Vietnam travel attraction: Hoi An wins 2013 Asian townscape awards

Hoi An ancient town in the central province of Quang Nam has won the 2013 Asian Townscape Awards given by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme. The award ceremony is scheduled for November 20 in Japan to highlight and honour significant efforts made by Asian cities for the improvement, revitalisation and creation of a beautiful and harmonious townscape that is safe, sustainable and with respect to history and local culture. Earlier this month, the world’s premier travel magazine Conde Nast Traveller named Hoi An as the second best city for tourists in Asia after Kyoto, Japan.  This year, the US online news site Huffington Post listed Hoi An as one of seven must-visit places in Vietnam, calling it as a hidden gem. Hoi An was recognised as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. The ancient town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port dating from the 15th-19th century. Most of the buildings in the town are aligned along narrow lanes. They include many pagodas, temples and meeting houses related to the development of a port community. Try a tour here!