Hoi An Free Tour | Kim Bong | Tra Que | Cam Thanh Village

“Great bike tour with enthousiastic local university students”

admin — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:01:51 +0000

Can absolutely recommend it.
Tour is done by volunteer english students from danang university.
You are taken to 5 different local spots and a return ferry to an island. (bring your own bicycle)
The real value is in getting to know the students and an insight into local life.

To clear the confusion of the one bad review: the tour is absolutely free. However 50.000 dong is collected up front to pay for the ferry and to pay for donations at the 5 spots you visit (sometimes into peoples homes).

All in all great value. And if you’re up for it the students are happy to have a drink and a bite to eat at a local place afterwards. I had a lot of fun.

Dont hesitate, participate! You help them by conversing in english so they can practice (actual conversation with foreigners is limited to 2 hours a week at their university). They are all fun and energetic, enthousiastic bright young people with good local knowledge. Better than the proffesional scripted tours! Highly recomended.

Source: Tripadvisor.com

“Escape from tourist crowds”

admin — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:50:34 +0000

After reading most of the recent reviews about the Free Bicycle Tours of Hoi An I did not know how I could write anything different that has not been written before on previous reviews only maybe to fine tune a brilliant concept in the first place.
My wife and I are both close to 70 and after a 3 week tour of Cambodia and Vietnam we both agree that this has been the highlight of our holiday and for the small charge for the tour(50,000 dong or $2.50) that we had the pleasure of giving back to the attractions visited, this far eclipsed any thing else that we paid much more on our holiday. Our 2 young guides were absolutely brilliant, they looked after us like we were their parents and being a small group of 2 guides and three participants we were able to ask many questions and receive very informing answers to our questions. This was not all one way traffic as their thirst for knowledge of our language and customs was answered by us to the best of our abilities. We were lucky enough to visit Kim Bong island and it was an absolute pleasure to ride around the many roads and lane ways in the much quieter pace of the island. The attractions we visited on the island were not the tourist attraction type but more a visit to somebody’s house where we were able to gain first hand knowledge of their skills. The only things that maybe could improve this tour would be to have a more visible sign at the meeting point for the tour and maybe to give back to the island people the opportunity to provide a stop for an optional drink or cup of coffee in one of the establishments on the island. This should not cancel out the evaluation of the tour at the end of the tour(with drink or coffee) and is only a suggestion that may be added to a already exceptional tour.

Source: Tripadvisor.com

One of the most memorable tours of our month long trip to Asia! Highly recommended

admin — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:49:58 +0000

We found this tour because of tripadvisor and were not dissappointed! The University students running the tour were very well organized, very enthusiastic and obviously very proud of their city of Hoi An. Their tour allowed us into local homes and villages on the outskirts of town – all accessible by bikes- to observe and participate in local craft production or other day to day life experiences such as planting rice! We saw things that we never would have if we were touring on our own, following a travel guide or with a larger tour company… It was totally different and the experience was excellent! Thank you Bo and all of the other wonderful students! It was a pleasure meeting you! Anna and Rocco.

Source: Tripadvisor.com

we were extremely happy with our students & the tours

admin — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 02:49:16 +0000

We (2 couples) did this tour with 2 fantastic students. I can’t remember their names but they will know from the photos. The was an awesome morning & well worth doing. It is an easy ride which anyone can do. (I’m in my 50′s with heart issues & had no problems) You meet at a kiosk & given instructions on where & what you will do & see along the way. You first ride through town to the jetty to catch the ferry across to the island, mixing it with the locals fitting the bikes/mopeds on board. The “roads” (more like wide pathways) are safe & flat. You get to see how the true locals live & survive. Making the rice noodles & beach mats as their source of income. The people let you into their homes & share this experience with them. Lovely, friendly & beautiful people. You get to learn a bit about the history of Hoi An visiting the temple & the boat building yard. In doing this tour, you are assisting in the education of these students, teaching them a bit of English (or Aussie slang). The only fee is for your boat ride across to the island where the locals live. You can donate to the students tour organisation, if you feel this is warranted. Yes it is….& thank you. The students speak broken english & try very hard to make themselves understood. They are like trainee tour guides, explaining everything along the way & do it very well. There are heaps of photo opportunities along the way. We thought that this tour was one of the highlights of our stay. You finish the tour back at another cafe, where you can purchase a refreshing cool drink. The students give you a survey to fill in, regarding your experience & assessing the students. I know we were extremely happy with our 2 students & the tour. I (we) wish them all the best for their future studies & we would love to do this again

Source: Tripadvisor.com

Free bicycle tour to Tra Que Vegetable village

admin — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 03:28:36 +0000

Tra Que is a charming little village on the edge of Hoi An, the village is famous for its sweet scented & green vegetables that spice up on the daily meals of Hoi An people. The village is about 200 years old. Come here, you will have a chance to discover the art of cultivating and water plants, tasting and doing a cooking class with local dishes prepared by host. You can see a wide variety of organic vegetables growing as well as flowers and other produce. Tra Que Bicycle Tour aims to provide unusual tours that create memories which will remain with you forever. Our FREE tour experiences are heightened by the absence of souvenir sellers along the route so that all you see are the REAL friendly Vietnamese faces. It is truly local culture explore. You can be taught how to make traditional Vietnamese foods at local people’s houses. Besides, you can enjoy the food you made and have lunch with local people.

Highlights:

Visit Ancient Tombstone of Japanese Business which is a clear evidence of international trade relations and cultural exchanges between Japanese and Vietnamese people
Visit the typical paddy field.
Have an insight into the traditional crops as well as key methods for growing plants in Viet Nam.
Joining a worthy growing vegetables activities with local farmers.
Experence as a truly Vietnamese Farmer.
Explore real countryside of Viet Nam
Interact with local people.
Have a practical look at Local people’s daily lives.

Why FREE: Volunteer Students who join you to share their town and practice English
Options: Cooking class (1 USD/ 1 pax)

Include: Local English speaking guide.
Exclude:
- Bicycle rental: 30,000 VND/ 1 day (1.5USD)
- 1 USD for supporting local farmer
- 1 USD if you choose cooking class option
- Hotel pick up & drop off
- Insurance
- Drinks
- Rain Ponchos in case of rain

Essential information
- Departure time: 8.30 AM
- Finish time: 12.00 PM
- Duration: 3.5 hours
- Transportation: bike
- Meeting point: 127 PHAN CHU TRINH st, HOIAN (near Viet Town)
- Only on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
Book online: www.yourlocalbooking.com or email to info@hoianfreetour.com
For local support, you may give a call to our team: Ms Jolie at + 84 979 58 77 44.
Booking Form
- Full Name
- Nationality
- Number of participants
- Travel Date
- Hotel address
- Contact Number
- Special Request
- How do you know about us

Nha Trang Island and Snorkeling Tour 1 day

admin — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:42:41 +0000

Vietnam is the newest dive destination. Nha Trang offers fantastic sites: with over 350 different species of coral, also various and rich underwater life. Hon Mun Marine Park – Mun Island, home of some interesting dive sites, where one of our dive packages will take the adventurer diver. Our diverse choice of dive sites ensures that there is superb diving available for all levels of divers, from the beginner to the highly experienced. The rich variety of Nha Trang’s marine world is guaranteed to make your diving experience an unforgettable highlight of your holidays.

Information:

Departure 8.30 am
Return: 4.00 pm
Duration: full day
Type of tour: Private tour
Departure: Every day

Group	1	2	3 – 5	6 – 9	10 – 14	15 – 19	20 pax up
USD/ pax	104	61	53	47	41	40	39

Hightlights:

Tri Nguyen Aquarium
Tranh Beach
Mun Marine Park
Fishing Village
Con Se Tre Village

Intinerary:

Start from your hotel to Cau Da port. Tri Nguyen Aquarium on Mieu Island is the first place to visit
Mun Island is the best island for snorkeling where you can see lots of lives colorful corals and fish.
Then relaxing, swimming & doing water sports or other activities at Mot Island, Tranh Beach Island or on a small island calling “Mini beach”.
Taking a fresh lunch at the island.
On the way back you will visit a fishing village before going to the shore.

Book online at: www.Yourlocalbooking.com or email to info@Yourlocalbooking.com

Ho Chi Minh City Full Day Tour

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 03:52:40 +0000

Ho Chi Minh city, better known by its former name of Sai Gon, is a brazen, industrious and dense metropolis, the largest city in Vietnam and the business capital of the country. With a population of five million, it is crowded, noisy and dirty, yet it is also exciting and historic, the essence of the nation.

Located on the Sai Gon River on the edge of the Mekong Delta, Sai Gon became the capital of the Republic of South Vietnam and was the American headquarters during the Vietnam War. Two years later the Communist north took control of the country, the city’s name was changed to Ho Chi Minh city, and recession and poverty ansued.

Today Ho Chi Minh city has a cosmopolitan and energetic atmosphere and having actively welcomed the new capitalist principle, the business-mminded spirit of the people is much in evidence. Alhthough relatively modern, it has still managed to hold onto its Asian character, and fine restaurants, smart hotels and chic bars line the sidewalks crammed with noodle stands, market and shoeshine boys. The buzzing of motorbikes and scooters merges with the cries of street vendors and the urgen business of stall owners, selling barbecued dog, writhing snakes and tropical fruits.

Infotmation:

Departure 8.00 AM
Return 5:00 PM
Duration: 8 hours
Tour Type: Private Tour

Group	1pax	2pax	3-4pax	5-7pax	8-10pax
Price/ pax	90 usd	55 usd	40 usd	32 usd	25 usd

Highlights:

Visit of the city’s main shrines and museums
Enjoy authentic Vietnamese market atmosphere at Ben Thanh Market
Witness the major sights of colonial Hochiminh city

Initerary:

War Remnants Museum: it displays old military equipment and other related items from the Vietnam War.
Visit Chinatown with stops at the lively Cholon and Binh Tay markets to see the locals bartering for wares.
Thien Hau temple: the goddess of seafarers. It is considered to be one of the most ancient Chinese temples.
After lunch, continue on your sightseeing tour.
Reunification Palace: formerly known as the Presidential Palace was the sight of South Vietnam’s surrender in April 1975.
Notre Dame Cathedral: This is a beautiful red brick cathedral in the Paris Square and a beautiful example of French colonial architecture.
Giac Lam: is the oldest pagoda in Sai Gon, built in the 17th century.
General Post Office
Ben Thanh Market
The tour ends at 5:00PM

Book online at: www.Yourlocalbooking.com or email to info@Yourlocalbooking.com

MeKong Delta Tour 3Days

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 04:21:31 +0000

The Mekong Delta is the bottom haft of Vietnam’s two rice baskets ( the other being the Red River Delta in the North). This vast delta is formed by the deposition of the multiple tentacles and tributaries of the mightly Mekong River which has its origin in the Tibetan highland plateau 2,800 miles away. From its source, the river makes its way through China , Myanmar
( Burma), Laos, Cambodia, and South Vietnam before flowing out into the South China Sea. The Mekong’s Vietnamese name, Cuu Long, means Nine Dragons for the nine mouths that terminate the flow of this great river as it is absorbed by the sea.

The people of the South Vietnam are often very proud of the richness and vastness of this land. When referring to the rice fields in this area, they often say ”co bay thang canh”, meaning the land is so large the the cranes can stretch thier wings as they fly. Today, the region is one of Vietnam’s highest producer of rice crops, vegetable and fruits.

Information:

Departure 8.00 AM

Return 7:00 PM

Duration: 3 days 2 nights

Price: 120 usd/pax (join tour)

Code: MK 3 MT-BT

Hightlights:

Visit Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating market in Mekong River.
Find out the life of local people there
Visit the My Tho wholesale fruit market
You can see how coconut candy, crispy rice cake and ceramic are made here
You can freely taste many famous tropical fruits of Vietnam and watch locals’ daily chores
Visit rice husking milk and a rice noodle making shop.
Visit crocodile farm
Visit the Thot Not Bird Sanctuary and Sam Mountain
Visit the ancient largest Mosques of Cham community in An Giang
Enjoy a boat cruise up the Tonle Sap River

Intinerary:

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh – My Tho – Ben Tre – Chau Doc ( L / _ )

7:30 AM Pick up at your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (to be advised). Depart for My Tho.
Take a leisurely boat ride through the Bao Dinh natural canal which is bordered by traditional stilt houses and fruit plantation.
Visit the My Tho wholesale fruit market. Proceed to the Tortoise island.
Lunch served in the heart of the orchard.
Enjoy a boat ride through the Tan Thach natural canal in Ben Tre, cruising under the shadows of the water coconut trees.
Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle.
After trekking through the fruit plantations on Thoi Son island, enjoy a rowing boat ride along the creeks before returning to My Tho by motor boat.
Proceed to Chau Doc. Check in on arrival. Visit the Sam Mountain and the caved pagoda, Enjoy the sunset over the Vietnamese-Cambodian Frontier.
Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight at your chosen hotel in Chau Doc.

Day 2: Chau Doc – Long Xuyen – Can Tho ( B / L )

Breakfast at the hotel.
Take a morning boat trip to visit the floating fish farm and the Cham weaving village.
Depart for Can Tho via Long Xuyen. Visit the Bang Lang bird sanctuary, the incense stick village and the crocodile farm.
Check in on arrival. Free in the evening.
Dinner on guest’s account. Overnight your chosen hotel in Cantho.

Day 3: Phong Dien – Cai Rang ( B / L )

Breakfast at the hotel
Take the morning boat trip to visit the Phong Dien floating market which is at its liveliest at this time of day.
Keep cruising through the small channels system, stopping off to visit a rice noodle making village. Experience the “Monkey Bridge” in the Delta.
Visit a second floating market (Cai Rang).
Break for lunch. Return to Ho Chi Minh City via Vinh Long to visit the local snake market.
Finish the trip at your hotel around 5pm. End of services.

Book online at: www.Yourlocalbooking.com or email to info@yourlocalbooking.com

MeKong Delta Tour: Cai Rang & Phong Dien Floating Market

admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:06:41 +0000

Phong Dien Floating Maket is about 20 kilometres southwest of Can Tho, the best floating market in Mekong Delta. Boat loaded with produce from nearby orchards of the Mekong Delta converge to the floating market. They carry mostly fruits but also coconuts, vegetables and fishes. Buyers are local traders with bigger boats snapping everything by the bushels and resell at local markets or to wholesale dealers from big cities, often for a handsome profit.

Large floating markets are not complete without its floating restaurants, floating gas stations and occsional tour boat filled with tourists.

Perhaps the best floating market in the Mekong Delta, Phong Dien has fewer motorised craft and more stand-up rowing boat. It’s less crowded than Cai Rang and there are far fewer tourists. The market is at its bustling best between 6am and 8am.

It is theoretically possible to do a whirl-wind boat trip here, visitting a small canals on the way and fishing back at the Cai Rang floating market. This journey should take approximately five hours return from Can Tho.

Information:

Departure 8.00-8.20 AM
Return 7:00 PM
Duration: 2 days
Category: Sightseeing Tour
Price: 65 USD/ Pax (Homestay, join tour), 75 USD/ pax (hotel, join tour)

Group	1pax	2pax	3-4pax	5-7pax	8-10pax
Price	280 usd	155 usd	115 usd	90 usd	80 usd

Hightlights:

You will have chance to visit Cai Rang floating market in Mekong River.
You will find out the life of local people there
You can see how coconut candy, crispy rice cake and ceramic are made here
You can freely taste many famous tropical fruits of Vietnam and watch locals’ daily chores
Visit rice husking milk and a rice noodle making shop.

Intinerary:

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City – My Tho – Ben Tre – Can Tho (L)

7:30 AM Pick up at your hotel in HCMC. Depart for My tho.
Take a leisurely boat ride through the Bao Dinh natural canal which is bordered by rows of traditional stilt houses and fruit plantations.
Visit the My Tho wholesale fruit market. Proceed to Tortoise island.
Lunch served in the heart of the orchard.
Enjoy a boat ride through the Tan Thach natural canal in Ben Tre, cruising under the shadows of the water coconut trees.
Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle.
After trekking through the fruit plantation on Thoi Son island, enjoy a rowing boat ride along the creeks before returning to My Tho by motor boat.
Proceed to Can Tho. Dinner on guest’s account.

Option 1: Stay in a hotel in Can Tho

Overnight at your chosen hotel in Can Tho. (Family home stay can be arranged on request.)

Free to explore the city on your own in the afternoon.

Option 2: Stay in a homestay in Can Tho

You will stay in Homestay instead of hotel in Can Tho. You will be transferred by motor boat to a small village in Cai Rang district. Check into your riverside cottage.
In the afternoon, go cycling or trekking around the village to experience the rural lifestyle of the Mekong Delta people.
Join a family as they prepare dinner, then share the meal with them. Enjoy an evening of traditional folk music with your neighbors.
Overnight in your riverside cottage.

Day 2: Phong Dien – Cai Rang (B/L)

7.00 am: Have breakfast at hotel
Visit Phong Dien floating market
Cruise through small channels system and visit a rice noodle making village.
Visit a rice husking mill
Experience the “Monkey Bridge” in the Delta. Visit a second floating market (Cai Rang)
Break for lunch. Return to Ho Chi Minh City.

Book online at: www.Yourlocalbooking.com or email to info@yourlocalbooking.com

HUE – DMZ TOUR

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:38:59 +0000

During Vietnam – American War, the Ben Hai river was demarcation line between North and South Vietnam. This make a Demilitarized Zone of five km each from the river. However during the war, the South area of DMZ was one of the most bloodiest battlefield. This tour to DMZ will take you back to the war sites, including: Ben Hai river, Hien Luong Bridge, Vinh Moc Tunnel, Khe Sanh Combat, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Dong Ha Town, Rock Pile. Last but no least, you will have chance to visit Van Kieu ethnic minorities people in the Central of Vietnam.

Information:

Daily departure at 08h00
Return 4:00 PM
Duration: 8 hours

No of pax

2-3

4-6

7-9

10-12

Price

(USD/ pax)

160

105

Hightlights:

Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River
Visit the Vinh Moc Tunnels
Khe Sanh Combat Base, Takon Airport
Suitable for those who want to learn about the severe Vietnam War

Intinerary:

The DMZ tour departs in the morning for a ride on HW1 heading North for Quang Tri Town.
En route, visit the Dong Hung Church Ruins.
Visit to some infamous places in the Vietnam War such as Doc Mieu and Con Tien Bases, the McNamara Fence, Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River – the 17th Parallel.
Visit the Vinh Moc Tunnels – known as “the Underground City”.
Lunch and relax at Cua Tung Beach.
In the afternoon, take the HW 9 to visit the Rock Pile, Dakrong Bridge and Bru ethnic minority village, Khe Sanh Combat Base, Takon Airport, which are the main battle in 1968 of VC & US troops.
Back to Hue City in the late afternoon.

Book online at: www.Yourlocalbooking.com or email to info@yourlocalbooking.com