Picturesque and ancient coastal town

The picturesque and ancient coastal town of Hoi An is located in the province of Quang Nam in Central Vietnam, approximately 30 kilometres south of the city of Da Nang.

Hoi An, known in the past by many names including Faifo and Faifoo, is situated on the banks of Thu Bon River, linking it to the South China Sea. It has a population of approximately 80,000 people and its main source of income is tourism.

The ancient town of Hoi An is described by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) as constituting “an exceptionally well preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port from the period of the 15th to 19th centuries. Its buildings and its street pattern reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that combined to produce this unique heritage site.” As a result, Hoi An was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site on 4 December 1999.

As a major trading port, Hoi An received ships from many countries including China, Japan, Thailand, India, Portugal, Holland, Britain and France. The influence of these visitors, particularly the Chinese and Japanese, can still be seen today in the architecture.

The Thu Bon River served Hoi An well until around the end of the 19th century, when it became silted and un-navigable by many of the large trading vessels. This was a contributing factor in the eventual demise of Hoi An as a trading port, and saw the rise in popularity of the nearby port of Da Nang.