Breakfast at the hotel. Ready for an exhilarating market exploration this morning. Let’s see what makes the market in Hoian different from elsewhere.
Hop on a coracle to set off for Bay Mau nipa palm forest. Navigating through the lush mangrove forest, you can not only observe its beauty but also find some lovely souvenirs made of palm leaves sold by locals. Feel free to ask the boat rower to stop by the forest for a photo session.
Besides, boat rowers also stage music performances or a coracle performance to entertain tourists. Foreign tourists, especially those from South Korea, find these performances really fascinating.
Next, take part in a very fascinating folk game called “bit mat dap nieu”, in which you have to break the clay pot with your eyes covered. Then, relax with a nice cup of local tea while a cooking class is being prepared. More interestingly, the chefs will share with you the culture of Vietnamese cuisine during his cooking demonstration. Enjoy your self-made lunch after that.
Next, take a relaxing boat ride along Thu Bon river. Along the riverbank sit the craft villages. Thanh Ha is famous for pottery, Phuoc Kieu for bronze casting, Tra Que for vegetables, Ma Chau for silk and Phu Chiem for rice paper. The villagers were all kind and welcoming, so if you want to have a hands-on experience, it’s simply a matter of approaching a villager and asking to try.
Return to the town center in the afternoon for a leisure walk through its mustard-colored ancient houses. We will pay a visit to the Hoian Museum, and the stunning ancient architecture.
If you want a closer look, a handful of old houses, pagodas and Chinese assembly halls have been preserved and stand pretty much as they did during Hoian’s heyday. Hoian was once brimming trading communities from across China’s East Coast. They built several assembly halls as places of worship and gathering. Phuoc Kien Assembly Hall and Tan Ky Old house are the outstanding examples of Chinese architecture in Hoian.
Japanese merchants also arrived here in a good number and they built Japanese Covered Bridge across a small canal that now stands as a symbol of Hoian. At one end of the bridge, there is a sculpture of a dog and at the other end is a sculpture of monkey, both of which are the symbols of sacredness in Japanese culture.
It can be said that Hoi An’s is a unique architectural amalgamation.
Return to the hotel and the rest of the day is at your leisure.
Dinner on your own account.
Stay overnight at the hotel in Hoian.