Hoi An is famous for its lanterns and historic houses. Yet by following the river, you can discover a slower Vietnam of rice fields and artisan villages. With a day trip to the villages around Hoi An, you can explore the countryside by boat and bicycle, moving through canals, fields and small rural communities. Between basket boats on the Thu Bon River, coconut forests and traditions that are still alive today, you will experience a side of Vietnam most travellers never truly see.
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Day Trips from Hoi An: Discover Rural Vietnam Beyond the Old Town
Just a few kilometres from Hoi An Ancient Town, with its lanterns and richly decorated buildings, the landscape changes completely. Busy streets give way to rice fields, artisan villages and vegetable gardens, where daily life unfolds at a slower pace. Buffalo graze near quiet canals, and the atmosphere feels far removed from the historic centre.
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With a day trip from Hoi An, you can explore the countryside of central Vietnam, shaped by waterways and rice paddies. Most tours combine cycling through the fields or using an electric cart with a mix of cultural and entertaining activities. These often include basket boat rides, cooking classes and visits to traditional villages.
In my case, Travel Sense Asia, the local tour operator I travelled with during my last trip to Vietnam, organised a boat journey along the Thu Bon River. We departed from Hoi An on a wooden boat and stopped at Kim Bong village, known for its woodworking tradition. The plan was to continue by bicycle through the rice fields towards Tra Nhieu and then reach Cam Thanh. However, due to my knee injury, we travelled by electric cart instead.
In Cam Thanh, we enjoyed a foot massage and a Vietnamese cooking class, followed by a ride on the round bamboo boats known as basket boats in the coconut forest. Although it was clearly the most tourist-oriented activity of the day, it was also the most enjoyable. I highly recommend this experience during a stay in Hoi An. It allows you to discover a slower and more authentic side of Vietnam while spending time among river landscapes and countryside scenery.
Kim Bong Village: A 500-Year-Old Woodworking Tradition by the Thu Bon River
Kim Bong woodworking village was our first stop. Reaching it by boat from Hoi An, crossing the Thu Bon River, is already a memorable experience. The village has a history of more than 500 years. Its long-standing woodworking tradition creates furniture, decorative elements and boats that still navigate the river today.
Alongside its artisan production, the village now also serves as an open-air educational workshop for local schools. In the workshops open to visitors, you can see wooden statues of all sizes depicting dragons, turtles and other sacred Vietnamese creatures. Children, as well as travellers, can stop by the workshops to learn basic carving techniques and hands-on skills. You can even create your own small piece to take home.
Beyond the souvenirs sold locally and in Hoi An, Kim Bong artisans still build small wooden fishing boats and larger vessels for trade with nearby regions. Most houses in the village are made of wood and use a traditional interlocking construction style. This design allows them to be dismantled, transported and rebuilt when needed. Interestingly, builders still use this technique in northern mountain areas, such as Hoang Su Phi and Sapa.
In Kim Bong, we also had an unexpected encounter with a street vendor selling homemade caramel. My travel companions happily tried the sweet, sticky caramel, freshly cut from a large block wrapped in banana leaves. I tasted it as well, but found it overwhelmingly sugary. It was a strong flavour that reminded me of the coconut sweets we would later find in the Mekong Delta.
Tra Nhieu Village: Rice Fields, Water Buffalo and Everyday Rural Life
After Kim Bong, we planned to cycle through the countryside towards Tra Nhieu village. However, due to my knee injury, which had happened in Hanoi the day before, we travelled by electric cart instead. Even so, the journey remained enjoyable, offering a different perspective on the quiet rhythm of rural Vietnam.
Crossing the flat landscape around Hoi An and the Thu Bon River is a fascinating experience. It allows you to observe the region’s agricultural scenery up close. The rice fields here are very different from those in northern Vietnam. Instead of terraces, they stretch across wide, flat plots. Harvests can reach up to three cycles per year, compared to two in the north.
In the fields, we saw many farmers wearing traditional conical hats, an image that perfectly represents life in central Vietnam. Along the way, we also encountered a farmer standing by the roadside with a buffalo. Unfortunately, the situation felt slightly uncomfortable. In fact, he expected a tip in exchange for letting us ride the animal. We only wanted to take photos, so he quickly sent us away.
Cam Thanh Coconut Village: Basket Boats and Water Coconut Palms
Known as the coconut village and famous for its basket boats, Cam Thanh is the most touristy stop near Hoi An. Yet it still manages to surprise you. The area features water coconut palms, a local species that grows along a network of canals in the Thu Bon River delta.
You can explore these waterways on traditional round bamboo basket boats, just over one and a half metres wide. Before or after your boat ride, you can stop at the riverside restaurants. We enjoyed fresh coconut water straight from a newly picked fruit. Other activities usually include a foot massage with local herbal baths or a cooking class. I recommend trying both, as they will become memorable highlights of your time in Hoi An.
Tours passing through Cam Thanh are very well organised and clearly designed for visitors. The basket boat ride even includes a lively final performance, where some rowers spin their boats at high speed to the sound of loud music.
Despite this, navigating the canals of the Thu Bon River on a basket boat through the coconut forest remains a very enjoyable activity. Even if it is entirely tourist-focused, it is still something I would absolutely recommend. It offers a fun and immersive way to explore the landscape.
Bay Mau Coconut Forest: Exploring the Waterways by Basket Boat
The most exciting part of navigating through the canals of the Thu Bon River delta is undoubtedly entering the coconut forest on board basket boats. These circular boats glide over the water with surprising agility and can carry only the rower and up to two passengers.
The experience is certainly the most touristy you can have in the villages around Hoi An. Unlike my experience in Ha Long Bay, local operators organise everything to help travellers appreciate the slower rhythm of central Vietnam. Even though the boat ride is purely for tourists, it remains a very enjoyable experience.
As soon as you get on board, you can wear the classic Vietnamese conical hat, both for taking beautiful souvenir photos and for protection from the sun. The coconut forest is a true aquatic jungle of dense palms. In some sections, the canals almost resemble tunnels of trees, as the palms are so tall and closely packed.
Once out of the coconut forest, the rower heads towards the Thu Bon River, which is much wider and up to three metres deep. For this reason, in theory, the rower should ask passengers to wear a floating belt, something between a jacket and a life buoy.
In practice, it largely depends on the rower. Our rower made us wear the flotation device only after spotting the river police passing by on patrol. Valeria Meriggi and I, both confident swimmers, laughed a lot when we realised that!
The Basket Boat Show: Spinning Boats and River Entertainment
Outside the canals, the basket boat ride, which until that moment had been calm and contemplative, turns into pure spectacle. Loud music, coming from large speakers on boats anchored offshore, sets the rhythm for the rowers, who spin their boats at very high speed.
For those who prefer more traditional scenes, the show on the Thu Bon River also includes a fisherman casting a large multicoloured net into the water in a perfectly “Instagram-friendly” pose. Only then do you realise that there is very little that feels authentic about the Cam Thanh tour. Yet local tour operators organise it so well that you still come away satisfied.
Cooking Class in Cam Thanh: Learn to Cook Authentic Vietnamese Dishes
Taking part in a Vietnamese cooking class is one of the best things to do near Hoi An. Instructors run the classes in English and introduce the ingredients. Then, you put on a chef’s hat and apron to start cooking.
During the lesson, you can learn how to prepare several traditional Vietnamese dishes. My group had great fun making fresh spring rolls with rice paper and traditional Vietnamese pancakes. There were also exciting moments, such as when we prepared a flambé of chicken and prawns for our pancakes.
As with all cooking classes designed for tourists, expect plenty of laughter while cooking on a small camping stove. The experience is very enjoyable and ends with a shared meal where you taste what you have prepared, something you can rightly feel proud of. My advice is not to book lunch afterwards, as you will already be full.
Why Visit Hoi An’s Villages: A Glimpse into Rural Vietnam
Visiting the villages around Hoi An is one of the best ways to discover the more authentic side of central Vietnam. Among woodworking artisans, rice fields, buffalo and coconut forests, these excursions allow you to see everyday rural life away from the historic centre. You will also enjoy experiences such as riding a basket boat or taking part in a Vietnamese cooking class.
Although some activities clearly target tourists, the lively atmosphere along the Thu Bon River and the village visits make the day truly special. Share in the comments whether you have already visited the villages around Hoi An or if you would like to include this experience in your next trip to Vietnam.
