Team building activities in Hoi An: A 2-Day, 1-Night company trip itinerary

A successful company retreat should create opportunities for employees to connect beyond the workplace while still allowing enough time for relaxation. This article shares a complete 2-day, 1-night team building itinerary in Hoi An, including activity suggestions, scheduling ideas, and practical tips for organizing engaging team building activities.

Quick Facts: Is this itinerary right for your team?

Day 1: Arrival, icebreakers, and outdoor challenges

Check in at Bliss Hoi An and prepare for the trip

The first stop of the itinerary is Bliss Hoi An, where participants can check in, settle into their rooms, and take some time to recharge after their journey. Starting the retreat at the resort allows everyone to transition from work mode into a more relaxed environment before the team building activities begin.

Before heading to the first challenge, organize a short welcome session to introduce the two-day schedule, explain the activity rules, and divide participants into smaller teams. This is also a good opportunity to outline the team’s objectives, set expectations, and ensure everyone understands the itinerary before the program officially begins.

Challenge 1: Basket boat racing at Bay Mau coconut forest

Located approximately 12 km from Bliss Hoi An and about 20 minutes by car, Bay Mau Coconut Forest is one of the most popular destinations for outdoor team building activities in Hoi An. Covering nearly 100 hectares, this ecosystem has supported local communities for more than 200 years and was once known as the “Green Wall” because its maze-like waterways provided a natural hiding place during the war.

Teams can be divided into groups of 2-4 participants per basket boat and challenged to complete 3-4 checkpoints along the route. Activities may include solving riddles, completing simple tasks, identifying local plants, or tying knots within a limited time.

Because basket boats require participants to paddle in the same rhythm, the activity naturally encourages communication, coordination, and teamwork. For groups of 40 participants, organizers should prepare around 10 boats, which are usually arranged with local operators in Cam Thanh Village.

Practical tips:

• Estimated cost (2026): Around 80,000-100,000 VND per person, including the entrance ticket and a 45-60-minute basket boat ride. The most common package is 100,000 VND, including a 30,000 VND entrance fee and a 70,000 VND boat ticket.
• Additional expenses: You can leave a 20,000-50,000 VND tip per boat for the boat operator if you are satisfied with the service. Tipping is optional.
• What you can experience: Besides paddling through the coconut forest, you can watch traditional fishing demonstrations, try crab fishing, and enjoy a basket boat spinning performance.
• Booking tip: Reserve your basket boat in advance through a local operator in Cam Thanh Village to avoid inflated prices from unofficial roadside sellers. Some visitors report paying 150,000-200,000 VND or more when booking through intermediaries.

Challenge 2: The mystery basket cooking challenge

After a 15-minute drive from Bay Mau Coconut Forest to Hoi An Market, the focus shifts from physical challenges to one of Hoi An’s most distinctive cultural experiences: local cuisine. The experience begins with a local market visit, where a guide introduces traditional Hoi An ingredients and explains how they are used in Vietnamese cooking. Teams can then select additional seasonal ingredients before returning to the resort for the cooking session.

Back at Bliss Hoi An, the resort’s chef leads a hands-on Vietnamese cooking class, demonstrating how to prepare three local dishes before participants work in teams to recreate them. The current cooking experience includes crispy pork spring rolls, Hoi An banh xeo, and green papaya salad with shrimp, giving participants a chance to work with familiar local ingredients while learning how each dish is prepared.

Recharge at the Pool Bar During Happy Hour

After two consecutive challenges, the late afternoon is the perfect time to slow down and recharge before the evening activities begin. Located beside Bliss Hoi An’s 55-meter beachfront infinity pool, the Pool Bar offers an open-air setting with ocean views, sea breezes, light music, and a selection of cocktails, fresh juices, local beers, wines, and light snacks. The resort also offers a daily Happy Hour promotion from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM with a “Drink 2, Pay 1” offer on selected beverages.

Instead of adding another scheduled activity, leave this session completely open. Some participants may choose to swim, while others may simply relax by the pool and continue conversations started earlier in the day. After several hours of competition, this unstructured break often becomes one of the most valuable moments of the retreat, allowing colleagues to connect in a more natural setting.

Lantern workshop and an evening on the Hoai River

The final activity of the day begins with a lantern-making workshop at Bliss Hoi An, where teams create their own designs using traditional bamboo frames and colorful silk. Rather than focusing on speed, this challenge encourages creativity and collaboration while introducing participants to one of Hoi An’s most recognizable cultural symbols.

After the workshop, the group can travel 17 km from the resort to Hoi An Ancient Town (approximately 30 minutes by car) for an evening along the Hoai River. Participants can walk through the lantern-filled streets, take a short boat ride, and release floating lanterns carrying wishes for luck and prosperity, one of the town’s most enduring traditions. According to the resort’s Hoai River experience guide, boat rides on the river typically cost 30,000-100,000 VND, depending on the route and duration.

The best time to visit is between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, when the river is illuminated by hundreds of lanterns and the surrounding cafés and night market become more lively. Since mosquito activity usually increases after sunset near the Hoai and Thu Bon rivers, bringing insect repellent can make the evening experience much more comfortable.

Day 2: Creativity, wellness, and the final team challenge

Start the day with a kite-making workshop

At 10:00 AM, teams spend around 45 minutes making their own kites before testing them in the coastal breeze at Bliss Hoi An. Kite flying is already part of the resort’s activity programme, so organizers should confirm in advance whether the resort provides the full kite-making kit or only the flying activity.

For the workshop, teams will need a light bamboo frame, lightweight paper, string, tape or glue, and simple decorating materials. Keep the design light, too much paper or paint can make a kite harder to fly. A useful trick is to finish the frame and check its balance before decorating, leaving enough time for a quick test flight. If the kite keeps leaning to one side, fix the frame first rather than adding more decorations.

Because Bliss sits directly on Binh Minh Beach, with a large open beachfront setting, the kite test can naturally continue into the next activity instead of requiring another transfer. These creative team building activities help participants practice patience and collaboration in a relaxed outdoor setting.

Kite & chill by the pool

About an hour later, take the finished kites to the open area along Binh Minh Beach for a relaxed flying session. With its wide sandy shore and quieter setting, the beach gives teams plenty of space to test their designs while enjoying the coastal scenery.

Instead of turning this into another scored challenge, use the session as a chance for teams to see how their designs perform, make small adjustments, and help each other. A kite that flies steadily is a satisfying result after the morning’s workshop, while failed attempts often become part of the fun.

Free time for wellness and relaxation

Midday deliberately empties out, giving everyone a few hours to slow down before the final challenge. At Ngoc Linh Spa, guests can choose treatments inspired by Vietnamese wellness traditions and the local coastal setting, including Bamboo Therapy, Hot Stone Therapy, Thai Technique and Ngoc Linh Signature. The spa is open from 9:00 AM-10:00 PM. 

Spa facilities:

• 13 massage beds
• 2 foot-massage chairs
• 2 hair-washing stations
• 2 herbal bath tubs
• Dry and wet sauna facilities

For a team: Don’t send everyone to the spa at once. Split the group into small treatment slots while others use the 55-metre beachfront infinity pool, gym, sauna, steam room or private beach. Bliss’s 5-hectare property with 137 rooms and villas also leaves plenty of space for people who simply want to rest. 

After a morning of kite making and beach activities, this open block is less about adding another experience and more about letting everyone recharge at their own pace before the final challenge.

Read more: Company Gathering in Hoi An: Ideas for a Memorable Team Getaway

Final challenge: The rooftop cocktail competition

Early evening, teams head to Bliss Hoi An’s Rooftop Bar, a third-floor venue with 360-degree views of the ocean and resort grounds. The bar opens from 6:00 PM to midnight and can accommodate up to 80 guests, making sunset a natural time for the final challenge. 

After a short mixology briefing, each team gets 30 minutes to create, name and present a signature cocktail using fresh fruit, herbs and other available ingredients. Judge each drink on taste, presentation, creativity and the story behind it. The last category is what makes this a team challenge: a simple cocktail with a strong concept and confident presentation can be more memorable than a technically complicated drink that nobody can explain.

Amazing BBQ & Live Music: The grand finale

The trip ends with Bliss Hoi An’s Beachcomber BBQ, a beachfront barbecue set beside the infinity pool and Binh Minh Beach. The buffet focuses on fresh seafood sourced from Binh Minh Fish Market and local specialties, with options including fresh fish, scallops, blue lobster, prawns and squid, grilled over charcoal by the resort’s chefs. Asian-European side dishes, seasonal fruit, cakes and traditional desserts are also available, giving everyone plenty of choices.

The setting is part of the experience: an open lawn by the beach, the sound of the waves, and live music create a relaxed atmosphere after two days of challenges. Rather than ending the trip with a formal meeting, let everyone eat, talk and enjoy the music before bringing the teams together to announce the overall winner.

How to adapt this itinerary for different team sizes

• Small teams (10-20 participants): Run the itinerary as written with 2-3 competing teams. One market visit is usually enough, and the cocktail challenge can be given more time since there is little pressure on space or equipment.
• Medium-sized teams (20-50 participants): This is the itinerary’s sweet spot. Stagger the basket boat launches by around 10 minutes, split the market challenge into two waves of 20-25 people, and prepare one cooking station for every 4-6 participants.
• Large teams (50+ participants): Plan the logistics well in advance, particularly for basket boats, as multiple operators may be needed. Run some activities in parallel rather than sequentially to keep the programme within two days.

Why Bliss Hoi An Works for Different Group Sizes?

Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness can accommodate much of the programme within one property, reducing the need for additional venues or complicated transfers. The resort offers:

• Meeting space for 200+ guests, suitable for an all-hands briefing before splitting into smaller activity groups.

• 137 rooms and villas, allowing larger teams to stay on-site rather than being divided between neighbouring hotels. 
• A 5-hectare beachfront setting with open beach and garden areas that can accommodate outdoor team activities and evening events. 
• On-site dining and BBQ options, including local seafood and live music, reducing the need to coordinate external catering or evening venues. 

For larger corporate groups, this combination is particularly useful: meetings, accommodation, outdoor activities, wellness and evening dining can all be coordinated around one resort, while the off-site challenges in Cam Thanh and Hoi An add the local experiences that a resort alone cannot provide.

How to plan team building activities during Hoi An’s rainy season

Basket boat racing and the lantern release both depend on being outdoors near water, making them the most weather-sensitive parts of this itinerary. Kite & Chill also needs dry, non-stormy conditions.

Indoor alternatives: The Mystery Basket Cooking Challenge and Kite Making Workshop both run comfortably indoors with no change to format. If the boat race is rained out, Bliss Hoi An’s Hoi An Meeting Room, which comfortably holds up to 60 guests, can host an indoor problem-solving relay as a same-day substitute.

Best months: Hoi An’s rainfall increases rapidly through the autumn. The average rainfall accumulated over a 31-day period rises from around 7.5 inches at the beginning of September to a peak of approximately 17.5 inches around mid-October, before ending the season at about 8.5 inches in late November (Source: WeatherSpark). Outside that window, February through August offers dry, dependable conditions, making it the safer booking range for an itinerary built around outdoor water activities.

Read more: Is a holiday in Hoi An worth it? 7 reasons to visit

Why is a 2-Day, 1-Night company trip better than a one-day event?

A 2-day, 1-night company trip gives teams more time to compete, relax, and connect without squeezing everything into one exhausting day. It also provides more flexibility if activities run late or weather conditions change. The two-day format creates a better balance between team challenges and recovery. Day 1 can focus on physical and culinary activities, while Day 2 combines creativity, wellness, and the final challenge, allowing participants to experience different skills without burning out.

Most importantly, an overnight trip leaves room for unstructured moments, flying kites, relaxing by the pool, sharing a BBQ dinner, or simply talking with colleagues. These informal experiences often become the memories people take back to work and make the overall team building activities more effective.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this itinerary be customized for different company sizes? 

→ Yes. Groups under 20 can run every activity in a single wave; groups over 50 typically need staggered boat launches and parallel-track sessions to keep the schedule inside two days.

What happens if it rains during outdoor activities? 

→ The basket boat race and lantern release are the two weather-dependent elements. Bliss Hoi An’s indoor meeting spaces, including the 100-guest Hoi An Meeting Room, can host a same-day indoor substitute so the day’s structure stays intact.

Is a 2-day itinerary enough for effective team building? 

→ For most corporate groups, yes – two days allows for both physical and creative challenges plus genuine downtime, without the fatigue of packing everything into one overloaded day.

How far in advance should companies book their trip? 

→ Groups under 30 should book at least 2-3 weeks ahead; groups over 30, especially those needing multiple basket boats or split cooking sessions, should book 3-4 weeks out.

Are these activities suitable for international teams? 

→ Yes. None of the six challenges require Vietnamese language skills, and local guides typically work in English or with an interpreter for larger international groups.

Plan your next team building trip at Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness

Every activity in this itinerary can be built around Bliss Hoi An’s existing facilities and outdoor setting, making the programme easier to organise without moving between multiple venues. The resort sits beside Binh Minh Beach, with around 250 metres of sandy beachfront reserved for guests, offering a quieter setting for outdoor team activities, relaxation, and evening gatherings.

Beyond accommodation, Bliss Hoi An combines meeting spaces, dining, wellness, and recreational facilities in one property. Teams can use the Thang Binh Ballroom or Hoi An Meeting Room for briefings, presentations, or indoor activities, while Binh Minh Restaurant provides on-site dining. Between challenges, participants can also use the infinity pool, yoga and fitness facilities, and Ngoc Linh Spa for a more balanced team building experience.

Ready to plan your next team building trip? Contact Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness to check availability, confirm group-size logistics, and build a 2-day, 1-night programme around your team’s needs.

Author

Tina Nguyen

Tina Nguyen is a travel and hospitality writer based in Hoi An, sharing first-hand local guides for Bliss Hoi An Beach Resort & Wellness. From hidden beaches and authentic street food to wellness escapes and the best times to visit, she helps travelers experience the real charm of Central Vietnam — written from someone who calls it home.

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