About four kilometres from Hoi An Ancient Town, Funny Duck Stop in Thanh Tay neighbourhood, Hoi An Dong Ward, Danang, has become a popular destination for visitors seeking a taste of rural life.
Set on about 2,000 square metres surrounded by coconut trees, the farm offers activities including feeding ducks, fishing and enjoying the countryside.
Its standout attraction is the 'duck massage'. Visitors lie down with feed scattered around them, prompting dozens of ducks to gather and gently peck at their arms and legs, creating a ticklish sensation.
The ducks have been trained from a young age to become accustomed to people and take part in activities with visitors. Tourists can also use food to lead the flock around the farm.
Patrick, a 26-year-old visitor from Britain, said it was unlike anything he had experienced at conventional tourist attractions.
“They followed me because of the bag of food and gently pecked at my arms and legs. It was so ticklish that I couldn't stop laughing,” he said.
The farm has about 200 ducks, all vaccinated and kept on carefully managed feeding and activity schedules, according to its manager.
More than 90 per cent of visitors are foreigners, particularly Western tourists, many of whom are keen to experience rural activities for the first time, a farm representative said.
Buffalo rides offer another taste of rural life
Nearby, the rice fields of Thanh Tay have also become a tourism attraction, with buffaloes increasingly used to give visitors a glimpse of traditional farming life.
Tourists can ride buffaloes through the paddies, pose for photographs or even try ploughing fields as local farmers do.
Local resident Le Nhien, 62, said tour operators bring visitors to farmers for the experience, with proceeds shared with buffalo owners under agreed arrangements. Farmers can also serve independent tourists.
Nhien said buffaloes used for tourism are carefully raised and trained to remain calm around visitors and become accustomed to scents such as perfume. They are given nutritious food and bathed regularly to keep them clean and their coats in good condition.
He said the service earns him from several hundred thousand dong to more than VND 1 million (USD 38) a day, providing a steadier and less strenuous income than farming or construction work.
Maria, a visitor from the United States, said she enjoyed riding a buffalo and planned to share photographs of the experience with family and friends back home.
She said cycling through Hoi An's rice fields was another highlight, describing the countryside as peaceful and picturesque.
Hoi An Dong authorities said the area has developed a range of distinctive tourism products by combining its rural culture, traditional crafts and agriculture with tourism services.
Turning everyday farming activities into visitor experiences has helped farmers become informal 'tourism ambassadors', while generating additional income and supporting more sustainable, community-based tourism.