With its World Heritage Site old town and beautiful beaches, Donald MacPhail finds Hoi An in Vietnam the perfect place to relax … although it gets almost too chilled en route. Frostbite is about to kick in I fear as we trundle north up the Vietnam coast on the Reunification Express. For while outside is a panorama of lushness and looming peaks, from the eyrie of my bunk bed with the vintage air con cranked up to 11 and no apparent means of turning it down, a gale is blowing.

The train has certainly been an adventure — leaving at 11pm from Ho Chi Minh City on a 15-hour, 935-kilometer journey. The Vietnam Railways service is a great way of seeing the country awaken and begin its day, although pernickety travelers should be warned that the sleeper accommodation is a little basic.

While it’s been fun, I’m trained out by the time we reach the port of Da Nang on the South Central Coast, Vietnam’s third city. So disembarking it’s a delight to be hit by a wave of tropical heat and greeted by bobbing scarlet hibiscus blooms.

Soon we’re on the road to Hoi An, a 30-minute taxi ride south of Da Nang. On the coast road it’s evident that there’s development on a big scale here, sprinklers whirring at impressive entrances to golf resorts and work apace on other projects.

But after the hubbub of Ho Chi Minh City, with its shoals of scooters seemingly moving in unison, the tranquility of Hoi An — the name translates as peaceful meeting place, hui an in Chinese — is blissful.

A peaceful meeting place it may be, but the ancient town has a vibrant and bustling history.

Situated at the estuary of the Thu Bon River, trade defined Hoi An for the best part of 2,000 years; whether as principal port of the Cham people, who amassed wealth through the spice trade between the seventh and 10th centuries, or later as a major Vietnamese trading center, attracting merchants and settlers from China, Japan, the Netherlands and India.

Among visitors on a Japanese trade mission around 1619 was English sailor William Adams, upon whom the central character in James Clavell’s “Shogun” bestseller was based.

The cosmopolitan city gained a reputation as one of the best trade destinations in southeast Asia, particularly for ceramics.

By the late 18th century, changes to the political and natural landscape —  silting up of the river in the latter case — saw a decline in Hoi An’s fortunes, as it was eclipsed by Da Nang.

But while the town became a backwater, this helped preserve Hoi An’s eclectic architectural heritage. UNESCO gave the ancient town World Heritage Site status in 1999, describing it as “an outstanding material manifestation of the fusion of cultures over time in an international maritime commercial center.”

Spice and ceramics may have given way to tourist shops selling inlaid coconut shells and quirky T-shirts, but exploring the ancient lanes you come face-to-face with this past: whether the late 16th century covered “Japanese Bridge” at Tran Phu St, once a link to the Japanese settlement, its dog and monkey statues still keeping a beady eye on those crossing; or the numerous congregational halls where Chinese settlers met.

The old town is a perfect place to wander around, browse at the shops, try a spot of haggling, then take a break for a bottle of local favorite Larue beer. There are little slogans inside the bottle tops, including sage advice which translates as, “If you drink more beer, you’ll get more friendship.”

Friendship may or not be on display among geckos acting out ancient territorial rituals on the bar ceiling when we stop for a well-deserved refreshment. Stillness interspersed with frantic dashes, the wee guys with the sticky feet provide a fascinating sideshow.

Relaxing as the old town can be, on the laidback scale, things reach horizontal level — quite literally — on Hoi An’s beautiful beaches, where tourists come to bask.

The Hoi An Chic green retreat hotel where we’re staying, situated between the old town and beach, provides bicycles for guests, and it’s about a 15-minute cycle to An Bang beach.

Known as more of a locals beach than nearby Cua Dai beach — many Vietnamese come to An Bang after work for barbecues — at the height of day it’s pretty quiet, populated mostly by foreign tourists and local women selling trinkets.

There’s much scope for mutual bafflement. Despite sweltering heat, the women are clad from head to toe in the traditional Vietnamese non la conical hat, mouth mask, long-sleeved tops, skinny jeans, socks and flip flops, all to keep the sun off their skin… Meanwhile, freckly Westerners do their utmost to get some sun on their skin.

With its white sands and warm sea, An Bang is a perfect place to chill.

But while in Hoi An it’s good to see another side to the area. Bicycle tours are an option and we took one run by Heaven and Earth Tours to nearby islands Cam Kim and Duy Vinh.

Our guides Tran Thi Dieu Linh and Ngo Thi Hoa are at once knowledgeable, insightful and very funny, with a well-honed slapstick double act (watch out for the ice down the back trick).

Riding through villages heavy with the scent of tropical blooms, past banners proclaiming Ho Chi Minh’s slogan “Nothing is more important than independence and freedom,” and choruses of “Hello!” from village children, we get a glimpse of the everyday.

Interludes include paddling a traditional coracle, where I quickly discover I’m a natural at paddling in ever-decreasing circles. I’m rescued from this dizzying fate by an elfin elderly lady who tells me that I’m her “Number One man.” Alas, I hear her whisper the same assurance to the next coracle novice she has to assist.

Amid the fun, our visit to the villages provides some insight into the conservative nature of rural society: whether the separate door to be used by a pregnant woman when marrying; or the wooden platforms in the middle of lakes where local men go drinking.

And traces of Vietnam’s turbulent history show themselves: vases fashioned from artillery shell casings; or the tiny hoa ho then — “shy plant” — so named because it closes up if touched, reopening after 10 minutes. We learn that Viet Cong forces would check these to see if enemy patrols had passed.

Back in Hoi An that evening families are burning fake money and paper representations of objects such as iPhones and iPads on the streets. This is Dam Gio, when families gather to remember those who have passed away.

Watching the embers in the breeze, it’s a reminder that the golf courses and tourist knick-knacks of Hoi An co-exist with ancient traditions; fitting for a town with two millennia of history.  How to get there:

We took a flight from Shanghai to Ho Chi Minh City. From there, you can take the Vietnam Railways Reunification Express or get a flight to Da Nang. From Da Nang to Hoi An is about a 30-minute taxi ride.

  Where to stay:

There are numerous hostels, hotels and villas in and around Hoi An. We stayed at the Hoi An Chic Green Retreat, which is every bit as tranquil as its name suggests. It has a jeep service to take guests to the old town and bicycles are also available.

  What to eat:

There are plenty opportunities to try delicious Vietnamese classics such as “white rose” dumplings, cao lau noodles, plus the ubiquitous spring roll. And don’t forget the strong, condensed-milk infused Vietnamese coffee to start your day with a kick.

  Tips:

T-shirts with quirky designs from Vietnamese company Ginkgo Ð there are several branches in Hoi An Ð make great gifts. Watch out for counterfeits though. As well as ripping off the company, many seem made of nylon. Definitely not recommended for sweaty tourists.