The ancient town of Hoi An was built by merchants — Japanese traders, Chinese traders, and Vietnamese locals who all left their mark on the same narrow lanes. This evening walk takes you through that layered history as the sun drops low, lanterns start to glow, and the town transforms into something that feels genuinely alive. You'll start at 4:00 PM at the Hoi An Museum main gate and move through the town's most storied buildings: the 200-year-old merchant home of Tan Ky, the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge, and Phung Hung Ancient House, where a trading family's life across generations is still visible in the furniture, the scrollwork, and the wear on the floors. At Quan Cong Temple and the Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation — one of the most ornate buildings in the entire ancient town — your guide will walk you through the spiritual ties that shaped this port city across centuries. By 6:00 PM, the lantern market on Nguyen Hoang Street comes fully alive: stalls of silk lanterns in every colour, the warm smell of incense drifting from temple doorways, and the quiet buzz of early evening in Hoi An. From there, you'll walk down to the Hoai River Pier, where a traditional wooden lantern boat is waiting. Drift down the river as vendors paddle by selling glowing lanterns to release onto the water — a ritual that has been part of this town's identity for centuries. By 7:15 PM, you'll step off the boat with a full, grounded picture of what makes Hoi An unlike any other ancient town in Southeast Asia. Not just the architecture — the people, the rituals, and the light.