Hoi An City by Night: Release Paper Lanterns on Hoai River
You release a paper lantern onto the river and watch it drift into the dark.
A guided evening tour of Hoi An's ancient town and night market, starting at 3:30 pm and ending around 7:30 pm. Walk through the Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall, Tan Ky Old House, and Japanese Cover Bridge, then ride a sampan boat to float a paper lantern on the Hoai River: a Vietnamese custom where you pray for family and friends as the lantern drifts away. Hotel pickup and entrance fees are included.
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2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Hoi An evening tour and lantern release
- Pick up from hotel
- Walk to ancient town
- Visit Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall
- Visit Tan Ky Old House
- Visit Japanese Covered Bridge
- Explore Hoi An local market
- Ride Sampan boat on Hoai river
- Release floating lantern
- Visit night market
- Hoi An Ancient Town Entry included 2h
- Thu Bon River Entry included 30m
What’s included
- Hotel pickup.
- entrance fees to the sites.
- a local English-speaking guide.
- a sampan boat ride on the Hoai River with a paper lantern to release.
Times
- Every day 15:30
Before you book
Operated by Simply Vietnam Travel
Prices and times updated yesterday
Traveler reviews
The experience
The tour starts with pickup from your hotel and a walk into Hoi An's old quarter as the afternoon light softens. You'll visit the Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall, the Tan Ky Old House, and cross the Japanese Cover Bridge, each one a stop that shows how the town layered different cultures into its streets. The local market is where you can watch vendors and shoppers move through the day's final hours, not a tourist version, but the place where locals actually buy what they need.
As dusk arrives, you walk to the Hoai River and board a sampan boat. This is the centerpiece: you hold a paper lantern, light it, and release it onto the water. The lantern floats downriver as you watch it go, and in that moment you're following a custom that matters to the people who live here: a way of sending prayers for the people you care about. The guide explains what the gesture means and why families have done this for generations.
After the river, the tour moves to Hoi An's night market, where the town shifts into evening mode. Food stalls light up, the pace changes, and you can walk through and see what the market becomes after dark. The guide says goodbye in town, and you arrange your own taxi back to your hotel from there.
Is this one for you?The 3:30 pm start means you see the ancient town in daylight and the market and river as evening falls, so the two halves of Hoi An (the historical sites and the living town) show themselves differently. If you want to experience the lantern release itself, this is the tour built around that moment.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Vietnamese.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (5 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What exactly happens when you release the paper lantern on the Hoai River?
You board a sampan boat on the Hoai River, light a paper lantern, and release it onto the water while making a prayer for family and friends. The lantern floats downriver as part of a Vietnamese custom, and the guide explains the cultural significance of the practice.
Does the tour visit the Hoi An night market, and what can you do there?
Yes, after the river boat trip, the tour includes a visit to Hoi An's night market. You can walk through the stalls, try local food, or buy souvenirs as the market comes alive in the evening.
What are the main stops inside Hoi An's ancient town?
The tour walks through the Phuc Kien Chinese Assembly Hall, the Tan Ky Old House, and the Japanese Cover Bridge. You also visit the local market during daylight hours to observe daily life before the evening portion begins.
Is hotel pickup included, and how do you get back at the end?
Hotel pickup is included at the start of the tour. At the end, the guide says goodbye in Hoi An town and you arrange your own taxi back to your hotel.
What time does the tour run, and how long does it take?
The tour runs from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm, giving you the late afternoon in the ancient town and the evening on the river and at the night market.
Hoi An City by Night: Release Paper Lanterns on Hoai River
4h · EN +1 · at your hotel
from US$ 46 per person
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