Hội An, Vietnam

Hội An is an ancient city in central Vietnam's Quảng Nam Province, home to approximately 150,000 residents along the Thu Bồn River. Operating as a major Southeast Asian trading port between the 15th and 19th centuries, it earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999 for its preserved architectural fabric. The iconic 18th-century Japanese Covered Bridge features an enclosed wooden pagoda housing a small shrine. Yellow-painted wooden shophouses line pedestrianized streets, displaying a fusion of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese design influences. At night, thousands of colorful silk lanterns illuminate the historic quarter while paper candles float down the river.