CENTRAL VIETNAM

Hoi An

The ancient town of Hoi An, lies on the banks of the Thu Bon River. Hoi An was one of the major trading centers of Southeast Asia in the 16th Century, and was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Hoi an has a distinctive Chinese atmosphere with low, tired-roof houses and narrow streets. The house were constructed of rare timbers and decorated with lacquer panels engraved with Chinese characters. Visitors enjoy the beautiful scenery of the romantic Thu Bon River, Cua Dai Beach, and Cham Islands.

Hue

Founded as a Royal City in 1687, the original citadel city of Phu Xuan was built on the site of present day Hue, the gateway to the treasures of Vietnam’s royal past. The city served as Vietnam’s political capital from1802 to 1945 under the 13 emperor of the Nguyen dynasty and was a major center of Vietnamese culture, region and education. This small and quiet city is justly famed for the magnificent architecture of its citadels palaces royal tombs, pagodas and temples built under the Nguyen dynasty in an elegant verdant setting on the banks of perfume River. UNESCO has labeled Hue “a beautiful architectural poem”.