Overview

It’s the simplicity of rural life in Vietnam that puts such wide smiles on the faces of farmers and fishermen, living off an abundant land with a philosophy geared towards hard work, community, and ultimately, happiness. Incredible Asia Journeys can get you a glimpse of such a life in Central Vietnam on the Hoi An Farming and Fishing Experience, a half-day excursion from Hoi An to some of the picturesque rural enclaves surrounding the town.

These kinds of areas are the beating heart of Vietnam, fueling its people with rice, vegetables, fruit, meat, herbs, spices, and seafood. They remain steadfast in their use of ancient practices in an ever-modernizing world, planting and picking vegetables by hand, tilling rice fields by water buffalo, and catching fish with chai nets. The Hoi An Farming and Fishing Experience gives you a chance to try all of these, as well as meet some of the friendly local farmers and fishermen who will guide you through the processes.

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Places you’ll see

Hoi An

Tra Que Village

Cam Thanh Village

Highlights

Cycling along village paths, taking in the views of Vietnam’s idyllic farm life on both sides
Helping a farmer in the charming village of Tra Que to tend to their crops and plant new vegetable seeds
Riding a water buffalo through the rice paddies to plough the field as they have been doing for millennia
Paddling down the river in a traditional basket boat, catching fish via fishing net
Making traditional crafts out of leaves and reeds on the riverbank

Itinerary

Activities: Cycling to Tra Que, helping local farmers in the field before cruising down the river in basket boat, catching fish and making natural handicrafts before lunch and return to Hoi An.

Your tour guide will meet you in your hotel at 08:00 am and we will embark on bicycles across long country roads, witnessing the perfect rural scene of farmers in the field.

We will visit a vegetable farm in the organic community of Tra Que, where we will help a local farmer with planting and watering their crops, as well as preparing the soil for the next batch of seeds.

Take the opportunity to ride a water buffalo through the rice paddies, experiencing the peaceful coexistence of farmer and buffalo that has existed for thousands of years. This is the perfect time to get some great photos, as the morning light warms ducks swimming in the flooded paddies and the water buffalo plod slowly through while smiling farmers show you how to utilize these magnificent beasts.

After this, we will embark on a boat down the river to discover the very different lives of the local fishermen. Here we will learn how to cast a chai, the local fishing net, to pull up hauls of fish from the calm waters. Have a go at paddling the traditional bamboo basket boat, the product of an ancient waterborne culture, along the banks of rivers flanked by nipa palm and coconut trees.

During our cruise, we hear of the punishing heat, rain and flooding conditions endured by all sides during the Indochina and American wars. We take some palm leaves and reeds from hanging plants and learn how to create origami sculptures by folding them carefully into the shapes of grasshoppers, birds and bracelets etc.

We will head ashore for lunch, after which we will head back to town, where your Hoi An Farming and Fishing Experience will draw to a close. We are very grateful for your interest in Vietnam’s peaceful rural life and we hope you had fun in experiencing them first-hand!

Meals: Lunch