HOI AN TOWN WAS DESIGNATED A WORLD HERITAGE SITE IN 1999 FOR ITS ASTOUNDING AND IMMACULATELY PRESERVED 16TH AND 17TH CENTURY BUILDINGS---FROM HOUSES TO ASSEMBLY HALLS, COMMUNAL HOUSES, PAGODAS, SHRINES, ANCESTRAL HALLS, BRIDGES, MARKETS, WHARVES AND MUSEUMS. HOI AN OLD TOWN CHARGES JUST US$6 TO ENTER AND SAUNTER AS LONG AS YOU LIKE AMID THE LABYRINTH OF STREETS FILLED WITH SHOPS, CAFES, RESTAURANTS, BOUTIQUE HOTELS AND SOUVENIR/HANDICRAFT STALLS. HOI AN IS NOT AN OPENAIR MUSEUM AS LOCALS WORK, LIVE, DINE, WINE AND PARTY HERE! JUST AS THEY HAVE DONE SINCE THE 16TH CENTURY WHEN IT WAS THE INTERNATIONAL TRADING CENTRE IN VIETNAM. FOREIGN MERCHANT SHIPS CAME IN HUE NUMBERS FOR COMMERCE AND BUSINESS AS JAPANESE, CHINESE, DUTCH, PORTUGUESE AND INDIANS BUILT THEIR OWN QUARTERS, HOUSES AND EMPORIUMS. HOI AN ESCAPED THE RAVAGES OF WAR AND TODAY IT IS A WORLD HERITAGE SITE!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

 MY HOST WITH MOST NADIA ABDULLAH BOUGHT ME THIS UNIQUE CARD WHICH OPENS TO REVEAL DANANG'S FAMOUS GOLDEN DRAGON BRIDGE!

 NADIA ABDULLAH OPENS A CARD TO SHOW A SUPERB DISPLAY OF FLORALS

 DINING UNDER PURPLE FLOWERS

 SO PRETTY 

 CHINESE TEMPLE IN HOI AN

 STUNNING DRAGON SCULPTURE

 INSIDE THE TEMPLE

 2 HORSES STAND GUARD

 MOTHER GODDESS OF THE WESTERN  HEAVENS XI WANGMU

 DATO WENDDI-ANN CHONG HOLDING HER CARDS

 FORTUNE SHIPS FOR SALE

 TRISHAWS FOR HIRE

 MANY BRIDAL COUPLES COME TO POSE IN HOI AN OLD TOWN CENTRE

 PICTURESQUE SETTING AND TOTALLY GENUINE

 PRETTY AS POSTCARD

 SOUNDS LIKA BAK KUA OR DRIED MEAT IN HOKKIEN

 ORIGINAL HOUSE THAT RESEMBLES A BABA NYONYA MANSION IN MALACCA!

 KIM GOO AND DATO WENDDI-ANN CHONG

 BRIDAL COUPLE IN VIETNAMESE COSTUMES

 IVAN WONG DOES A SELFIE

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE IS NOT TO BE LEFT OUT

 DATO KEE HUA CHEE LOOKS LIKE PART OF THE BRIDAL COUPLE

 BOUTIQUE HOTEL

 US$100 A NIGHT

 MASSAGE

 DATO WENDDI-ANN CHONG

 BRIDAL COUPLE

 TOURISTS HIRING THE LOCALS!

 PRETTY PLANTS

 BRIDGE

 ANOTHER BRIDAL COUPLE

 DATO WENDDI-ANN CHONG, IVAN WONG AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE

 STILL AT IT

 TOURISTS FROM DUNNO WHERE

 TAKING THEIR WEDDING PIX

 PICTURESQUE OR WHAT

 MISS DANANG

 MISS DANANG WITH DATO KEE HUA CHEE

 TAKING ME, TAKING YOU

 YUM

 JAPANESE BRIDGE

 THE BRIDAL COUPLE STILL AT IT

 I ORDERED THEM TO LIE DOWN ON THEIR NUPTIAL BOAT AND THEY AGREED! SWEET!

 MISS DANANG AT WORK

 IVAN WONG AT WORK

 GEM MUSEUM AND LOUNGE

 THE ROCKS BEHIND IVAN WONG CONTAIN RUBIES

 JEWELLED BOWLS

 PRETTY!

 CHARMING!

 CHARMED!

 VIETNAMESE FLAG

 THE SQUATTING GUY IS A WOODEN STATUE!

 YET ANOTHER PAIR OF BETHROTHED!

 DRAMATIC

DATO KEE HUA CHEE AT DUSK