Hoi An Countryside by Bike: Herb Gardens and Basket Boats

Every part can be changed to suit your group.

1. Morning Tra Que Herb Village and Cam Thanh

   We meet at your hotel at 8:00 AM and cycle out of town to Tra Que, a village famous for the fresh herbs used in Hoi An’s cooking. A farmer shows you how they prepare the soil and water the beds, and you can lend a hand. We continue along rice fields to Cam Thanh and swap the bikes for a round bamboo basket boat, paddling through narrow channels under water coconut palms with local fishermen. Tra Que farmers grow their herbs without chemicals, using seaweed from the river as fertiliser, and they are proud to show you the different leaves that give Hoi An dishes their fresh taste. In Cam Thanh, the basket boat rowers like to show off by spinning their boats, so be ready to laugh and hold on.

   
2. Afternoon Ferry to Cam Kim Island

   After lunch with a local family, we take a small ferry across the river to Cam Kim island, where boat builders, mat weavers and woodcarvers still work in their homes. We cycle the island’s quiet lanes, then take the ferry back to Hoi An, arriving at around 3:00 PM. Cam Kim is only a few minutes from Hoi An by ferry but feels a world away, with quiet lanes, rice fields and families working at home. We stop at a boat builder to see how wooden fishing boats are made, and at a mat weaving family before heading back. It is an easy ride, suitable for children and beginners.