Hoi An is a beautifully preserved example of a South East Asian trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries. Many of the merchant houses still line the riverside and the small town still retains the old feel and charm that it once had.
This coastal town is a great pace to base yourself for a week while exploring places like the My Son ruins, a society that dates back to between the 4th and 13th centuries and was the political and religious capital of the Champa Kingdom. Bach Ma National Park is also very accessible from Hoi An. This old French Hill Station, which is now a National Park, offers some fantastic adventure options. Old French Villas lay in ruins along the jungle trails you can wander along. Hoi An offers a fantastic mix of adventure and culture.
We enjoy a half-day walking tour through the narrow winding streets of the Ancient Quarter visiting Chua Ong Pagoda, Chinese Assembly Halls, the 200 years old Tam Ky ancestral house and the Japanese Bridge. After lunch, we take a short boat ride to a nearby island to visit a handicraft village specializing in ceramics and also the boat building yards.
