Along small streets are old houses with rows of lanterns hung at the entrances spreading warm red or yellow light. There are shops selling many souvenir items with typical characteristics of the town, such as the lanterns made of fabric, silk garments, terracotta toys and fine-art items made from bamboo, rattan, copper and wood.
On the sidewalks, under the shade of the bougainvillea flower trellis are small shops selling coffee or dinner. Inside the shops, people can enjoy a bowl of noodles from Quang Nam, or sip coffee in a calm atmosphere full of gentle music and yellow shimmering candlelight.
At night, the streets are always crowded with people, but the atmosphere is not too noisy like other tourist destinations. Everyone walks slowly to enjoy the street life with a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere.
Hoi An sparkles with thousands of lanterns. Photo: Tran Thanh Giang A small restaurant on a street. Photo: Trang Linh An ancient house with lanterns in Hoi An. Photo: Trang Linh A Choi singing group in Hoi An. Photo: Trang Linh On the Hoai River. Photo: Trang Linh Foreign tourists are interested in different kinds of lanterns in Hoi An. Photo: Tran Thanh Giang |
In Hoi An today, visitors also have an opportunity to take a cruise on the Hoai River to listen to folk songs at night. On a wooden boat floating slowly on the river in gentle breeze, they sit in the soft yellow light of a hurricane-lamp hanging on the mast to listen to girls singing the chants of the Quang area. The rustic singing gently spreads over the river, making the visitors relaxed.
As usual, on the night of the 14th of every lunar month, all people in the town turn off all electric lights and hang decorative coloured lanterns in front of their houses. This is a practice that has existed for over 300 years. In the quietness of the night, the town looks more beautiful in the moonlight. The incense fragrance from a tray of offerings placed under the front eave makes the atmosphere more shimmering and splendid.
Hundreds of years have passed, but Hoi An still retains the features of a prosperous port town in the past. More importantly, in the architectural space which has been recognized as a World Cultural Heritage Site, the residents are still as simple, ardent and decent as they were in the past. Seemingly, the noisy life of modern times cannot make any changes in their lifestyle, even in their thoughts.