Local residents offer tourism services and visitors can turn intofishermen – that’s the ethos on the eco-tours initiated in 2006 by HoianEco-tour Director Tran Van Khoa, who was born into a fishing family andused to work in Hoi An’s Victoria Hotel as a receptionist.
A coracle (type of small boat) is dropped into the sea and Khoaskilfully jumps aboard. He then explains to the tourists onboard thatlocal fishermen use coracles to catch fish and squid offshore.
He demonstrates how to steer it through the waves and receives a clap from five year old Ally Chris from Singapore .
Other members of the group are invited to try rowing the coracle. Manyof them are intrigued by the local fishing methods. Little Ally’smother, Elliott, insists on trying to cast a net into the sea. She drawsit back with only weeds, but she looks delighted, saying: "I have nowlearnt how to net fish."
It is not difficult to find acoracle or a buffalo on the Internet but if someone wants to experienceboth interesting and exiting feelings when he/she tries the coracle orrides a buffalo they need to have some experiences, said Erica Rubbs,who is working for a non-governmental organisation in Myanmar , afterjoining the eco-tour.
Every day, Khoa takes touristson cruises to try the coracles. They also visit the Bay Mau palm forest,where soldiers sheltered in their fight against US invaders. Later theycan enjoy seafood delicacies served up by Khoa’s father.
Khoa also co-ordinates with the five-star Victoria Hotel to offerspecial eco-tours, where tourists are encouraged to join in clean-upactivities in Bay Mau palm forest.
"Eco-tourism isassociated with no pollution, greenery and beauty," said Khoa, "There istoo much rubbish in the rivers, along the beach and in the forest. Allmy customers are willing to join in a 15-minute clean-up and even theother tours pick up rubbish to put in the bins on the boats." Within aday, the tourists can experience farming techniques in Tra Que vegetablevillage and then ride bicycles to Cuu Dai beach and try fishing fromCua Dai Fishing Wharf .
"It’s an excellent wayto see the countryside and meet the people," wrote Tarja Halonen,President of Finland , who took a tour in February in 2008,together with her husband and their bodyguard.
Khoa’seco-tours have resulted from his own initiative and his whole family andneighbours have helped. After graduating in English from Da NangCollege , Khoa worked in the Victoria Hotel . He soon realised thatforeign tourists were interested in his fishing village and itssurrounding natural beauty.
So he started the tourbusiness with 100 million VND (over 5,000 USD) capital. He designed hisown itineraries, and he was the sole guide, his father and mother helpto gear up the boats and serve the food.
Now there are10 guides who speak mainly English and French and around 30 fishermenprovide and row coracles to serve big groups, earning up to 3 millionVND (more than 150 USD) a month.
"Eco-tourism is successful, because it requires little investment, but results in a higher financial turnover.
"Our eco-tours are especially appreciated as Hoi An has beautifulscenery, many historic sites and hard-working, warm-hearted people,"Khoa said.
The Business Traveller magazine has run an articleto commend Tran Van Khoa and his company. Together with the richcultural heritages, the efforts to preserve traditional values andenvironment is the certificate of the young man on his love for peopleand land in Hoi An where he was born and grew up, said the Asian Pacifictourist magazine.
Hoian Eco-tour has become a famous touristtrademark of Hoi An which received around 4,000 international tourists,making up around one-third of the total foreigners to the city in2010./.
