In the 16th and 17th centuries, the town was called Faifoo. It was then a port town familiar to merchants from Japan,China and Portugal. Sturdy structures built over the years include wooden houses and bridges, pagodas and others, some hundreds of years old, and they do impresses visitors to the town.
Hoi An Port was called Dai Chiem Port when it was first used by mostly Japanese and Chinese merchants, some of whom set up shop and stayed in in the town. In those early days Hoi An was a major trade center in Southeast Asia and a destination for vessels from the Far East.
In the town one can find 20 old pagodas and club-houses, including the Fujian Pagoda which was built in 1687 and the Ngu Bang, Quang Trieu, HaiNam and Ong Bon pagodas. These buildings contain elaborate carvings and precious antiques from Vietnam, China, Japan and West Europe.
The older houses in Hoi An are interesting works of art. They were built in different styles and within each one can see quite different kinds of carving and decor. Hoi An is sometimes called a living museum. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Hoi An as a world cultural heritage center.
Upon entering the old part of the town, visitors get a peaceful feeling and can imagine that they are going back in time. The peaceful ambience in the town would make anyone feel comfortable. Hoi An's old streets are even more beautiful in the evening when multi-colored lanterns are lit.
Since 1998, on the 14th day of each lunar month, Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Le Loi and Bach Dang Roads in Hoi An are illuminated by lanterns only. Wandering along these four streets one could imagine what it might have been like 300 hundred years ago.
Hoi An is charming and hold the remains of a glorious past that have been well preserved.
VietNamNet/VEN
