Thuyền Thúng Tượng Thúy

A bamboo basket boat tour on the river near Hoi An, run by a guy named Coco who clearly enjoys his job. You paddle through the water palms, try your hand at crabbing or fishing, and at some point Coco will spin your boat like a top while grinning at you (this costs extra and is absolutely worth it).

The whole thing costs 80,000 VND per person, which is less than a bowl of pho at a tourist restaurant. Coco’s team brings umbrellas and hats so you won’t bake, and someone will take photos of you looking delighted and slightly terrified during the spin.

This suits anyone who wants an hour on the water without a script. Groups of all sizes work fine – a family of eight gave it full marks, which tells you something about how Coco manages a crowd.