Truly one of the most visually beautiful places we’ve visited, especially in Asia. The whole of the historic old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

History
Once known as Faifo, it was a major port for the spice trade with Indonesia during 7th – 10th centuries. Later it was a principle port for the Chinese & Japanese, from 17th Centuary. It has more recent influences from trade with Europeans.

The whole of the Old Town is like stepping onto a film set. From beautiful buildings to historic temples & bridges; from the handmade silk lanterns to the floating candles on the river, the town is a fusion of colour, culture & history.

It’s difficult to describe the place adequately in words, but here it is in pictures:

Here’s a great 8 min video from Rusty Compass

… and some of our own photos:

Video: across rice fields

We stayed at the Thanh Van 2 Hotel, under $25 a night for 2 people, including buffet breakfast. It is a 10-15 min walk to the Old Town (hotel operates a free shuttle bus).