Hoi An Bamboo Boat Ride and Lantern Making: 4-Hour Activity

Paddle a basket boat, then craft a lantern you take home

This 4-hour activity in Hoi An combines bamboo boat riding on the Thu Bon River with hands-on lantern making in a local workshop. You'll paddle in a traditional basket boat, learn lantern-making techniques from an artisan, and share a local lunch. An English-speaking guide leads the group through both parts of the day.

The Experience

The bamboo basket boat—a shallow, round-bottomed vessel woven from bamboo strips—is what carries you across Hoi An's Thu Bon River. You'll sit inside while the boatman poles through the water, passing fishing nets and the old town's waterfront. The boat's design lets it move through shallow channels and narrow spots where larger boats can't reach, so the route covers ground a standard tour boat would skip.

After the boat ride, you move to a lantern-making workshop where you work with silk, bamboo frames and glue to assemble a lantern from scratch. The artisan shows you how the pieces fit, and you build one to take with you—the kind of lantern that hangs in Hoi An's streets during festivals. This is not a demonstration you watch; you're holding the materials and doing the work yourself. Lunch happens between the two activities, a local dish the operator arranges.

The whole day runs four hours. Children from age 1 are welcome, though infants need to sit on an adult's lap in the boat. The guide speaks English and stays with the group throughout. Public transportation options are nearby if you need to get to the meeting point, though the operator doesn't specify the exact pickup location—confirm that when you book.

What’s included

• Bamboo basket boat ride on the Thu Bon River.
• hands-on lantern making with an artisan where you assemble and take home your own silk lantern.
• local lunch.
• English-speaking guide for the full four hours.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Cam Thanh Family Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to do something with your hands instead of just watching—the lantern-making part is where you're building, not observing, and you leave with what you made. The boat ride and workshop together give you two different sides of Hoi An in one morning or afternoon.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

11 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What is a bamboo basket boat like to ride in?

A bamboo basket boat is a shallow, round-bottomed vessel woven from bamboo strips that the boatman poles through the water. You sit inside while it moves through Hoi An's Thu Bon River, passing fishing nets and the old town's waterfront in channels where larger boats cannot go.

Do I actually make the lantern myself, or is it a demonstration?

You make the lantern yourself from start to finish. The artisan shows you how the silk, bamboo frame and glue come together, and you assemble one to take home—the same kind of lantern that hangs in Hoi An's streets during festivals.

Is lunch included in the price?

Yes, lunch is included. The operator arranges a local dish that happens between the boat ride and the lantern-making workshop.

Can I bring my baby on the bamboo boat?

Children from age 1 are welcome. Infants must sit on an adult's lap in the boat, and specialized infant seats are available if you need one.

How long does the whole activity take?

The activity runs four hours total, covering the bamboo boat ride, the lantern-making workshop and lunch.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide speaks English and stays with the group throughout the entire activity.