Hoi An Lantern Making Class with Boat Ride: craft and release your own lantern

Craft a lantern and set it floating on the water yourself

A lantern-making class in Hoi An where you build a bamboo lantern and floating candle with local artisans, then release them on the Thu Bon River at dusk. The 2-hour experience includes hotel pickup, all materials, instruction in English, and a private boat ride for your group. You choose between a bamboo lantern, a paper lantern, or both; some options include hotel drop-off as well.

The Experience

What does it feel like to make something with your hands and then watch it drift away on water? This class answers that by putting you in a workshop with local artisans who teach you how to fold and assemble a bamboo lantern—the kind that glows when lit—and craft a floating candle (hoa đăng) that carries wishes downriver. You write your own hope or intention on the lantern before you leave the workshop, turning the object into something personal rather than just a souvenir.

The boat ride happens at dusk, when Hoi An's old town is already lit by lanterns strung across the water and reflected in it. You drift along the Thu Bon River in a private boat with whoever booked this experience—no strangers, no schedule pressure—and release your lantern into the current. The artisans who taught you the craft are there to answer questions and help with the release if you want guidance. The whole arc, from learning the fold to watching it float, takes about two hours.

Hotel pickup is included, so you don't arrange transport to the workshop. The materials stay with you: the lantern you made comes home in a foldable form, and the floating candle is part of the release itself. English-speaking guides mean you understand the technique and the tradition behind it, not just the steps.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup.
• lantern-making materials and instruction from local artisans.
• one floating candle to release.
• one foldable lantern to take home.
• private boat ride on the Thu Bon River.
• English-speaking guide.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hoi An Lantern Boat Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a souvenir you made yourself and a moment to participate in a local tradition rather than just watch it. The private boat means your group releases lanterns together without waiting for strangers or following a fixed schedule.

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Top questions

How long does the lantern-making class actually take?

The full experience, from workshop to boat ride, is 2 hours. The lantern-making itself takes up the first part; the boat ride and release happen as the light fades.

Can I choose between a bamboo lantern and a paper one, or do I have to make both?

You choose at checkout. One option covers bamboo lantern making with the boat ride; another is paper lantern class with the boat; a third includes both lantern types and two boat rides if you want to release each one separately.

What happens to the lantern I make—do I get to keep it?

Yes. The bamboo lantern folds flat for travel, so you bring it home as a souvenir. The floating candle is released on the river as part of the tradition, but the lantern itself is yours to take.

Does the price include getting back to my hotel after the boat ride?

Hotel pickup is included in all options. Drop-off back to your hotel is included in some options but not others—check which one you're booking, as it affects the price and timing.

What is the Thu Bon River like when you're on the boat at dusk?

The Thu Bon River runs through Hoi An's old town, which is lit by lanterns hung from buildings and reflected in the water by evening. The boat moves slowly, so you see the town from the water and have time to release your lantern without rushing.

Do I need to speak Vietnamese, or is the instruction in English?

The artisans speak English, so the lantern-making instruction is in English. You'll understand the technique and the meaning of the tradition without needing to translate.