Lit only by lanterns, the darkened streets of Hoi An echo with the sounds of folk music. Foreigners stroll out of the ornate homes as women dressed in ao dai (traditional long dress) exchange bua chuc phuc, good luck cards, and men gather on the riverside to drink rice wine and compete in a poetry recitation contest.

Though a similar scene could very well have played out on an August evening in the 16th century, modern-day visitors to the historic town settled by Chinese, Japanese and European merchants will get a chance this summer to experience Hoi An as it once was.

The festival, Pho Dem Hoi An (Hoi An Streets By Night), is part of a summer-long tourism campaign called Cam Xuc Mua He (Summer Feelings) which aims to give tourists a better understanding of both the town’s history and contemporary inhabitants. "[Through Pho Dem Hoi An] we want tourists to experience a night in Hoi An as it was a few centuries ago, when the town was a bustling port of traders coming from various countries like China and Japan," said Vo Phung, director of the Hoi An Culture Centre. In addition to folk music performances, ruou hong dao (a special locally-made rice wine) tasting, a food fair and poetry contest, "tourists who like legends can dress up like their favourite characters from Vietnamese folk tales and join a fancy-dress party on boats travelling along the river," Phung said