Hoi An: Rural Cycling, Basket Boat & Organic Farm Cooking

5.00

(131 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the light — that pale gold you only get early in Hoi An, slanting over the rice paddies as we wobbled onto our bikes. There was this gentle hush except for the click of gears and a rooster somewhere behind us. Our guide, Minh, waved us off the main road and suddenly it felt like we’d slipped into a slower world. I kept catching glimpses of water buffalo chewing in the shade, their ears flicking lazily. The air smelled sweet and muddy at the same time — not sure how else to put it.

We stopped at a market outside the old town, which was already buzzing even though it wasn’t even 9am. Minh handed me something that looked like a tiny green plum (I never caught the name), and when I bit into it, my mouth puckered so hard I almost spat it out. The stall owner laughed and tried to teach me “ngon” for delicious — I definitely butchered it. There were piles of herbs everywhere, some I recognized from pho back home but most were just bright green mysteries.

After more cycling — legs starting to feel it by then — we ended up by these coconut palms where round basket boats bobbed in the water. Steering one is trickier than it looks; mine spun in circles until Minh jumped in to help. The river was quiet except for our laughter echoing off the banks and someone singing softly from a boat further down. I remember trailing my hand in the water and thinking how far away city noise felt.

The last part was my favorite: Tra Que vegetable farm. We met Mr. Loc, who showed us how to plant morning glory (my rows were crooked but he said “good try!” anyway). The earth was cool under my hands and there was this sharp smell of fresh mint everywhere. Cooking with what we’d just picked made lunch taste different — maybe just fresher or maybe because we’d actually worked for it? Hard to say. But I still think about that meal sometimes when I make noodles at home.