Hoi An: Basket boat ride & cooking class with lunch

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (28 reviews) 100% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/14

Duration5h

GroupUp to 10

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Cooking, coconut palms & real life in Hoi An

You’ll wander Hoi An’s bustling market with a local guide, float through coconut palms in a basket boat, try your hand at fishing village traditions, and cook authentic Vietnamese dishes before sharing lunch together — moments you’ll remember long after you leave Vietnam.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hoi An Market and Basket Boat Ride

Hotel lobby pick up
Visit local market and buy ingredients
Transfer to fishing village
Basket boat trip in coconut palm forest
Fishing experience with local fishermen
Learn about Vietnamese–American war stories
Cooking lesson and enjoy meal
Return to hotel

The Experience

I didn’t expect to laugh so much before noon. Our guide, Minh, met us right at the hotel in Hoi An ancient town — he waved like we were old friends, which set the mood. First stop was the local market, where the air smelled like fresh herbs and something I couldn’t quite place (fermented fish sauce maybe?). Minh showed us how to pick out morning glory and explained why everyone haggles over chilies. I tried saying “rau muống” and got a grin from one of the vendors — not sure I nailed it.

The drive out to the fishing village was short but felt like another world. Rice paddies flashed past, then suddenly we were gliding along the Cua Dai river in these round bamboo basket boats. The water coconut palms made everything look green and secretive. A fisherman named Tam handed me a net — I was hopeless at tossing it, but he just laughed and showed me again. We caught a purple crab (tiny but feisty), and Tam twisted a palm leaf into a little grasshopper for my daughter. She still has it taped to her notebook.

Back on dry land, we started our Vietnamese cooking class under an open shelter that smelled of lemongrass and charcoal smoke. Chopping garlic with sticky fingers, tasting sauces straight from the pan — it all felt more real than any restaurant meal. Lunch was noisy and relaxed; Minh told us stories about growing up during the war years that made me see Hoi An differently. I keep thinking about that — how food and history get tangled up together here.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in Hoi An ancient town, all transportation between stops, entry to the coconut palm forest with a basket boat ride led by local fishermen, hands-on fishing activities, a Vietnamese cooking class using ingredients from your own market visit, plus lunch or dinner and a recipe book to take home.

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Hoi An Eco Cooking Tour