I thought Hội An was a wonderful town and I would not go to Vietnam without spending a few nights there. In 2019, Travel + Leisure Magazine named it the #1 Best City in the World.
Hội An is 15 miles southeast of Da Nang and near the coast. The town is on the banks of the Song Thu Bon or Thu Bon River and is inland from the coast. It is a very charming old town that was once a busy port. At the beginning of the 16th century, the Portuguese came to explore. Then came the Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, British and French. It therefore is a fusion of many cultures.
Today there are around 75,000 people with 12,000 living in the old quarter which has been restored and renovated. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many of the older homes are built with wood beams, carved doors and airy open rooms.
I loved spending time wandering through the streets, looking at the architecture, visiting the many small shops, seeing the three museums, assembly halls and old houses, that you can tour, and just walking around the Cho Hội An or Central market with its fish and fruit vendors and taking pictures of the colorful people. The city is known for its many tailor shops (not with over 600 in town) where you can have custom clothes made reasonably and quickly. LeLe Cloth Shop comes highly recommended. After dinner make sure to explore the night market downtown.
There some wonderful hotels and excellent restaurants to try.
The Japanese quarter has a covered bridge and Japanese-style shops and houses. In other parts there is a blend of temples, pagodas, community houses, shrines, clan houses, shop houses and homes.
I also took a bike trip out into the countryside with my guide. It was a great way to see the rural area around the city.
Recommended to me is the Lantern Festival which is run on the 14th day of every lunar month. Also a day trip to see Mỹ Sơn, a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples in Quảng Nam province. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.