Highlights of tourism in the suburbs of Hoi An ancient town

Tourists visit Cam Thanh water coconut forest. Photo: VINH LOC

Brand affirmation

On October 3, Cam Thanh village (Hoi An Dong ward) was honored by Forbes Magazine (USA) as one of the 50 most beautiful villages in the world . The title once again affirms the unique values that Cam Thanh possesses.

Previously, Cam Thanh has been honored many times by domestic and foreign organizations, such as "Typical tourist destination in Asia - Pacific " by UNESCO for the Bay Mau coconut forest relic site (2023), or "Top 25 most attractive boat tourism activities in the world" for the basket boat experience service in the coconut forest (2024)...

Located in the lower reaches of the Thu Bon River, Cam Thanh village possesses unique landscape, nature, and ecology, especially 106 hectares of water coconut forest and typical traditional craft villages such as bamboo handicrafts, coconut leaf weaving, and seafood exploitation...

Over the years, Cam Thanh village with Bay Mau coconut forest has become an attractive destination for many tourists around the world. In 2024, more than 1.1 million visitors visited the coconut forest, with total revenue of nearly 31 billion VND.

In the first 9 months of 2025 alone, more than 905 thousand visitors came to visit the coconut forest (mostly international visitors), with revenue of over 27.1 billion VND, an increase of about 9% over the same period, reaching 84.87% of the plan.

Similarly, Thanh Ha pottery village (Hoi An Tay ward) is a destination affirmed with outstanding titles such as "National intangible cultural heritage" (2019), or "Best community tourism destination" awarded by the Ministry of Culture - Sports and Tourism on September 27, 2025.

For Tra Que vegetable village (Hoi An Tay ward), the awarding of the title "World's Best Tourist Village 2024" by UN Tourism (November 15, 2024) firmly affirms the unique values of the craft village in tourism development and attracting visitors.

Tourists experience making pottery at Thanh Ha pottery village. Photo: VINH LOC

Mr. Bui Van Dung, Chairman of Hoi An Tay Ward People's Committee, affirmed that the titles are not only a recognition of efforts in preserving and promoting traditional craft values, but also a driving force to expand and develop tourism activities, towards the community, promoting local economic and social development.

In 2024, Thanh Ha pottery village welcomed nearly 510 thousand visitors and Tra Que vegetable village welcomed nearly 35 thousand visitors. In the first 9 months of 2025 alone, the number of visitors to Thanh Ha pottery village and Tra Que vegetable village was over 199 thousand and over 28 thousand visitors, respectively.

Beneficiary community

The area around Hoi An ancient town has many traditional craft villages that are hundreds of years old, most of which have now developed in the direction of tourism. The results not only help to preserve the craft villages but also contribute to creating a stable livelihood and income for local people.

In Hoi An Dong ward, as of the end of September 2025, the whole ward had 1,347 people participating in the service of transporting tourists to visit and experience the Bay Mau coconut forest by basket boat, with an average monthly income of 10 - 15 million VND/person. Notably, many of these workers are women and the elderly.

For Thanh Ha pottery village and Tra Que vegetable village, tourism development has had a positive impact on the local community. Besides bringing regular benefits to people directly participating in tourism services through craft demonstrations, guiding visitors to experience..., it also creates resources for the locality in the work of preserving and promoting traditional crafts and villages effectively.

Craft villages on the outskirts of Hoi An heritage site are increasingly asserting their attraction to tourists. Photo: VINH LOC

Chairman of Hoi An Tay Ward People's Committee Bui Van Dung shared that after nearly 25 years of implementing tourism activities, Thanh Ha pottery village has become a typical model of the city and the whole country in developing craft village tourism.

If in 2001, when starting to welcome guests, there were only 7 households registered to serve tourism activities, then up to now there are 37 households with 68 craftsmen, including 5 city-level artisans regularly participating in production and serving sightseeing and experience activities of tourists.

In particular, from the revenue from sightseeing tickets, all craftsmen receive a monthly salary based on their skills and contribution to tourism activities, averaging about 52.1 million VND/person/year.

Similarly, in Tra Que vegetable village, the implementation of tour guiding activities has brought many benefits to the community. In addition to generating direct income for participating households through organizing experiential activities, serving basil seed water to guests, etc., most households working in the profession are also supported with seeds, fertilizers, and labor tools from funds collected from ticket sales.

In addition, facilities and infrastructure are invested to complete, such as paving, renovating internal roads, planting flowers to create landscape highlights for traditional craft villages, meeting the needs of tourists for sightseeing and experience.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/nhung-diem-sang-du-lich-vung-ven-pho-co-hoi-an-3308359.html