Hoi An ancient town
Hoi An, once known as
Faifo, was a major international port in the 16th and
17th centuries, and the foreign influences are
discernible to this day. While the serious shipping
business has long since moved to Da Nang, the heart of
the city is still the Old Town, full of winding lanes
and Chinese-styled shop-houses, which is particularly
atmospheric in the evening as the sun goes down. While
almost all shops now cater to the tourist trade, the
area has been largely preserved as is, which is unusual
in Vietnam, and renovation has proceeded slowly and
carefully - it's mercifully absent of towering concrete
blocks and karaoke parlors.
The main thoroughfare in the Old Town is Tran Phu. Just
south of the Old Town, across the Thu Bon River, are the
islands of An Hoi to the west, reachable via Hai Ba
Trung, and Cam Nam to the east, reachable via Hoang
Dieu.
How to get there
By plane: The nearest airport is in Da Nang, which has
frequent connections to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and some
flights to Bangkok, Singapore and Siem Reap, Cambodia
(for Angkor Wat). A taxi from the airport to Hoi An
costs about US$15 thanks to the cartel, but only about
half that in the other direction.
By train: There is no railway station in Hoi An. The
nearest is in Da Nang, which receives several trains a
day from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang etc.
Most travel agents and hotels can book a train ticket
for you.
By bus: Open-tour buses run daily up and down the coast
from Da Nang, Hue (4-5 hours) and Nha Trang (9-10
hours).
By motorbike or taxi: It's easy to take a motorbike or
taxi to and from Da Nang via the Marble Mountains, from
where you can catch a train onwards.
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