Riding Water Buffalo And Basket Boat Hoi An Private Bike Tour

This was a really fun bicycle tour. You get out of the tourist area and can see so many beautiful sites. Our tour guide taught about snails and ducks and rice and we got to ride a fabulous water buffalo. It was a once in a lifetime experience.

Tom is Vietnam. 🇻🇳 I genuinely don’t know how to write this review without sounding like Tom paid me, but I can assure you he did not. This man is simply THAT good. We were a family of 10 on a walking tour through Hoi An Old City with Tom, and from the second we met him, we knew we had struck gold. Tom is one of those rare people who can make you feel like you’ve known him for years within about 10 minutes. Funny, ridiculously knowledgeable, unbelievably charismatic and somehow able to keep a family of 10 entertained at the same time — which should honestly qualify him for some kind of national award. Tom doesn’t give tours. Tom gives experiences. He showed us around Hoi An, told us stories, taught us about the history and culture, made us laugh constantly and somehow made every single person in our group feel included. At the end of the tour, we weren’t sure whether Tom was our guide or whether we had just accidentally made a new best friend. Naturally, we booked him again the NEXT DAY. This time: the bike tour. And once again, Tom absolutely cooked. We rode through the rice paddies, visited a duck farm, rode a WATER BUFFALO 🐃 and experienced parts of Hoi An that we never would have found ourselves. Tom somehow turned every activity into the highlight of our trip. I’m genuinely convinced this man could organise a tour of a car park and have us leaving saying it was the best day of our lives. His energy is unmatched. His knowledge is unmatched. His hospitality is unmatched. At this point, I’m not even sure there’s a better tour guide in Vietnam because I’m not sure there’s a better Tom anywhere. If you’re coming to Hoi An, don’t overthink it. Book Tom. Walking tour? Tom. Bike tour? Tom. Need to meet a water buffalo? Tom. Need to understand Vietnam? Tom. We came to Hoi An as tourists and left feeling like Tom had personally adopted our family. Absolute legend. Absolute superstar. Absolute national treasure. Tom is Vietnam. 🇻🇳❤️ 11/10. Five stars isn’t enough. Give this man the keys to Hoi An. To put his sigma skibidi awesomeness in perspective: TOM

This tour was brilliant! Tom was a fantastic guide who was so knowledgeable of the local area as it's his home. He was so accommodating of our group's needs. Cycling is a great way to take in the area and it was incredible to meet and ride a water buffalo! What a unique experience! 10 out of 10 would recommend this experience.

This tour was brilliant! Tom was a fantastic guide who was so knowledgeable of the local area as it’s his home. He was so accommodating of our group’s needs. Cycling is a great way to take in the area and it was incredible to meet and ride a water buffalo! What a unique experience! 10 out of 10 would recommend this experience.

Amazing experience!! Our tour guides were super friendly and spoke very good English. They communicated the pickup and drop off perfectly over WhatsApp. The buffalo experience was very unique and the coconut boats were relaxing. Would recommend booking with Tom the guide.

Enjoyed the bike ride to and from the boat ride. During the boat ride we got to fish for crabs which was fun but difficult.

Had a great time, it was perfect way to get a quick, fun, and informative trip in without spending an entire day on my first day to Hoi An. My guide[Eriik] was super!

We had a great time on this tour! Our guide Tom was friendly and punctual and knew a lot about the local area. We especially enjoyed the peaceful coconut river boat ride (away from noisy karaoke boats) where we got to fish for lucky crabs.

Great couple of hours, back by 11. Tom was so good, really knowledgeable about the local area and just a lovely way to see life in Vietnam

We were picked up right on time and our tour guide exceeded our expectations. He was very friendly and informative. He even brought us water, and gave us helpful tips beforehand!

Great fun cycling through hidden villages. Loved the buffalo ride. Thom was a considerate and informative guide.

We had an amazing time with our tour guide Tom who made our experience a 100/10! The water buffalo was so cool and the coconut boats were so much fun :) Even though it was raining, we didn't want our time with Tom to end. I will recommend this to everyone I know!

Amazing morning! Tom was so nice and even added in the duck stop with duck massage . The ride was calm and relaxing and easy paced.

Tom our guide was awesome. Catered for our 10yr old with smaller bike and constant check to make sure no one was overwhelmed as we zigzagged through the busy streets of Hoi An. Once we got out to the rice fields everything calmed down and it was a nice scenic ride through the country side.... and then came the buffalo "Se" a 15 yr old monster. But a gentle giant, had no issues with the whole family riding one at a time and lots of pats. Then continued through to the coconut forest to ride the bamboo baskets. Again great time had with the bamboo basket captain fishing for crabs with my son, before riding back to the start point. Couldn't recommend highly enough. Tom was informative and patient, and most importantly safe. Great time had by all

Amazing experience, Tom was a fantastic guide! This is a must do tour when visiting! Super Cheap and very fun!

Tom was a great tour guide! Very friendly and very knowledgeable. The tour was a perfect length too—not too long and not too short. Would definitely recommend!

We absolutely loved our trip - from the biking, to the exploring local areas, to the coconut boat and of course meeting a farmer and his very gentle water buffalo. You do need to be comfortable on a bike, as you’re on it for the bulk of the trip. It’s such an awesome way to take in the way local people live and travel down the rural roads. Tom was an excellent guide and spoke very good English, and was more than happy to answer all our questions. He was also very helpful at giving us instructions when on the bike. We would very much recommend this tour for everything you do, but it’s also a very unique experience riding on a water buffalo! It’s only a short ride but you probably don’t want to be on for much longer. There is now a little step stool to clamber onboard.

I took the Riding Water Buffalo and Basket Boat tour in Hoi An and it ended up being one of the most genuine, memorable experiences of my trip. What stood out immediately was the quiet, rustic charm of the countryside — the narrow village paths, the bright green rice fields, the smell of wet soil, and the slow, peaceful rhythm of rural life that you simply don’t get in the town center. Our guide, Tom, was the heart of the whole experience. He greeted us with an easy warmth, spoke great English, and had that rare mix of being knowledgeable without ever feeling scripted. As we cycled through the villages, he pointed out small details — the local crops, the buffalo farmers, the different kinds of coconut trees — things you’d never notice on your own. The water buffalo ride was surprisingly calming. Moving through the fields on such a gentle, massive animal felt almost surreal, like stepping into an old Vietnamese folktale. Tom made sure we were comfortable, safe, and got great photos without it feeling forced. The basket boat ride was just as memorable. Drifting through the coconut forest, hearing nothing but the water and the breeze, felt incredibly peaceful. We even tried simple local fishing methods, which added a nice hands-on touch without feeling gimmicky. What I appreciated most was that nothing felt staged or touristy. It truly felt like being welcomed into the everyday life of the villagers — slow, warm, and sincere. If you’re looking for something authentic that shows a different side of Hoi An, this is it. And if you can, request for Tom. His friendliness, humour, and genuine care for the guests made the experience even more special. Highly recommended.

Had a fantastic time with Tom! He was knowledgeable about the area and very nice. He even bought us ponchos when it started raining! Would recommend if you want to see/ride water buffalo and learn more about the area!

Really fun trip. Tom was a brilliant guide. Communication was great before the trip, he arrived at our hotel on time and took us on a bike ride through beautiful rice fields. Riding the water buffalo was a highlight and we had many opportunities for great photos. Highly reccomend this tour.

This was such a fun trip and we highly recommend doing it but please be aware that this is primarily a cycling tour which is something we didn't feel that the activity description fully reflected. Our guide for this tour was Tom who was absolutely excellent. He met us at our hotel with bikes and led us on a cycling tour around the Hoi An countryside. Our hotel was right near the vegetable village so we only had a few minutes of road cycling before we hit the empty flat paths of the village which was ideal. Cycling around the countryside was absolutely stunning and the paths through it were flat and empty. Overall we cycled for around an hour and a half on our tour and we loved it but I would say you need a reasonable level of fitness to be comfortable. Tom was very attentive and accommodating though and as its a private tour you can take your time and adapt the itinerary as needed. Part way through we got to meet our gorgeous 7 year old water buffalo and he was very very sweet and gentle. Getting on is a bit of a challenge as you step on the farmers leg and launch yourself onto the buffalo who is surprisingly tall but we all managed. And he is lovely to ride as he just plods slowly. The ride itself is just a short loop round a field but given that there's no saddle or reigns it felt like enough! And we got time to ask questions about him and take pictures with him. We also stopped off at a temple during the cycle tour and a duck farm. Overall it was an excellent tour and a brilliant way to see a different side of Hoi An but we would have appreciated knowing just how much cycling was involved when choosing what to wear and pack in our bags! We would still highly recommend it though and Tom was a brilliant guide!

Amazing tour guide and provided a lot of information and was knowledgable with a great sense of humour, chatted with us about many things. The ride was through the lovely outer village. It was a great experience and only wish I had more time to go on the bike with Tom again.

Amazing experience, well organised and well executed. Would absolutely recommend to others the whole family enjoyed it!

Excellent way to experience and learn about Vietnamese life and see more of the beautiful countryside around Hoi An. Tom our guide was amazing and so knowledgable. 100% recommend this tour!

This tour was an awesome change from the city scenery and to the countryside. Interacting with the locals made it more interesting. Our tour guide was awesome and very informative.

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Tom. Was fun riding our bikes though the streets of Hoi An and seeing the rice paddies and got to meet and ride a buffalo 🐃 Definitely worth doing.

Tom was awesome! Great tour and buffalo ride. Very informative and super insight into local life. Thanks

Such a amazing trips we have ever had in viet nam. I took this tour with my daughter and we had a beautiful afternoon. Tom is our man, took good care of us and gave us all information we nee, I was a bit shy to ask at first but the tourguide was so nice to answer me all, we can stop at anywhere we see a chance to take good photos too. If you need a great tour with your friend or family only, you can not miss this one. Don't mention bad reviews here for they are looking for something does not exist, no one lives on the earth can satisfy them lol. Anyway, just book this tour and have fun, relax :)) Thanks again Tom!

It was my dream to get close to a water buffalo!! Tom was able to make that happen! I learned a lot about the Vietnamese and water buffalo history and the respect they have. Initially I was supposed to ride a bike to the site however I was too tired so Tom picked me up on his motorbike. We mostly stayed on the rice field trails making a couple of stops to learn about the growing of herbs. His owner was so passionate about his water buffalo and Tom was an excellent translator. It was special to see the kindness and love he had. I highly recommend this tour if you want to get close to a water buffalo and learn about their history in Vietnam. If you don’t have much time to explore the rice fields it’s an opportunity to do so with Tom.

It was a great experience riding bikes around rice and shrimp farming fields. See and ride the water buffalo. The guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Will suggest to friends and maybe do it again when I come back.

The buffalo riding was good, but for the money for two people on a private tour, it was disappointing. You have to be fit to cycle in rain, wind, and luckily sunshine by the end of the tour but be prepared to cycle for almost the entire time, not just 20 minutes. It is at least 20 minutes both ways and you cycle through the middle of town, depending on your hotel or where you are staying to be fair, but it is quite an experience that ranges from interesting, to challenging, to exhausting. Our guide was very good and did his best to make it interesting but for the cost, you briefly ride a buffalo and cycle through the vegetable village but we did not feel it was worth the cost for what you got in comparison to some of the other tours or experiences we went on. The main disappointment was the vegetable village as it was clear there were very interesting plants being grown, we were given a brief explanation of the traditions of the village and the medicinal properties of some of the plants, but feel more could be done with this part of the tour. To be fair the buffalo farmer was charming, the guide was very charming and informative, and the ride was a dream come true for my husband, the rain was not the guide's fault. We think more attention to what could have been included in the tour event itself would be a good idea.

Nice little tour. Everything like in the description. Short bike tour out of the city and a funny little ride on the buffalo.

Great tour around the countrysides of Hoi An on bicycles. Unique chance for experiencing on local daily life. Tom is very informative and knowledgeable , we can not recommend this tour enough. Don’t miss out this amazing tour!

Our guide, Tom, was fantastic! He picked us up at our hotel and took us safely through the city on bikes and within a few minutes we were riding through countryside back roads and rice paddies. He explained the deep connection the rice farmers have with their water buffalo, which was evident when we arrived. The water buffalo is the most gentle, amazing creature. We rode through the paddy and through the flood plain which was pretty deep. My wife and I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing for hours after. It was definitely a highlight of our Vietnam trip and can’t recommend it highly enough. Ask for Tom because he was a terrific guide!

The bike ride out to the farming village was very informational and picture worthy. After riding around the local villages and rice fields, we met with a villager to ride on the Water Buffalo. The experience was a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth the time.

This tour involved riding around 20km across the countryside on bicycles in a group. The ride was a leisurely pace through small villages across a good portion of the day. Our guide 'Man' was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, providing us with soo much knowledge and laughs. His english was excellent and allowed our group to ask a large number of questions and receive great answers. We got to interact with a variety of locals and gain a greater understanding of the farm life. Definitely recommend!

This was one of my highlights of Hoi An ! We got to see local rice fields and learn about their farming processes locally as well as... Riding on the famous water buffalo! Such a cute animal !!!! It was really beautiful to learn how they consider the water buffalo as part of the family and even bury their buffalo in the family plot once they die. Absolutely magnificent animal. Tho was very accommodating and knowledgeable of the area.

My boyfriend and I got this tour through our hotel and it was an amazing time riding our bikes around and getting to see the great scenery and being able to sit down to have and authentic lunch. Also had plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos whenever we wanted. A definite recommendation.

Had a great morning ride with THO. He spoke great English and was very informative.The vegetable and herb gardens were really a sight to see.

I cycled around the city to see the buffalo. It was fun to drive while enjoying the countryside and other cityscapes! The buffalo I was looking for was quiet and cute, and I was able to take pictures with it on my back. Thank you for your valuable experience!

Great trip to spend when we only have free time in the morning. The tour guide is amazing, the buffet is so fun, we cycle around the countryside and meet a local farmer who works in the field, they are so friendly to us. We will recommend our friends to come to viet nam next month.

Die Radtour war unerwartet unspektakulär. Kann man auch alleine. Das Büffelreiten zwar eine neue Erfahrung für uns, aber voll touristisch und daher auch unspektakulär. Nicht zu empfehlen, ausser einem fällt sonst nichts ein.