Attraction in Hoi An

In the mountain of Water, there are many beautiful caves that attract lots of domestic and foreign visitors. To be able to see interesting places here, people must get over 157 stone steps to get to the pagoda just by the first cave with a statue of Quan Yin in front and the stela chiseled with names of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese merchants from Hoi An who came to make donation to building the pagoda.

Japanese Covered Bridge
Located on the western edge of Tran Phu Street, the Japanese Covered Bridge is one of the most outstanding architectural works in the ancient town, considered as the Hoi An emblem. The small red arched bridge, made of wood is influenced by Japanese tradition. It is believed to have been built in the mid-sixteenth century, and subsequently restored several times. Inside the bridge, four statues represented as two dogs and two monkeys which suggest that work began in the year of monkey and ended in the year of dog. In the middle of the bridge, there stands a square-shaped pagoda, consecrated to the Dac De and Tran Vu, the two personages in the Vietnamese folklore.

The Chinese Assembly Halls
Chinese people are one of the prominent ethnic groups of Hoi An. Historically, Chinese differentiated themselves from each other according to their place of origin such as Fujian, Guangdong, Chaozhou or Hainan. Each group established their own Assembly Hall, communal center and place of worship.

Among 20 Assembly Halls scattered around the ancient town of Hoi An, the Assembly Hall of Phuc Kien is praised to be one of the most outstanding Chinese Assembly Halls for its striking edifice. The Assembly Hall was constructed in 1972, served as the meeting point of Chinese people coming from Fukien for generations. Within the Hall's grounds, there stands the scared temple, dedicated to Thien Hau, Goddess of the Sea and protector of sailors. The temple is also noted for its exquisite wood-carvings. Among other Chinese assembly halls are Trieu Chau Assembly Hall, a communal center of Chaozhou's Chinese, Hai Nam Assembly Hall, founded by the Chinese from Hai Nan, and the Cantonese Assembly Hall, built by the Chinese immigrants from Guangdong.

Old family houses and shops
Architecture in Hoi An is well-known for its unique blend of multi-ethnic influences from Chinese, Japanese and native Vietnamese elements. The excellent examples of Hoi An's architectural works concentrate on Tran Phu Street and along the Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

• Tan Ky House: The most famous one is the Tan Ky House, built by a second generation of Tan Ky family, a noble family which took a refuge from the political chaos in China in the late sixteenth century. The house has two stories and is well-divided into different functional spaces. The front of the house is used as a shop while the rare part is served for storage; and inside is the living quarter. The house is also characterized by the elaborately wooden-carved works with Vietnamese local skills and eye-catching inlay works. This old housed has been passed down for seven generations of Tan Ky family, accumulating wealth from trading silk, tea and rice.
• Quan Thang House: Built in the early eighteenth century by a captain from Fujian in China, Quan Thang House was a home to medicine business and is still in good condition. The single-storied house is marked by its elaborate teak-wood carving at the front.
• Tran Family Chapel: The chapel was built about two years ago by the family members to worship their ancestors who moved from China around 1700. Beautifully set in the garden, the chapel is a harmonious blend of Chinese and Japanese architectural style. Each year, during the festival, more than eighty members of Tran Family will gather together to worship their ancestors and discuss their family affairs.
• Troung Family Chapel: The two-hundred-year chapel was built to dedicate to the ancestors of the ethnic-Chinese Troung family who fled China in the early eighteenth century. Many memorial plaques, given by emperors of Vietnam to honor Troung family's members who used to serve the imperial court of Hue, were presented in the chapel.

Quan Cong Temple
Built in the middle of the seventeenth century, the temple is devoted to Quan Cong, the most famous General of the "Three States" period in Chinese history who was an exemplary of morality, faith, loyalty, frankness, and righteousness. The statue of General Quan Cong, made of papier-mâché on the wooden frame is enshrined in the central altar at the back of the sanctuary. The General's statue is flanked by General Chau Xuong, one of his guardians on the left and the administrative mandarin on the right. The other notable feature of the temple is the carp-shaped rain spouts on the roof surrounding the courtyard. The using of a carp as decoration is popular as it symbolizes the patience in Chinese mythology.

Hoi An Historical and Cultural Museum
The Museum is housed in a former pagoda, constructed in 1653. There are an exhibit of photographs and many useful documents such as ancient maps and family records. A collection of artifacts, including statues, porcelains, ceramics, scales, anchor, and so on are also displayed.

Museum of Sa Huynh Culture
The Museum is housed in a two-storey, French-colonial-styled building. This is where a large collection of artifacts of Sa Huynh Culture, found in 1902 are displayed. Sa Huynh Culture flourished along the coast of central Vietnam between the second century B.C. and the second century A.D. The artifacts include the clay funeral urns in which the ashes of the dead were kept, ceramic fragments as well as jewelries.

Around Hoi An

Chuc Thanh Pagoda
The oldest pagoda in Hoi An, Chuc Thanh Pagoda was founded in 1454 by Minh Hai, the first Buddhist monk in Hoi An. This is where several elderly monks still live, and the old ritual objects are still used such as bells, a two-hundred-year stone gong, and carp-shaped wooden gong.

Phuc Lam Pagoda
Located just 300 meters west of the Chuc Thanh Pagoda, Phuc Lam Pagoda is noted for its garden full of moss-covered memorials, many of them decorated with a mosaic of pottery fragments and antique glazed dishes.

Cua Dai Beach
Located 5 kilometers east of Hoi An, Cua Dai Beach is a popular venue at weekend among Vietnamese and foreigners alike for its clean, palm-lined beach. However, safe swimming is usually possible between April and October. Along the beach, fresh seafood and refreshments are available to buy.

Cham Island
One of the mountainous islands lying 10 kilometers offshore in the South China Sea, the Cham Island is well-known for its highly prized sea swallows' nests which are exported worldwide for making culinary delicacy. Permits are needed to get to the island, and it is quite difficult for an independent tourist as most of the day-trips are aimed at your parties. However, the individual tours can be done on the basis of three person minimum. On the island, you can enjoy the unspoiled beaches and wander around the fishing villages.

Cam Kim Island
The island is home to the skillful artisans. Kam Bong Village is where the master woodcarvers inhabited, and where the fine woodcarvings are produced. Several works from this village can be seen around Hoi An town. Today, the most famous woodcarvings, guaranteed of good quality for sale are still produced here. Some of the villagers also build the wooden boat. The island is reached by a ten-minute boat ride from the Hoi An ferry station.

My Son
One of the most fascinating sites in Hoi An that should never be missed is My Son, Vietnam's most significant Cham site which was declared the World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Nestled in lush valley of the Cat's Tooth Mountain, My Son was a religious sanctuary of the once flourishing Champa Kingdom dating from the fourth century. The area was dotted with the imposing ruins of temples and towers, characterized by Cham architectural style and believed to have been erected between the seventh and thirteenth century. Many of these temples and buildings were built to dedicate to the Kings and Brahman divinities. In the sixties, My Son was served as the base of Viet Cong during the American War, resulting in the devastation of several building in the area. However, these days, Vietnamese authorities are attempting to restore as much as possible of the remaining sites.