Cycling, Water Buffalo Riding, Farming & Fishing Life

Water buffalo in a rice field near Hoi An

A countryside bicycle tour around Cam Thanh: plough and plant rice with local farmers, ride and feed water buffalo, fish with local fishermen in the water coconut forest, and cook Hoi An pancakes for lunch.

Photo: Ziegler175 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Duration4.5 hours
Departure8:30 AM or 2:00 PM
TransportBicycle + basket boat
Group sizeMinimum 2 guests
MealsLunch or dinner
From 770,000 VND per adultVAT not included.
Enquire about this tour

Highlights

  • Plough a paddy field and plant rice seedlings with local farmers
  • Ride and feed the water buffalo
  • Paddle a bamboo basket boat and catch fish and purple crabs with local fishermen
  • True stories from the American War era in the area
  • Learn to make fresh rice milk and cook banh xeo (Hoi An pancake)

Itinerary

  1. 8:30 AM or 2:00 PMMeet your guide at your hotel and cycle along narrow country roads to the fishing village of Cam Thanh, stopping at rice paddies and fish and shrimp farms.
  2. Join local farmers in their field: plough and prepare the ground, then plant young rice. Ride the water buffalo and feed them.
  3. Stop at a local fisherman’s home to taste coconut jam and tea and meet the family.
  4. Explore the water coconut forest: catch fish and purple crabs with traditional nets and paddle a bamboo basket boat. Hear true stories from the Vietnamese–American war.
  5. Lunch or dinner at a local home, where you learn to make fresh rice milk and cook Hoi An pancakes (banh xeo).
  6. 1:00 PM or 6:30 PMYour guide drops you back at your hotel.

Route map

  1. Hoi An Old Town
  2. Cam Thanh water coconut forest

Travelled by bicycle. The farming, buffalo and fishing stops are in the rice fields and water coconut forest of Cam Thanh.

Open in Google Maps ↗

What’s included

Included

  • Pick-up and drop-off
  • Hoi An traditional lunch or dinner
  • English-speaking tour guide
  • Bicycles and basket boat
  • Entrance fees
  • Bottle of mineral water

Not included

  • Drinks
  • Personal expenses
  • Expenses not in the programme
  • Tips for guide and driver
  • VAT

Prices

Adult (10 years and over)770,000 VND
Child 5 to 975% of the adult price
Child under 5Free

Good to know

  • You will be working in a wet paddy field and on the water: wear clothes and shoes that can get wet and muddy.
  • Pick-up and drop-off at hotels in Hoi An. Pick-up in Da Nang or outside Hoi An can be arranged for a surcharge.
  • A surcharge of 100,000 VND per person applies on 1 January, 30 April – 1 May and on the 2nd to 5th days of Tet.

Cancellation

  • Free cancellation until 9:00 PM on the day before the tour.
  • After 9:00 PM on the day before: 300,000 VND per person.
  • Private tours: 100% charge if cancelled within 72 hours of departure.