Monday, December 13, 2010

Hoi An Organic Tour - Land and Sea Activities

Hoi An - After having our breakfast, we waited at our Hotel for Jack to appear and take us on our Organic Tour which I had arranged for my family.  It cost US$ 260 for my whole family for 1 day of activities.   My family was sceptical but at the end of the day - we all had great fun - thanks to Jack Tran.

Jack Tran is the Managing Director & Owner of Eco-Tour co., Ltd (http://www.hoianecotour.com.vn/) and very season tour guide and it was him that took us on this private tour which began at 8:30am.   There were parked bicycles at the hotels and cycling on the road was to my mind dangerous for my kids.  So, I asked Jack to bring the bicycles nearer to the beaten track and he agreed.  

Choosing our bicycles

Trev and Quin in the background

After cycling about 45 minutes, we arrived at our 1st stop and it was an eco farm manned by 2 elderly women and they were kind but could not speak a word of English.  Nevertheless, she was always with a smiling face.

Briefing on this Eco Farm

Seaweed used a nutrients for the vegetables (no fertilizers are used)


Eco Vegetable Farm

My youngest had a go at Farm life

Do I know you, farmer?


Who is that pretty farmer?

Picking our vegetables for Lunch

The farmer is washing the plucked vegetables

Our 2nd Stop - Ridding the Water Buffalo

Susan and Paxton riding the water Buffalo

My family with the Water Buffalo handler
Cycling to our next destination

Prawn Farm
Me and my wife (Pillion)

We fell down
We had a good laugh
Water buffalo having a bathe

3rd Stop: Rest at Coffee Shop

Coffee Break and rest
Drinking water and resting
4th Stop - to the Jetty to board the boat for our sea activities

Our private boat crew
Putting on our Life Jackets
Trev preparing to cast his fishing net

Each one of us take turns to cast the fishing nets into the open sea and try to match the Vietnamese fishing man.   Look how the Vietnamese fisherman does it.



Our Catch

Our kids in this basket to the beach

Me and wife in the basket
Me and Quin reeling in the Big fishing net
Pushing the fishes into the centre of the net
Working as a team reeling the fishes down to the center of the net
Quin sleeping...so tired


 
Trev so tired and taking s short nap


Preparing our Lunch



Freshly caught prawns

Captain Cook cooking our lunch

Cheers! to a good lunch

One of our delicious meal
After Lunch, we rested and one of the creative boat crew created a spectacles out of palm leaf.


Harry Potter Spectacles
Off we go again for another activity - racing through the narrow waterways
Sitting in the basket through the waterways

Going back to the Jetty - one crew man in the backet
A visit to Jack Tran house
After this we hop Jack's van back to our hotel.  It was a fun and fulfilling adventure.