Hoi An: Bay Mau Cooking Class & Basket Boat Tour Pickup

Summary

Hoi An flavors market stroll basket boats and cooking laughter

You’ll wander Hoi An’s bustling market with a local guide picking fresh ingredients before gliding through Bay Mau coconut forest by basket boat. Get your hands messy learning traditional cooking at a family home — pounding rice, making crepes, rolling salad rolls — then share a meal together. Expect laughter and real flavors you’ll remember long after leaving.

What’s the experience like?

We were already halfway through the Hoi An market when our guide, Tam, handed me a bunch of something that smelled sharp and green — rice paddy herb, she said. I tried to pronounce its name (no luck), while vendors called out prices in a gentle sing-song I couldn’t quite follow. The colors here are loud: purple eggplants, tiny red chilis, heaps of mint. Tam pointed out which greens would go into our pho later — honestly, I’d never realized how many kinds of basil there could be. We picked up shrimp still twitching in the basket. That part surprised me.

The drive to Cam Thanh Coconut Village was quick, maybe 15 minutes? Hard to tell — I was still thinking about the market smells. Then suddenly we were wobbling into these round bamboo basket boats, the kind you see on postcards but don’t expect to actually get inside. There was this old uncle steering with just his feet (I swear), humming something low while we drifted under tangled palms. Water slapped against the boat in this soft rhythm, and for a second it felt like time just slowed down. Tam laughed when my boat spun around — apparently that’s normal if you’re new.

Back on land, we got our hands messy pounding rice with a heavy wooden pestle — harder than it looks! The stone grinder left my arms sore but proud; Tam’s mom showed us how to make rice milk for crepes, and her hands moved so fast I almost missed it. Making rice paper over the fire was trickier than YouTube makes it seem (mine tore right away). Lunch was what we’d cooked: salad rolls with peanut hoisin sauce, crispy banh xeo crepes stuffed with pork and shrimp, beef noodle soup that tasted brighter than anything back home. I still think about that first bite of crepe — hot, crunchy outside and soft inside, dipped in nuoc cham.

I didn’t expect to laugh so much or leave smelling like lemongrass and smoke. It wasn’t just a day trip from Hoi An; it felt more like being let in on something local and ordinary but special at the same time. Anyway — if you’re curious about Vietnamese food beyond restaurants or want to see what life feels like out by the coconut forest, this Bay Mau eco cooking tour is probably for you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Hoi An cooking and basket boat tour

• Pick up from hotel at 8:20am
• Visit local market for ingredients
• Learn about Vietnamese herbs and spices
• Drive to Cam Thanh Coconut village
• Explore Bay Mau coconut forest by bamboo basket boat
• Experience pounding and separating rice
• Grind rice to make rice milk and rice paper
• Use traditional tools like stone mortar and wooden pestle
• Attend cooking lesson at local home
• Cook and enjoy your own dishes
• Return to hotel at 1:00pm

Top questions

How long does the Hoi An Bay Mau Eco Cooking Tour last?

The tour starts around 8:20am and finishes by 1:00pm.

Is hotel pickup included for this cooking class?

Yes, free car pickup and drop-off from hotels in Hoi An is included.

Do I get to ride a bamboo basket boat during the tour?

Yes, you’ll explore Bay Mau coconut forest by bamboo basket boat as part of the experience.

What dishes will I learn to cook on this tour?

You’ll make salad rolls (goi cuon), banh xeo crepes, beef vermicelli (bun bo nam bo), Hanoi-style pho bo, sauces and enjoy passion fruit juice.

Is lunch provided during the tour?

Yes, you’ll eat what you cook during the class as your lunch.

Is this tour suitable for pregnant travelers or those with spinal injuries?

No, it’s not recommended for pregnant travelers or those with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

Are English-speaking guides available?

Yes, an English-speaking guide leads the tour throughout.

Can infants join this Hoi An cooking class tour?

Infants can join but must sit on an adult’s lap during transport.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off within Hoi An city limits, all ingredients from the local market visit, a guided bamboo basket boat ride through Bay Mau coconut forest, use of traditional cooking tools at a family home with instruction in English throughout the cooking class itself—and finally sharing all your homemade Vietnamese dishes together over lunch before heading back to your hotel.