A Sunset Stroll Along the Riverbank in Hoi An Ancient Town - UNESCO Viet Nam

Hello everyone, today I would like to share with you some peaceful moments from a late afternoon stroll I took along the riverbank in Hoi An Ancient Town. Hoi An Ancient town is a charming and historic trading town located along Vietnam’s central coast. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its historical significance, and well-preserved traditional building design. From the 15th to 19th century this town was one of Southeast Asia’s busiest international trade ports. At the heart of this ancient town is the river, which would have seen boats from all over the world pulling up to its shores in search of silk, spices, pottery, lacquerware, tea, and bamboo products.

Today, the river is still a hotbed of activity, although the trade ships have been replaced by fishing boats and a fleet of old lady-powered rowboats for tourists. The streets of Hoi An can be quite crowded with visitors these days, but you can still find some quiet moments walking along the river, and away from all of the shops and street vendors.

I think the most beautiful time of day to visit Hoi An is either around sunset or at night. At night you can see many colorful lanterns around the city, giving the whole town a romantic and surreal glow. The only problem with Hoi An at night is that visiting here is no longer an original idea, and large crowds of tourists descend on the tight walking streets nightly, congesting the town into a claustrophobic mess of chaotic beauty.

I consider myself really lucky to have visited Hoi An many times before the post-covid tourism recovery, and to be able to experience it in its natural state of calm and mysterious splendor. That being said, you can still see a peaceful side of Hoi An today, you just need to venture a bit off the beaten path.

Be careful when wandering off the beaten path though, because sometimes there is a dog guarding it, or two! Wild dogs are common in this part of Viet Nam, and it is important to give unfamiliar dogs their space, as they can sometimes be aggressive and carry disease.

These little guard dogs were pretty chill, but nevertheless we turned around when it became apparent that Uncle Dai’s Riverboat Bar was closed. I had never been here before, but reading the sign gave me brief, but hopeful visions of a few cheeky cocktails shared with an eccentric Uncle Dai on his riverboat, swapping stories and laughter. Sadly, Google says this place is permanently closed, so we take that as a sign to venture in the other direction.

We walk along the river and cross one of the old bridges. These bridges are really beautifully designed, and are absolutely magical at night when all of the lanterns are lit. This is a great time though because the crowds have not yet descended. The town is starting to come back alive for the nightly tourist rush, but right now it is still peaceful, like a calm before the storm.

There are many unique looking boats here, with some clearly modeled off of the traditional Chinese junk boats that would have frequently traded here. Looking out over the water, you can almost get lost in the scene and forget where you are in time. The magic of the sunset only enhances the surreal energy of this historic place.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my sunset stroll along the river in Hoi An Ancient Town in Vietnam.

All photos were taken by me. Have a wonderful day.