In the Thu Bon River (fig.), near its mouth and in the vicinity of Hoi An in central Vietnam, is an islet with a small carpentry village called Kim Bong.

The population of this village has specialized their skills in boat building and repair, as well as in the making of furniture and the carving of wooden sculptures (fig.).

The traditional process of building (fig.) these boats includes the curving of the wooden planks used for the hull by making them moist and then steaming them next to a fire (fig.).