Hoi An Tour With Basket Boat Ride & Lantern Release From Da Nang

You paddle a basket boat yourself, then float lanterns down the river at night.

A full-day tour from Da Nang to Hoi An Ancient Town includes a basket boat ride through Bay Mau Coconut Forest, an evening exploring the lantern-lit old town, dinner at a local restaurant, and a 15-minute boat trip to release lanterns on the Hoai River. An English-speaking guide leads the group and handles all transport.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hoi An tour with basket boat and lanterns

• Pick up at Danang hotel
• Paddle basket boat on Thu Bon river
• Explore Bay Mau Coconut Forest
• Watch basket boat performance
• Try paddling basket boat
• See traditional fishing net throwing
• Return to Hoi An ancient town
• Dinner at local restaurant
• Boat trip on Hoai River
• Join lantern-release activity
• Depart to Danang city
• Drop off at hotel

The experience

The tour picks you up at your Da Nang hotel at 2pm and drives to the Thu Bon River, where you board a basket boat: a traditional round vessel woven from bamboo. You paddle through Bay Mau Coconut Forest, watch a local demonstration of the spinning technique, and try paddling yourself. The forest is thick with palms and narrow waterways. The boat moves slowly enough that you see fishermen at work and the way the light filters through the canopy. By 5pm you're back on the road to Hoi An.

Hoi An Ancient Town appears after dark, when the streets glow with paper lanterns in red, yellow and white. You walk through the old quarter with your guide, stopping at shrines and shopfronts, then sit down for dinner at a local restaurant. At 8pm you board a boat on the Hoai River for a 15-minute ride, where you release a lantern into the water and watch it drift downstream with dozens of others: the river fills with floating lights.

The whole group travels together in an air-conditioned vehicle. The guide speaks English throughout. You're back at your hotel by 9pm. The tour suits anyone comfortable with a full evening out and a moderate pace through crowded streets. The basket boat ride is gentle and requires no swimming or special fitness.

What’s included

• Dinner at a local restaurant.
• basket boat ride through Bay Mau Coconut Forest.
• boat ride for the lantern release on the Hoai River.
• English-speaking guide throughout.
• air-conditioned vehicle transport from your Da Nang hotel and back.

Options for this experience

5 options

Group of 7+Up to 15 per booking · Guide in English · 14:00Pickup is included for a group of 7+

Group of 5-6Up to 6 per booking · Guide in English · 14:00Pickup is included for a group of 5-6

Group of 3-4Up to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 14:00Pickup is included for a group of 3-4

See 2 more options

Group of 2Up to 2 per booking · Guide in English · 14:00Pickup is included for a group of 2

Group of 1Up to 1 per booking · Guide in English · 14:00Pickup is included for a group of 1

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 14:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Grayline Vietnam Threeland Travel

Is this one for you?Book as a group of 1, 2, 3–4, 5–6, or 7 or more. You'll pay per person in your group size, so larger parties split the vehicle cost across more travelers. The tour departs in the afternoon and runs into the evening, which means you explore Hoi An after dark when the lanterns are lit and the streets are most atmospheric.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What is Bay Mau Coconut Forest like when you arrive?

Bay Mau Coconut Forest is a dense waterway lined with coconut palms where you paddle the basket boat and watch traditional fishing techniques. The forest is navigable only by small boats, and the narrow channels let you see how locals work the water.

Can you actually paddle the basket boat yourself, or does the guide do it?

You get a chance to try paddling the basket boat yourself during the forest ride. A local boatman shows you the technique first, and you can take the oars for part of the journey.

What happens during the lantern release on the Hoai River?

You board a boat for a 15-minute trip on the Hoai River between 8pm and 8:30pm, where you release a paper lantern into the water. The lanterns float downstream, and the river fills with lights from other travelers doing the same.

Is dinner included, and where do you eat?

Dinner is included at a local restaurant in Hoi An Ancient Town after you explore the lantern-lit streets. The restaurant is chosen by the tour operator and serves Vietnamese cuisine.

How long does the whole tour take from pickup to drop-off?

The tour runs for about seven hours total, starting with hotel pickup at 2pm and ending with drop-off back at your Da Nang hotel around 9pm.