Morning Hoi An Tour on Vintage Vespa

Morning Hoi An Tour on Vintage Vespa

Hoi An is an ancient city, uniquely beautiful and rich in culture. It’s cosmopolitan, yet deeply traditional. Just a short ride out of the Old Town the stunning countryside leaves you spell bound: endless rice paddies, conical hats and water buffalo. Journey further still and discover the local people performing ancient arts and trades using skills handed down through the generations. Piaggio Vespas are timeless motorbikes perfectly suited to exploring this beautiful and romantic town. Escape the hustle and bustle of the Old Town and enjoy a ride on our classic Vespa taking in the historical culture that has remained largely unchanged through time.

07:30 At your hotel, we meet our drivers, guide and classic vintage Piaggio Vespa.

Then it’s time to jump on, click on your helmet and off we go! Listen to the sounds of this famous engine whir as you start your journey. We pass a coconut palm village and acres of paddy fields making our way to a local ferry on the Thu Bon River.

08:15 We take a trip on the local ferry across the river: bikes and all!

08:30 Disembark and ride to a small fishing hamlet, just in time to see the locals returning with their daily fishing catch. Enjoy watching the fishermen go about their trade and take a photo if you wish. A fundamental part of Vietnamese cuisine is fish sauce, almost every Vietnamese meal contains it. The villagers here make fish sauce daily. We stop our Vespas to learn about this ancient culinary craft enjoying a cup of Vietnamese coffee before we continue our journey.

09:30 Next we set off toward the local market. Touring on foot, we arrive just in time to watch the traders feverishly selling their catch. We then sample some delicious food prepared at the market: “Banh xeo”, “Banh su sê” or  “Xoa xoa”

10:15 Returning to our Vespas to continue the journey to another small village famous for the traditional art of making sleeping mats made of reed.

11:00 Our next stop is the home of a local boat builder who makes basket boats that are synonymous with Vietnam. Their history and the construction techniques are fascinating.

11:30 Making our way to the “Bamboo House” built by a bamboo craftsman, we observe the traditional art of bamboo furniture making. These trades have been handed down through the generations and continue to play a vital role in Hoi An culture. In addition, the craftsman’s wife provides a demonstration of rice flour and noodle making – join in if you like. We take a walk around the village to meet the locals who make fishing nets that are so important to the fishermen and women. Learn how to use the fascinating coracle boats and try to row ourselves. We have time to learn about the life and customs of the locals and observe mat making and weaving. It is very common for the local craftsmen to sing their ancient folk songs as they work. The songs are soothing and relaxing and we take time to enjoy the spell binding music.

While we have been exploring the village, our hosts have prepared a delicious lunch for us to share with them.

13:15 From here, we ride to the dock and board the local boat for our return trip to Hoi An before returning to Hoi An Chic.

14.00 Tour concludes.