Not far away from Danang(30km) Hoi An town is small and peaceful, the kind of place where you may getstuck for a few days, whether it is intentionasl or not. Originally known asFaifo, this antique town is bordered on its southern side by the Thu Bon River,along which there\\'s a number of small cafes.

Despite the fact that it is now a tourist haven, the artistic atmosphere andlocal friendly people create an inviting environment.
HoiAn was an important port developed in 17th century and remained so for a longtime. There used to be canals parallel to the streets, so merchandise could beloaded straight from the back of houses onto the boats. Hoi An’s continuance asa port lasted right up until the early years of the 20 century, when the riverbecame silted up forcing the cargo ships to call at Da Nanginstead.

In the past Hoi An has been used by the Japanese, Portuguese, Dutch, Frenchand the large remaining Chinese community where all sorts of produce and wareswere traded. Remnants of these past traders’ influences can still be seen liningthe streets of Hoi An. There are nine different types of historical sites in HoiAn with an average age of 200 years. They include private houses, familychapels, community halls, communal houses, temples, pagodas, bridges, wells andtombs. Many of these buildings have been maintained close to their originalform, allowing you imagination to recreate a prosperous trading town. The housesare small and colorful with wooden doors and two round "wooden house\\'s eyes"above, window shutters and ornamental furniture. A pleasant change from the ironbars and metal grates of other towns.

Hoi An is full of shops selling artwork, from lifelike memorial familyportraits, to stylized images of Hoi An houses and streets. Next door to the artshops are places selling souvenir statues, ceramic plates, and ‘antique’ bowls.At the market place beside the river, you can pick up almost anything you want.Tourists are often being lured into the markets to buy silk and to have qualitygarments tailor made. You can have anything from dresses and trousers to shirtsand hats made for a cheap price.

Another noticeable quality of Hoi An is its relative silence. There are fewcars and people do not feel the urge to use their horns every two seconds. Thestreets are filled with the hum of voices, motorbikes and the shuffling ofthongs along the ground. Hoi An is small enough to get around on foot, and youwill need a set of wheels if you are going to Cua Dai Beach, or on a day trip to the MarbleMountains or Da Nang.

A relaxing activity around sunset is to hire a boat from the waterside by themarket place. Many of the locals will wait on the river and offer you thisservice throughout the day and night.