Hoi An: Evening Food Tour, Folk Games & Lantern Boat Ride

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Duration4h

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN · CM

Mobile ticketAccepted

Hoi An night food walk with home meal lantern boat and folk game

You’ll wander Hoi An’s lantern-lit streets with a local guide, tasting nine Vietnamese dishes—including dinner in a family home—and try folk games like Bingo or Dap Nieu before floating your own flower lantern down the Hoai River by boat. It’s lively, sometimes funny, always welcoming—and leaves you with more than just photos.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening food tour and cultural activities

Meet tour guide at office
Eat Vietnamese sandwich and dumplings
Dine four-course meal at local house
Play Bingo or breaking pot game
Release flower garlands
Take photo at Japanese Covered Bridge

The Experience

We started weaving through the glowing streets of Hoi An just as the lanterns were flickering on—our guide, Minh, waved us over outside a yellow shopfront. I could smell grilled pork and something sweet in the air already. We didn’t rush; Minh kept stopping to point out little things—like how the old tiles underfoot felt cool even after a hot day, or how locals always seem to find time for coffee no matter how busy the street gets. First stop: Banh My from this tiny stall where the lady grinned at my clumsy “cam on.” The bread was warm, crunchy, and honestly better than any sandwich I’ve had at home.

After that we tried White Rose dumplings (delicate, chewy—I still think about those) and then sat down for Cao Lau noodles. Minh explained how they’re only made with water from one ancient well in town. He told us stories about his childhood here—how he’d sneak extra dumplings when his mom wasn’t looking. We laughed a lot more than I expected on a food tour. There was even an optional balut egg tasting; I passed but cheered on a brave Aussie who gave it a go (the look on her face!).

Dinner was at a local family’s house, tucked away behind lantern-lit alleys—four courses, all homemade, plus this strong iced coffee that woke me right up. After eating way too much we played Bingo and Dap Nieu (a pot-breaking game that’s harder than it looks). Everyone got competitive fast—Minh laughed when I missed by a mile. Then we walked to the river for the lantern boat ride. The water reflected all those wild colors from above; it was quieter out there than I thought it’d be, just soft voices and oar splashes echoing off the old walls. Letting go of my little flower lantern felt oddly peaceful.

The Japanese Covered Bridge looked different at night—a bit mysterious with its shadows and gold light pooling underneath. We took some photos but mostly just stood there for a minute, not saying much. That part stuck with me more than any picture could.

What’s included

Your evening includes all food and drinks listed in the itinerary (nine tastings plus dinner), folk games like Bingo or Dap Nieu, one floating flower lantern per person for the Hoai River boat ride (shared with up to five guests), an English-speaking local guide throughout, bottled water to keep you going between stops—and plenty of chances to take photos along Hoi An’s most famous sights before heading back on foot.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendly

Operated by Hoi An Food Tour - Private Day Tours