Hoi An: Market, Basket Boat & Cooking Class

The Market Fills Before Nine, Then You Cook What You Bought

You shop for ingredients at a working Vietnamese market, paddle a traditional bamboo basket boat through a coconut palm forest in Cam Thanh village, then cook multiple dishes with a local chef and eat lunch together. The guide speaks English, entrance fees and the boat ride are included, and you leave with the skills to make these dishes again at home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Market visit, boat ride, and cooking class

• Visit local market and select ingredients
• Ride bamboo basket boat in coconut forest
• Join hands-on Vietnamese cooking class
• Prepare traditional dishes with chef
• Enjoy cooked meal with group

The experience

The Hoi An local market moves fast. Vendors call out prices, ice melts into produce bins, and the air tastes like lemongrass and fish sauce before you've walked ten meters in. You're there early, picking out the ingredients you'll actually cook later: fresh herbs, shrimp, pork, whatever catches your eye or your guide's recommendation. It's not a tour where someone hands you a clipboard. You touch the vegetables, ask questions, decide what goes into your basket. That's the whole point.

After the market, you head to Cam Thanh village and the water coconut forest. The bamboo basket boat is small, narrow, and you sit low enough to see the reflection of palms on the water. Your guide paddles standing up, using a single oar in a figure-eight motion. A technique that takes years to learn, and you'll understand why the moment you try it. The forest is quiet except for the sound of water and the occasional bird. During the Vietnam War, this area sheltered local people and soldiers. Now it's known for seafood and the slow, deliberate pace of traditional fishing. You learn how fishermen use these boats, how they navigate the narrow channels, and the whole thing takes maybe an hour. It's not rushed.

The cooking class happens at Hangcoconut restaurant, right next to the river in the center of the coconut forest. Your chef-guide walks you through making fresh spring rolls, Vietnamese pancakes (bánh xèo), crab salad, steamed rice paper: the dishes change depending on what you picked at the market and what's in season. You're not watching someone cook. You're doing it, your hands in the work, the guide correcting your technique or showing you how to fold something properly. When everything's ready, you eat what you made with the rest of the group. The meal tastes different when you've made it yourself, and the guide eats with you, which changes the whole feeling of the thing.

The whole experience runs about half a day. You'll need to arrange your own way to the market meeting point, though public transportation is available nearby. If you're traveling with an infant, they'll need to sit on an adult's lap in the boat. The group stays small. That's deliberate, so the chef can actually teach you instead of just talking at a crowd.

What’s included

Your half-day includes a guided visit to the local Hoi An market where you select fresh ingredients, a traditional bamboo basket boat ride through the water coconut forest in Cam Thanh village, a hands-on cooking class with a local chef at Hangcoconut restaurant where you prepare multiple Vietnamese dishes, lunch with your group, entrance fees, and an English-speaking guide throughout.

Options for this experience

5 options

Only Cooking ClassGuide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 15:00Cooking class only: Take part in a hands-on cooking session at Hang Coconut Restaurant, prepare dishes alongside a local chef, and eat the meal you made. Transfer is not included. Pick-up and drop-off are not included.

Cooking Class and Basket BoatGuide in English · 13 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 14:00Two activities are included: a cooking class and a basket boat ride. Transfer is not included. Pick-up and drop-off are not included.

Making Lantern+Boat+CookingGuide in English · 13 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 14:30

See 2 more options

Market+Boat+Cooking-NoTransferGuide in English · 09:00 and 13:00Meet at Ba Le Market: Get to the meeting point at Ba Le Market by your own means, meet your guide, and begin with a market visit (follow Google Map). No hotel pick-up or drop-off: no hotel pick-up is offered, and transportation is provided only from the market to the restaurant for the basket boat ride and cooking class.

Market+Boat+Cooking-TransferGuide in English · 14 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 14:00Tour itinerary: hotel pick-up, a visit to the local market, a basket boat ride, a Vietnamese cooking class, and a return to Hoi An. Hotel pick-up and drop-off by private car is included. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day16 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 15:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Child (1 to 6 years)

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hangcoconut Basket Boat Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to learn to cook Vietnamese food in the place it comes from, starting with the market where locals actually shop: the small-group format and hands-on approach mean the chef has time to teach you properly, not just feed you.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 6 years).

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.

How long is the half-day tour?

The full experience typically runs 4–5 hours from start to finish, including market time, the boat ride, and the cooking class with lunch.

Do I need cooking experience?

No. The class is designed for all levels. The chef teaches each step, and the guide adjusts the pace to the group.

What if I don't eat meat or have dietary restrictions?

Let your guide know when you arrive. The chef can adapt the dishes: vegetarian versions of spring rolls and bánh xèo are straightforward, and the crab salad can be swapped for a vegetable-based dish.

Is the bamboo basket boat safe?

Yes. The boats are stable and designed for tourists. You sit low in the water, and the guide handles the paddling. Infants must sit on an adult's lap.

What's included in the price?

Market visit, bamboo basket boat ride, entrance fees, the cooking class, lunch, and an English-speaking guide. You don't pay separately for any of those.

Can I do this tour if I'm not very fit?

Yes. The market walk is gentle, the boat ride requires no physical effort, and the cooking class is done standing in a kitchen. It's suitable for all fitness levels.

What if the weather is bad?

The market and cooking class happen indoors or under cover. The boat ride goes ahead in light rain, but heavy weather may cause a reschedule. Check with the operator on the day.

How many people are in the group?

Groups are kept small for a more personal experience. Exact numbers vary, but it's never a large crowd.