INDOCHINA: Vietnam: Hoi An, a tourist's delight

Back to Vietnam. The next stop on our Vietnam tour was Hoi An, an ancient port town on the Thu Bon River in central Vietnam. From the 16th to the 18th century, Hoi An was Vietnam's most important port and trading post. Today, the city of Hoi An has become a major tourist attraction with its ancient buildings and traditional architecture, great restaurants and cafes, some of the best deals in Vietnam in custom tailoring and best of all, you can walk around without being bowled over by a motor scooter.

Hoi An has a distinct Chinese atmosphere with low, tile-roofed houses and narrow streets. The Old Quarter, along the waterfront, features well-preserved old houses and pagodas. After crossing the Japanese Covered Bridge, the first stop on our walking tour was the Phung Hung House, the mansion of the Phung Hung family for eight generations. The house is a mixture of Chinese and Japanese design and is decorated with lacquered boards and panels engraved with Chinese characters.

We continued walking through the Old Quarter, visiting the Tran Family Chapel, the Phouk Kien Pagoda - dedicated to Thien Hau, goddess of the sea and patroness of sailors and fishermen - the Chinese Assembly Hall and the Hoi An Historical and Cultural Museum. We ended our walk at the Hoi An Market, which sells everything from larvae to lug wrenches. Similar to the markets in Hanoi and Hue, it's the place for one-stop shopping in Hoi An.

The next morning we were up bright and early for a boat ride on the Thun Bon River. Even though Hoi An is no longer a major trading port, the river still plays a major role in the daily life of Hoi An residents. It was fun watching the boats full of fresh fish and produce pull up to the dock and cargo being transferred from boat to boat and boat to dock. We also watched the fisherman throw their nets and haul in their catch.

We stopped at Cam Kim Island, a village known for woodworking and boat-building. The furniture in the shops was beautiful, but far too large to fit in our suitcases. We walked around the village and watched the children pedaling home from school. The school on the island is overcrowded, so they have two shifts - 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Our guide, Chong, told us the same problem exists in Hoi An and that schools offer two sessions a day.

We all enjoyed our stay in Hoi An. Leon Schwartz, Rick Hulbert and Kay McMunn all had suits made and Penny Schwartz and Toni Hulbert had jackets made. The town is absolutely charming and far less hectic than Hanoi.

We left Hoi An and headed north to Da Nang for our late afternoon flight to Ho Chi Minh City. It's a beautiful drive along the coast and our first stop was China Beach, made famous during the Vietnam War as a popular destination for American and Australian troops. The beach is lovely and relatively undeveloped. Chong told us that several major hotel chains have expressed an interest in the area and there are rumors of large resorts coming to the region. I have a feeling that, once developed, this will be another Waikiki Beach.

Our stay in Da Nang was limited but we made time to visit the Cham Museum. The museum, established under French rule in 1936 as the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient, houses the world's largest collection of Cham sculpture, sandstone temple decorations and other art. Much of the collection, which includes excellent examples of Hindu and Mahayama Buddhist art from the 4th to the 14th centuries, is displayed in an outdoor setting. The museum was interesting and much of the temple decorations were similar to many we saw on the temples India.

It seemed hard to believe our trip was almost over. Join me next week in Hi Chi Minh City and our visit to the Ci Chi tunnels.