Centres of Excellence

Hoi An  Silk Lanterns

Hoi An, set on the pretty Thu Bon River, is a modern day marvel. It dates from 15th to 19th centuries and at the time was an established and very busy trading port. That was until the river silted up. Now it is the site for modern day traders servicing hoards of tourists...  Originally a sea port of the Champa kingdom (Dai Chien), it was secured by the Tran dynasty (15th century), then later became known as Faifo. 1516 saw Portuguese traders arrive and others, keen to secure their share in prosperous trading routes, soon followed. The Portuguese had already established themselves in Malacca (Malaysia) and were keen to assert their domination in this area. Hoi An grew to become one of the most important trading links in South East Asia and shows a fascinating mix of all the cultures that passed through it.

Japanese Bridge (1593)

The old quarter, now a tourist mecca, has fortunately been rescued by a UNESCO preservation order, and although crowded it still has a quaint charm and shows signs of a real life going on in spite of it all. We started our walk-about from Le Loi Street the first street to be built, and with strict instructions not to stray, we moved on to see the Cantonese Assembly Hall (Hoi Quan Quang Dong, 1653) - all the while trying to resist shops full of lovely silk lanterns, blue pottery and luscious snacks!  

Old House of Tan Ky

Across the road is a small museum of Sa Huynh relics. The Sa Huynh (1000BC - 200AD), a jar burials culture, are considered to have predated the Chams and existed about the same time as the Dong Son. The Japanese Covered Bridge, which dates from 1593, was built to provide access across a narrow river channel. It's a curved timber structure with a meticulously tiled roof, colourfully painted and has a small temple (Chua Cau) built to one side. Our final inspection was the old house of Tan Ky, in the style of mercantile homes that dates from the 18th century.

Built around a tiny central courtyard, and terraced to include living quarters, the house extends windowless, from one street to another. I particularly loved the Chinese poetry hangings on the columns. The house reminded me of one I had seen in Malacca many years ago that had a huge "egg pot" bath centrally placed in the courtyard. During our stay, we quartered up at the Hoi An Hotel. Reminiscent of colonial influences, I half expected to look out my window and see a guard of soldiers lining the driveway.

Hue was a pleasant day's drive from Hoi An, with a lovely seafood lunch stop at the picturesque Lang Co. Those Chams certainly knew how to pick a spot to live, didn't they!  Hue is not on the coast but further up the Perfume River. It is also a World Heritage site (1993), so restoration and conservation work continues to rebuild a city that has quite a long and sometimes violent history.

Tower of the Source of Happiness

Hue had been part of the Champa kingdom until 1306 when the Tran dynasty extended its Dai Viet territories with a peaceful annexation of the (Hue) region through marriage. The siting of a citadel, Phu Xuan, in 1601 was undertaken by a feudal Nguyen noble, Nguyen Hoang, where it remained until its capture in 1775 by the rival Trinhs. West of this citadel and on the banks of the Perfume River, he had also reconstructed the Thien Mu Pagoda (Celestial Lady Pagoda).  The site also is home to the octagonal Tower of the Source of Happiness. Interestingly, it is made using bricks of Cham origin. The seven tiers of this tower represent a different reincarnation of Buddha. The temple is also home to a huge bronze bell cast in 1710. Its ring is said to be heard 16km away. Thien Mu is considered the religious heart of Buddhism and was the site of many protests during the 60's.

After many years, the Nguyens eventually gained the upper hand and in 1792, the first of the Nguyen Emperors (1802-1945), Gia Long, established a hold on Hue and commenced construction on Dai Noi, the Imperial Palace. It is made up of 3 walled enclosures ringed by moats and secured by high towers along the crenelations.  The first and outer-most enclosure accommodated the Imperial Ministries and now is home to nine Holy Cannons, cast on order of Gia Long.

Hue Imperial Palace

The second Imperial (Yellow) Enclosure has 4 gates and houses the palaces, temples and gardens. Watched by a foreboding Five Pheonix tower, we made our way through "Noon Gate" with its bullet riddled walls, reminders of violence encountered during the Tet Offensive in 1968, and over the Bridge of Golden Waters and carp-filled ponds. We walked in the footsteps of Emperors as we crossed the bridge to the throne room of the Nguyen kings, Thai Hoa Palace (1805). Behind the throne room, the Great Golden Gate allowed access to the Forbidden Purple City; reserved for use by the royal family only. Even sons were banished on puberty (Don't you just wish you could do that today?). Inside, the Royal Library survives, as do amazing dynastic urns, thanks to major restoration initiatives and surviving, detailed city plans. This citadel is particularly important as it is the home to the last imperial dynasty in Vietnam. Emperor Bao Di abdicated in 1945.


Our tour of Hue concluded with a visit to the Tomb of Minh Mang (1840). Of 13 Nyugen kings, only seven have a mausoleum and this one is considered one of the most impressive. Said to reflect each kings politics and personality, this one is Chinese in style (Confucian). 

Minh Mang Tomb Grounds

Set in a complex of beautiful gardens and lakes, the Sung An temple is visited annually by relatives who come to pay respects. The exact place of burial is unknown, a protective measure against usurping dynasties...or perhaps ghosts of Chams he finally "extinguished" in 1832!!