Cua Dai Beach

Cua Dai literally means the 'big sea mouth'. Cua Dai beach is located in the area of Cam An Ward, about 4km to the north-east of Hoi An Town, Quang Nam Province. Cua Dai Beach is over 3km in length and up to 300m in width. The beach boasts fine white sand, clear and blue water, moderate slopes and small waves, which make it ideal for recreational activities like swimming and other sea sports. 

 

This beach is closest to Hoi An, is very beautiful and is well worth a visit to cool off when the heats starts to get to you. The only eyesore are the bizarre changing huts and bungalows. It is an incredibly long beach with loads of room to wander off for a bit of personal space, which is so difficult to find in Vietnam. If you spend a day at the beach and elect to take a deckchair, you will be asked to buy either a baguette, some lovely pineapple or a drink, otherwise you will have to pay for the seat. All these prices are inflated, but the pineapple in particular is delicious.

After visiting the relics in the old town, visitors can go to Cua Dai to enjoy sea food specialities in an ideal environment of immense sky and sunshine. The Cham island lying on the horizon also comes in view in clear weather .

In the shady palm-lined road bordering the beach stand some large seaside resorts such as Hoi An Beach Resort or Victoria Resort, where lodgings built in Vietnamese traditional style are available. On summer holidays, the famous beach of Cua Dai cools off those heading to Hoi An.

The fine sands of palm-lined Cua Dai Beach (bai tam Cua Dai) are popular at weekends, but can often be deserted at other times. Safe swimming is usually only possible between April and October, but it's nice to walk or jusl hang out here. This is a monster beach that continues all the way up to Da Nang city, an incredible 30km of pristine white sands. During the full moon, people wander around until late at night. Fresh seafood and refreshments are sold at a line of kiosks that lead to the beachfront.

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Kim Bong Capentry Village

The carpentry village of Kim Bong belongs to the Cam Kim commune, just on the other side of Hoi An river. Take a boat trip on Thu Bon River to visit Thanh Ha & Kim Bong handicraft Villages. It is very convenient for tourists to visit and collect souvenirs. With the reputation of Kim Bong carpentry, there were many carpenters organized by the King of the Nguyen dynasty in order to build Hue capital. Among them were awarded the nine and eight grades of mandarin positions, chief wooden statue positions etc. 

Formed in the 15 th century by Vietnameses from the Northern Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces after they settled in Cam Kim- Hoi An. In the late 16 th and early 17 th centuries, Kim Bong carpentry developed vigorously and the occupational village was established with three groups: Ancient architectural construction, civil wooden furniture and shipbuilding.

It was famous for earthenware that sold in many provinces in Central Vietnam. Their work on the head of columns, rafters, pillars, altars, tables, chairs and beds are incredible and masterpieces that anyone would admire and give praise to when they see it. Most of the architectural projects in Hoi An ancient town were constructed by the village natives from the heyday of Hoian as a commercial port. They were built by skillful carpenters and still valuable today.

The technique of Kim Bong carpenters is exceptional. The Kim Bong carpenters still keep their traditional alive. Carpentry Thanh Ha pottery villagers are doing the same work in the same way that their forefathers did in the past. In their clever and skillful hands, clay turn to pretty flower vases, tea pots, piggy banks, wine bottles, water jars, kettles, cooking pots or lovely birds, turtles, buffaloes, cats, ducks, etc. They also made and provided bricks, roof and floor bricks for old building in Hoian and the surrounding areas as well as overseas markets. Besides that, Kim Bong carpenters had built big trade ships helping to exchange easily transport goods everywhere.

Moreover you will have the possibility to visit the shipbuilding area where wooden fishing vessels are built using traditional techniques. Nowadays many old buildings in Hoian need repairing and restoring and Thanh Ha villagers are the only trusted contractors that can provide standardized bricks, roof and floor bricks exactly like those during the time when Hoian port town prospered.

Many of them turn to make fishing boats for fishermen all over Central Vietnam. Many are eager to repair and restore old building in town or made wooden statues, wood carved articles and traditional furniture to be sold and exported. The workshops today make hand crafted furniture and sculptures as well as a range of tempting souvenirs, some of which are exported a field as Europe and North America.

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Thanh Ha Pottery Village

Pottery is not just a significant and traditional craft in Vietnam, but also an important means of livelihood. The Thanh Ha Pottery Village in Hoi An is a famous example in this type of an establishment that aims at furthering tradition as well as employment. The Thanh Ha Pottery Village in Hoi An is located in the Quang Nam Province in the Thanh Ha ward; Hoi An lies 3 Km to the east of it. The pottery village has a long historical legacy attached to it.

 

The tradition dated back to the time when the Nguyen Dynasty of Hue invited craftsmen from the Thanh Ha Pottery Village to fashion some decorative as well as useful articles for the palace. This one event gained them sufficient renown to last them a lifetime. Henceforth, the village began a Mandrain system of grading craftsmen according to their talent. The most talented held the ninth position. The pottery at the Thanh Ha Pottery Village in Hoi An are all manually crafted and are exported world over. The techniques that they use are unique from those prevalent in other provinces. The Thanh Ha Pottery Village in Hoi An crafts decorative articles along with useful items like cups, jars, bowls and pots. The flower pots made here are particularly sought after.

The Thanh Ha Pottery Village in Hoi An used clay mixing techniques, burning and baking time and heat modulations to bring out different colors like pink, pinkish-yellow, red, light brown and ink-black in the wares. The craftsmen also modulate all these aspects to achieve immense durability in their products. Aside of the regular articles, the Thanh Ha Pottery Village in Hoi An is also renowned for its bricks and tiles of various shapes and sizes. In fact its bricks and tiles are sourced out to the entire local as well as many foreign regions. It is the most trusted name for contractors engaged in tasks of renovation. 

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Hoi An Old Town

Where in the world could remain such a cristine ancient beauty after nearly 300 circles of the four seasons? It is Hoi An – the famous Old Town in Mid Southern Vietnam…

Located on the banks of the poetic Thu Bon River, in central Quang Nam province, 30 kilometers south of Da Nang, Hoi An ancient town is an Eastern oriental classic captivation. With the strategic location on the banks of the great river, with one seaside border (East), it used to be one of the major trading centers in Southeast Asia during the 16th century due to the early western trader occupying period.

Hoi An has been through a few centuries of history, but still remains as in the very first days of its being born. Its two main historical landmarks are the occupying of the Japanese & Chinese, and the Western (Dutch and Spanish) during the 16th and 17th centuries. During the period of the China trade, the town was called Hai Pho (Sea Town) in Vietnamese. Originally Hai Pho was a divided town, because across the "Japanese Bridge", it used to be the Japanese settlement (16th-17th century). Then it was known to the French and Spanish as Faifo, a major international port city. Thanks to these days, the foreign comprehensively possitive and special pastimes and culture had made deep influences on the today's Hoi An.

Whoever coming to Hoi An could not deny that it is favored by nature. The weather here is typically tropical. Hoi An is comparatively warm especially during the entire year, and can be classified into two main categories namely wet and dry seasons. The daily temperature rises beyond 70o F reaching mid 60o F especially during the nighttime. Travellers should really take a journey here and enjoy Hoi An weather!

Coming here, tourists can see a series of old-architectured lanes and houses with nearly 100% cristinely left from their initial buildings with mossgrown walls, deeply plain roofs, old furniture in their cristine past arrangment etc. Hoi An is fortunate to be a cultural crossroads of the Cham culture in the very first southward expansion of Dai Viet (the Vietnamese nation more than 5 centuries ago encroaching on the Indianized Kingdom of Champa, which covered much of what is now central Vietnam), the Asian (Japanese, Chinese, Indian), and the Western ones during their trading here in the 16th century. These diverse cultural influences remain visible today. Colourful guildhalls, founded by ethnic Chinese from Guangdong and Fujian provinces, stand quietly, a testament to the town's trading roots.

While Hoi An's old-fashioned charm is always visible, on the 14th of every lunar month modernity takes another step back. Most premium oriental and western style of architecture meet together here, making a unique ancient Hoi An, absorbing all tourists who are eager for classic beauty! Even you are not classic styled, you still want to see by yourself how a lively ancient world can cristinely survive in this new modern and high-tech era!

Tourists should not miss some of the great festivals of Hoi An, among which is Full Moon Festival, held on the 14th of every lunar month, one night before the full moon, when the Old Town becomes even more festive than usual, active and marvellously decorated with colorful lights and lamps along every lane. Another one is the Mid-Autumn Festival - held on the 14th of the August lunar month. Last but not least, the "lantern festival", the most enchanting and special one of Hoi An, which is typically demonstrated with all colorful hanging cloth and paper lanterns on the 15th of every lunar month switched on altogether while all electrical equipment is off, leaving the Old Quarter bathed in the warm glow of colored silk, glass and paper lanterns.. 

A sparkling, romantic and mysterious view is opened, stimulating anybody’s curiosity and eye feed!

The 14th day of the lunar month is a Buddhist day of worship. Hoi An residents place offerings of food and incense on their ancestral altars and visit one of Hoi An's many pagodas. The scent of incense and the sounds of people singing add to the town's enchanted atmosphere. Visitors will get a rare glimpse into another era – the very far away period of our ancestors, and discovering it themselves.

Hoi An’s delicacies are plentiful and particularly tasty and cheap. Let’s take an example, one of the most popular one - Cao lầu, a dish of rice noodles somehow closer in texture to pasta. What is its secret? It is the water used to make it, being collected from a special well in the city. The noodles are topped with slices of roast pork, dough fritters, and lots of fresh herbs and veggies. I think you should try one of these, or else you will soon regret! Let’s see, you are sitting on stools, eating a bowl of Cao Lau with wooden chopsticks, and sipping the ice cold "White Coffee with vinamilk"! Oh, this is really an interesting adventure!

Since Hoi An is an old Town, its places of interest are of full historically classical meaning and image. Hoi An symbol, the most popular remnant is the Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau or Lai Vien Kieu), on the west end of Tran Phu Street. The bridge was constructed in the early 1600's by the Japanese community.

Tourists should spend time on visiting Quan Cong Temple, Musium of Culture… Many ancient style - oriented architects come here to have a direct look into the ancient houses of the town, among which are Phung Hung House, just west of the Japanese Bridge, Quan Thang House, or Tan Ky House. The design of the houses show how local architecture incorporated Japanese and Chinese influences. Cantonese Assembly Hall (Quang Dong), has a calm courtyard with ornate statuary. You could take a peek at the half-hidden back yard and its kitschy pastel dragon statues. Hokien (Fujian) Meeting Hall (Phuc Kien) and Chinese All-Community Meeting Hall (Trieu Chau), are also spanning the block. If you are Buddhist, there are a lot of pagodas to visit. Ong Pagoda, Quan Am Phat Tu Minh Huong Pagoda, etc. are premium places to get in.

Today, Hoi An is also known as a shopping paradise that attracts tourists towards its wonderful souvenirs, handicrafts, antique pieces, silk materials and art paintings, and so on.

A Hoi An with colorful lanterned nights, a Hoi An with cristinely old plain houses and special mysterious cultural elements, and a HoiAn with the Etiquette & culturally hospitable and friendly people are warmly welcoming you! Are you ready to take a culture discovery journey?

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My Son Holy land

My Son Holy land - a unique beautiful sanctuary world of the ancient Cham religion, is day by day attracting thousands of tourists elsewhere!

Cham Pa culture had great influences on Vietnam’s cultural values of significance. The once capital of Cham Pa Kingdom from 4th to 15th century was “Thanh dia My Son”, called “My Son Sanctuary" or "Valley of Kings" by French historians.

In those days, My Son became centre for spirituality and worship during the reign of the Champa Kingdom. Exemplifying the height of Cham architectural achievement, The My Son Sanctuary is a large complex of religious monuments originally consisting of more than 70 structures; the vestiges of 25 of which remain today. The builders of My Son were the nobility of the Champa Kingdom who derived their cultural and spiritual influences almost exclusively from India.

Location

My Son is located inside the valley complex of Quang Nam Province, southern Vietnam around 69 kilometers southwest of Da Nang city. From the 4th to 15th centuries, it was an imperial city during the Cham dynasty. Besides Hoi An old town, an ancient destination of historical value in Da Nang, My Son in Quang Nam is also a place of historical and culture-oriented tourism.

History

If you are enjoying a tour to My Son Holy Land, what can not be missed is the historical story of the sanctuary to be told to you by guides. The Cham people (người Cham or người Chàm in Vietnamese) belong to an ethnic group in Southeast Asia. They formed the core of the Muslim communities in both Cambodia and Vietnam. Cham is remnant of the Cham Pa Kingdom (7th to 15th centuries), closely related to the Malay race.

From the 4th to 15th centuries, a unique culture which owed its spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism of Cham developed on the coast of contemporary Viet Nam. This is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive tower-temples located in a dramatic site of My Son, which was the religious and political capital of the Cham Pa Kingdom for most of its existence.

According to records on the stone stele, the prime foundation of the ancient My Son architectural complex was a wooden temple to worship the Siva Bhadresvera genie. In the late 16th century, a big fire destroyed the temple. Step by step, historical mysteries were unveiled by scientists. Through stone stele and royal dynasties, they proved My Son to be the most important Holy Land of the Cham people during the mentioned centuries, reflecting the style and history of Cham People.

Cultural values

Religion

It is the religious role of My Son Holy land that draws people’s curiosity. This archeological site represents the longest continuous occupation for religious purposes, not only of the Cham Kingdom, but also within Southeast Asia as a whole.

Situated inside the 2-kilometer wide valley in Quang Nam province, the My Son Sanctuary temple complex was ever the central praying and worship ceremony place of Cham Pa reigns. My Son is also a tool to assist the reigns to contact with God and Saints. The land accordingly become the significant religious and cultural center of Cham Pa reigns.

The site was inhabited from the 4th to the 15th century AD, far longer than any of the other Indian-influenced sites in the region including the famous sites of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Borobudur in Indonesia, Pagan in Myanmar, or Ayutthaya in Thailand.

Cham-style Architecture

The other foremost absorbing element of My Son, besides religious element, is its unique Cham-style Art of Architecture, which was comprehensively affected by Indian style. Each historical period has its own identity, so that each temple worshipping a genie or a king of a different dynasty has its own architectural style of different impression. All of the Cham towers were built on a quadrate foundations and each comprises three parts: a solid tower base, representing the world of human beings, the mysterious and sacred tower body, representing the world of spirits, and the tower top built in the shape of a man offering flowers and fruits or of trees, birds, animals, etc., representing things that are close to the spirits and human beings.

According to many researchers of the ancient Cham towers, the architectural art of the Cham towers at My Son Sanctuary is the convergence of different styles, including the continuity of the ancient style in the 7th-8th centuries, the Hoa Lai style of the 8th-9th centuries, the Dong Duong style from the mid-9th century, the My Son and My Son-Binh Dinh styles, etc. Among the remnants of many architectural sites excavated in 1898, a 24 metres high tower was found in the Thap Chua area and coded AI by archaeologists and researchers on My Son. This tower is a masterpiece of ancient Cham architecture. It has two doors, one in the east and the other in the west. The tower body is high and delicate with a system of paved pillars; six sub-towers surrounding the tower. This two-storey tower looks like a lotus flower. The top of the upper layer is made of sandstone and carved with elephant and I ion designs. In the lower layer, the walls are carved with fairies, water evils and men riding elephants. Unfortunately, the tower was destroyed by US bombs in 1969.

The sanctuary comprises more than 70 architectural works. They include temples and towers that connect to each other with complicated red brick designs. The main component of the Cham architectural design is the tower, built to reflect the divinity of the king. Bricks are main material for the construction of the Cham Towers. However, it has yet been unable to figure out the reasonable explanation for the linking material, brick baking method, and construction method of the Cham Pa. Even these days, this still remains as an attractive secret to contemporary people.

Although there are not many remnants left, those that remain display the typical sculptural works of cultural value of the Cham nationality.They are also vivid proof, confirming the history of a nationality living within the Vietnamese community boasting of a rich cultural tradition.

Why is it worth a visit?

Honorably recognized as a World Heritage in 1999, My Son Holy Land is captivating in various cultural values. Therefore, it is extremely useful and meaningful for those interested in Southeast Ahsian culture, which owes its core to ancient Cham culture, to drop off the land. Although time and the wars have destroyed some towers, the remaining sculptural and architectural remnants still reflect the style and history of the art of the Chăco\m people. Their masterpieces mark a glorious time for the architecture and culture of the Cham, as well as of Southeast Asia.

Are you a Cham culture reseacher? Are you an architect? Are you an archeologist? Or are you just a normal tourist? Well, whichever of those you are, you should soon pay a visit to this holy land to have understanding of a Vietnam’s ancient cultural element of unique sacred and mysterious beauty.    

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