Hoi An: Lantern Making Class with Foldable Souvenir & Tea

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/8

Duration1h

GroupUp to 50

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Make your own lantern in hoi an with silk bamboo and laughter

You’ll sip herbal tea with a local master in Hoi An’s old town while learning how to craft your own foldable silk lantern from scratch. Choose your favorite colors, get hands-on with bamboo and glue (it’s messier than it looks), and leave with two unique souvenirs—one you made yourself and one gifted by your teacher. It’s personal, warm, and honestly pretty fun.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hoi An Lantern Making Class

Enjoy herbal tea and listen to master
Select silk and color
Apply glue and let dry
Stretch silk to cover frame
Cover top and bottom with silk strips
Select tassel for lantern base
Complete foldable lantern
Receive special gift lantern from master

The Experience

I nearly glued my fingers together before I’d even picked my silk — that was my first surprise at this Hoi An lantern making class. Our guide, Mr. Tuan, had this gentle way of laughing without making you feel silly, just nodding as I tried to peel myself free. He handed me a cup of herbal tea (smelled like lemongrass and something sweet I couldn’t place) and started telling us about how these lanterns have been part of Hoi An’s old town for centuries. The workshop itself felt lived-in: bits of colored silk everywhere, bamboo frames stacked like little skeletons on the table, the afternoon light slanting through the shutters.

We each picked out our own silk — mine was a kind of deep blue that reminded me of those river evenings here. Mr. Tuan showed us how to stretch it over the bamboo frame (he’d already made those for us), smoothing it out so there were no wrinkles. It wasn’t as easy as he made it look. My hands kept sticking to the glue, but he just grinned and said “patience is the secret.” There was this quiet moment where everyone was focused, nobody talking, just the sound of silk being pressed down and someone’s phone buzzing faintly in their bag.

I didn’t expect to actually make something I’d want to keep — but when we tied on the tassels at the end and folded our lanterns flat (so clever), it felt oddly satisfying. Mr. Tuan even made an extra one for each of us as a gift; he chose colors he thought matched our personalities (mine was bright yellow — not sure what that says about me). I still think about that blue silk sometimes when I see my lantern hanging by my window back home. If you’re looking for something real to do in Hoi An besides wandering the streets or buying souvenirs you’ll forget about, this is it… well, unless you’re really bad with glue.

What’s included

Your experience includes all materials needed for crafting your own foldable silk lantern—bamboo frame prepared by the master, choice of silk colors, glue, tassels—and herbal tea served during the session. At the end of class you’ll also receive an extra handmade lantern as a special gift from your instructor before heading back into Hoi An’s old town streets.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hoian Handicraft Tours