This was written by John Moyle for the Weekend Australian for March 18-19 2006

Once a bustling trading centre to Asia and beyond, modern Hoi An is a charming fusion of ancient Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, French, Dutch and Vietnamese cultures.  So valued are Hoi An’s wonders that in 1999 UNESCO declared the 450 ancient buildings of the old town centre a World Heritage area.

Today the sight of streets lines with old Chinese and French houses, nestling side-by-side with pagodas, temples, bougainvilleas and women in traditional ao dai, evokes a 100-year-old photograph.  But this is not some overdone theme park.  The people of Hoi An fit naturally into this landscape as many of them can trace their ancestry back 400 years or more to when the ancient town was first built.

The best way to see Hoi An is on foot or bicycle.  It has to be, as cars are banned in the old town.  Navigating the ancient pathways is easy, as all the main streets run parallel to the Thu Bon River.  Connecting them to the river are narrow alleyways offering covert peeks into the traditional lives of the people who live here.

Starting in Nguyen Thi Minh Kai Street, famous for its art galleries and exquisite lacquer ware shops, we are reminded of how strong the Chinese connections were.  Here. on the north side of the street, facing the river, are two ancient family chapels still in use today.  At the end of the street, we have to step across a small, covered wooden bridge. Known as the Japanese Bridge, this 17th-century structure has become the much loved symbol for the town.

Crossing into the main part of the town, Nguyen Thi Minh Kai turns into Tran Phu Street.  On the right is the Sa Huynh Museum, which houses artifacts dating back to when eighth-century Arab traders came to the area in search of precious spices and woods.  The same floor also displays remnants of the Cham, who ruled this area from the second century until the rise of the Nguyen Lords in 1570.  We are now entering the main tourist area, where the old wooden houses jostle for prominence with grand, French-style villas.

Many visitors have come here for one thing only: clothes.  Everywhere you look are signs declaring each shop’s virtues.  “Suits for US$50”, “shirts for US$10”, “robes slashed to just US$30”, they shout.  Tailoring began here about 100 years ago, but it was not until Vietnam opened up for tourism in the 1990s that it took flight.  From an estimated 20 shops in the 1950s, there are now more than 320, employing more than 800 sewers and cutters.  The market is crowded, but there is always room for one more.

With so many cultural influences at work, it is only fitting that food in Hoi An is inspirational.  Mr Kim used to be a chef with the South Vietnamese army, and has taken advantage of new freedoms in Vietnam by opening Cafe des Amis.

Mr Kim has just twodegustation menus each night; vegetarian or seafood.  Local specialties such as cao lau, a noodle dish that marries fat local noodles with pork and plenty of fresh greens, make a regular appearance – as does hoanh thanh or “white rose”, a steamed dumpling filled with pork and herbs.  Some say the noodles are descendants of Japanese soba noodles, while the dumplings are close relatives of China’s wontons.  All meals at Cafe des Amis finish with creme caramel and cool jazz: no better way to end your day in Hoi An.