Long before tourists arrived with cameras, Hội An was already one of Southeast Asia's most important trading ports. Today, BNNO Travel reports, that history is still visible on every corner — in the weathered yellow shophouses, Chinese temples, and the unmistakable Japanese architectural influence that gives this UNESCO World Heritage town its character.
Daytime in the Old Town
During daylight hours, BNNO Travel's footage follows cyclists moving past yellow-walled shophouses draped with red lanterns. The streets are lined with stalls offering handmade crafts, wooden carvings, silk lanterns in every colour, and woven goods. The Japanese Covered Bridge — among the town's most recognised landmarks — draws steady foot traffic, while a boat driver in a conical hat waits along the palm-shaded river.
When the Sun Goes Down
At sunset, BNNO Travel notes, Hội An undergoes a visible transformation. The lanterns along the riverside switch on, small wooden boats begin ferrying passengers across the water, and the cafés lining the river bank glow with warm light. One of the town's temples, according to BNNO Travel's footage, features carved dragons and red lanterns framing the altar inside.
After dark, the river itself becomes the focal point. Floating lanterns drift across the water, their small flames catching the reflection of the riverside lights, while boats hung with glowing lanterns pass slowly by. Visitors, BNNO Travel says, can release a floating lantern of their own and make a wish.
Lantern Shops and Souvenir Stalls
The lanterns are not confined to the river. BNNO Travel's camera captured a shop whose doorway — floor to ceiling — is filled with round and diamond-shaped silk lanterns painted with birds and flowers, its sign reading "Workshop of Lanterns." Adjacent stalls carry handmade bags, framed paintings, woven hats, and rows of carved wooden figures.
Street Food Worth Stopping For
BNNO Travel's advice for first-time visitors is straightforward: arrive hungry. The recommended dishes include cao lầu, mì Quảng, white rose dumplings, bánh mì, and Vietnamese coffee. The footage also shows grills loaded with skewers of meat and seafood, a fruit-shake stand stacked with mangoes, pineapples, and grapes, and street vendors setting up for the evening crowd — the kind of stalls, BNNO Travel says, worth trying on smell alone.
The Overall Experience
Hội An is colourful, historically layered, romantic, and — according to BNNO Travel — a little chaotic in the best possible way. The town's two faces, daytime wandering through old streets and lantern-lit riverbanks after dark, make it, BNNO Travel says, a place in Vietnam that has to be seen firsthand.
Video/Photos: BNNO Travel
Source: BNNO Travel