Lyingon the banks of the Thu Bon River, Quảng Nam province ( in the SouthCentral Coast of Vietnam), Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionallywell-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating fromthe 15th to the 19th century.

Overthe last few years, Hoi An has become a very popular touristdestination in Vietnam. Its buildings and its street plan reflect theinfluences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to producethis unique heritage site. In 1999, the old town was declared a WorldHeritage site by UNESCO under the criteria C (II) and criteria C (V):

Criterion (II): Hoi An is an outstanding material manifestation of the fusion of cultures over time in an international commercial port.

Criterion (V): Hoi An is an exceptionally well preserved example of a traditional Asian trading port.

Occupied by early western traders, Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th century and 17^th centuries, where Chinese from various provinces as well as Japanese, Dutch and Indians settled down.

No fluorescent lights, no motorcycles, no television, on the 15^th day of each lunar month, the riverside town of Hoi An gives modern life the night off.

Ina wood-fronted shops a woman in traditional dress sits at a desk,bathed in the light of a lantern made from a simple bamboo fish-trap.Outside, two old men are absorbed in a candlelit game of Chinesecheckers. Hoi An, a sleepy riverside town in the central province ofQuang Nam. In the air of legendary, just experience the existence bytasting and feeling.

HoiAn has long been a cultural crossroad. More than five centuries ago theVietnamese nation of Dai Viet expanded its territory southwards,encroaching on the Indianized Kingdom of Champa, which covered much ofwhat is now central Vietnam. Hoi An, located on the Hoai River, emergedwhen Japanese and Chinese traders built a commercial district there inthe 16th century.

Thesediverse cultural influences remain visible today. Visitors will findHoi An's Old Quarter lined with two-storey Chinese shops, theirelaborately carved wooden facades and moss-covered tile roofs havingwithstood the ravages of more than 300 years of weather and warfare.These proud old buildings, which back onto the river, remind visitorsof another era, when Hoi An's market was filled with wares from as farafield as India and Europe. Colourful guildhalls, founded by ethnicChinese from Guangdong and Fujian provinces, stand quietly, a testamentto the town's trading roots.

Let Hoi An be light

Whendeveloping plans to preserve their town's ancient character, Hoi Anresidents decided to revive the practice of using coloured lanterns.Starting in the fall of 1998, one night each month is declared a"lantern festival". On the 15th day of each lunar month, residents onTran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Le Loi and Bach Dang streets switch offtheir lights and hang cloth and paper lanterns on their porches andwindows. Television sets, radios, street lights and neon lights areturned off.

Inthe ensuing quiet the streets of Hoi An are at their most romantic, thedarkness broken only by jeweltoned lanterns in all manner of shapes andsizes.

Strollingthrough the lantern-lit streets is like walking into a fairytale. It isall the more picturesque since motor vehicles are banned from Hoi An'sOld Quarter. On Trai Phu Street, stop at the beautifully preservedFaifo Restaurant to sample some traditional Chinese-style pastries. Orwalk on to the Treated Caf6, where bamboo baskets, commonly used towash rice, have been transformed into unique lanterns. These basketlamps are but one example of people's creativity as they experimentwith new shapes and materials, including lights made from hollow bambootubes.

A Warm Glow

The 15th day of the lunar month is a Buddhist dayof worship. Residents place offerings of food and incense on theirancestral altars and visit one of Hoi An's many pagodas. The scent ofincense and the sounds of people singing add to the town's enchantedatmosphere. On these evenings, visitors will get a rare glimpse intoanother era. These nights are a welcome reminder of life's unexpectedbeauty

Touristscan visit the relics of the Sa Huynh and Cham cultures. They can alsoenjoy the beautiful scenery of the romantic Hoi An River, Cua DaiBeach, and Cham Island.