Hoian is a small town on the coast of South China Sea in Central Vietnam. It is located in the Quang Nam province and is home to approximately 25,000 inhabitants.

The former harbour town of the Champa people at the estuary of the Thu Bon river was an important trading centre in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, where Chinese from various provinces as well as Japanese, Dutch and Indians settled down. During this period of the China trade, the town was called Hai Pho (Seaside Town), during the French occupation. Originally Hai Pho was a divided town, because across the Japanese Bridge used to be the Japanese settlement. The bridge (Chua Cau) is a unique covered structure built by the Japanese, the only known covered bridge with a Buddhist pagoda attached to one side. The town is known to the French and Spanish as Faifo; the name is thought to be the result of a mis-communication between a local habitant and a Spanish trader around the 17^th century. The trader asked whether this was Pho and received the answer "Phai! Pho." ("Yes! Pho.").

In 1999, the old town was declared World Heritage by the UNESCO, as a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port of the 15^th to 19^th centuries, whose buildings display a unique blend of local and foreign influences.

Today, Hoian is still a small town, but it attracts a fair number of tourists, also being a well established place on the backpacker trail. Many visit for the numerous art and craft shops and tailors, who produce made-to-measure clothes for a fraction of the western price. Several internet cafés, bars and restaurants have opened along the riverfront.

Some places to visit in Hoian : Chua Cau - The Japanese Covered Bridge, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall, Tan Ky Old House, Hoian House of Handicraft, Museum of Sa Huynh Culture, Quang Trieu Assembly Hall, Quan Thang Old House, Tran Family Worship House, Trieu Chau Assembly Hall, Phung Hung Old House, Quan Cong Temple.

Trieu Chau Temple

Fukien Assembly Hall

Japanese Bridge

Tra Que Village

SPECIAL PROGRAM IN HOIAN :
» Hoian non-vehicle noise : Successfully started on 24 July 2004, this program is being continued on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday weekly.
On these day, everyone, especially tourists could enjoy walking on the quiet streets or visit the Hoian ancient town without any trouble caused by vehicle noise from motobikes. In stead, the smooth music from the ancient tile roofs of the town would make you relaxed and your trip more enjoyable.
» Hoian Fullmoon Night : This falls on lunar 14 every month - the day of the full moon. At night, Hoi An looks like a great stage, fanciful and briliant with colorful lanterns. Hoi An people wearing ancient clothes become actors in reciting poems, playing mah-jong and chess together. These activities relive the beautiful atmosphere of an ancient port with rural pleasures in traditional festivals.
     From 6.00 p.m till midnight, the whole ancient town are quite, and no vehicles. Both travellers and regional people, Vietnamese and foreigners go for a walk together in the cosy atmosphere with unforgetable memories.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Getting there

By plane
The nearest airport is in Danang, which has frequent connections to Hanoi, Saigon and some flights to Bangkok, Singapore and Siem Reap, Cambodia (for Angkor Wat). A taxi from the airport to Hoi An costs about US$15 thanks to the cartel, but only about half that in the other direction.
By train
There is no railway station in Hoi An. The nearest is in Danang, from where there are several trains a day from Hanoi, Saigon, Hue, Nha Trang etc. Most travel agents and hotels can book a train ticket for you.
By bus
Traveller buses run daily up and down the coast from Da Nang, Hue and Nha Trang. Note the road to Nha Trang is awful and the trip takes all day - it is much better to take a train.
By motorbike or taxi
It's easy to take a motorbike or taxi to and from Da Nang via the Marble Mountains (see below), from where you can catch a train onwards.

Getting around

     -The centre of Hoi An is very small and pedestrianised, so you will be walking around most of the time. Unfortunately bikes have not been banned from the center yet, so particularly at night keep an eye out for motorized kamikazes.
     -To go to the beach, or reach some of the more remote hotels, it is easy and cheap to hire a bicycle. Taxis are few and far between, but can be called by phone. You can also charter boats for about US$1/hour.
     -Almost all of the hotels will rent out motorbikes at about five USD a day. It's standard practice for them to rent you the bike with just enough petrol to make it to the next petrol station. If you value your money, go to a gas station, rather than the hand-operated roadside pumps- the markup is vicious. Use the bike to visit My Son, about an hour away, or the Marble Mountains, about forty minutes north towards Da Nang.