Hoi An Sunrise Tour: Hidden Villages & Humans Of Real Hoi An

Sue was an amazing tour guide, and I truly enjoyed the experience! I usually hesitate to join tours, as some can feel a little too staged or touristy. However, after feeling a bit overwhelmed by Hoi An’s touristy side, I decided to give this one a try — and it exceeded my expectations! Even in a relatively short time, I was able to catch a glimpse of everyday life in Hoi An and experience a more authentic side of the town. Thank you again, Billy and Sue, for such a wonderful experience!

We had such a wonderful time on the sunrise tour. We got to see many cool things and meet many people we wouldn’t normally. Sue was a great tour guide as well and made it very fun!

BOOK IT! (And if you can, ask for Su!!) this was EASILY one of the highlights of my entire Vietnam trip and l stayed in 3 cities. I truly felt immersed in the culture without feeling uncomfortable or like a tourist. Su was an amazing guide and had so much knowledge about the villages we visited while also lowkey being a comedian LOL! She was so sweet and made our group feel right at home! Even if you're not an early riser, it wasn't a strenuous activity. I did it on my last day and it was the perfect way to wind down, while also experiencing the real Vietnamese culture. I would highly recommend if you want to feel/eat like a local!!

Out of our entire trip to Vietnam, this tour was easily the highlight. We didn't think it could be this good, but it went far beyond our expectations! The overall experience was absolutely amazing. ​Tham, our tour guide, is truly one of a kind. She was extremely accommodating, attentive to our every need, and made sure we were comfortable throughout the entire trip. Thanks to her, we got to experience Hoi An from a local's perspective rather than just as tourists. ​This tour comes with our highest recommendation!

If you want to experience the authentic, beating heart of Hoi An far away from the tourist crowds, this sunrise tour is an absolute must-do. Billy’s team made everything completely seamless by picking us up right at our hotel door early in the morning and dropping us back off after the tour, making our morning completely stress-free! Our guide, Tham, was exceptionally knowledgeable, warm, and friendly, sharing fascinating insights at every stop. Every part of the morning was packed with memorable highlights: • Breathtaking Sunrise at Cua Dai River Bridge: We started our journey watching the sun rise over the water at Cua Dai Bridge—pure, peaceful magic as the day began. • Delightful Farm Visit: We loved stopping by the local farm where we got to feed the ducks, pigs, and goats—such a fun, hands-on experience! • Vibrant Market, Delicious Pho & Vietnamese Coffee: We explored a lively local morning market full of color and energy, enjoyed a bowl of hot, delicious local pho, and visited a cozy local coffee shop to sip on authentic Vietnamese coffee. • Fascinating Village & Artisan Stops: -Fish Sauce Crafting: We learned how traditional local fish sauce (nước mắm) is made. -Rice Wine & Mat Weaving: We visited local family homes to see how traditional rice wine is distilled and tried our hand at traditional sedge mat weaving. -Rice Noodle Making: We stopped by a local family to learn how traditional rice noodles are handmade from scratch. From start to finish, the seamless coordination, rich cultural depth, hands-on activities, and Tham’s fantastic guidance made this the absolute highlight of our trip. We cannot recommend Billy’s team and this tour enough!

This was our second tour with Billy Vietnam Travel and it did not disappoint ... it was amazing! :-) Our tour guide, Sue, is one of the best guides in Hoi An! We got to visit so many interesting places in the countryside villages, seeing how local people live and work. We really enjoyed visiting the local fish markets at sunrise and then having breakfast at a local village market. We also really enjoyed visiting each small family business and learning how things were made including fish sauce, rice wine, reed mats, and rice noodles. It's a very "hands on" tour ... you get to try lots of different things! A big thank you to Sue for another fantastic tour! ;-) Will definitely be recommending this tour to our friends when we get home. :-)

I was fortunate enough to have my tour guide Men all to myself after my partner became sick. She was so accomodating and made it such a great solo experience for me. I felt very well looked after and I felt such an easy bond with her. Very knowledgeable and my top experience in Hoi An by far. Where they take you has no tourists and get to see where several things are made in Hoi An. Would do again and again and recommend to anyone who is interested in getting to see the real Hoi An. Thanks again 🙏

Fantastic tour. Get to the REAL Hoi A life, far from the tourist scams. This is what travel is all about. Special thanks to Tham, our lovely, knowledgeable guide. It’s so worth it.

This was the most unique tour I have been on! You skip the touristy areas in Hoi An and visit local villages to try amazing food, learn more about the history and culture, and get to try special hands on activities. Tham was an amazing tour guide. She was warm, friendly, attentive, and made sure we were all having a great time. I'm not a morning person and think this tour was worth it to wake up early for. The pacing was great and this tour was an unforgettable experience! I highly recommend it!

Sue is amazing guide and very pleasant person. Highly recommend, the experience is really authentic ❤️

Today I did this sunrise tour with Tham as the tour guide and Ha as one of the motorbike drivers. It was just me and another guest so it really felt like a private tour. We got super lucky with the weather because it was really sunny, so the other guest and I got driven on motorbikes. The first stop was one of the prettiest sunrise I’ve seen in a long time. Then our route was: fishing village, pho, farmers market, rice noodles, salted coffee with a view of the water, mat weaving and rice wine. We ended up spending around 6 hours for the whole trip and, even though it was sunny and hot, I never felt rushed by Tham. She answered all my questions about local life and had such an infectious energy, even though it was so early in the morning. I also loved that Tham really knows the locals!! Not only did she have banter with everyone we encountered, she made us feel immersed in local life by introducing people to us and translating. Some examples of little anecdotes that really shed light on Hoi An: she told us the story about Mr Duy and how he came to have his rice wine shop, about things that happened in her neighborhood this week, about the family that weaves bed mats and what their day to day looks like. She really made the surrounding area of Hoi An come alive. Tham drove the other guest while Ha drove me on a motorbike. She’s a really safe driver and was sweet enough to hand me my helmet every time we got on and help me take it off as well. I’m very much not a morning person but I would get up again at 4:30am for tours like this any day. I felt for the first time in my 10 days in Vietnam that I wasn’t being catered to as a tourist but more that I was observing, from up close, people living out their lives. Can’t recommend this experience enough!!!

My tour host Tham was kind and knowledgeable. I enjoyed every engaging stop during our time together. We received warm welcomes from the local people who shared an up close look into their livelihoods. It was a wonderful tour on a rainy day!

We loved the Hoi An Sunrise Tour with Billy. The sunrise was beautiful, but what made the experience special was seeing the local duck farm and learning how the family raises ducks, collects the eggs, and incubates some of them into ducklings. It felt like a genuine glimpse into everyday life in the countryside, simple, authentic, and far from the usual tourist experience. Highly recommend this tour if you want to see the real side of Hoi An.

If you’re looking for an amazing experience on a budget, this is a must. Bang for your buck is an understatement! This tour embodies Vietnam’s culture and everything that makes this country special and unique. Look no further, book this tour!

I almost skipped the Sunrise Tour, but seeing Hoi An wake up before the crowds was absolutely worth it. Quiet roads, local fishermen, fresh food, and real moments with the people who call Hoi An home. Sometimes, the best way to experience a place is to wake up before everyone else.

I highly recommend this tour if you want to experience the local side of Hoi An rather than simply visit the usual tourist attractions. Everything was very well organised, and the small group made a big difference. With a maximum of six people, it was easy to connect with each other, ask questions, and really enjoy the experience without feeling like we were part of a large tour group. We visited local markets and learned so much about how people actually live, work, and go about their everyday lives in Hoi An. One of the things we loved most was that we hardly encountered any other tourists along the way. It felt peaceful, personal, and genuinely local. This was exactly the kind of experience we were hoping for, a chance to see the real Hoi An beyond the busy tourist areas. Thank you, Billy, for putting together such a thoughtful and authentic experience. Highly recommended!

What an absolutely lovely time we had with Emily! From the moment we met her, she was so warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable—it felt less like a formal tour and more like exploring the city with a thoughtful local friend. If we had been on our own, we would have easily walked right past some of the best hidden gems, especially in the busy local market. Emily guided us through it all seamlessly, introducing us to incredible dishes we never would have known to order on our own. Her stories about everyday life, local traditions, and the history gave us such a wonderful, rich perspective on Hoi An. The food was delicious, and the entire experience was comfortable, authentic, and personal. It was truly one of the highlights of our trip. If you’re looking to step beyond the usual tourist crowds and see the real heart of the city, I couldn't recommend this tour more highly!

We had such a wonderful morning exploring the quieter, more authentic side of Hoi An with Emily. She was incredibly warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable, and made the whole experience feel more like spending time with a local friend than taking a typical tour. We visited the local market and several small family workshops, where we got to see how traditional foods and crafts are made, including fish sauce, noodles, rice wine, and woven mats. Meeting the local artisans and hearing their stories made the experience feel very personal and meaningful. Emily was also fantastic at explaining the history and traditions behind everything we saw, and she patiently answered all of our questions along the way. We tasted quite a few things we had never tried before, which made the morning even more fun. If you want to see a different side of Hoi An and experience local life beyond the Ancient Town, I would definitely recommend this tour. The early start is absolutely worth it! Thank you so much, Emily, for such a memorable morning!

This tour was a wonderful journey into the traditions and everyday life of Hoi An. We started with a visit to the lively local fish market, filled with vibrant colors, fascinating aromas, and scenes of authentic daily life. It was fascinating to then visit a traditional fish sauce workshop and see firsthand how one of the essential ingredients of Vietnamese cuisine is made. The visit to a local rice wine distillery was equally interesting, followed by a meeting with local artisans who showed us the traditional craft of weaving sleeping mats. Each stop gave us a genuine opportunity to connect with the local culture and learn about traditions that are still part of everyday life. A special thank you to Billy, who was incredibly kind, patient, and knowledgeable throughout the experience. He shared many interesting stories, insights, and explanations that made every stop even more meaningful and enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to discover the more authentic side of Hoi An, away from the usual tourist experience!

The Hoi An Sunrise Tour with Billy was one of the highlights of our trip to Vietnam. From the very early start, everything was incredibly well organised and ran smoothly from beginning to end. What we loved most was being able to see Hoi An before the streets became busy. We explored the countryside, visited the local fish market and fishing community, and got a fascinating glimpse into the everyday lives and traditional work of local people. It felt very different from simply visiting the tourist attractions in the Ancient Town. Billy was an excellent guide, friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about his hometown. He explained the stories behind the places we visited in a very natural way and gave us plenty of opportunities to interact with local people rather than just taking photos and moving on. The local food was another highlight, and the whole experience felt authentic, relaxed and personal. It was a wonderful opportunity to see a side of Hoi An that we would never have discovered by ourselves. If you want to experience the real, local side of Hoi An, rather than just the usual tourist sights, we highly recommend starting your day with this sunrise tour. An early start, but absolutely worth it!

We had a wonderful experience on the Hoi An Sunrise Tour with Billy. Billy was incredibly personable and knowledgeable, and he gave us a genuine insight into local life, traditions, and the traditional crafts of the people we met along the way. What we particularly enjoyed was the small-group experience. It made it easy to connect with everyone, ask questions, and move comfortably from one place to another without feeling rushed or caught up in the usual tourist crowds. If you’re looking for something beyond the typical sightseeing experience and want to see a more authentic side of how local people live and work around Hoi An, this tour is definitely worth doing. It gave us a completely different perspective on the area and made our morning in Hoi An truly memorable.

Su was a lovely and knowledgeable guide who took us around. The places we visited were local gems, and all the food and experiences were exactly what I was after.

Tựa đề : The Best Tour A huge thank you for accommodating my last-minute booking for this sunrise tour! From start to finish, it was a wonderful experience. My guide, Tham, was absolutely fantastic, friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the local area. We visited several villages and hidden spots around Hoi An, all exactly as described, and it was a great way to experience the local side of Hoi An beyond the busy Old Town. Tham also knows exactly where to find the best local pho and coffee, which made the experience even better. If you want to discover the authentic side of Hoi An and see how local people live beyond the usual tourist spots, I highly recommend this tour!k

I have been coming to Hoi An for several years with small groups from Belgium. Hoi An is the must do in Vietnam for me. Last time was back with Hoi An Sunrise tours. And again with our trusted guide Sue. She was born in the Hoi An area and knows every special place. Time and time again she surprises us with new discoveries. Her strength is that she quickly gains the trust of the group. Her knowledge of English is perfect so that everyone can understand and understand her well. She also quickly senses the interests of the tourists. Knows perfectly which restaurant suits whom, takes care of the reservations in the restaurants and the Spa. In short, she does her job superbly. There should be more guides like this! Within a few months I will return with a group of tourists. I look forward to going out with her again.

This was my third time booking a tour with Billy, and honestly, it still felt just as special as the first time. What I love about Billy’s tours is how genuinely local they feel. Instead of simply visiting the usual tourist spots, we got to see a much more authentic side of Vietnam, meet local people, and experience everyday life in a way that felt natural and meaningful. Sury was an amazing guide, warm, energetic, knowledgeable, and incredibly easy to talk to. She made the whole experience fun and engaging, while also sharing so many interesting stories and insights about the local culture. Billy was, as always, super friendly and made sure everything ran smoothly from beginning to end. Three tours with Billy, and the quality and genuine local experience are still there every time. Highly recommended!

The experience was so unique and local. Exploring the real side of Vietnam and not the touristy one was so nice and interesting. It was also nice to interact with locals. Sury is an amazing and friendly guide and she is very dynamic, knowledgeable and easy to talk to Billy is also super friendly and made sure everyone goes smoothly

My experience with Tham was amazing! She has the warmest personality and is so knowledgeable. This was the highlight of our Vietnam vacation. I would have done it multiple times if our trip wasn't coming to an end. Must book!

Wow ! Best tour I have ever done. Sue is amazing, she is really good person and help us understanding of the community here. She also spoke about her and her family and felt like really good connection between the professional and the individual. I recommend that tour to all of my friends.

We had such a great time on the sunrise tour, it has been planned very well and it's super insightful. We loved learning about the locals and having a go at noodle making, weaving and helping out with the rice wine. Tham was absolutely amazing and we had so much fun because of her! She is also very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. Honestly she's incredible and made the day so much better, great energy and very funny and personable. Overall, we had an amazing day and had a very unique experience!

Wow, it was just amazing! Tam was a great guide, we enjoyed every moment! Special and recommended to anyone in the area

Tram our tour guide was very knowledgeable & her sense of humour also got us comfortable fast. This tour really took us towards the villages and local homes - it was great insight so if you are looking for something that goes beyond the usual sights, this is it!

I did the sunrise tour with Tham. It was a great experience and I loved every bit of it. It felt like a gift that keeps on giving. We got to see and experience so many local crafts. The food was also very delicious. Our guide Tham was so kind and joyful!

A solo-guided tour with Billy and scooter through Hoi An's surrounding islands via six bridges was a major highlight of my stay in Central Vietnam. The narrative arc of the tour is structured in a way that spotlights everyday heroes, that is, the local food producers and culture, and craftspeople, and situates the broader context of the region (the history of Hoi An; the significance of its geographical positioning; the Champ minorities and communities living in the region). We rode out to start the tour at a bridge stop, watching a sunrise over the riverways and islands. Moving into a 5am stop at a fish wholesale market street, the burst of theatre, the people haggling for the pick of first catches, mackerel, anchovy, was animated and bustling. Over two-hours, our stopovers were visits to a local coffee roaster (Cavalry), a fish sauce maker/supplier (Nước Mắm Truyền Thống Thu Hiền), a rice paper/noodle maker, and rice wine maker (Mr Dau). Each maker had a story, and were humble in meeting us, with Billy's connection, passion and care to his community very evident. We stopped at the house of an elder couple who were sat at the loom, weaving sedge (a type of fibrous reed) mats, the type which were ubiquously found in Vietnamese houses placed for flooring or bedding purposes, sold for roughly US$8. They explained the labour-intensive start-to-end processes (cultivating, harvesting, drying, dyeing the material) getting to the weft-and-warp loom stage of may weaving. If the tour feels personal and bespoke, it's perhaps due to Billy and his connection to living and growing up around the region. The people we meet are part of his communities, and for me, it feels like a privilege to be invited into such homes and workplaces, these humble people letting us peer into their quotidian worklives. Billy is a passionate storyteller and I thank him for a wonderful tour.

This is a fabulous authentic , off the beaten track experience. We met and talked with locals , were welcomed in their homes, made noodles and woven mats. Walked through the fish markets and the trawlers, as well as the fruit & vegetables market. It was a truely unique experience that allowed us a real insight into how the locals eat, live and work. Great for all ages and fitness levels.

I booked this excursion for me and my mom. I suddenly fell ill with a fever and needed to rest, so my mom went alone. She came back with many photos and videos to share about the lovely local experience she had. It was one of her favorite experiences in all of Vietnam. She said it was worth every dollar, and then some.

This was an incredible tour!! I went with Men and she was amazing. It was just me on the tour and she was fun, friendly, knowledgeable and very attentive. We went to all of the local spots and I truly felt immersed in local Hoi An life (rather than just the tourist spots, though those are fun too). I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in really immersing themselves in the culture of Hoi An. You will see something you won’t see anywhere else in the world! 100/10!

The perfect tour if you’re looking for a unique and cultural learning experience. Not only will you learn about the history of Hoi An’s local villages, but you will get a glimpse into the everyday lives of the wonderful locals. As an ethnically Vietnamese born in Australia, this truly gave me insight into my cultural roots and opened my eyes to the resilience, resourcefulness, and hard-work deeply rooted in my culture. Thank you to Billy for being an amazing guide, so informative, empathetic and for translating everything I didn’t quite understand. I 100% recommend this tour to anyone looking for an authentic and eye-opening experience or even anyone just looking for beautiful scenes outside of the old town.

Had such a memorable and heartwarming experience on the Hoi A Sunrise Tour: Fish Market & Hidden Villages. This was so much more than a sightseeing tour. It gave us a beautiful glimpse into the everyday lives of local Hoi An families—their work, traditions, resilience and the simple ways they continue to live sustainably. We visited the early morning fish market and hidden villages, met the wonderful local uncles and aunties, and saw firsthand how they continue their family occupations. You can see the hardships they face, but what touched us most was their contentment, sense of community and pride in what they do. It opened our eyes to a side of Vietnam that is authentic, humble and deeply connected to its traditions. A truly special morning with my daughter, seeing the most beautiful sunrise on the Cua Dai bridge and a tour filled with learning, connection and appreciation for the people and communities that make Hoi An so special. Highly recommend this tour if you want to experience the real Hoi An beyond the tourist streets.

Sue is a excellent guide. She is knowledgeable, careful and enthusiastic. She takes us to experience things that you will never encounter in ordinary travel. We were very lucky to watch the beautiful sunrise, visit various markets with local characteristics, and taste very delicious food. Those history and traditions with Vietnamese characteristics make my journey unique. It's worth getting up early. In addition, Sue's English is very good, and she can choose an easy-to-understand explanation according to your English level.

Absolutely excellent trip if you want to see the real culture around Hoi An. We witnessed a beautiful sunrise over the river, went to the local fish market to see the colourful fishing boats bring in their catch for the day, and all the ladies selling the haul. Then on to the open market to see all the different veg and fruits available as well as the live chickens! Stopped off for coconut coffee at a lovely little rural cafe , and then on to see how rice wine is made, had a go at making noodles, and finishing off at the house of a lovely old couple who still make the woven mats by hand . Your guide, Tham, was so lovely and helpful and full of local knowledge - we had a private car with air con which was much needed.

We had a geat morning of cillage tours with Su as out guides. She was very nice and explained things well. The people at the small businesses we visited were so nice. It was a great tour. Also, we had a lot of delicous food. I wasn't expectibg that. I highly tecommend this tour.

Sue picked took us to several villagers to experience local life. It was such a lovely experience, and the people she introduced us to were lovely and amazing people, and happy to meet us and show us their world. Chatting with Sue also gave me a deeper understanding of vietnamese life as we chatted throughout the time we spent together. She is such a great host, I can't recommend enough!

My dad and I had an amazing experience on the Early Riser Tour! A big thank you to Nhat, our tour guide, who was knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing the local culture. We visited the bustling fish market, learned about traditional fish sauce and rice wine production, made noodles and rice paper, experienced mat weaving, and enjoyed delicious local specialties. Every stop felt authentic, and we especially loved learning about local life while driving through the beautiful countryside. Special thanks to Billy for organizing everything so thoughtfully. Since my dad couldn’t comfortably ride a motorbike, Billy arranged a car for us, making the tour accessible and enjoyable. The itinerary was well planned and ran smoothly from start to finish. Thank you as well to Trum, our driver, for getting us safely to every stop. We highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for an authentic local experience!

This was an absolutely amazing experience. To see how truly hardworking and family oriented the communities are was very beautiful to witness, and it very much shifted my view on the world. I really found it very moving. Our tour guide, Flower, was so knowledgeable and smart and answered all of our questions and ensured that we really gained a lot from the experience. We also went to a local market and got to try a series of local fruits which was lovely. I cannot emphasise enough how much I recommend this tour. Thank you!!

My sister and I had a lovely time on this tour! It was absolutely amazing to meet with locals in non-touristy areas of Hoi an. While the 5am wake up time is confronting, it is well worth it as we got to see how the locals live, see the sunrise, and also beat the heat, and since it finishes at 10 it gives you the rest of your day to continue exploring. Flower was so lovely and helpful and answered all our questions. Thank you for a great experience!

This was one of the most unique experiences I had in Hoi An. Traveling by scooter through the countryside with my guide Sue made the day feel especially authentic, and I loved visiting places I never would have found on my own. We explored a busy fishing market at sunrise, visited a family-run fish sauce producer, enjoyed breakfast from a local market, met a rice wine maker and a family that has been weaving traditional sleeping mats for generations, and even tried making noodles ourselves. Every stop felt genuine and provided a fascinating glimpse into daily life and local traditions. My guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and the fact that the tour still ran even though I was the only participant made it feel incredibly personal. Excellent value and a wonderful cultural experience. Highly recommended.

My hubby & I are keen travellers and aged in our mid 60's. We were looking for an authentic local experience with comfortable transport that took us to villages & markets & artisans. Tham was our host. Tham is kind, caring & very knowkedgable about her home & district. The Hoi An Sunrise tour with Tham is an authentic fulfilling experience. My hubby & I were the only folk on this tour & it was at a comfortable pace. We stopped for breakfast of sticky rice & Vietnamese coffee. The tour delivered a glimpse of Hoi An riverside rural life away from the razzle dazzle of Hoi An tourist district. The early start was a magic time of day to watch the changing colours of dawn. Thank you to all the folk we met along the way from the local fishermen & woman, fruit & vegetable market folk, fish sauce makers, rice noodle makers, rice wine makers & the artisan mat weaving elderley couple. A true genuine local experience ! Thank you Billy Vietnam Travel !

We did the sunrise tour with Tham and it was truly amazing! A must do. She took us through both the fish and farmers market making sure we tried anything we hadn’t before. She then took us around the villages stopping in to make rice paper, rice wine, and weaving sleeping mats. It was a lovely snapshot into the lives of these craftsman. A special highlight was stopping at the duck farm! Thanks so much!

What a fantastic experience! I was taken on this tour by Flower who was knowledgeable and friendly. I was the only one on my tour (solo-traveler) and would definitely recommend even if you are not traveling in a group. Highlights of the tour for me were the fish sauce workshop which I found very strangely peaceful as well as getting to try traditional matt weaving. It was great getting to see the spaces that local artisans make their foods and crafts in. The tour really delivered on its promise of giving tourists a glimpse into what everyday life is like outside of the hustle and bustle of the Hoi An tourist districts. I am coeliac and was not expecting to be able to participate in the food tasting parts of the experience but after sharing information about my dietary requirements in Vietnamese I was delighted that Flower was able to adjust the tour for me. Please note that I was the only one in my group - make your own enquiries about whether similar accommodations can be made in advance.