Strike out into the country on a bicycle ride that helps you discover the beautiful scenery and charming communities in the rural areas that lie around Hue. This tour lets you learn the secrets of central Vietnamese cuisine in a cooking class and take to the Perfume River for a relaxing boat cruise.

Your guide picks you up from your hotel for a visit to Ho Quyen, where you learn about the history of the arena once used to stage fights between elephants and tigers for the Vietnamese emperor's entertainment. From here, you get on your bike and pedal toward the village of Thuy Bieu, whose buildings date back to the earliest days of the Nguyen dynasty's rule. The ride takes you to schools, communal houses, and ancient temples for a look at how nature and architecture have shaped the scenery over the centuries.

Next, you visit a local house for a chance to learn the art of Vietnamese cooking with your hosts. Pick up the secrets behind some favorite Hue specialties, enjoy a lunch that includes your creation, and then get some free time to relax by soaking your feet in herbal water.

When you part ways with your hosts, it's time to leave the shore behind for a bit as a boat carries you along the Perfume River. The cruise brings you to the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, one of Hue's grandest landmarks since the 17th century, before you start the journey back to your hotel in the early afternoon.