Entrance tickets to the village, effective from January 1, will be VND35,000 ($1.5) per person, the People’s Committee of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province said.

Tra Que is situated 2.5 kilometers northeast of Hoi An ancient town, a UNESCO heritage site. Surrounded by Tra Que algae pond in Cam Ha Commune and De Vong River, the village boasts high fertility and mild climate, ideal for farming.

Besides practicality, the area carries a 400-year history, underscoring the pure culture of generations of local farmers.

Visitors will enjoy access to informative and interactive sessions on Tra Que farming practice, village relics, and the staple basil seed drink, popular due to its cooling properties.

In recent years, Tra Que Village gained broad exposure across the country thanks to the speedy growth of Hoi An, its produce increasingly found on dinner tables beyond provincial borders.

Catching up with the trend, travel agencies have commenced tours and educational initiatives to the village, some offering visitors the chance to get down and dirty alongside local farmers.

The mentioned-above project is a result of a Hoi An government endeavor to further develop community-based tourism in cooperation with Tra Que villagers. 

Tra Que vegetable village is increasingly an attractive tourism spot ịn Hoi An.
Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong.

According to older generations, the village was initially named Nhu Que as local herbs carried a potent cinnamon scent best described as sweet, woody and spicy-hot.

The lush green soil provides fresh produce without manure or chemical interference. Instead, farmers retrieve special algae from the nearby lagoon or Co Co River, giving the vegetables a distinctive flavor.

It is said that in the early 18th century, Tra Que’s fame reached the ear of a Nguyen Dynasty king on excursion along De Vong River. The king stopped mid-voyage for an enriching culinary experience, a vegetable with the spice of cinnamon and floral fragrance of camellia drawing particular attention. Combining these unique attributes, the king re-named the village "Tra Que" (Camellia Cinnamon).