Things to do in Hoi An

Grazing your way through Hoi An and the surrounding area is a fascinating way to delve into the region’s distinctive food culture. On this half-day private bicycle tour, you’ll try some of the region’s favourite dishes and learn the story behind them, as well as seeing the countryside around Hoi An. You’ll get a taste of the nation’s favourite sandwich, banh mi, made with mini baguettes and a host of delicious fillings, and help gather herbs in a rural garden for a popular home-style noodle dish that’s part soup, part salad. You’ll visit a family-run eatery in town to try a local delicacy - banh xeo, a type of rice pancake - and join the residents in one of the many tiny riverside restaurants for Hoi An-style grilled dishes and some delightful views of the UNESCO-listed historic quarter. Dessert and tea or coffee in a more tranquil spot is the perfect way to round off the culinary adventure.

• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

Good to know
This trip is suitable for those over the age of 6. While every effort will be made to cater for food allergies or special diets, this may not always be possible.

It’s hard to think of a more enduring souvenir of a visit to Vietnam than being able to make some of its best-loved dishes back home. On this half-day culinary exploration, you’ll start at Hoi An’s lively market, with its heady sights, sounds and smells, where you’ll meet some of the stallholders and learn about the ingredients you’ll be using later. From here, it’s a scenic 25-minute boat ride along the river to the Red Bridge Cooking School - be sure to have your camera to hand. Following a tour of the school’s herb garden, you’ll hear the story behind some famous national and local dishes before the cooking begins in earnest. After a demonstration from the resident chefs, you’ll prepare dishes such as cao lau, made with yellow noodles, pork and pickled hot peppers, and mi quang, another favourite local noodle speciality, before sitting down to eat what you’ve cooked for a memorable lunch.

• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
The class is suitable for families with children aged 6 and above.

There are colourful hanging lanterns everywhere you look in Hoi An’s atmospheric Old Town, a picturesque legacy of the days when this once-important port attracted merchants from China and Japan. On this engaging hands-on workshop, you’ll learn about how the craft took hold here and evolved in its own unique way, gaining an insight into the region’s history and culture along the way. Then it’s time to make your own example, from choosing the shape and picking the silk to learning how to glue it all together and smooth out any creases. At the end of the class, you’ll head off on a short walk around Hoi An - carrying your precious new creation - where you’ll be able to truly appreciate the skill that has gone into making the many lanterns that dot the city. And if you’re wondering how you’re going to get your handiwork home in one piece, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s conveniently foldable.

• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Group experience

Good to know
This workshop is suitable for families with children aged 6 and above.