My Son Sanctuary & Hoi An Countryside: Car, Bike & Basket Boat

Ancient temples, then farming and basket boats in the countryside

A full-day tour from Da Nang combines My Son Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage site of 4th-to-13th-century Hindu temples, with afternoon cycling and hands-on activities in Hoi An's countryside villages. You explore the temple complex with a guide, then work the soil at Tra Que Vegetable Village, ride a water buffalo, and paddle a bamboo basket boat through Cam Thanh's coconut forest while fishing for crabs.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. My Son Sanctuary1h 30m · entry included
2. Tra Que Vegetable Village45m · entry included

My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An Countryside

• Pick up at hotel in Hoi An or Da Nang
• Arrive at My Son Sanctuary
• Ride electric car to site drop-off point
• Walk to temple and tower complex
• Visit temples with knowledgeable guide
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Cycle to Tra Que Vegetable Village
• Meet local family and enjoy drinks
• Participate in farming activities
• Cycle to Cam Thanh Village
• Rest at local family home
• Row basket boat in coconut forest
• Fish for crabs and explore water coconut jungle
• Return to hotel

The experience

The day starts early at My Son to beat the crowds and heat. An electric car takes you from the drop-off point to the temple sites, where your guide walks you through the complex of towers and shrines built without mortar by the Cham people over nearly a thousand years. You'll see the bas-relief carvings on the Hindu temple-towers and learn how the Champa Kingdom shaped this valley surrounded by jungle. The site sits high enough that the morning light and smaller visitor numbers make the history easier to absorb.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you switch to bicycles and head into the countryside. At Tra Que Vegetable Village, a local family shows you how they grow vegetables in the sandy soil, then you work alongside them: turning the earth, fertilizing with seaweed (stomping it in by hand), sowing seeds, and watering with traditional cans. The family offers drinks and shares stories about village life. From there you cycle toward Cam Thanh, passing rice fields, corn crops, and shrimp and crab farms. You stop at another family home for a rest, then board a bamboo basket boat to drift through the water coconut jungle. Your guide demonstrates traditional fishing net techniques and you try catching crabs yourself. Local artisans also show you how they weave coconut leaves into small crafts, which they give you as souvenirs.

The tour runs eight hours total and includes the car, bicycles with helmets, all entrance fees, lunch, and the basket boat ride. An English-speaking guide leads the whole day. Children from age five are welcome, and water buffalo rides are available at Tra Que if you prefer not to cycle every stretch.

What’s included

• Pickup from your Da Nang or Hoi An hotel.
• private car and bicycle with helmet.
• English-speaking guide.
• entrance tickets to My Son Sanctuary and Hoi An villages.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• basket boat ride with crab fishing.
• water buffalo ride or photos at Tra Que.
• farming activities and hands-on work with a local family.
• coconut leaf crafts as souvenirs.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to18h before

AgesAdult (12 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for heart conditions

Operated by Da Nang Hoi An Private Tours & Shore Excursion

Is this one for you?You do the farming and fishing yourself rather than watching a demonstration, which means the day works best if you're comfortable getting your hands dirty and moving between activities: cycling, walking temple grounds, and paddling a boat. The shared guide and vehicle keep costs down compared to a fully private tour, and the fixed itinerary means all three sites fit into one morning-to-afternoon loop without you arranging transport between them.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years). Under 5: they 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 are the temples at My Son actually made of, and why is the site so old?

My Son's temple-towers were built between the 4th and 13th centuries by the Cham people without using mortar. They relied on stone-fitting techniques instead. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage complex of Hindu remains decorated in bas-relief, and your guide explains how the Champa Kingdom built and rebuilt these structures over nearly a thousand years.

Do I actually do the farming work at Tra Que, or just watch?

You work the soil yourself after the local family demonstrates. You'll fertilize with seaweed, sow plants, and water them using two watering cans in the traditional way. The same tasks the family does every day.

What happens on the basket boat in Cam Thanh village?

You paddle a bamboo basket boat through the water coconut jungle. Your guide shows you how to throw traditional fishing nets and you get to try catching crabs yourself. The guide also demonstrates how locals weave coconut leaves into small crafts, which they give you as gifts.

Is the water buffalo ride included, or do I have to pay extra?

The buffalo ride at Tra Que is included in the tour price. It's an option if you want a break from cycling, though you can also continue by bike if you prefer.

What time does the tour end, and will I be back at my hotel by evening?

The tour runs eight hours from a 7:30 pickup, so you'll return to your Da Nang or Hoi An hotel by mid-afternoon. The early start at My Son means you finish the countryside activities and head back while there's still daylight.