Bay Mau Coconut Forest -The Seven Acres Coconut Forest, a famous ecotourism destination in Hoi An. Here, you can take a bamboo boat ride through the lush green coconut forest and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. Traditional basket boat dancing, boat racing, and local specialty tasting are all worth looking forward to.
In the Hoi An travel journey, the Bay Mau Coconut Forest is always on the list. This area promises to bring you new and exciting experiences. To make your trip perfect, remember these 4 important things before exploring this forest.
1. How to travel to Bay Mau Water Coconut Forest? How long does it take from Hoi An?
The Bay Mau Coconut Forest is located at Tổ 2, Cần Nhân Hamlet, Cẩm Thanh Commune, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province. It is about 3km away from Hoi An. Locals also refer to it as the Cẩm Thanh Coconut Forest. It is a famous ecotourism site that offers fascinating experiences with rivers, coconut groves, and rustic basket boats.
- The tourist site is open daily from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
- The entrance ticket costs 30,000 VND per person.
- The rental fee for a basket boat ranges from 150,000 VND to 200,000 VND per boat.
Please note that some games and experiences in the coconut forest require additional fees. The costs for these games/experiences, boat rentals, and entrance tickets may vary over time.
2. The history of Bay Mau Coconut Forest.
According to local people, the Cẩm Thanh Coconut Forest has existed for about 200 years. The water coconut species was brought and planted here by migrants from the Mekong Delta. Due to suitable water and soil conditions, those seeds gradually grew and formed a large forest with an area of about 7 “mẫu” (equivalent to 7 hectares). From that, the name “Bay Mau Coconut Forest” came into being, although its area has now expanded to 100 hectares.
Especially during the resistance war, the coconut forest served as an important revolutionary base. It played a part in helping Vietnam achieve victory in many battles.
With its natural beauty, the forest has been developed into a famous ecotourism destination. It has become an unmissable place when visiting Hoi An.
3. What to do at Bay Mau Coconut Forest?
The Bay Mau Coconut Forest ecotourism site offers a wide range of services to provide visitors with the most memorable and enjoyable experiences. Here are some remarkable experiences that many people have had when coming here:
3.1 Boat ride to admire the scenery
When you arrive, you will ride a basket boat to enter the forest. Each boat, paddled by a boatman, will navigate through the dense green coconut grove, surrounded by fresh air. This unique experience is loved by many tourists.
The Bay Mau Coconut Forest offers two types of basket boats for easy selection. Small boats can carry 2 passengers, while large ones are for 4 passengers. Sitting on the basket boat, gliding through the lush green forest, and listening to the boatman’s interesting stories about the coconut forest. Occasionally, you will hear familiar melodies of Quang folk songs.
3.2 Watch coconut boat performances and races
The Seven Beauties Coconut Forest is famous for its fascinating boat performances and exciting boat racing. They showcase incredible balance skills on the boats, creating impressive and agile performances.
Ngoài ra, ở đây cũng có tiết mục đua thuyền không kém phần gay cấn.
3.3 Experience various exciting traditional games
There are many fun and exciting traditional games in the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest, such as riding a balance bike across the river, boat racing, tug of war, blindfolded rice pounding, etc. These simple yet enjoyable games are a must-try when visiting the Coconut Forest. They may seem easy, but they will surely create unforgettable memories for your trip.
3.4 Make souvenirs from coconut leaves
A lovely aspect of visiting the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest is that the boat rowers will give you souvenir items made from coconut leaves as gifts. These can include wristwatches, rings, grasshoppers, tribal hats, etc. Despite their small size, these gifts reflect the heart and character of the people in Quang region. If you want to create your own souvenir, the boat rowers will be enthusiastic about guiding you.
3.5 Try fishing net casting
Another anticipated performance when visiting the Hoi An Coconut Forest is the exciting fishing net casting. The local residents make fishing look simple and effortless with their skilled hands.
3.6 Bicycle ride to Cam Thanh village
After exploring the lush green coconut forest, rent a bicycle and ride around Cam Thanh village. The bike ride will immerse you in the natural and simple atmosphere of the vast rice fields.
3.7 Enjoy local specialties in the village
During your journey in the Hoi An Coconut Forest, you will often receive invitations for meals from the local people. This is an opportunity to experience the most authentic aspects of the local life. They will treat you to delicious specialties such as spring rolls, banana flower salad, sweet and sour shrimp salad, Central Vietnamese pancakes, etc. Additionally, you can also enjoy these delicacies at the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest restaurant.
4. Experience visiting the Bay Mau Coconut Forest in Hoi An
Here are some useful tips for your trip to the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest:
4.1 Best time to visit Bay Mau Coconut Forest in Hoi An?
The best time to visit the coconut forest is from February to September, during the dry season. Hoi An enters summer during this time, with plenty of sunshine, but the climate in the coconut forest is cool, fresh, and pleasant.
If you visit the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest in August or September, you will witness the most beautiful scenery of the coconut forest and savor the delicious sesame salt coconut rice. For the rest of the year, you can still visit the coconut forest, but it is advisable to keep an eye on the weather to avoid storms, especially in October and November.
- February to June: Hoi An’s weather during this time is cool and dry. The mild sun is suitable for exploring the riverside region.
- May to July: During this period, Hoi An’s old town hosts various interesting festivals. You can combine a visit to the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest with the experience of lanterns on the Hoai River. However, note that the weather during this time can be hot and intense. If you travel to Hoi An, take this into account.
- August to November: The climate in the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest is cool and with little rain during this period. It is an ideal time to witness the fascinating floating lantern festival during the full moon.
4.2 Directions to Bay Mau Coconut Forest from Hoi An
In recent years, the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest has become a popular destination for tourists planning their trips to Da Nang, Hue, and Hoi An. As a result, the transportation routes to the coconut forest have been well developed. You can easily reach the destination by boat, car, taxi, or motorbike.
- Waterway: Board a boat at Bach Dang wharf (in the Hoi An old town). The boat will take you along the Thu Bon River to the coconut forest.
- Roadway: Starting from the center of Hoi An city, follow Tran Nhan Tong Street, cross the Cua Dai Bridge, and continue for another 500 meters to reach the destination.
If you depart from Da Nang, there are two routes to the coconut forest:
- Route 1: Start from Dragon Bridge, go to Hoi An’s old town via Ngo Quyen - Ngu Hanh Son route. Then, choose one of the two routes mentioned above to reach the coconut forest.
- Route 2: From Dragon Bridge, drive along Vo Van Kiet Street. Then turn right onto Vo Nguyen Giap Street, go straight until reaching Lac Long Quan Street. Continue by turning onto Tran Nhan Tong Street and go straight to the foot of Cua Dai Bridge. Drive for another 500 meters to reach the Seven Beauties Coconut Forest.
Nghê hope that these four pieces of information will be helpful for your trip to the coconut forest. They will assist you in preparing for your journey. Additionally, you can also consider joining a tour if you prefer not to travel independently. This is a reasonable option that will alleviate concerns about itineraries, transportation, meals, and accommodation.