Hoi An's momentum as a sought-after destination shows no signs of slowing down: visitor numbers nearly tippled in 2018, followed by the title of 'world's best city' being awarded to it by esteemed travel publications in 2019. Hoi An's UNESCO-listed Ancient Town is photogenic to a fault, with its collection of distinctive mustard-coloured colonial homes, intriguing food and quaint streets that remain traffic-free for much of the day drawing in cruise excursionists and backpackers alike.
The former trading port of Hoi An has risen to prominence as one of Vietnam's foremost travel destinations over the last few years, lagging only slightly behind the iconic Ha Long Bay – for now, that is. The compact city of just over 100,000 inhabitants continues to transform rapidly, with service businesses scurrying to meet the ever-increasing demand for Hoi An's atmospheric, UNESCO-listed Ancient Town, all this despite the introduction of a tourist entry fee a few years back.
This rising popularity has miraculously not been too detrimental to the unspoiled old-time atmosphere so many visitors are after: Hoi An remains traffic-free for most of the day, and much of the heritage left by Chinese and Japanese communities once inhabiting the city is well looked after and kept in excellent condition (the Japanese Covered Bridge built to connect the two enclaves remains one of the most popular sights, although the number of visitors is limited to 20 at a time).Read More
