2 Best Sights in The Central Coast, Vietnam

One of the oldest and best-preserved private houses in Hoi An, this structure has remained largely unchanged in the 200 years since it was built in 1741. Seven generations of the Tan Ky family have lived here. The house incorporates Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese styles. Chinese poetry is engraved in mother-of-pearl on the walls, each character formed in the shape of birds in various stages of flight. Look up into the eaves and you will see symbols of dragons, fruit, crossed sabers, and silk intricately carved into the wooden framework. The back door was constructed to open onto the river so that waterborne goods could be easily transported into the house; look out for the marks etched in to the wall recording the height of the annual flood waters.

One of Hoi An's ancient family homes, Quang Thang was built about 300 years ago by the current owners' Chinese ancestors. This house has some beautiful wood carvings featuring peacocks and flowers on the walls of the rooms that surround the mossy courtyard. These were sculpted by the craftsmen from the Kim Bong carpentry village, who are renowned for their intricate craftsmanship of the Hue garden houses. It's a beautiful and very well-preserved example of a trader's house, popular with large tour groups.

If Quang Thang House is busy, wait it out with a coffee at Lantern Town restaurant across the road.