Do you travel for the people? Do you travel to make connections and to have local experiences? Good! Us too. And we have one fantastic piece of advice for you for finding this authentic kind of travel in Vietnam. That tip is to get yourself into the countryside.
Travelling in rural Vietnam is an amazing way to get under the skin of Vietnam, interact with people and learn something of everyday life in the 15th most populous country in the world. And it couldn’t be easier with homestays being offered in even the smallest villages and communities.
Today, we’re going to focus on Central Vietnam. In particular rural Hue and Hoi An.
The cities of Hue and Hoi An are well known for the history and charm of their old towns and you could spend days exploring temples, old French architecture and palaces. But for the majority of people in central Vietnam, the countryside is the centre of life.
One of the best ways to explore the lanes, rice paddies and riversides of central Vietnam is by bicycle and we have teamed up with Amira Travel to offer some incredible cycling tours in the area.
Rural Hoi An
Binh Phuc Village Exploration
Highlight: Take a stroll around Binh Phuc Village and join the locals as they go about their daily tasks. Experience and learn how to make local rice wine and incense, and observe how they raise pigs and birds.
Go Noi Countryside Tour
Highlight: After an afternoon with the locals of Go Noi, head to the dock to take a boat along the Thu Bon river. Sit back and enjoy the beautiful view and watch the local fisherman catching fish under the setting sun.
Hoi An Village Discovery
Highlight: Take a cruise in a traditional basket boat, rowed by the skillful hands of the locals and discover their techniques of traditional fishery within the water coconut forest.
Hoi An Countryside Adventure
Highlight: Hop on a bicycle and peddle over to the Kim Bong Carpenters Village. Here, you’ll pay a visit to the shipbuilding workshop and meet up with Mr Huynh Ri to observe his elegant wood carvings.
Rural Hue
Hue Countryside Tour
Highlight: Take a boat ride along the Huong River, commonly known as the Perfume River. Enjoy the slow bustle of river life and gentle sightseeing off the road. The boat will take you to the An Hien Garden House – a spectacular ancient wooden house in the traditional style.
Tam Giang Lagoon Tour and Homestay
Highlight: The village wakes up early, and your hosts will take you with them to the local market and then to the lagoon for a short cruise to see the fisherman village.
Thuy Bieu Village Tour
Highlight: Take a cooking class at one of the homes in Thuy Bieu and have lunch with the food you prepare. Then, before leaving the village, take a relaxing foot massage in medicinal herb water – a traditional therapeutic practice.
Thanh Tien Paper Flower Village
Highlight: The Thanh Tien Village is famous for it’s Paper Flower creations. Visit Than Van Huy’s house to learn about the cultural characteristics of a traditional house of the Hue people with its typical architecture of geomancy.
If you are interested in any of these unique experiences, just get in touch with our travel experts today.
Read more: The best place to visit in Vietnam with family (suitable for outdoor activities)
The best center Vietnam tour: Tour in Vietnam
