Hoi An is utterly charming and one of the picturesque town in Vietnam. I had two weeks in Hoi An and bought two tickets, which allowed me to visit 10 of the sites in town (you get 5 per ticket). The town itself allows you to really see what a traditional trading port looks like. Most of the buildings date from the 18th century, although there are elements dating back to the 15th.

I was there doing floods, which happen about once every 10 years, if not more frequently as global warming changes things. This was interesting because the Old Houses actually have pulley systems in place to protect the furniture. Much of the furniture decorating the traditional houses are intricately carved pieces of teak inlaid with mother-of-peal. So, since the flooding is fairly common (and a few houses track the historical levels of past floods with tick marks on a wall), and some furniture is massive and heavy, the houses use these pulleys to raise the furniture either to the second floor, or secure against the ceiling.

I found this entire process fascinating as it's a clear issue in the long-term sustainability of the town, but the locals have devised a system that has kept much of the houses and the interiors in pristine condition! I've visited other World Heritage towns (Luang Prabang in Laos and Antigua in Guatemala), and Hoi An is unique—unmissable if you're traveling to Vietnam.