I've tried really hard to dislike the town of Hoi An... twice. Everyone raves about it, and the rebel in me wants to dislike it out of sheer petulance. It is crowded and touristy... and well, full of tourists. But I guess there is a reason for that. It is charming, its people are charming and if you like eating and shopping, then this is the place to be.
The city of Hoi An possessed the largest harbour in Southeast Asia during the 1st Century and was known as Lâm Ấp Phố (Champa City). Between the seventh and 10th centuries, the Cham (people of Champa) controlled the spice trade in the area, as it was a very successful sea port.