Hoi An

MONDAY 25 JULY 2011

I was awake early, so went to see the bustling market by the river as ferries full of people and motorbikes, and all kinds of vegetables, fish, ducks, chicken, snake wine and food were on sale, including the famed Cao Lao, Hoi An’s version of noodle soup. The smells were a mixture of fish, herbs and the smelly durian which seem to get everywhere in Asia. Hoi An is THE place in Vietnam for silk and to have clothes made.

Hoi An was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999 and its ancient centre is focused around three streets parallel to the river where wealthy Chinese merchants built their homes. Many of their descendants still live in Hoi An, and it’s possible to visit some of the houses and assembly halls. A 75,000 VND (£2.50) ticket entitles you to visit 5 places.

The Phuc Kien Assembly Hall is extremely ornate, with a small fish pond and large pyramid coils of incense hang from the ceiling. The Tan Ky Merchant’s House is a late 18th century shophouse, where the 7th generation of the original family still live. The house floods every year, and the family just move all the belongings upstairs. There is also a beautiful Japanese bridge which was originally built in the 16th century but has been rebuilt many times over the centuries.

I had lunch at the Cham Diving Centre café where I booked a dive for the next day, and then spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool. The swimming pool was green and too warm to cool you down – about 32 degrees – but it’s in a great location by the river.

Hoi An is famed for its speciality cooking, and I had an excellent evening meal of several small dishes of the local food by the riverside.

Hoi An Market