Hoi An Countryside Bike Tour & Thu Bon River Kayaking with Lunch

• Day tours by bike
• Vietnam
• Hoi An

Pedal and paddle through scenic Hoi An

Combine an overland and aquatic adventure with a bike tour through Hoi An's surrounding countryside and a kayak down the Thu Bôn River. As you ride, you’ll immerse yourself in the rural charm of family farms, fishing villages, and artisans’ workshops, stopping for a breakfast of Banh Dap, as well as at a family chapel, traditional boatyard, a rice wine distillery, and for a traditional lunch.

Begin your guided tour by crossing Hoi An's most famous landmark: the Japanese Bridge. Opened in 1593 to connect Japanese merchants with a Chinese enclave on the other side of the canal, a temple sits atop the bridge. This unique temple is filled with figurines and ornate decor as a way to placate the earthquake-inducing monster Namazu, and makes for a dazzling display of architecture and craftsmanship.

Ride on over a dedicated bike bridge that connects Hoi An to its southern villages. After a short cycle, you'll arrive at your first stop for breakfast. Here, you'll meet a local family who use the traditional method of crafting Banh Dap, a delectable breakfast dish made from savory rice flour.

Cycling on, you'll arrive at one of Hoi An's picturesque villages where you'll stop at a family home to learn about the fascinating tradition of family chapels. Your gracious host is a veteran of the American war, will share captivating stories about his life in Hoi An as well as the spiritual and cultural significance of this site for clan members to pay respects to their ancestors.

Onwards past lush rice fields and vegetable farms, following paths along small canals and waterways until you reach a traditional boatyard. Hoi An has always relied on its strategic position as a port city and fishing remains the region's most important trade today. Your time in the boatyard will allow you to witness this first hand as you watch the traditional building techniques and the great care the people of Hoi An take after their boats, which are essential to their livelihoods.

Heading even further into the countryside, your day tour makes its way to a traditional mat-weaving workshop. Watch the dextrous process required to weave reeds into a colorful mat, and perhaps even purchase a souvenir or two.

Your guide will then lead you onwards to the next stop on your bicycle tour where you’ll meet a friendly local family who have been producing rice wine for generations, preserving ancient techniques. Despite being Vietnam's most popular liquor, rice wine is rarely produced in bulk and is seldom available outside of the country. This makes this stop an invaluable opportunity to learn some history and test your taste buds on a spirit that is unheard of by many outside Vietnam.

Rest for a while as you savor a delicious, homemade lunch consisting of several of the region's specialities. After this, you'll swap saddles for paddles as you kayak along the Thu Bôn River. Once essential for this port city’s trading links, this river is now the lifeblood of the region’s fishing industry.

Glide past water-coconut plantations, shrimp farms, and little fishing hamlets. You may just catch the stunning, silvery spectacle of fishermen emptying their nets of the day's catch as you paddle past. You'll also stop at one of the river's little islands to rest and enjoy views back towards the shore.

Finally, you'll paddle a stretch of the river back into the Cam Thanh area of town, from where a minivan will drive the final portion of this day tour back to your hotel. To discover more of Hoi An on two wheels, sample the city’s gastronomic delights on the Hoi An Culinary Bike Tour, or pedal to the ancient temple city of the Champa on the Hoi An to My Son Bike Tour.

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Highlights

Hoi An, Breakfast of Banh Dap, Family chapel, Traditional boatyard, Mat weaving workshop, Rice wine distillery, Traditional lunch, Kayaking

What’s included

• Bike and helmet rental
• English-speaking guide
• Lunch
• Snacks
• Refreshments

Meeting place & directions

Discova Hoi An Bike Shop

25 Dinh Tien Hoang , Hoi An 51308, Vietnam (look for the white house at the intersection).