PRETTIEST TOWN IN VIETNAM

The central Vietnamese city of Hội An is well-known for its preserved Ancient Town that is crisscrossed by waterways. The historic port city's architecture, a mash-up of ages and styles, from wooden Chinese shophouses and temples to vibrant French colonial structures, beautiful Vietnamese tube houses, and the famed Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda, reflects the city's multicultural history.

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Photo by Tam Nguyen

The Purple Forbidden City, temples, and tombs can all be found in Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam, but much of it was destroyed during the "American war". With its flowing river flanked with mustard-yellow merchants' homes and beaches just a few kilometres away, the historic town of Hội An, 100 kilometres south and down the coast, is a much more alluring location to spend a few days.

What to do

Discover the source of your lunch

Photo by Hưng Nguyễn Việt

The fresh veggies and herbs that make eating in Vietnam such a pleasure are a large part of most meals in Hi An. And a large portion of it will have come from Tra Que, the fresh vegetable village halfway between the city and An Bang beach. On this flat, verdant island in the De Vong river, this little farming community raises everything from delicate spring onions to substantial taro roots. A few businesses, like the Water Wheel, provide foot massages, cooking lessons, and other services, but you may also just explore the plots while trying to identify flora and mingle with the farmers. In a small establishment called Baby Mustard, which is across some fields from the Water Wheel, you can get a fantastic affordable lunch.

Japanese Covered Bridge

Photo by Marina Lobato

One of Hội An Ancient Town's most well-known sights is the 18th-century Japanese Covered Bridge (Chùa Cù), which is still in use today. The 18-meter-long structure was allegedly constructed by Japanese residents of Hội An as a means of accessing the Chinese neighbourhood across the sea.

The bridge was formally inaugurated in 1719 by Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu, who carved three Chinese symbols above the entry. Intricate sculptures of two dogs and two monkeys that reflect the birth years of notable Japanese Emperors are also found on the Japanese Covered Bridge.

Cua Dai Beach

Photo by Dylan Vo

Cua Dai Beach offers a tranquil coastal retreat from Hội An's historic streets. With a 3-km stretch of mild waves and white sand, the beach is mostly peaceful, with the exception of weekends and holidays.

It's worth lingering for dinner at one of the many seafood restaurants dotted around the shore after a day of swimming and snorkelling. Hội An Ancient Town is 15 minutes away from Cua Dai Beach, which is conveniently reachable by taxi or xe om (motorbike taxi).

Hội An Museum

Photo by An Doan

The Hội An Museum displays artefacts from Hội An's illustrious 2,000-year history. The museum is located close to one of Vietnam's oldest pagodas, the Quan Am Pagoda, which was constructed in 1653. It provides an interesting look into the local heritage, including authentic coffins used in traditional funeral rites, photographs of local buildings, ceramics and pottery that show Hội An's changing faces, and Cham artefacts like bronze temple bells and gongs.

The Japanese Covered Bridge is a 10 minute walk away from Hội An Museum.

Ride a Basket Boat

Photo by Jordan Opel

One of the most enjoyable things to do in Hoi An has to be riding one of these spherical basket boats. They are well-liked in southern and central Vietnam and have developed into a national symbol. Uncertainty surrounds the origin of these circular boats, although some suggest that French taxes, which also gave rise to Hanoi's narrow dwellings, may have had a role. When the French began taxing boats similarly to how they taxed homes, fishermen devised a clever technique to evade the levy by building enormous "baskets" that served as both boats and baskets. They immediately gained popularity as a result of their tax-free status and ingenious construction.

These basket boat excursions provide a more unusual and genuine approach to see Hoi An's waterways.