What Rung Dua Bay Mau actually is
Rung Dua Bay Mau — literally "seven-mau coconut forest," with one "mau" being an old Vietnamese land unit of about 3,600 square meters — is a dense waterway of nipa palms sitting on the Thu Bon River in Cam Thanh commune, a few kilometers east of Hoi An's old town. The forest covers roughly seven hectares of brackish tidal channels where coconut palms arch overhead to form green tunnels.
During wartime, the dense canopy provided cover for resistance fighters, and Cam Thanh residents used the waterways for concealed transport. After decades of decline from shrimp farming and land clearing, replanting efforts starting in the late 1990s brought the forest back. Today it functions as a community-managed eco-tourism site — one of the few in central Vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム) where the income goes largely to local families who own the basket boats.
Why travelers go
The draw is simple: you sit in a round bamboo basket boat — a "thung chai" — while a local paddler navigates you through narrow palm-lined channels. It's quiet in the early morning, the light filters green through the canopy, and the whole experience is closer to a lazy river float than an adventure tour. Some visitors also come for the crab fishing and the chance to eat what they catch on the spot.
It's not a wilderness experience. On busy days, dozens of basket boats crowd the channels and the singing-and-spinning boat trick gets repetitive after the third crew does it next to you. But go at the right time and it's genuinely pleasant — a good half-day paired with cycling through Cam Thanh's rice fields.
Best time to visit
The sweet spot is February through August. Skies are mostly clear, the palms are green, and water levels are stable enough for easy paddling.
September through November is typhoon season in central Vietnam. Heavy rains can flood the channels, and tour operators sometimes cancel trips. December and January are cooler and occasionally drizzly, but still workable if you don't mind overcast skies.
Time of day matters more than most people realize. Go before 8:00 AM or after 3:00 PM. The midday window (10:00–14:00) is when large tour groups from Da Nang and Hoi An (호이안 / 会安 / ホイアン) arrive by the busload. Early morning gets you the calmest water and the best light.
How to get there
From Hoi An
Cam Thanh is only about 3–4 km from Hoi An's old quarter. The easiest option is cycling — rent a bike from your hotel (20,000–30,000 VND/day) and ride east along Nguyen Duy Hieu street, then follow signs toward Cam Thanh. The ride takes 15–20 minutes through rice paddies and is half the fun.
A Grab motorbike from central Hoi An costs around 20,000–30,000 VND one way.
From Da Nang
Da Nang (다낭 / 岘港 / ダナン) is roughly 30 km northwest. A Grab car runs about 250,000–350,000 VND and takes 40–50 minutes depending on traffic through the Marble Mountains corridor. You can also rent a motorbike in Da Nang (120,000–150,000 VND/day) and ride down the coastal road past Non Nuoc Beach, which is a solid ride on its own.
Many Da Nang–based tour operators bundle Rung Dua Bay Mau with Hoi An old town as a day trip. That's convenient but usually means you arrive at peak crowd hours.
Photo by Flint Huynh on Pexels
What to do
1. Basket boat ride through the palm channels
This is the main event. A 30–45 minute ride costs 150,000–200,000 VND per person if you book directly at the dock in Cam Thanh. Organized tours from Hoi An charge 250,000–400,000 VND but include pickup and sometimes lunch. Your paddler will navigate through the narrower side channels — these are more interesting than the wide main waterway.
2. Crab fishing
Some boat operators offer crab traps as part of the ride. You drop a baited net, paddle a loop, and come back to check it. The crabs are small — don't expect a feast — but it's a more interactive experience than just sitting in the boat. Usually included in the ticket or an extra 50,000 VND.
3. Basket boat spinning
The boatmen's party trick: they stand and spin the round basket boat in tight circles while music plays from a portable speaker. It's entertaining once. Tip 20,000–50,000 VND if your paddler does it — they earn most of their income from tips, not ticket prices.
4. Cycle through Cam Thanh village
Before or after the boat ride, cycle the lanes of Cam Thanh itself. The village has water buffalo in the fields, small temples, and very few tourists once you leave the boat dock. It pairs well with a longer ride out to An Bang Beach, about 4 km northeast.
5. Kayaking
A few operators now rent kayaks (100,000–150,000 VND/hour) for self-guided paddling. This gives you more freedom to explore side channels at your own pace, and you skip the spinning-boat circus entirely.
Where to eat nearby
Cam Thanh has a handful of riverside restaurants along the road to the boat dock. Order "mi quang" — the turmeric-broth noodle dish that's a central Vietnamese staple — or "banh xeo" stuffed with shrimp and pork. A meal at one of the family-run spots runs 40,000–70,000 VND.
If you cycle back to Hoi An afterward, the town is one of the best eating cities in the country. "Cao lau" — thick noodles with pork and greens, unique to Hoi An — is the dish you won't find done properly anywhere else. "Com ga" (chicken rice) on Hai Ba Trung street is another local standard.
Where to stay
Most visitors stay in Hoi An and visit Rung Dua Bay Mau as a half-day trip. Hoi An has accommodation at every price point:
- Budget: Guesthouses and hostels in Cam Pho ward from 150,000–300,000 VND/night.
- Mid-range: Boutique hotels around the An Hoi peninsula, 600,000–1,200,000 VND/night.
- High-end: Resorts along Cua Dai and An Bang beaches, 2,000,000+ VND/night.
There are also a couple of homestays in Cam Thanh itself if you want to wake up and walk to the boats at dawn. Expect basic rooms for 200,000–400,000 VND.
Photo by Vika Glitter on Pexels
Practical tips locals would tell you
- Bring cash. The boat dock is cash-only. No cards, no mobile payment.
- Wear a hat and sunscreen. The canopy provides shade in the narrow channels but the wider sections are exposed, especially midday.
- Tip your paddler. These are Cam Thanh residents, not salaried tour guides. 50,000–100,000 VND per boat is fair.
- Book direct at the dock if you can get yourself to Cam Thanh. You'll pay 30–50% less than a packaged tour and can choose your own timing.
- Waterproof your phone. Basket boats sit low and splashing is part of the deal, especially if spinning happens.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Arriving at 11:00 AM with a tour group. You'll spend half the time in a traffic jam of basket boats. Early morning changes the experience completely.
- Skipping the village. Most tourists go straight to the dock and straight back. Cam Thanh itself is worth an hour of wandering.
- Expecting wilderness. This is a managed tourism site, not a remote mangrove expedition. Calibrate expectations and you'll enjoy it more.
- Forgetting the return trip. If you took a Grab, note that drivers are scarce in Cam Thanh. Arrange your return before getting dropped off, or just cycle.
Practical notes
Rung Dua Bay Mau works best as a morning add-on to a Hoi An visit rather than a standalone destination. Pair it with a bike ride and lunch in the old town and you've got a full day. If you're based in Da Nang, it's an easy excuse to spend the day down the coast — combine it with a stop at the Marble Mountains on the way back.
Last updated · May 25, 2026 · independently researched, never sponsored.
