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Vietnam

Originally a Champa port, the town of Hoi An has a distinct Chinese atmosphere, which can be seen everywhere from its low-tiled-roof houses to narrow streets lined with antiquities from another era. The town is divided into 5 quarters or 'bangs', each of which would traditionally have had its own pagoda and supported one Chinese clan group. The Chinese, along with some Japanese, settled here in the 16th century and controlled trade between island Southeast Asia, East Asia (China and Japan) and India. Portuguese and Dutch vessels also docked at the port. During the Tay Son Rebellion (1771-1788) the town was almost totally destroyed before it was later transformed into a laid-back, seaside retreat without compare.