I’ve fallen in love with Hoi An. The little winding streets are filled with incense smoke and dimmly lit at night with paper laterns. The coffee smells whaft from the cafes and the street food is cheap and diverse. At night, along the river, old ladies float candles in paper boats. Plus, the beaches are clean and just a 20 minute bike ride away.
So I decided to rent a bike and stay. Instead of going back and spending my last week in Saigon–Matt’s gone, it’s been two months since I quit my job, I don’t have an apartment anymore–I’m going to spend my last week in Vietnam here.
Yesterday, I joined some Germans and we rented bikes to go see the My Son temples. The ride out into the jungle was beautiful. The temples were pretty cool too, very similar to the ruins we saw in Bangkok. The ride back was a bit more adventuresome. We stopped at what we thought was a crowded street food vendor. It turned out to actually be a funeral, and we were invited by the granddaughter of the deceased to participate. It was horribly awkward, but possibly one of the most unforgettable faux pas I’ve made in traveling.
Today, I decided to take in a few of the touristy sites. Here’s what I learned.
Hoi An was a significant trading post in the 16th and 17th centuries. Japan and China specifically had permission from the Vietnamese emperors to set up shops and make trade agreements in the port town. As a result, both Japan and China spent significant amounts of money building the infrastructure of the town which gives it a unique aesthetic. Dutch, French, and Indian traders would also come to Hoi An to do business with the Japanese and Chinese.
A truly international city for centuries, during the French occupation, Hoi An became somewhat of a resort town. This history, however, has been largely erased.
Hoi An received UNESCO World Heritage status in December of 1999. As a world heritage site, nothing can be built up or developed; the unique architecture is preserved.
The city has definitely capitalized on their not-so-hidden treasures. Various kiosks around town sell tickets that give you access to your choice of 5 of the 22 world heritage buildings. The buildings are classified as Assembly Halls, Old Houses, Communal Houses, Museums, and Temples. To be honest, I’m not completely sure what the difference is. They all looked like temples.
But here are the sites I saw.
Quang Trieu Assembly Hall
I chose this one partially because it was close to where I parked my motorbike, and partially because it had such a big crowd yesterday. The red entry gate was beautiful, as were the lanterns inside. Perhaps a highlight was the giant dragon fountain in the back. It looked like some sort of Dragon Medusa hybrid with lots of heads flinging in lots of different directions. There was also a statue of a goat and a nice little garden with a coy pond and foot bridge.
Ngyuen Tuong Family Chapel
Family chapels are part of the ancestor worship and folk religions of Vietnam. Much in the same way Catholics pray to saints for various needs, Vietnamese religions pray to deceased loved ones and rulers to protect them and help them. This chapel was built in 1806 by the Nguyen Tuong family as a place to pray to their ancestors. The building itself combines elements of Japanese and Chinese architecture. The pattern on the roof is designed like a tortuous shell, to symbolize longevity. The main alter is dedicated to the patriarch of the family who was an army commander in the Nguyen dynasty. His sons were authors and philosophers and many of their manuscripts are also on display in the chapel.
Cam Pho Communal House
The Cam Pho House was built in 1817 by Chinese settlers. From what I gather, it was a place for all Chinese residents to gather and worship their individual ancestors. Apparently communal houses have to be near a dock and have a tree in the garden. This one has both of those things. It’s a bright yellow temple with a very nice central courtyard that has a beautiful bonsai tree. (Unrelated, but there was also a really good gelato shop just across the street.)
Quan Cong/Quan Am Temple
These two temples are built right next to each other. Both halls are full of incense, with smoke so thick you can see the beams on light cut through from the shutters. The front temple was dark and full of statues of warriors and horses. The back temple was empty and displayed Japanese art. The Buddha in the back temple was illuminated with flashing neon lights (which is actually fairly common in Vietnam.) I’m not sure which temple is which, but they were both very quiet and serene.
Phuc Kien Assembly Hall
I almost skipped this one, but I bumped into some people I met in Hue and they highly recommended it. It was one do the most beautiful sites I saw. The main facade was a bright pink entrance. Inside the main temple was a large table, a sitting area, and a lovely alter with statues of whooping cranes. The back garden was under construction but there appeared to be a dragon statue here too.
Along the way I popped into some coffee shops and read and blogged. Tomorrow, I think I’ll go to the beach. I’ve also been fitted for a new pea coat (just in time to go home to winter in the US) and I’m excited to see how it fits. It’s hard to capture how magical this city feels. It’s an absolute time warp and I’m looking forward to spending my week here.
Blue Suitcase Adventures 