Once a quiet riverside town known for its lantern-lit streets and preserved heritage buildings, Hoi An has seen a surge in mass tourism. The Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, now struggles with overcrowding, commercialisation and rising living costs.

Traditional shops and eateries have increasingly been replaced by souvenir stalls and trendy cafés aimed at tourists. Locals have voiced concerns about the loss of authenticity, while authorities have started to implement crowd control measures and ticketing systems in hopes of preserving the historic core.

Now check out these incredible images that show what the world looked like in the 19th century

The tourist favourites they don’t want you to visit anymore