Tran Phu Street is the oldest and longest road of Hoi An Old Town. Recently, it’s voted to lie in the top 71 most beautiful streets in the world. Along it, visitors can see the Japanese Bridge (town’s emblem), the best old preserved houses, the best Chinese assembly halls and temples, the biggest markets, the highest coffee shops, and more. At night, this road becomes so romantic and poetic thanks to plenty of lantern lights. Somehow, it’s one of the must see ‘attractions’ in the town. Now, let’s HoiAn Day Trip Company tell you everything that you need to know about Tran Phu Street in Hoi An.
You may also like: Bach Dang Street/Wharf, Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Phan Chu Trinh Street
• Content by Tam Le, founder of HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD
• Designed by Giang Cong Minh, co-founder of LS E&C LTD and his team
• Photo by Dang Cong Loi, Dao Xuan Son, Tam Le & others
Must Knows about Tran Phu Street (Hoi An)
– Location: Minh An ward, Hoi An city, Vietnam
– Length: 700 meters
– Width: 5 meters
– Direction: from east to west (from the central market)
– West end: the Japanese Covered Bridge (Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St)
– East end: Hoang Dieu St
– Opening hours: all day
– Other hours: pedestrian time is from 9 to 11 am, and 3 to 9-9:30 pm
– Major crossroads: Chau Thuong Van St intersection at the Cantonese Assembly Hall, Hai Ba Trung St intersection at, Le Loi St intersection at, Hoang Van Thu St intersection at the Trung Hoa Assembly Hall, Tieu La St intersection, Tran Quy Cap intersection and Nguyen Hue intersection at the entrance of Hoi An Central Market.
– Recognition(s): one of 71 most beautiful streets in the world (2024)
– Reason(s) to visit: the most beautiful street of Hoi An on which visitors can see the greatest heritage buildings, the biggest local markets, and lots of lantern shops
– Best time to visit: early morning, evening
– Travel blog: https://hoiandaytrip.com/tran-phu-street-hoi-an-vietnam
– Food & drink: yes available
– Shopping: yes available
– Other information: houses on the northern side are numbered evenly, houses on the southern side are numbered oddly
Tran Phu Street (Hoi An) on Map
History of Tran Phu Street in Hoi An
In history, Tran Phu street was the oldest road in Hoi An. Around the 15th century, it had the first trading quarter when the town became an international trading port. In this period, it’s close to the Thu Bon River. That’s why Tran Phu street has the highest density of houses and heritage buildings in the whole town.
In later centuries, thanks to rich alluvial soil from the river, the bank was expanded. The second road Nguyen Thai Hoc was built, running along the river and to the south of Tran Phu street. By the same way, Bach Dang street was built to the south of Nguyen Thai Hoc street. For that reason, visitors can now see three parallel roads in the Hoi An Ancient Town.
During the French colonial time, Tran Phu street was called ‘Rue de Pont Japponais’ (meaning ‘Japanese Bridge Road’ in English). At its end, there is a wooden bridge built by Japanese people in the 17th century. The second name of the road was Cuong De (1882-1951), a Vietnamese male revolutionary and nationalist, and a member of the Nguyen royal family. After the Vietnam War ended, this road was named after the first General secretary of the Communist party of Vietnam. See more information about Tran Phu in the below section.
In April 2024, the Architectural Digest, an American monthly magazine, brought Tran Phu street into the list of 71 most beautiful streets in the world. This road is the 45th one introduced. The magazine mentioned that it’s very worth seeing in the Hoi An Full moon lantern festival.
Famous Places along Tran Phu Street in Hoi An
The Japanese Covered Bridge
At the western end of Tran Phu street, the Japanese Covered Bridge is the symbol of Hoi An. It’s constructed in the early 17th century by Japanese people, therefore it’s called ‘Japanese Bridge’. Their purpose is to connect their town with China town on the other side of the stream, and to control flooding. Its architecture is characterized by a covered walkway above and a bridge below. Later, Chinese people restored the Japanese bridge and built a small temple behind it, to worship a Taoist god. After that, this bridge had another name, ‘Pagoda Bridge’ (today most popular). See more information & details
Opening hours: morning to evening
Ticket price: 120,000 VND/adult & children above 15 years old
The Japanese Covered Bridge is a must see in Hoi An Old Town. Visitors can see it on Vietnam’s currency, particularly VND 20,000.
Chinese Assembly Halls & Temples
Nearly all Chinese assembly halls and temples in Hoi An are on Tran Phu street. Interestingly, they are arranged along its northern side. The reason is that Chinese people want to avoid the annual flood in town.
Near the Japanese Bridge, visitors can see the Cantonese Assembly Hall. Here, the community has worshipped Guan Yu or Quan Cong, a military general who becomes god after death. He symbolizes five virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness.
In the front of the Hoi An Central Market, there is Quan Cong Temple where all Chinese communities honor Quan Cong. Not far away, it’s possible to see Minh Huong Communal House (or the Ancestry Temple for People of Ming Origin) where their ancestors and successors are worshipped. This is the most important Chinese building. Next door, there is Hainan Assembly Hall in which the 108 Hainan Brothers are main deities (also known as protector of seafarers and merchants). These men were real historical figures in history. Accordingly, they died due to attacks from imperial seaguards because the Vietnamese king thought that they were pirates.
The largest Chinese building in Hoi An is Fujian Assembly Hall. It’s built in the 17th century, to honor Thien Hau Goddess or the Goddess of Sea. The community believes that she protects them in the sea. In the legend, she was borned in Fujian province of southern China, with a natural ability to know what will happen in the future. She helps people to have good harvests of fishes and avoid dangers.
Last but not least, Trung Hoa Assembly Hall is the common assembly hall for all Chinese congregations in town, including Cantonese, Fujian, Teochew, Hainan and Hakka. The Hakka community has a small population, so use this place for their own activities. Here, Thien Hau Goddess has been worshipped.
Although not on Tran Phu street, but Teochew Assembly Hall is on the extended road. Here, the community worships Ma Yuan (14 BC-49), a military general and politician in China.
Old Houses
Two of the best preserved traditional houses in Hoi An Old Town are on Tran Phu street. There are Duc An Old House (a bookstore, a medicine shop, and the memorial house of sir Cao Hong Lanh, a local communist) and Quan Thang Old House (here the family has made white rose dumplings, a town’s specialty dish). These houses don’t have upper floors, a tile roof, and two door eyes.
Beside that, there are many other well-protected houses along Tran Phu street that are converted into a restaurant or café or shophouse. For example, the house at number 38, 48, 80, 140, 148, 23, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 77, 103.
Museums
The Hoi An Central Market
In the eastern end of Tran Phu street, the entrance of Hoi An Central Market is on Tran Phu street. Its market hall is surrounded by three other roads: Tieu La St, Tran Quy Cap St, and Bach Dang St. Near the entrance, there is the food court where local people sell noodles, rice dishes, cakes and more. After that, visitors can see spaces where spices and cooking ingredients, and fresh vegetables are for sale. Outdoors, buyers can find fruits, herbs, and fresh things to cook. By the river, it’s possible to buy fish and seafood. The Hoi An Central Market is the biggest bazaar in town and a popular Instagrammable place. See more information & details
Kazik Park & Memory Statue
At 138 Tran Phu St, Kazik Park has a stone statue of Kazik, the way local people call Kazimierz Kwiatkowski (1944-1997). He is a Polish architect and conservationist. In 1982, this man was assigned to lead historical monument restorations in Vietnam, after the Vietnam War ended. Accordingly, he and his team spent 16 years to save and restore ancient Hindu temples at My Son Sanctuary. Later, it’s inscribed as a Unesco world heritage site. He visited Hoi An Ancient Town, then got impressed and joined hands in preserving and nominating it to Unesco. The park and memory statue were built in 2007, to commemorate his contributions.
Hoi An’s Best Rooftop Cafés
Most rooftop café are along Tran Phu Street because some of the tallest houses in town line it. From their rooftop, visitors can have a view to hundreds of tile roofs, yellow walls, and walking streets below. At the end of the day, they are the best places to watch the sunset and enjoy the cool breeze blowing from the river. Rooftop café in Hoi An are famous Instagrammable places.
The Hoi An Fabric Market
Near the crossroad of Tran Phu St and Hoang Dieu St, in the eastern end of Tran Phu St, the Hoi An Fabric Market is a popular place to buy things to wear for locals. Here, visitors can find dozens of kiosks where locals sell T-shirts, office shirts and pants, shorts, dresses, shoes, sandals, leather belts, bags, socks, underwear, and even souvenirs. Tailors here have many to choose from. The price is quite competitive in town. It’s also known as Hoi An Clothes Market or Hoi An Shoes Market. See more information & details
Familiar Images on Tran Phu Street in Hoi An
Along Tran Phu street, visitors will see these things many times:
– xich lo, cyclo or trishaw driven by blue shirt riders (see more information)
– hoa giay, bougainvillea flower or ‘paper flower’
– hoa xu quan tu, rangoon creeper or combretum indicum
– female vendors who carry fruits or flowers by a shoulder pole
– bicycles
– colorful lanterns (see more information)
– visitors wearing a Vietnamese traditional dress ao dai (see more information)
– visitors wearing a Vietnamese traditional conical hat non la (see more information)
– street vendors selling mango cake (see more information)
Better to Know about Tran Phu (Historical Figure)
The oldest road in Hoi An was named after Tran Phu (1904-1931), the first General secretary of the Communist party of Vietnam.
Tran Phu was borned in An Tho Citadel, An Dan commune, Tuy An district, Phu Yen province in southern central Vietnam. His father Tran Van Pho was a teacher whose hometown is in Duc Tho district, Ha Tinh province, in northern central Vietnam. This man passed the imperial examination in 1897, and then moved to Tran Phu’s birthplace to be a local mandarin as requested by the Nguyen emperor. Phu was the 7th child in the family, and named after the province Phu Yen.
In 1926, Tran Phu moved to Canton (today Guangzhou city, China) to arrange the merge of his organization with the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth League. In 1927, he went to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and studied in a communist university.
In 1930, Tran Phu returned to Vietnam, and joined the Central committee of the Communist party of Vietnam. Later, he became the first General secretary of the party (some historians thought that Ho Chi Minh should be the first). He wrote the ‘These on the bourgeois revolution of civil rights’ at No.90 Tho Nhuom house in Hanoi.
18th April 1931, Tran Phu was arrested in Saigon city centre by French people. After being detained and tortured, they transferred him to the Maison Centrale de Saigon for trial. Later, his health status became weak. To keep him alive to exploit information of the communist party, he was moved to the detention center within Cho Quan hospital for medical treatment. On the 3rd day, hospital staff tested his sputum and blood and then discovered symptoms of tuberculosis, so they transferred him to an isolation area specifically for tuberculosis patients. On the 9th day, on 5th September 1931, his illness was very critical. On the next day, Tran Phu passed away.
Nowadays, lots of public buildings and places are named after Tran Phu, including the most central roads in cities. Hoi An has Tran Phu street in its heart.
How to Get to Tran Phu Street in Hoi An Old Town
Tran Phu street is in the Hoi An Old Town (or Hoi An city centre). So, from areas of Cam Pho, Minh An and Son Phong, visitors can walk to it. The distance is less than 1,5 kilometers. From other parts of the city, all road vehicles are convenient to get to this place, except public buses (no public bus). The bicycle is popular because it’s not difficult to cycle in Hoi An. Some hotels provide free shuttle bus to the town and get back, so don’t forget to check its schedule to plan the visit.
If ride the motorbike to Hoi An Ancient Town, the nearest parking lots are along Phan Chu Trinh St or Hoang Dieu St or Hoi An Central Market or Quan Cong Temple. The fee is 5,000-10,000 VND/bike/time.
From Da Nang, visitors can get a taxi/private car, minivan, bus or ride the motorcycle to go to the Hoi An Old Town. If you need a roundtrip private transfer from Da Nang to Hoi An, contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo);
HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD daily organizes tours in Hoi An and Da Nang. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) or browse www.hoiandaytrip.com to see tours and make a reservation. Thank you very much!
Itinerary to Visit Hoi An Old Town for First Timer
First of all, to enter and visit the Hoi An Old Town (the part inscribed by Unesco), visitors need to buy an entry ticket. Its price is 120,000 VND per adult and children above 15 years old and free of charge for smaller kids. Entry to 5 attractions is also included for free. See more information & details
If possible, first time visitors should go with a local guide, to know better about history and culture. Contact us by +84968009827 (call/whatsapp) to book a private English-speaking guide.
We suggest this itinerary for first timers:
Total distance: 1,65 kilometers
– Starting point: the Japanese style gate (the west end of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street). A model of the Red Seal Ship (Japanese merchant’s ship) and a ticket office are in a close distance.
– Walk along Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street. On this road, visitors will have the chance to sightsee Cam Pho Communal House (ticket required), Japanese Culture Gallery (ticket required), Phung Hung Old House (one of the best heritage houses, ticket required), Nguyen Tuong Family Chapel (in the alleyway, ticket required).
– Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, the symbol of Hoi An. This place definitely is a must see attraction.
– Walk along Tran Phu Street, the most beautiful road in Hoi An, until Hoi An Central Market. On this road, visitors will have the chance to sightsee so many historical attractions. From the bridge to the market, there are Cantonese Assembly Hall (ticket required), Museum of Sa Huynh Culture (ticket required), Duc An Old House (ticket required), Kazik Park (free), Quan Thang Old House (ticket required), Museum of Trade Ceramics (ticket required), Trung Hoa Assembly Hall (ticket required), Fujian Assembly Hall (ticket required), Quan Cong Temple (ticket required), Quan Am Pagoda (ticket required), Hoi An Central Market (free to enter), a couple of rooftop coffee shops, Instagrammable spots, shophouses selling lanterns, food, souvenirs and fashion items.
– Walk southwards and along Tieu La Street (east side of Hoi An Central Market). On this road, there are many vendors and stalls selling a diversity of local products, giving a good chance to know about local life and photograph.
– Walk westwards and along Bach Dang Street (the riverside street). On this road, visitors will see Hoi An Traditional Performance House (ticket required if want to watch shows) and Museum of Folklore (ticket required).
– Turn into Le Loi Street and then turn left, walking along Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. On this road, visitors will see Tan Ky Old House (one of the best heritage houses, ticket required) and Diep Dong Nguyen Old House (not yet opened to visitors, see from outside).
– The ending point: the crossroad near the north end of An Hoi Bridge or the west end of Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. In the evening, from here, visitors can walk cross the bridge and then turn right to see the entrance of the Hoi An Night Market, the biggest night market in Hoi An.
For more information and details, please browse https://hoiandaytrip.com/hoi-an-self-guided-walking-tour
Guided Tours to Hoi An Ancient Town Vietnam
From Hoi An
– Hoi An Old Town Walking Tour – 2 Hour Express Tour with Local
– Hoi An Half Day Walking Tour: Heritage Sites, Crafts & Show
– Hoi An Early Morning Walking Tour with Local Pho & Coffee
– Hoi An Afternoon Walking Tour + Thu Bon River Sunset Cruise
– Hoi An Night Tour from Hoi An: Lantern Boat, Markets & Food
– Hoi An Walking Tour with Sightseeing & Cooking Class
– Hoi An Late Afternoon Walking Tour with Local Food Tastings
– Hoi An Walking Tour with Thanh Ha Pottery Village by Boat
– Hoi An Instagram Tour: Best Photo Spots & Rooftop Café
– Hoi An Old Town Food Tour with Night Boat Ride
– Hoi An Old Town Private Walking Tour with Local Expert (4 hours duration from departure time)
HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD daily organizes tours in Hoi An and Da Nang. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) or browse www.hoiandaytrip.com to see tours and make a reservation. Thank you very much!
From Da Nang
– Hoi An Half Day Tour from Da Nang
– Hoi An Night Tour from Da Nang
– Marble Mountain & Hoi An Day Tour from Da Nang
– Marble Mountain & Hoi An Night Tour from Da Nang
– Marble Mountain & Hoi An Highlights Tour
– Marble Mountain, Lady Buddha & Hoi An Day Tour from Da Nang
– Hoi An Day Tour from Da Nang with Chinese Speaking Guide
– My Son Sanctuary & Hoi An Tour from Da Nang
– Golden Bridge/Ba Na Hills Tour & Hoi An Tour from Da Nang
– Marble Mountain & Hoi An Tour from Da Nang Cruise Port
– Marble Mountain & Hoi An Tour from Chan May Cruise Port
HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD daily organizes tours in Hoi An and Da Nang. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) or browse www.hoiandaytrip.com to see tours and make a reservation. Thank you very much!
Places to Visit near Tran Phu Street in Hoi An
– Bridges: Japanese Covered Bridge (Pagoda Bridge), Moonlight Bridge, An Hoi Bridge (Bridge of Lights), Cam Nam Bridge, Cam Kim Metal Bridge
– Museums: Museum of Sa Huynh Culture, Museum of Sa Folklore, Museum of Trade Ceramics, Museum of Traditional Medicine, Hoi An Museum of History & Culture, Japanese Culture Gallery, Black Sesame Soup Demonstration
– Chinese assembly halls: Cantonese Assembly Hall, Fujian Assembly Hall, Trung Hoa Assembly Hall, Hainan Assembly Hall, Teochew Assembly Hall
– Heritage houses: Tan Ky Old House, Phung Hung Old House, Duc An Old House, Quan Thang Ancient House, Diep Dong Nguyen House, Thai Phien Ancient House
– Temples & pagodas: Quan Cong Temple (Ong Pagoda), Ba Mu Temple, Phap Bao Pagoda, Quan Am Pagoda, Hoi An Confucius Temple, Cao Dai Temple of Hoi An, Hoi An Ancestral Temple, Cam Pho Confucius Temple, Minh Huong Confucius Temple, Vien Giac Pagoda, Hy Hoa Temple
– Family chapels: Tran Family Chapel, Nguyen Tuong Family Chapel
– Communal houses: Cam Pho Communal House, Hoi An Communal House, Minh Huong Communal House, Tu Le Communal House, Xuan Lam Communal House, Son Phong Communal House
– Markets: Hoi An Central Market, Hoi An Cloth/Fabric Market, Hoi An Night Market (Nguyen Hoang Night Market), Cam Pho Market
– Theatres: Hoi An Traditional Art Performance House, Hoi An Lune Center for Performing Arts (now where Teh Dar Show takes place), Hoi An Memories Land Theme Park (now where Hoi An Memories Show takes place)
– Famous streets: Tran Phu Street, Phan Chu Trinh Street, Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Bach Dang Street/Wharf, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Street, Phan Boi Chau Street (Hoi An French Quarter), Hoi An Lantern Streets
– Other points of interest: Red Seal Ship Model, Hoi An Evanlegical Church, Thong Dang Prison & Park, Kazik Park (Memory Statue of Kazimierz Kwiatkowski), Hoai River (Hoi An River), Song Hoai Square, An Hoi Sculpture Park, Hoi An Catholic Church, Hoi An Prison, Hoi An Central Park, Ba Le Well, Hoi An Book Street, Hoi An Lantern Park, An Hoi Island, Cam Nam Island, Thu Bon River, Da Ken Tree
Photos, Videos about Tran Phu Street
Here are beautiful photos and videos about Tran Phu Street in Hoi An:
