Hoi An Cooking Class with Basket Boat & Crab Fishing

You fish for crabs the way the villagers do, then cook the catch for lunch.

A cooking class in Hoi An that starts in the market and ends in the kitchen, with a basket boat ride and crab fishing in between. You pick ingredients at the market with a guide, ride a traditional basket boat through the Bay Mau Nipa forest and fish the canals, then spend two hours learning to cook five Vietnamese dishes (banana flower salad, crispy pancake, spring rolls, cao lầu noodles and stir-fried chicken with lemongrass) before eating the meal you made in a riverside garden. Pickup and drop-off at your hotel are included, along with an English-speaking chef-guide, life jacket and umbrella.

The experience

The morning starts at 8:30am or the afternoon at 2:00pm with pickup from your hotel. A local guide takes you to the Hoi An market, where you learn to spot and buy the ingredients you'll cook with later. The traders show you what makes one bunch of herbs or cut of pork worth choosing over another. This is not a tour of the market. You're there to shop like a cook, with someone who knows the vendors and can translate.

From the market you head to Cam Thanh coconut water village and get into a basket boat: a round, woven vessel you row yourself through the canals of the Bay Mau Nipa forest. The palms grow thick enough that the light filters green. You fish for crabs the way the local fishermen do, and watch them demonstrate the traditional method. The ride lasts long enough to feel the quiet of the countryside instead of just passing through it.

Back on land, Mrs Tram (a chef who trained with her village neighbors) teaches you to cook five dishes over two hours in her riverside kitchen. You make banana flower and green mango salad with pork, crispy Vietnamese pancake, deep-fried spring rolls, stir-fried cao lầu noodles and stir-fried chicken with lemongrass and chili. She shows you the technique for each one, then you cook. You eat what you made in a garden overlooking the river, and you get the recipes to take home. The class ends by 1:00pm or 6:30pm depending on which session you choose.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hoi An.
• market visit with a local guide to shop for ingredients.
• basket boat ride and crab fishing in the Bay Mau Nipa forest.
• two-hour cooking class with Chef Mrs Tram.
• lunch or dinner (the five dishes you cook).
• English-speaking guide.
• life jacket, umbrella and raincoat.
• recipes to take home.
• meal served in a riverside garden.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 14:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (11 to 90 years) · Youth (4 to 10 years) · Child (under 4): free

GroupUp to 12

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 9 days ago

Good to know

Infant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hoi An Family Eco Cooking Tour

Is this one for you?You do the cooking and the fishing yourself, not watching a demonstration, which is what makes the class feel like a real skill instead of a tourist performance. Pick the morning session if you want the market at its fullest and an early finish. The afternoon works if you sleep late or want dinner instead of lunch.

Traveler reviews

4.99★★★★★★★★★★

1,662 verified traveler reviews

5 ★1,641

4 ★18

3 ★3

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (4 to 10 years); Child (under 4): 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 do I actually cook in this class?

You make five dishes: banana flower and green mango salad with pork or chicken; crispy Vietnamese pancake with shrimp and pork; deep-fried spring rolls; stir-fried cao lầu noodles with pork or chicken; and stir-fried chicken with lemongrass and chili. The chef teaches each one, then you prepare and eat the meal you cooked.

Can I do the basket boat fishing myself, or do I just watch?

You row the basket boat yourself through the canals of the Bay Mau Nipa forest and fish for crabs using the traditional method. The local fishermen show you how and fish alongside you. It is not a demonstration.

How long does the whole thing take?

The class runs 4.5 hours total: either 8:30am to 1:00pm in the morning or 2:00pm to 6:30pm in the afternoon. That includes market time, the basket boat ride, and the two-hour cooking lesson.

What's included in the price?

Pickup and drop-off at your hotel, the market visit with a guide, the basket boat ride and crab fishing, the cooking class with the chef, lunch or dinner (the meal you cook), an English-speaking guide, life jacket, umbrella and raincoat are all included.