Cycling in Hoi An: Rental, Where to Cycle and Tours

Bicycle Rental in Hoi An

Places to Hire a Bicycle in Hoi An

Hiring a bicycle in Hoi An is simple, convenient and inexpensive. These are places travelers can go to, see and select the bicycles:

– Hotel: if not free to use, please ask the reception to hire a bicycle

– Roadside shops: it’s possible to see many shops around the hotel or in the Old town

– Cycling tour organizers: travelers can search top companies who specialized in cycling tours to ask for rental

– Online: travelers can see providers in the internet (Google, social media, etc) or contact us directly via whatsapp number +84968009827 (we have mountain bikes (MTB) for rent only).

Note: Tourists usually don’t have to show the passport to hire a bicycle in Hoi An. Just give providers a full payment and remember the address to return it in the end of the trip. 

Prices

Travelers will pay from 50,000 to 150,000 VND for one regular bicycle (with a front basket) for one day. Paying in advance is required because it’s not much. The bicycle has a number or sign with name of the shop (or hotel) to recognize, and to keep the bicycle from being stolen, the owners give tourists a lock. Helmet, water, rain poncho or bicycle pump is excluded. If like to use the bicycle with gears (such as mountain bike, hydrid bike), the price is higher because the quality and the experience are nicer. Hotels and roadside shops usually don’t have it, so please contact professional cycling companies and we suggest chatting online with them first. 

Where to Cycle in Hoi An?

Hoi An Ancient Town Heritage

Visitors can ride the bicycle around Hoi An’s ancient town world heritage area anytime during the day. On the contrary, motorbikes are banned in many hours. If the bicycles are not in the hotel or somewhere else nearby, we recommend going to this area directly, and rent a bicycle there. The price ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 VND for one day. 

The best times to cycle in Hoi An ancient town is in the morning. In this part of the day, there are not so many tourists, making the streets more peaceful. Between 9 and 11:30 am, motorcycles still go around, so bicycle riders should pay more attention on traffic. At sightseeing places or coffee shops or restaurants, it’s possible to park in their ground, without fees. Keep in mind to lock the bike to have the extra security. To enter the Hoi An Central market or try local foods, parking service is available outside, around the entrance/the well (Tran Phu St). In the surroundings of this place, especially Tieu La St and Bach Dang St, it’s crowded. We recommend walking with the bicycle to move easier and see up-close local products and vendors. You can buy something and put them in the front basket.

Another good time to tour the Hoi An ancient town is between 3 and 5:30 pm. Motorbikes are not in the town already in this period, and crowds of tourists don’t appear yet. Sightseeing places (such as temples, preserved houses, museums) still open until 6 pm. Parking service is available up to 10 pm, therefore in later times, visitors can leave the bicycle there and walk. To head back to the hotel, can use it again.  

On the other hand, bicycle riders should avoid the peak hours that stretch from 5:30 to 9:30 pm. Different from morning or late afternoon, there are so many tourists in Hoi An old town, especially by the river. No surprises that it’s difficult to ride through crowds and not safe. Cyclos – the 3-wheeled bicycle taxis also move fast here, and even pedestrians feel nervous while they are behind. Please pay attention when you are on the street!

Beaches of Hoi An

Beaches of Hoi An are not far, so many visitors like to cycle to the beach. In general, the route to get there is flat and easy to navigate (seriously don’t have to use the maps occasionally!). 

From the town (or the Old town), visitors should go on Hai Ba Trung St to reach An Bang beach (the distance is around 4 km). Here, the finest stretch of sand in Hoi An is found. It’s sided by seafood restaurants and chilly clubs. In the dry season, water sports are available. Before see the beach, visitors will see rice fields with water buffalos, farmers and lotus ponds. Although a bicycle lane is designated already for Hai Ba Trung St, visitors still need to pay attention on traffic. We advise keep a moderate speed to guarantee the safety. If start the ride from Cam Chau, it’s possible to see small backroads through rice fields to avoid the highways. These ways are chosen by local companies for their cycling tours. 

Cua Dai beach is further (6km), and the quickest road to get there is via Cua Dai St. Here, visitors can park in the service areas with a fee (5,000 VND) and walk to the wateredge then. These are what to expect: spacious and clean sandy expanses to lie on, relax or get tanned, warm and safe water to go swimming, restaurants to buy cold drinks and food. To see more activities, we advise coming to An Bang beach.

The Hidden beach has a couple of sun lounges and small bar selling cold beers and snacks. Tan Thanh beach is home to beachclubs and a water sport center to hire boards.

Cam Kim Island

Cam Kim island is to the south of Hoi An ancient town, on the other side of Thu Bon river. Here, visitors will see rural villages (Kim Bong carpentry village, Tra Nhieu fishing village, etc), rice fields, vegetable gardens and palm forests. Traffic is not high on main roads of Cam Kim island, and laneways or smaller ones, travelers will see no traffic. There are many routes running through endless rice fields or along tranquil waters. If join a tour, local guide will take visitors to the house of local families to see and know about their life. In artisan’s house, a mini handicraft making class is included. Please see more details about Cam Kim island bicycle tours below.  

From Hoi An, to enter Cam Kim island, travelers need to cycle across the old Cam Kim bridge (iron bridge), the new Cam Kim bridge or use a boat ferry. 

See more information about this island in https://centralvietnamguide.com/cam-kim-island.

Tra Que Vegetable Village

Tra Que vegetable village is between the Old town and An Bang beach. It’s established in 16th century, and since then, local inhabitants have grown veggies and herbs to sell for local markets. Nowadays, their set of farming techniques are traditional, organic and unchanged. That’s why it’s preserved by the government.

From the Old town, travelers just need to cycle on Hai Ba Trung Rd, through rice fields to go to Tra Que vegetable village. This road devides it into two, the west and the east sections. Bumps are designated on it to slow down the cars, buses and motorbikes, and guarantee the safety for bicycle riders. From Hai Ba Trung Rd, just need to ride in any laneways to see the vegetable gardens. Farmers are always there (especially early morning or late afternoon) and they are happy if visitors want to visit their farms. 

If invest more in researching, visitors can find backroads to go to Tra Que village from the town. There, traffic is lower, and beauty spots are along them.  

My Son Sanctuary

My Son sanctuary is a complex of ancient Hindu temples built by brick and stone, some 40 km away from Hoi An. It’s one of the most important religious archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. In 1999, Unesco inscribed this place as a world hertage site. See full details in https://centralvietnamguide.com/my-son-sanctuary/.

To escape from busy traffic and see a real countryside, we recommend going with a local guide who knows the area very well. See more information in ‘My Son sanctuary bike tour’ in the below section.

Hai Van Pass

Hai Van pass is 60 km north of Hoi An. It’s a 20-kilometers-long coastal road in a spectacular spur of the Annamite range jutting into the sea. A ride here is the dream for many travelers. Of course, it’s needed to use a bicycle better than the regular one to win the high terrain and experience the stunning twists. This place is popular for day trips by car, motorbike, jeep or even train. Several tourists also request to have a bicycle tour from Hoi An to Hue as a transfer. 

From Hoi An, we recommend riding along the coastlines to Hai Van pass (and across Han river by Thuan Phuoc bridge). This route is such beautiful and provides many photo opportunities. At the top, there is a medieval fortress and American bunkers. In the other side, Lang Co’s lagoon is picteresque. 

Son Tra Mountain (Monkey Mountain)

To the northeast of Da Nang city, Son Tra mountain (peninsula) is 35 km away from Hoi An. It’s a nature reserve where a rich biodiversity and untouched forests are seen. The most famous wild animal here is the red shancked douc, one of the rarest langurs on our planet. 

From Hoi An, the best road to cycle to Monkey mountain is the coastal road. It’s named Lac Long Quan in Hoi An, and Truong Sa, Vo Nguyen Giap, Hoang Sa in Da Nang city. Besides a lower traffic, visitors will enjoy seeing white-sandy beaches behind coconut trees. The most beautiful drive is from the Premier Village resort to Son Tra mountain (it’s also very breezy!). 

In Son Tra mountain, there are 2 routes to choose from: the lower road and the upper road. To climb to the summit (700 meters above sea level), it’s needed to go on the upper road. For a breezy ride, the southern coast is the best choice.

Bicycle Tours in Hoi An

Tra Que Village Bicycle Tour

Not far from Hoi An ancient town, Tra Que village has many vegetable and herb gardens. Local people do believe that veggies grown here are of the best quality in the area. They use them to make Hoi An’s specialty dishes, and see them as must-have ingredients. Today, the farming tradition is preserved by government. 

A cycling tour to Tra Que vegetable village allows visitors to explore the Vietnamese village and rural sceneries at a slower pace. Instead of highways, backroads and small laneways are to ride on. In the rice fields, it’s possible to see farmers, water buffalos and a Japanese merchant tomb. At the village, visitors will visit the garden of a local family and learn about different kinds of local herb. One member of the host family will show the guests how to grow vegetables traditionally. If request, a cooking class to make Vietnamese foods with your hands or a foot massage can be included. Please contact us via whatsapp number +84968009827 for more details and the price.   

Tra Que Village and Cam Thanh Coconut Village Tour

Tra Que village is to the north of Hoi An and Cam Thanh ‘coconut’ village is to the east. These rural communities are the highlights of the town’s countryside. Depending on the weather or location of your hotel, which village first is personal.

In Cam Thanh village, visitors will experience a basket boat ride through a vast, well-preserved water coconut forest. It’s unique to Hoi An. During this expedition, local people paddle the special boat on canals, see the spinning boat performance, join a karaoke on the river, watch fisherman catching fish by throwing the net or go crab fishing (for pleasure). Additionally, have chance to try village’s special dish – water coconut sweet soup. Visitors will ride through a peaceful coutryside to get to the next village.

In Tra Que village, a farmer experience is provided. Firstly, the guide will take visitors to visit a local family, meet the members, and know about the herbs they plant in the garden. One of them is the teacher who shows long-standing techniques to grow herb babies, his/her daily work. To return to to the hotel, visitors go on backroads through rice fields. 

Please read more details in Hoi An countryside tour.

Cam Kim Island

Cam Kim island is to the other side of Thu Bon river, opposite to Hoi An old town. It’s known as one of the last pieces of country that is non tourist in the area. Here, local inhabitants have lived with traditional ways of life and culture.  

After riding across the river, visitors will enjoy a sense of peacefulness in rural villages first. From village to village, there are breezy rice fields and colorful vegetable gardens. Besides the scenery, the tour alllows visitors to know insights of the daily life of islanders. The guide takes visitors to houses of local families in which the owners make rice wine, raise animals, produce handicraft things, make noodles, etc. If possible, the guests have a chance to try their hands. Sure, family members are happy to what how to do and how to do. In the noodle workshop, will try a noodle dish (called Mi Quang) that is cooked by the host family.       

Please see further details in our Cam Kim island bicycle tour. 

Hai Van Pass Bike Tour

Those who love discoveries, Hai Van pass can’t be missed. It’s known as the best coastal road in the country (and recommended by foreign travel magazines). Travelers need a professional bike and a mechanic (guide) who assists them during the journey. He has many experiences and stories to tell.  

Local companies allow travelers riding from Hoi An to Hai Van pass and vice versa, or just one way (the returning way with a car). Please contact us via whatsapp number +84968009827 or centralvietnamguide@gmail.com if you like to book a Hai Van pass bike tour from Hoi An or just an English speaking mechanic-guide.

My Son Sanctuary Bike Tour

The cycling tour to My Son sanctuary from Hoi An is often half-day. It departs in the morning and on the way to the Unesco world heritage site, visitors will ride through small villages, rice fields and across rivers by iron bridge or bamboo bridge. In My Son, the guide introduces the temples and their history. This complex was the holy land of Champa kingdom’s emperors from 4th to 13rd centuries. 

Self-Guided Bicycle Tours in Hoi An

Visitors can hire a bicycle or take one from the hotel to explore different parts of Hoi An by their own. Please read ‘where to cycle in Hoi An’ below to know all popular places for a cycling tour or browse our separate article about self-guided bicycle tours in Hoi An via https://centralvietnamguide.com/hoi-an-self-guided-bicycle-tour.