A kayaking trip is one of the most unique ways to see the lovely city of Hoi An in central Vietnam. Whereas most visitors will only walk the crowded streets of Old Town at night, a fascinating kayaking trip through the rivers and around the islands of Hoi An will give you the ultimate experience of the area. Therefore, outdoor adventurers will enjoy this off-the-beaten-track paddle through the “real” Hoi An.
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Where is Hoi An?
Hoi An is located in central Vietnam, on the country’s eastern coast. It sits along the Thu Bon River, about 19 miles (30 kilometers) south of the city of Da Nang.
Hoi An was established as a bustling trading port in the 15th to 19th centuries. Merchants from all over Asia and Europe traded here. Hoi An’s architecture reflects this blend, featuring Chinese temples, Japanese merchant houses, and French colonial buildings. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, Hoi An retains its charm with lantern-lit streets, vibrant markets, and delectable cuisine.
The best time to visit is from February to April when the weather is mild. Kayaking is excellent during these months, but it’s also possible to paddle all year round.
Kayaking Trip around Hoi An
The premier kayak company in the area is Hoi An Kayak Tours. I did their day kayaking tour called Hoi An River Life Kayak Explorer. The trip is designed for more adventurous paddlers who want to see the local river life on the Thu Bon River. The trip covers 13-15 km (8-9 miles) over 5.5 hours. Experienced paddlers or adventurous beginners will enjoy the paddling workout. Don’t worry, there are other more leisurely tours for those who don’t want to paddle so far.
The trip starts with a pick-up at your hotel and transport to the kayak company headquarters on the Thu Bon River. I was fetched by a motorbike driven by Tam, the guide. Larger groups will have a car to bring them to the beginning of the trip
Firstly, the guide explained the route and showed it on a map on the wall. Hoi An is made up of many islands with tributaries of the main river flowing around them. The paddling tour would take us through tiny rivers and the major river thoroughfares with the traditional boat traffic. We would also kayak along the waterfront of Old Town Hoi An.
After that, Tam teaches holding the paddle, the basic strokes, and the safety needed to navigate the route. He is a very thoughtful guide with sensitivity to what each participant needs.
Hoi An Kayak Tours Equipment
The company provided a dry bag, a comfortable life jacket, and bottled water. The equipment they use is top-of-the-line for kayak companies. The sit-inside plastic kayaks looked new. The paddles were comfortable and adjustable. The seats in the kayaks were adjustable and provided good back support. No spray skirts are used on the trip. However, as it is flat water paddling, they are not necessary. They also have sit-upon kayaks for rental if you don’t want to do a tour.
Kayaking Along the Hoi An Waterfront
Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage site that preserves a typical Asian trading port from the 15th century. Ships from Portugal, China, Japan, and other countries considered Hoi An a major trading center of Southeast Asia. In fact, Hoi An translates as “peaceful meeting place”.
Seeing the historic old town from water level was remarkable. Boats festooned with colorful lanterns were docked along the seawall. The primary colors of the lantern boats contrasted with the browns and yellows of the cityscape. It was a unique way to see the city, rather than from the crowded sidewalks. It was peaceful in the morning as merchant swept out their stores and waited for the throngs to arrive.
Tam told me how Hoi An used to be a major port with a huge harbor. But typhoon storms brought sand in and created a new island that cut off the trading port. The new island is covered with stores for tourism, as about 90% of the people in Hoi An work in the tourism industry.
All manner of boats are docked by the old city waterfront. Some old fishing boats were now turned into lantern boats for tourists to ride out to the ocean and back. There were also small boats paddled by one oar that brought tourists out to float lanterns on the water at night.
After gliding along the Hoi An waterfront, we headed back out the river to a large channel where we stopped at a little riverside coffee shop to have an iced coffee and use the water closet.
Fishing on the Thu Bon River
As we started kayaking along the Thu Bon River, there were huge fishing nets suspended by poles above the water. Tam explained that the nets are used at night. They have an electrical cord with a light attached to the top of the net. The light in the water attracts the fish when the nets are lowered. The fisherman winches the nets up from the shore full of fish. Then, the fisherman goes out in their boat to empty the fish through a hole in the net into the boat. The fish are sold at the fish market in town.
Sometimes the fishermen use the net during the day but it’s pure luck if the fish enter the net. Therefore, night is the preferred time for fishing.
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The Estuaries of Hoi An
The Hoi An area has many islands. Some islands have cows and ducks that provide a livelihood for the local people. The rich alluvial soil supports vegetable farming. Brilliant blue kingfishers, storks, and egrets flew about as we paddled the estuaries.
The riverbanks are covered with nipa palms in the smaller estuaries. These long, feathery palm leaves are used for thatching the roofs of traditional homes. We saw people cutting the palm fronds along the river shores. The palms are dried and used as roofing material because it is strong and water-resistant.
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The Craft Village
Soon we turned the corner and explored a smaller channel. Along the way were fish farms where the local people farmed red snapper in their pens.
The area was remote and surrounded by coco and nipa palms. It was a feeling of being in the countryside, quiet and green, far from the frantic streets of Old Hoi An.
Soon we pulled up to visit the craft village. Hoi An has many craft villages scattered around the islands and mainland. Traditional handicrafts such as pottery, bronze casting, lantern making, and carpentry, and silk making are flourishing in these craft villages. I paddled to the Tra Nhieu craft village specializing in mat weaving.
As we walked along through the village, Tam pointed out different trees and vegetation. He snapped off a piece of lemongrass for me to smell. Then he offered some basil to try. He talked about the morning glory plants, an important vegetable in dishes and soups made by Vietnamese cooks.
We visited two local women weaving a colorful mat. They harvest the sedges from the nearby swamp. Next, they dry them for a few days. Finally, they dye them in beautiful primary colors. The mat weaving takes two people. One operates the loom and the other uses a stick to push the strands through the loom. I tried it but it was quite difficult, especially compared to the pro weavers. I bought a small mat for about $4 USD. The larger ones are $8 USD.
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Other Hoi An Kayak Tours
Hoi An Kayak Tours does several tours that are shorter than the one I did. You can either book directly through the company or Viator.
The Coco Palm and Craft Village trip is a mini version of the day-long trip I did. You paddle on tiny rivers through the magical coco palm forests. After that, you stroll through the craft village of the mat weavers. It’s only 2 hours and beginning kayakers would enjoy it.
They also have a trip where you can bike around the quiet villages and then kayak on the rivers around Hoi An.
The company has popular sunrise and sunset tours. The 4:30 am sunrise tour goes to the ocean beach to see the sun peek above the horizon. They also visit the local fish market and the coco palm forest on the way back.
The sunset tour is a one-way trip to the Hoi An waterfront at dusk. You will see the golden hour sights along the river before watching the sunset over the old town. The lantern boats all aglow make this a truly magical paddle for the whole family.
River Cleanup
Hoi An Kayak Tours started Hoi An Clean Up, a non-profit community organization, to beautify the river. Litter is a problem all over Vietnam. Therefore this organization is committed to fostering environmental awareness to create a healthy river. They sponsor river clean-ups every Saturday morning on the Thu Bon River. Compared to other rivers in Vietnam, the trash-free Thu Bon River is incredible to experience.
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Logistics of Kayaking in Hoi An Tour
Fly into DaNang airport to get to Hoi An. It’s about a 45-minute drive from the airport to Hoi An city. It’s best to book your transportation to Hoi An beforehand so when you arrive jetlagged in DaNang, it’s all taken care of. I use 12GoAsia to book a taxi in advance. Your driver will be holding a sign with your name at arrivals for you. A welcome sight in an unfamiliar place.
Accommodation in Hoi An
Accommodations in Hoi An range from homestays to luxury resorts. I choose a hotel outside the hustle and bustle of the city. The Quin Riverside Villa was my favorite hotel in all my travels in Vietnam. It is a peaceful hotel with a garden sitting area to enjoy the delicious breakfast offered to guests. The staff were so sweet and helpful. Plus, it was a short bike ride away from the city (they have free bikes). The highlight of my stay there was seeing water buffalo grazing by the river one morning.
Staying in touch with home
I’ve become a fan of E-sim cards for communication on international trips. An E-sim card can be bought on-line and easily installed on your phone before you travel. When you reach your destination, you simply turn on the E-sim in your settings and you have data to use when you are away from Wifi. There is certainly abundant Wifi in Vietnam, but when you are on a river or another outdoor adventure, an E-sim is essential.
I use an Airalo E-sim card for all my international travels. They are significantly less expensive than my phone carrier international charges. Plus, it’s easy to top them off when you run low on data.
Suggested Gear for a Kayaking Day Trip
My recommended essential gear for a warm weather kayaking day trip with links to where to buy it.
Clothes
Wide brim hat or baseball cap
Long-sleeved synthetic shirt or rash guard for sun protection
Gear
Sunglasses with floating retainer
Wrap Up of Kayaking in Hoi An
Hoi An is a gorgeous and well-loved city in Vietnam known for its historic old town and colorful lanterns adorning the streets and waterfront. However, Hoi An also has stunning natural and cultural beauty outside the old town. The best way to immerse yourself is with a kayak trip through the river channels near Hoi An. Certainly, the life on the river you encounter kayaking is representative of the quiet side of Hoi An.
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I was a guest of Hoi An Kayak Tours. I was not paid or asked to write a positive review. All opinions are from my honest experience.
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6 Comments
Shweta · May 9, 2024 at 1:48 am
We did a fun coracle ride on the same river (those traditional round boats). But now that my daughter is older, if we go back to central Vietnam, I would like to try a kayaking tour. Much longer and a great experience.
Angela · May 9, 2024 at 5:13 am
I have been to Hoi An, and it is my favourite place in Vietnam. However, I was unaware you could do kayaking tours, so your article was interesting. I’m not great at kayaking as I usually end up going in circles but I think I would give it another go if I went back to Hoi An.
Anja · May 9, 2024 at 6:25 am
I have not been to Vietnam, but I would buy this immediately. Looks a lot less crowded than on land, and what a unique way to discover Hoi An!
Katie · May 9, 2024 at 12:53 pm
I’ve not been to Vietnam, but this looks like a lovely place to visit. I would want to do both the sunrise and sunset tour
Gallivanting Laura · May 10, 2024 at 11:20 am
I’ve yet to visit Vietnam but this looks like a wonderful way to see Hoi An. I love getting out onto the water so this is a perfect activity, thanks for sharing.
Karen · May 16, 2024 at 12:19 pm
It is beautiful to see the rural countryside around Hoi An.