HERITAGE AND CHARM
A former trading port, Hoi An is a historic town in Quang Nam province, in central Vietnam. Its charm lies in its splendid wooden architecture, which has earned it Unesco World Heritage status: almost 800 buildings have been preserved and still belong to Vietnamese families, who live and/or maintain them with great care. Miraculously, the site was spared American bombardment due to the natural silting up of the river, pushing strategic interests back to Danang (formerly Tourane).
Discovered during a romantic weekend, our highlights include :
Wandering around the city, enjoying the colors of early morning, the golds of late afternoon and the night-time atmosphere of lanterns galore,
- Incredible communal and cult houses between China, Japan and Vietnam,
- French colonial houses magnificently restored to house the stalls of fine signmakers, of which the French-Vietnamese weaver Metiseko takes the prize,
- Réhahn’s Precious Heritage gallery/museum, where we forgot ourselves for hours,
- The ochre cameos, from the patinated facades of Hoi An to the rice harvests of the surrounding countryside,
- Some fine culinary discoveries, from Cau Lau on the sidewalk to gastronomy in refined places…
OUR RECOMMANDATIONS
- VISIT THE Precious Heritage MUSEUM and photographer Réhahn’s gallery when it opens
- CRAVE FOR A PRETTY DRESS at Metiseko, the iconic cotton and silk shop with the ultimate in charm
- ORDER A CUSTOM BAG OR PAIR OF SHOES from Friendly shop, Thong’s leather shop
- LUNCH AT THE CENTRAL MARKET, in the midst of a bustling shopping district, or have a special Banh Mi (the La Maison team will provide you with some good addresses)
- TAKE A FRENCH SCENT with a drink at the Cabanon at the end of the day
- ADMIRE THE LANTERNS by the river in the evening
- DINE ON THE TROTTOIR over Cau Lâu or Mi Quang
- ATTEND A THEATER AND DANCE SHOW from Quang Nam province(Hoi An Memories show; Hoi An Lune Center )
