Hoi An biking tour: Water buffalo, duck farm, basket boat

Ride water buffalo and row a basket boat through the villages that feed Hoi An

A four-hour biking tour from Da Nang through the countryside around Hoi An, stopping at Tra Que Vegetable Village, a duck farm and Cam Thanh coconut village for water buffalo riding and a basket boat ride with local fishermen. The tour includes an English-speaking guide, bicycle, hotel pickup from Da Nang, and a bottle of water. Choose between group departure from Hoi An, private tour starting in Hoi An, or private tour with round-trip transfer from Da Nang.

Step-by-step itinerary

Countryside biking and local experiences

• Cycle around Hoi An countryside
• Visit Tra Que vegetable village
• See local vegetable farming and drink
• Ride water buffalo with owner
• Enjoy duck massage and feed ducks
• Do basket boat ride at Cam Thanh
• Learn about coconut village and fishing life

The experience

You arrive in Da Nang with a free afternoon or morning, or you're staying in Hoi An and want to get out to the villages most visitors miss. This tour starts by cycling through rice paddies, shrimp farms and past the everyday life of the countryside, not the postcard version, but the actual work: how the fields are planted, what the river carries, where the vegetables come from that end up in Hoi An's markets and restaurants. The guide speaks English and rides with you, so you're not following a group in silence. You're getting the story of what you're pedaling past.

The first real stop is Tra Que Vegetable Village, where the soil is fertilized by seaweed from the De Vong River and has been producing the same high-quality vegetables for years. You walk through a local family's plot, see what grows there and what doesn't, and drink something made by hand, not a performance, just what people drink. From there you head to the Funny Duck Farm, where the activity is exactly what it sounds like: a duck massage (the ducks walk on your legs and back) and feeding them by hand. It's absurd and it works. Then comes the Cam Thanh water coconut village, where you meet a local fisherman and ride out in a basket boat: a round, shallow craft woven from bamboo that looks impossible but floats. You learn why these boats exist here and not elsewhere, and why the coconut trees matter to the village's survival.

The water buffalo riding happens at the farm, and it's the moment most people remember: you're on the animal's back, moving slowly through the space where it lives, and the owner is there the whole time. It's not a photo op. It's an actual encounter. The whole tour runs four hours, which is long enough to feel like you've left the city but short enough to fit into a day that has other plans. If you're picking up from Da Nang, the driver collects you from your hotel and brings you back. If you're already in Hoi An, you can join the group departure or book private. Either way, the bicycle and the guide are included.

What’s included

• The tour includes your bicycle and helmet.
• an English-speaking guide who rides with you.
• water buffalo riding with the animal's owner.
• entry to the Funny Duck Farm with a duck massage and the chance to feed them.
• a basket boat ride with a local fisherman at Cam Thanh water coconut village.
• a bottle of water.
• and round-trip hotel pickup from Da Nang if you book the private transfer option.

Options for this experience

3 options

Group tour in Hoi An (pickup not included)Guide in English · 08:00 and 13:00Meeting point: since this is a group tour, please arrive at the Hội An post office on 06 Trần Hưng Đạo street to begin. Pickup is included

Tour begins in Hoi AnGuide in English · 10 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:30Includes pickup

Tour departing from Đà Nẵng, pickup providedGuide in English · 9 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:00Includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day10 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:30

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (18 to 80 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Hoi An- Da Nang- Hue Private Day Tour

Is this one for you?Book the private tour with Da Nang pickup if you're arriving by air and need to return to your hotel same-day; choose the group departure from Hoi An if you're based there and want to join other travelers; pick the private option from Hoi An if you prefer your own guide and timing.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (6 to 11 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Tra Que Vegetable Village and why does it matter to Hoi An?

Tra Que Vegetable Village has supplied fresh vegetables to Hoi An's central market and restaurants for years, growing them on soil fertilized by seaweed from the De Vong River, which gives the produce its own distinct flavor. On the tour you stop at a local family's plot to see the different types of vegetables they grow and drink something they make themselves.

Do I ride a real water buffalo, or is this a staged photo moment?

You ride a real water buffalo with its owner present the entire time, moving at the animal's natural pace through the space where it lives. The experience happens at the Funny Duck Farm as part of the tour.

What is a basket boat and where do I ride it?

A basket boat is a round, shallow craft woven from bamboo that local fishermen use in Cam Thanh water coconut village. On the tour you ride out in one with a local fisherman, who explains the history of the boats and why the coconut trees are central to the village's livelihood.

Does the tour include pickup from my Da Nang hotel?

Round-trip hotel pickup from Da Nang is included if you book the private tour with transfer option. If you choose the group tour or private tour starting in Hoi An, pickup is not included. Those departures leave from Hoi An. A surcharge applies for pickups from Tien Sa port or the Intercontinental hotel in Da Nang.

How long is the tour and what's included in the price?

The tour runs four hours and includes the bicycle, an English-speaking guide, water buffalo riding, the duck farm visit with duck massage, the basket boat ride, and a bottle of water. Hotel pickup from Da Nang is included in the transfer option only.