Hoi An Rice Farming & Countryside Cycling | Few Days Halong

Hoi An / Hoi An Rice Farming & Countryside Cycling

Hoi An · Half-day countryside tour

Hoi An Rice Farming & Countryside Cycling

Cycle the lanes of Cam Thanh, pull on the boots and conical hat, and plant rice in the paddy with a local farming family.

About 3.5 to 4 hours · Morning or afternoon · Hotel pick-up included

Farmer and water buffalo ploughing a flooded paddy field near Hoi An
Visitors in farming shirts and conical hats winnowing rice in flat baskets
Visitor grinding rice at a stone mill with a local woman guiding her
Visitor in a conical hat cooking over a wood fire in an open kitchen
Row of visitors bent over planting rice seedlings in a flooded field
Two farmers guiding a water buffalo and plough through the wet paddy
Visitor carrying seedling baskets on a shoulder pole across the field
Group in farming clothes standing in the paddy with a thatched hut behind

The Tour

Country lanes, a working farm and a proper go at growing rice.

Hoi An is a few minutes from open country, and this is the trip that takes you into it. You cycle out through Cam Thanh on quiet lanes between the paddies, stop at a family farm, and sit down over tea while your hosts explain how wet rice actually works, from flooding the fields to transplanting the seedlings and managing the water.

Then you change into the farming clothes they provide, conical hat, boots and gloves, and get into the mud. Depending on the season you might plough behind a water buffalo, see how the irrigation is run, and plant rice seedlings by hand. There is a chance to ride a water buffalo in a shallow pond too. It ends with a rice-based meal eaten with the family, lunch on the morning departure and dinner in the afternoon.

Tour Highlights

The moments that make it.

The Itinerary

How the day unfolds.

08:00
Hotel pick-up
Meet your English-speaking guide at your hotel and travel by minivan to the cycling start point. An afternoon departure runs at 14:00.
08:30
Cycling into the countryside
Collect your bicycle and ride the country lanes through the rice fields of Cam Thanh, well away from the traffic.
09:15
Meet your farming hosts
Stop at the farm, share a cup of tea and hear about the family’s daily routines, the farming year and life in the village.
09:45
Dress for the fields
Change into the farming clothes provided, including the conical hat, boots and gloves, before stepping into the paddy.
10:00
Into the mud
Hands-on farming with your hosts, which may include ploughing with a water buffalo, seeing how irrigation works and transplanting rice seedlings. There is also a chance to ride a buffalo in a shallow pond.
11:15
Lunch with the family
A local rice-based meal with your farming hosts, plus traditional snacks and water. Morning departures include lunch, the afternoon departure includes dinner.
12:00
Back to your hotel
Return by bicycle or the arranged transport, depending on the day’s programme.

What's Included

Everything handled for you.

Included in this tour

  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off within the standard Hoi An service area
  • Bicycle and transport as arranged
  • English-speaking guide
  • Farming clothes, conical hat, boots and gloves
  • Guided rice farming activities
  • Tea with your farming hosts
  • Traditional snacks and one bottle of water
  • Lunch or dinner with the family

Not included

  • Transfers outside the standard Hoi An service area
  • Transfers from Da Nang
  • The optional scooter service for guests who would rather not cycle
  • Private-tour arrangements
  • Additional purchases and personal expenses

What to bring

  • A change of clothes, because it is genuinely muddy
  • Sun protection
  • A small bag for your things

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In short

A half-day in the Cam Thanh countryside outside Hoi An, about three and a half to four hours, leaving at 08:00 or 14:00. You cycle quiet lanes to a family farm, change into boots and a conical hat, plant rice in the paddy and eat a home-cooked meal with your hosts. Expect to get properly muddy.

Hoi An Rice Farming & Countryside Cycling common questions

Good to know before you go.

How long is the Hoi An rice farming and cycling tour?

About three and a half to four hours, with departures at 08:00 and 14:00. The morning departure includes lunch with the family and the afternoon one includes dinner.

How much cycling is involved?

Only a gentle ride on flat country lanes, not a workout. If you would rather not cycle at all, a scooter alternative can be arranged for an extra charge, so tell us when you book.

Will I actually get muddy?

Yes. You change into boots, gloves and a conical hat and step into a working paddy field, so bring a change of clothes. That is the part most people enjoy most.

Is it suitable for children?

It works well for families, as the cycling is easy and children usually take to the mud faster than their parents. For a full day built around children, look at our Hoi An family cooking class and adventure.

Does the programme change with the season?

Some of it does. Ploughing, planting and harvesting depend on where the farming year has got to and on the state of the fields, so your hosts fit the activities to the day. There is always something hands-on to do.

Is hotel pick-up included?

Yes, within the standard Hoi An service area. Some outlying resorts need an extra transfer arranged and transfers from Da Nang are not included, so let us know your hotel address when you book.

Make it part of your trip

We’ll fold the rice farming and cycling morning into a complete, private Vietnam itinerary, planned and run for you from arrival to departure.

Get your free personalised itinerary ›
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