Your shared or private tour kicks off in style with a delicious smoothie and muffin at the classy riverside lounge in the center of Hoi An. After that, it’s time to hop on your scooter to start exploring Hoi An’s hidden gems and charismatic locals. First up is a drive past the old town to Cam Nam Island where you’ll visit some local houses and places where people live and work traditional lives.
You'll first visit a local ship repair yard to experience the hard work involved in maintaining a local fishing boat. This stop represents the special connection Hoi An people have with the ocean and river and you’ll learn about daily life both on and off the water. Next on the agenda is a short drive through a local village and beautiful countryside, before visiting a traditional lantern marker and a unique and creative outdoor gym of local people. Also included is a stop at an ancestor house where guests can learn more about the belief system in Vietnam and the importance of family. You’ll then continue on to your friends at the local shoemaker, the funniest stop en route where you’ll get to interact with a jolly bunch of shoemakers and learn about the ancient tradition of tailoring and shoemaking in Hoi An.
Before having a short break at a stall overlooking Hoi An Ancient Town and the Thu Bon River, you'll visit a rice cracker place to observe the traditional cracker making process as well as have a taste of the yummy end-product. During the riverside break stop, you will meet one of the trainee chefs from the NGO partner, Streets International, who will bring along some delicious bread for you to sample whilst you spend some time chatting with him about the project. Afterwards, on the drive through the countryside, you’ll experience up close the resplendent beauty of the rice paddies, grazing buffalo and monkey bridges (the local nickname for unique bamboo bridges so thin that it is joked that only monkeys can cross them!), all of which are guaranteed to provide plenty of perfect photo opportunities. You’ll cruise on to Tra Que Village, a beautiful herb and vegetable garden which supplies many of the restaurants in the ancient town. Here you’ll learn about the herbs and spices that give distinct flavor to local dishes, and the hard work that goes into growing them. At the end of the tour, guests can unwind at a stunning beach lounge overlooking one of the best beaches in Vietnam, An Bang Beach, with a refreshing drink.
