Hoi An, Vietnam : an old sea port

This time, our cruise sailed from Ha Long Bay to Da Nang in the middle of Vietnam.  From Da Nang, we took a day tour to Hoi An by bus.  Da Nang stands in the middle of Vietnam.  It is facing the South China Sea.  Due to its strategic location, it was used as the US air base during the Vietnam War.


(Cruise landing in Da Nang)



(Have you tried rowing a circular boat?)

As early as in the second century, Da Nang was under the influence of the Champa civilization. The archaeological site in My Son, which is located in the west of Da Nang, unlocks the old Champa temple of Hindu background.  You can find more about this in the book of  Hardy, Andrew (ed.). Champa and the archaeology of My Son (Vietnam). Singapore: National University of Singapore Press, 2009.
Later in the eighteenth century, the Nguyen dynasty reunified Vietnam and built its capital in Hue which is just north of Da Nang.

Hoi An is the old sea port of Da Nang.  Chinese sailors and merchants had settled in Hoi An many centuries ago.  You can find many beautiful Chinese temples and houses of regional trade associations in Hoi An.  In the fifteenth century, Portuguese came to Hoi An as part of its trade route between Macau and Malacca. 


(Local farm market in Hoi An)



(Boat ride for tourists)



(Houses and boats in Hoi An)

 Hoi An has very much kept its old beauty.  Local people seems to be happy with their traditional lives. Until recent years, local government steps up the development of tourism business.  Resort hotels are being built along the sea shore with man-made beaches. 

(Ancestor temple for local villagers)