Hoi An is the most popular and the most beautiful city in Central Vietnam. It is a rustic old-world charm with unique wooden facade shophouses dangled with colourful lanterns that light up this small city when night falls. Granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999, Hoi An has been well placed on the tourist map of Vietnam and is the most visited city after the capital Hanoi, and its business city of Ho Chih Minh. Jam-packed is the area around the famous Japanese-covered bridge and the riverbanks of the Thu Bon River where numerous sampans await to take tourists for a river cruise. The numerous tailors that offer made-to-measure clothes are very popular with tourists. Lanterns of various designs are also very popular souvenirs. Da Nang is the gateway to Hoi An, where the international airport is located. In Da Nang itself, the nearby Ba Na Hills French Village is the main attraction for visitors. From Hoi An, it takes about 2 hrs drive to reach the city of Hue which is well known for its sprawling Imperial City, the former imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen dynasty.