Hoi An Eco Village Cooking Class: Crab Fishing & Basket Boat

Fish for crabs, cook four dishes, eat lunch on the river

A five-hour cooking class in Hoi An's countryside combines hands-on instruction from a master chef with crab fishing and a basket boat ride through the water coconut forest. You'll learn to make pancakes, spring rolls, morning glory stir-fried with garlic and Ha Noi noodles, then share lunch at a floating restaurant. Transportation, a bottle of water, entrance tickets and an English-speaking guide are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Countryside tour and cooking class

• Escape city crowds to countryside
• Crab fishing activity
• Ride basket boat on river
• Enjoy river views and surprises
• Cook Vietnamese dishes with chef
• Visit remote location for coffee
• Relax with refreshments

The experience

What does a day of learning to cook Vietnamese food actually look like? You start before the kitchen: pickup from your hotel takes you out to the countryside where you fish for crabs by hand and ride a basket boat down the river through the water coconut forest. The boat ride lasts around an hour, and it is the part most travelers remember. The river is narrow, the trees hang low, and the local boatmen navigate it as if they've done it a thousand times. After you're back on solid ground, the cooking begins with a master chef from a five-star resort who walks you through making pancakes, spring rolls, morning glory stir-fried with garlic and Ha Noi noodles. You're not watching a demonstration. You're doing the work yourself.

Once you've cooked it, you eat it. Lunch happens at a floating restaurant on the river with the other travelers in your group, and the meal is built from what you just made. A bottle of water is included, and the guide stays with you the whole time to translate and answer questions. The location itself is what the operator calls a hidden gem: far enough from the city center that you're not bumping into tour buses, close enough that the pickup and return fit inside a morning or an afternoon.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transportation.
• basket boat ride through the water coconut forest.
• crab fishing.
• cooking class with a master chef teaching you to make four Vietnamese dishes.
• lunch at a floating restaurant.
• a bottle of water.
• entrance tickets to the eco village.
• English-speaking guide for the full five hours.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (20 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 80 years) · Youth (13 to 19 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Korean

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.

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 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by HOI AN ECO VILLAGE EXCURSION

Is this one for you?This works best for small groups or families who want to learn something hands-on rather than just see sights, and who don't mind getting wet or dirty during the crab fishing and boat ride. The five-hour pace means you're not rushed through the cooking, but you're also back in town by early afternoon.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Korean.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 19 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.

How far is the eco village from central Hoi An?

The eco village sits in the Vietnamese countryside outside Hoi An, far enough to feel remote but close enough that hotel pickup and the full five-hour experience fit inside a single morning or afternoon without a long commute on either end.

What do I actually cook in the class?

You'll make four dishes: Vietnamese pancakes, spring rolls, morning glory stir-fried with garlic and Ha Noi noodles. The master chef shows you each step, and you do the cooking yourself, not just watch.

What's included in the price?

The price covers hotel pickup and return transportation, entrance tickets to the eco village, the basket boat ride, the cooking class with the master chef, lunch at the floating restaurant, a bottle of water and an English-speaking guide throughout the day.

Can I do this tour if I have mobility concerns?

The eco village and all its surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options are wheelchair accessible as well. You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness for the full day.