Hội An is a well-known ancient town located about 30 kilometers from the center of Da Nang city, Vietnam. It was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1999. When entering the old town, visitors will be amazed by a secluded world. There is no noise from cars, factories, or neon lights. Everything has receded, and space and time seem to be still on the old mossy tile roofs, the ancient wooden houses, and the Cau bridge. Here, tourists can enjoy traditional dishes and visit traditional craft villages, meeting the “ancient” people. Moreover, visitors can make their own pottery gifts for their loved ones.
The most beautiful time to visit Hoi An is at night. The small town becomes more romantic and profound, bringing a nostalgic feeling that is hard to describe. The initiative to restore lanterns in the fall of 1998 has brought unexpected results. In the evening, around 8 pm, all the people in the old town return to life 300 years ago. They voluntarily turn off all neon lights, replacing them with dim and mysterious light from the lanterns.
Round lanterns, hexagonal lanterns in Chinese style hanging at the doors, Japanese lanterns or long tubes with white paper hanging on the eaves. On the night of the lantern festival, everyone has to turn off all electrical devices. However, they do not feel inconvenient because the intensity of the light decreases, but the fiery passion of each person still burns brightly when walking through the old town. Looking at the old houses, the women in white ao dai working under the lantern light, or the two old men with white hair and beards playing chess, sipping tea, also under the sparkling and mysterious light. It seems that people are going back in time to live with what once existed.
On festival nights, people often organize pot-breaking games, tug-of-war, and many other folk games. Tourists and locals participate enthusiastically, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere for the city. The songs of the rice harvest, the songs of the boatmen, echo on the boats in the quiet night. The girls in ao ba ba, gentle and graceful, make the hearts of many travelers tremble.
Hoi An has become a legend, an indelible mark of history, of those who have set foot here. Hoi An will always exist in our minds, so that people can live with what has passed, the simple beauty of the past.
