Hoi An first grew as a trading port and as true then as it is now, in Asia much of the commercial sector is controlled by the Chinese. A great deal of the architecture here is Chinese and in a surprising state of preservation considering the kind of damage visited upon almost every other town during the war (Hue is only a few hours away by car - which means anywhere from 50 - 150km). It makes a refreshing change to see Asian style buildings here in the heart of Asia, after all, so much is now modern western or old colonial.