Hoi An Eco Basket Boat Fishing & Cooking Class

Two hours cooking, one boat, four dishes you catch & prepare yourself

You start at Hoi An's market learning ingredients, move to a bamboo basket boat where you fish the traditional way in a coconut-palm forest, then spend two hours cooking four Vietnamese dishes with a chef before eating what you made. Hotel pickup, all gear, and lunch or dinner are included in the 4.5-hour morning or afternoon session.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hoi An market, fishing, and cooking class

• Hotel pickup by local guides
• Transfer to Hoi An local market
• Introduction to cooking ingredients
• Boat fishing on river with locals
• Learn traditional basket boat fishing
• Catch fish and crabs yourself
• Welcome drinks at restaurant
• Two-hour Vietnamese cooking class
• Enjoy self-cooked lunch or dinner
• Return to hotel

The experience

"The river teaches you more than the book," our guide said as we stepped into the bamboo basket boat, and I understood what he meant about five minutes in when I was actually holding a net, learning how to read the water the way his family had for generations. The morning starts at 8:30 with pickup from your hotel in Hoi An, then straight to the local market where the guide walks you through each ingredient you'll cook with later. It's not a tourist stroll, it's a lesson in what grows here and why. The market is loud and real, vendors calling out, ice melting on fish, and you're the one asking questions about what goes into a spring roll or a rice pancake.

By 9 o'clock you're on the water in a coconut-palm forest, paddling or being paddled through nipa palms that have stood witness to local history, and then the fishing starts. You learn to cast a net the way locals do, feel the weight of it, understand the rhythm. If you catch something (and you probably will), you're the one who pulled it up. The whole thing takes about two hours, and it's not performed. It's real work that happens to be what you came for. After that, a local greeting drink at the restaurant, and you're not a guest anymore, you're part of the day.

Then comes the cooking class, and this is where the morning becomes lunch or dinner. Two hours in the kitchen with a chef who teaches you how to make four dishes: Hoi An spring rolls with dipping sauce, rice pancakes, banana flower salad with pork and shrimp, and fried noodles with seafood. If you're vegetarian, the ingredients swap (mushrooms, tofu, vegetables, rice noodles), and the technique stays the same. You're not watching. You're doing. You chop, you mix, you taste as you go. What you cook is what you eat, and there's no separation between the two. By 1 o'clock you're back at your hotel, full and tired in the way that means something actually happened.

The tour runs morning (8:30 am to 1 pm) or afternoon (2:30 pm to 6:45 pm), and you need at least two people to book. Groups stay small, which is why the guide can spend time with you at the market and the chef can watch your technique in the kitchen. Life jackets, umbrellas, raincoats, and water are all included. You're not managing logistics, just showing up and doing the thing.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hoi An, guided visit to the local market with ingredient introduction, basket boat ride through the coconut-palm forest, traditional fishing lesson and equipment, welcome drink at the restaurant, two-hour cooking class with a chef teaching four Vietnamese dishes, lunch or dinner made from what you cook, life jacket, umbrella, raincoat, Vietnamese tea, and water bottle.

Before you book

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

AgesAdult (12 to 85 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.Operator's directions: “please confirm with us a one day before you enjoy our tour by phone,whatsAPP or my email :”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h 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 4 days ago

Good to know

Stroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hoi An Eco Tour and Papa's Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to move past watching and actually do the work (fishing, cooking, eating) without arranging transport or worrying about what's fresh or how to find the right market. The small group size is what makes the chef and guide able to teach you one-on-one instead of lecturing to twenty people.

Traveler reviews

4.98★★★★★★★★★★

579 verified traveler reviews

5 ★568

4 ★10

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (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 24h before the start.

What time does the tour start?

Morning departures leave at 8:30 am and finish at 1 pm. Afternoon sessions run 2:30 pm to 6:45 pm. Hotel pickup happens before the start time.

Do I need fishing experience?

No. The guide teaches you traditional fishing techniques on the water. You'll learn to cast a net and catch fish as part of the tour.

Is the cooking class vegetarian-friendly?

Yes. If you're vegetarian, the chef swaps meat and seafood for mushrooms, tofu, and vegetables while keeping the same dishes and techniques.

What if I don't want to fish?

Fishing is part of the tour itinerary. You'll be on the basket boat and learn the technique, but you can ask your guide about comfort level when you're booked.

How many people are in a group?

Groups are small. Minimum 2 people to run the tour, and the operator keeps numbers low so the guide and chef can work with each person.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. The guide picks you up at your accommodation in Hoi An and drops you back there at the end.

What dishes do I learn to cook?

Hoi An spring rolls with dipping sauce, rice pancakes, banana flower salad with pork and shrimp, and fried noodles with seafood. Vegetarian versions available.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, market visit, basket boat and coconut-palm forest ticket, fishing gear, life jacket, umbrella, raincoat, Vietnamese tea, water, cooking class, and lunch or dinner made from what you cook.

What if the weather is bad?

Raincoats and umbrellas are provided. Check with the operator about cancellation policy if weather is severe on your booked date.