"HOI AN" a Hoi An Travel Page by betska

Hoi An is very much on the tourist trail and it certainly is worth spending a few nights here to appreciate the atmosphere.
This was one of South East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th & 19th centuries. Hoi An was the site of the first Chinese settlement in southern Vietnam. Today, parts of the town look exactly as they did a century and a half ago.
There are plenty of well preserved, ancient buildings and architecture here to wander past, and the shopping is pretty good too.

By the end of the 19th century, the Thu Bon River had started to silt up and Danang took over as the most important port in the area.
The river may be too shallow for shipping, but it is perfect for tourist boats.

Once upon a time there lived a giant, angry dragon. The beast was so enormous that, when its head was in India, its tail reached Japan. When the monster stirred in anger, an earthquake hit Japan. What could be done to tranquilize the dragon?
A pagoda had to be built, right on it's back. And where was the dragon's back? Exactly, it was right in Hoi An!
(Taken from "On the Dragon's Back-impressions of Hoi An, by Hans Kemp)

The name of this bridge in Vietnamese, Lai Vien Kieu, means "Pagoda in Japan". The dog on one end, and the monkey at the other end are considered to be sacred animals to the ancient Japanese. There is a small temple inside that is dedicated to Tran Vo Bac De, God of the North, beloved (or cursed) by sailors, as it is he who controls the weather.
The bridge was originally built in 1593 to link the Japanese community with the Chinese community across the stream.

This bridge must be the most photographed attraction in Hoi An. There are some more photos in my "Hoi An Architecture" travelogue