Hoi An: Coconut Forest Boat & Ancient Town Night Walk

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

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Duration4h 30m

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Paddling a Bamboo Basket Through Vietnam's Coconut Forest

You paddle your own bamboo basket through a coconut forest, eat a proper dinner of Hoi An specialties, then walk the UNESCO-listed old town at night when lanterns light the streets and the Japanese Bridge. Pickup from your hotel in Da Nang or Hoi An is included, along with transport and all meals, so you show up and the logistics are handled.

4h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Coconut Forest and Hoi An Town

Visit Bay Mau coconut forest
Explore water coconut forest on bamboo boats
Learn to paddle bamboo basket boats
Watch bamboo basket boat performances and racing
Have dinner with local dishes
Visit Hoi An ancient town and Japanese Bridge
Walk along Hoai River and enjoy nightlife
See colorful lanterns in Hoi An Town

The Experience

The first surprise is how shallow the water is. You step into a woven basket boat no wider than your shoulders, and the local boatman—who's been doing this since childhood—hands you a paddle and shows you the rhythm. Bay Mau coconut forest sits just outside Hoi An, and it's nothing like the postcard version you imagined. The water is still, the trees crowd in close, and you're actually steering the thing yourself, learning the same technique the locals use. There's a moment when you realize you're not being ferried around—you're part of the work, even if just for an afternoon. Other boats pass, some with performers standing up and rowing in that gravity-defying way, and you watch how they do it before attempting it yourself.

After an hour or so in the forest, you head back to solid ground and into dinner. This is where the day shifts. The meal isn't a tourist approximation—it's Cao Lau (the noodle dish that only tastes right in Hoi An because of the water), Hoành Thánh (shrimp and pork dumplings), Bánh Báo (steamed pockets), and Bánh Vạc (the white rose dumplings that look almost too delicate to eat). You're eating things you've never heard of, and your guide or the restaurant staff will explain what's in each one. It's the kind of dinner that makes you understand why people talk about Vietnamese food the way they do.

Then comes the Hoi An Ancient Town night walk. The town transforms after dark—lanterns hang in front of every house, strung across streets and along the paths by the Hoài River. The Japanese Bridge, the one remaining structure from the 17th-century Japanese settlement, glows softly. You walk without a rigid itinerary, just moving through the old streets, crossing the bridge, watching the water reflect the lights. It's crowded with other visitors, sure, but the lanterns do something to the light that makes the crowds feel less intrusive. The town is a UNESCO site, and you can feel why—the architecture, the layout, the way everything is preserved but still lived in. You're not rushing between checkpoints; you're just walking and looking and occasionally stopping for coffee or a drink.

Pickup is free from Da Nang center or Hoi An center (depending on where you're staying), and the whole day runs with air-conditioned transport between stops. If you want to add Marble Mountain as an option, there's a one-way elevator ticket included, though that's an extra fee. The tour wraps in the evening, and you get driven back to your hotel. It's the kind of day that doesn't feel rushed, even though it covers three distinct things—the forest, the food, the old town.

What’s included

Bamboo basket boat experience in Bay Mau coconut forest with instruction from local boatmen.
dinner with local Hoi An dishes including Cao Lau, Hoành Thánh, Bánh Báo, and Bánh Vạc.
guided walk through Hoi An Ancient Town at night with views of the Japanese Bridge and lantern-lit streets.
air-conditioned vehicle transport.
free pickup from Da Nang center or Hoi An center (if Marble Mountain option is not selected).
all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by DIMOTRIP

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to experience three distinct sides of Hoi An—the working landscape, the food, and the old town—in one evening without arranging transport or figuring out where to eat. The free pickup and included dinner remove the planning, and the night walk timing means you see the town when it's lit and alive.