Hoi An ancient town used to be a major trade centre in Southeast Asia in the 15th -19th centuries. Then, this place becomes one of the famous tourist attractions in the world.

Thanks to being well-preserved, Hoi An still maintains its cultural values and architectural styles. Photo: Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

Hoi An is famous for a variety of architecture found in ancient houses, temples and pagodas. It is known as a result of the cultural and architectural interference in the past. Besides, the yellow of the houses contributes to making up Hoi An’s brand. Photo: Nguyen Phan

Photographer Rene Leen in “A bewitching town drenched in yellow” gives some explanations of the distinctive golden hue in Hoi An ancient town. Photo: Rehahn Photography

One of them is that yellow refers to royalty. It also symbolizes pride, luck, wealth and respect. Yellow is rather common in Vietnamese culture.

Most Vietnamese homes have an altar dedicated to departed ancestors, which is decorated in yellow ornaments and flowers. Photo: Rehahn Photography

For practical reasons, yellow is believed to absorb less heat, so yellow walls have good insulation effect. The Vietnam’s humid tropical climate is ideal for moss.

However, the green of moss and the yellow of the walls work very well together, making the old mossy walls in Hoi An amazingly beautiful and charming. Photo: Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

Some people think that the walls in Hoi An are painted Earth yellow, the colour that was often used in ancient architectures. In feng shui, Earth yellow refers to fortune and happiness. Besides, as the colour of soil, it means being lasting. Photo: Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

According to William Tan, a tourist blogger, yellow is bright and makes everything more enjoyable. Meanwhile, a French photographer- Rehahn said that the light and the yellow walls make the perfect backdrop for any subject, continually surprising and inspiring him. Photo: Contented Traveller

Hoi An is not only a city drenched in yellow. Rehahn thinks of Hoi An as a party of colours. The sunshine covering the houses with a light yellow will gradually change, being darker and then into the colour of lanterns along the streets and on the river after sunset. Photo: Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip

Hoi An has nearly 1,000 ancient buildings, of which 844 are on the UNESCO list for their historical values. It has become one of the favourite tourist attractions in the world. Photo: Vu Pham Van/Culture Trip