Hoi An Ancient Town (Vietnam)

This afternoon, after checking into the boutique hotel, we will be visitng HOI AN Anceint Town

 These beautiful pictures are sourced from the internet....

Hoi An Ancient Town

Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site.

  the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda.

 colourful and beautiful view of Japanese Bridge

 Hội An is a city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals

 The former port city’s melting-pot history is reflected in its architecture, a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shophouses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings,

 Hoi An is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a traditional Asian trading port.

These subsquent pictures are all ours.....

 To get to old town Ee suggested we rent bicycles and ride there in style....

they are all young, they got a bicycle per couple.......

me behind Cheong.....in the end we took motorcycles, in view of our advanced age, hahaha!!!

Chin took me on her bike, and Cheong took my husband on his bike....

we are crossing the bridge to get to the Ancient Town!

We're off!

 This is the ancient town.....Chin seems to say

 it still functions as a port!

 she is lost in shopping, in fact she shopped till we had to look for her at 6 pm

 The town comprises a well-preserved complex of 1,107 timber frame buildings, with brick or wooden walls, which include architectural monuments, commercial and domestic vernacular structures.

 no more "dong" so we looked for a money changer

 inside the market

 lots of food!!!!

 good!!! ice kacang, pho.....anything you want...you can get here!!!

 or out on the roadside!!!

 we lost them, then suddenly, we run into them again!!!!

 and they are off again! the intrepid travellers!

to rest, he just park the motor bike here and wait for us

 then we had ice cold coconut

 and snacks

 

 This beautiful 150 year old house belongs to this old lady and her family....

 

 we are in a stupor......the house is wonderfully well preserved.....

 she left China all those years and have stayed here since

back outside, we find weird things for sale

like this mother pig and her piglets

 and of course the unquitous Danang lanterns!!!

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2. Hội An

   City in Vietnam
3. Hội An is a city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals. The former port city’s melting-pot history is reflected in its architecture, a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shophouses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda.
5. Area: 23.17 mi² (60 km²)
6. Hotels: 3-star averaging $30, 5-star averaging $170. View hotels
7. Weather: 82°F (28°C), Wind SW at 1 mph (2 km/h), 74% Humidity
8. Local time: Sunday 10:34 PM
9. Province: Quang Nam Province
10. Points of interest: Museum of Trade Ceramics, More

Mỹ Sơn of Champa.

 This is our driver taking us to My Son of Champa

 As with Vietnamese roads, this road is no different: lots of bikes. car, trucks, humans all on the side of the road that I am not used to!!! But not to worry, the driver has great manoeuvring skills!!!

See, we had reached the bridge to the magical kingdom of long ago....

My Son: World Cultural Heritage

  My Son sanctuary which was once an imperial city during the Champa dynasty, between the 4th and the 12th centuries. We travel about 50km to My Son sanctuary. It comprises many Champa temples, in a valley roughly two kilometers wide, surrounded by two mountain ranges. It was the site of religious ceremony of kings of the Champa dynasty, and was also a burial place of Champa royals and national heroes. Spend about 1.5 hour to see a large complex of religious relics that comprises more than 65 architectural works. In 1999, UNESCO labeled the Cham architecture in My Son as a World Cultural Heritage Site. You will also have chance to enjoy the traditional Apsara dancing of Cham girls.

 replica of the relics

 Mỹ Sơn has been recognized byUNESCO as a world heritage site. 

 we had to walk in...it was very hot!!!! and Champa occupies a valley

 how awesome!!!! This actually dates back centuries!!!

 From the 4th to the 14th century AD, the valley at Mỹ Sơn was a site of religious ceremony for kings of the ruling dynasties of Champa, as well as a burial place for Cham royalty and national heroes.

 The temples at Mỹ Sơn are made of a reddish brick. Decorative carvings have been cut directly into the bricks.

 " The temples of My Son Sanctuary is situated in the valley 2km wide,occupying the monarchy of  Champa. My Son Sanctuary is considered one of the central temple of Hinduism in Southeast Asia and is the only legacy of this category in Vietnam."

 The remains of the kingdom of Champa, which flourished from the 2nd to the 15th century.

some are well eroded...some are still preserved......

the stone that says "Cham" used to be the cradle of Vietnamese civilisation

 Cheong likes to do a jig, here he is celebrating centuries-old preservation of temples that he got to witness, he is awed. like all of us.

 like, I told you, it was very, very hot!!!!

 Our ticket to the santuary of history 

 and it includes a cultural show....

  Enjoy the traditional Apsara dancing of Cham girls!!!!

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2. Mỹ Sơn
3. Mỹ Sơn is a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples constructed between the 4th and the 14th century AD by the kings of Champa. Wikipedia
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