Hoi An Ancient Town

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, Hoi An's trading port old town is the best-preserved example of a Southeast Asian port city from the 15th to 19th centuries, with 1,107 historic buildings including Japanese merchant houses, Chinese assembly halls, and French colonial facades surviving intact. The town of 120,000 bans motorbikes from its ancient core after 6pm, when 1,000 silk lanterns illuminate the streets and the Thu Bon River reflects the glow -- creating what Conde Nast Traveller has repeatedly ranked Asia's most beautiful town, surpassing Bangkok's Rattanakosin Island for ambiance. With over 5 million visitors in 2023, it sees 25% more tourists annually than Hanoi Old Quarter.