi An Market located in front of Ong Temple, close to the riverside and on the important Hoi An ancient town junction. In terms of architectural structure, the layout of the market was designed in the early of the twentieth century, with a rectangular area. The market was built with brick, large gate and fish scales roof. Especially in front of the market, between the gate have water wells have provided water to both the market and the surrounding area. So they also covered the wells and now it well known as the “Roof Wells”
The market is busy all day long with locals bargaining. The negotiating over fish usually starts around 07:00 as the fishermen drop their catch off and the market vendors and local buyers dive in to get the best fish. Besides, inside the market, there are also plenty of live ducks and chickens tied together and ready for sale alongside row upon row of Vietnamese cooking ingredients. It’s a good idea to wear closed shoes as the floor in the market can get damp and sticky, especially if you are visiting the fish section.
Museum of History and Culture
Museum of History and Culture Hoi An is considered to be one of the most meaningful destinations, always gives visitors the special feeling about the history of the trading port of Hoi An which was famous in the past. At the museum, 434 artifacts are exhibited under themes, showing information and typical characteristics of some periods of development of Hoi An ancient town over time. The museum has original artifacts, photographs and materials are arranged in three main periods: Period of prehistoric from the second century BC, Cham Pa period from the second century to the fifteenth century, Dai Viet period from the fifteenth century to the nineteenth century. Artifacts from prehistoric including tools, labor, weapon, jewelry with different materials such as copper, iron, stone, glass … with Chinese coins, jewelry from India, the Middle East, as a kind of evidence about the lives of the people here. Beside normal agricultural activities, there were also trading activities with other regions, which laid the background for the establishment of a trading port in the later period. With Cham Pa period, the artifacts are ceramic, pattern and materials on this period have shown that this is the period of development in Hoi An. After the period of Cham Pa, in the 3rd period, many artifacts and documents, maps, especially the tools used to exchange goods like scales and materials related to Chinese and Japanese ceramics are the evidence for the development of the Trading Port of Hoi An. Annually, Museum welcomes nearly seventy thousand visitors. The museum is open every day in the week, except on the 25th day of every month.
Museum of Trade Ceramics
Location of Trade Ceramics Museum is at No. 80 – Tran Phu Street. This is a two-story museum have the same structure as other two-story ancient houses in Hoi An with wooden balcony. The house now is used as a museum has been built around 1920. Here, we can see the overall space of the typical architecture of ancient houses in Hoi An. House was remodeled in 1994 and has been used as Museum of Trade Ceramics since then.
This museum displays the ceramic artifacts found in various archaeological sites in Hoi An, reflecting trade ceramic road sea in the previous century, when the trading port of Hoi An was a center of marine trade with boats from Asia and Europe. The Museum has more than 430 ceramic artifacts dating from the 8th century to the 18th century. Most of the artifacts are ceramics originating from the Middle East, India, China, Japan, Thailand, Viet Nam. They demonstrate the important role of the trading port of Hoi An in the ceramic trade network on the sea in the last century, and also shows that cross-cultural relations – international economic was very strong in Hoi An.
Museum of Folk Culture
Museum of Folk Culture belongs to Monuments Conservation Centre of Hoi An, located in the ancient house at 33 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. This is a typical old house in the ancient town, has a length of 57m, width 9m, two-story, wooden floor and located between two streets: Nguyen Thai Hoc and Bach Dang. Folk Culture Museum Hoi An has more than 600 artifacts, but only 500 of them is displayed on the 2nd floor. 90% is original artifacts, sorted by themes of the folklore: handicraft villages, traditional costumes, folk games … Meanwhile, some exciting performances Hoi folklore is arranged on the 1st floor of the museum.
The museum is considered to be the gathering place of folklore features of Hoi An ancient town. With images, original artifacts and performances, Folk Culture Museum has shown the value of intangible culture, the introduction of a rich cultural tradition, creativity, contribution of generations of local residents during the construction and development of land Hoi An. Annually the Museum has welcomed more than ten thousand visitors. The museum is open every day of the week, except on the 20th day of every month.
Museum of Sa Huynh Culture
Sa Huynh Culture Museum is located at 149 Tran Phu, Hoi An. This museum’s collection is full of artifacts that provide information about ancient people of Sa Huynh Culture (dating back more than 2000 years ago), is considered the owner of the trading port of Hoi An at the beginning where there were relation and trade with South India, and China.
Excluding the artifacts are in storage, there are 216 artifacts of Sa Huynh Culture were found from the results of archaeological excavations in Hoi An from 1989 -1995 All artifacts here are from reliable archaeological sites because along with the system of artifacts are documents, photos, videos …that prove the found location of each artifact. Along with artifacts and documents recorded during the archaeological process, the museum also reflects other conceptions of life and death, burial procedures, awareness of the development, relationship … of the ancient people of Sa Huynh Culture systems on the land of Hoi An. Visiting the Museum of Sa Huynh Culture, visitors have the opportunity to learn a lot more about the role of Sa Huynh culture in Hoi An in particular and in the Central of Viet Nam in general. Sa Huynh Culture Museum Hoi An has thousands of artifacts now. With a massive collection and its value, this place is considered having the most diversified and unique collection of antiques in the country.
Quan Cong Temple
Located at 168 Tran Phu Street and was built in 1653, Quan Cong Temple (Ong Pagoda) was recognized as a “National Historic and Cultural Site” on 29 November 1991. This temple was constructed by the Minh Huong people (Chinese immigrants) together with Viet people.
This temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, a prominent mandarin of the Han Dynasty, who lived in the time of “Three Warring Kingdoms“. He was known for his loyalty, sense of justice, integrity and compassion. So it makes sense that one of Hoi An’s most magnificent temples was erected in his honor. After many times restoration in (1753, 1783, 1827, 1864, 1904 and 1966), the temple’s original structure has been kept almost the same. The structure is composed of three parts: front hall, open yard and back hall (sanctuary).
The statue of Quan Cong is nearly 3m high. The face is red with phoenix-like eyes and a long beard. The two hands are clasped together. On the right, stands the statue of Quan Binh and on the left side, the statue of Chau Thuong, a civilian mandarin and a military mandarin, as well as Quan Cong’s fostered children. They stand in a posture that shows that they are ready to die for their master. The temple contains about 30 horizontal lacquered boards (Hoanh Phi), over ten pairs of parallel sentences, many and Tang poems written by famed intellectuals, which teach patriotism, loyalty, piety, moderation and righteousness. This place was the religious centre of the tradesmen in the port of Hoi An. There is a legend that Quan Cong Temple was the place to foster the trust among tradesmen to make contracts in their transactions. Open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m, this temple attracts a lot of believers, tourist sfrom all the country and international visitors.
Phung Hung Old House
Phung Hung Old House is situated at 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Hoi An, Quang Nam, with a life expectancy of more than 100 years. Phung Hung old house has a unique structure with wood and surrounded by wide corridors, showing the development of the architecture and the interaction between architectural styles of Asia in Hoi An in the last century.
Phung Hung old house was built over 100 years ago during the development of the city of Hoi An. The first owner of the house was very successful Vietnamese businessman who has a lot of relationships. He named the house Phung Hung which means “prosperity” as he wished for his family and his career. In the past, this house was a shop sell forest and handicraft products such as cinnamon, pepper, salt, silk, porcelain, glass … the current owners are the descendants of the 8th generation who is still alive and preserve the old house. This is one of the most beautiful houses of ancient architecture of Hoi An. This is a common style of house in the 19th century with the primary material is wood. Phung Hung old house architecture is a combination of the three fields of architecture: Viet Nam, Japan and China. The house is supported by a system consists of 80 ironwood columns placed on the stone to avoid contact with the ground. The system of the door is designed to make the house cool in summer, warm in winter and can be easily removed. You can see a lot of decoration with the image of carp which is a symbol of luck and prosperity. Carp for the Chinese is good luck, for the Japanese is the power, to Viet Nam as “prosperity”. Upstairs is the place to worship altar and ancestors. This is the perfect place to get to know more about Hoi An culture and daily life of people in the past.
Quan Thang Old House
Quan Thang Old House is considered one of the most beautiful old houses in Hoi An with a life expectancy of over 150 years.
The house has an architecture style of China. Over the years, the house is still preserved for architectural design and interiors, helps visitors visualize the lifestyle of the host generations who was a businessman in the trading port of Hoi An t. Reportedly, the entire architecture and vivid sculptures were made by an artisan in Kim Bong carpentry village. Quan Thang Old House is the main attractions in the exploration of the world cultural heritages of Hoi An that attract domestic and abroad visitors. Come to this house, you will feel surprised and admired for the beauty of Chinese and Viet Nam architecture and culture.
Tan Ky Old House
Built over 200 years ago, Tan Ky old house in the center of Hoi An (Quang Nam) have architecture characteristic of the ancient town that has been recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritage. Interior is divided into halls; each hall has its own function. All are no windows. However, unlike the other modern tube houses in Viet Nam today, there is no heavy feelings because of the ventilation in the front, backside and rear skylight of the house.
The house was designed by architectures from many countries. Here you can see some details of Japanese architecture, Chinese architecture and Vietnamese architecture. In addition to wood materials, brick and stone are also used in many details such as flooring, furnishings, wall … These materials were brought from Bat Trang, Thanh Hoa, Non Nuoc …
The house has a very durable flooring system over time. Even after several floodings, the entire floor system still remains as never experienced anything. With 1-day Hoi An tour, Tan Ky Old House seems to be an indispensable destination of tourists. Tan Ky ancient house now have seven generations has been living but the structure; interior is still the same over the time. Tan Ky old house, as well as many other structures, have contributed to the architecture of the whole town of Hoi An. Visit the Tan Ky ancient Hoi An, all visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the unique architecture of the building of the trading port of Hoi An./.
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