A Week in Hoi An

The small city of Hoi An, just south of Danang, was once Vietnam’s principal port of trade, and one of the most important in all Asia. Those days are long past, but the town’s rich history is kept alive in the ancient quarter. Houses, communal halls, temples and bridges have remained in miraculous condition, and today, Hoi An is regularly hailed as the most beautiful city in Vietnam. We’d be spending a week here.

Hoi An is beautiful, there’s no doubt. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, thi...