Hoi An Walking Tour, Sampan Boat Trip & Food Tasting by Night

Lanterns, Local Food, and a River at Night

This 5.5-hour evening tour of Hoi An combines walking through the old town's heritage sites, eating at night market stalls, and floating the Thu Bon River by sampan to release lanterns. You visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Communal House and Hoi An market, taste bánh mì, cau lau, white roses and other local dishes, watch a traditional music performance, and end the evening drifting downriver with a lantern to make a wish. An English-speaking guide leads the group, pickup from Da Nang or Hoi An is included, and all food and drinks are part of the price.

Step-by-step itinerary

Walking, food, and boat trip in Hoi An

• Visit Chinese Communal House
• Explore Tan Ky Merchants’ Houses
• See Japanese Covered Bridge
• Visit cultural and historical museum
• Walk through Hoi An market
• Enjoy traditional music performance
• Taste local foods like bánh mì and cau lau
• Take sampan boat trip on Thu Bon River
• Release lanterns and make a wish
• Shop at night market

The experience

The tour starts in the old town and moves through the landmarks that frame Hoi An's character: the Japanese Covered Bridge, the Chinese Communal House, the cultural and historical museum, and the market where locals shop. Your guide is a local who knows the daily rhythms of the place and can explain what you are standing in front of. Along the way, you stop to watch a traditional music performance by local artists, which gives you a sense of how people here mark an evening.

The food part of the tour happens at night market stalls, where you taste the dishes Hoi An is known for: bánh mì, cau lau noodles, white roses, wonton, chicken rice, and rice pancakes. The guide takes you to the stalls instead of a restaurant, so you are eating where locals eat and the portions come as they come, not plated for tourists. Drinks are included throughout.

The sampan boat trip on the Thu Bon River is the closing act. You board a small wooden boat and drift downriver at dusk or after dark, depending on when the tour runs. Each traveler gets a lantern to release into the water and make a wish. This is the moment most people remember. The guide also takes the group to the night market afterward if there is time, so you can browse and shop on your own.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide.
• pickup and drop-off by air-conditioned vehicle from Da Nang or Hoi An.
• entry to the heritage sites (Japanese Covered Bridge, Chinese Communal House, cultural and historical museum).
• local food and drinks at night market stalls.
• traditional music performance.
• sampan boat trip on the Thu Bon River.
• lanterns to release.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 14:00 and 15:00

Book up to16h before

AgesAdult (12 to 80 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 10 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 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Tommy Dao Local Private Tours and Transfers

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the commentary and the stories about each stop without translation delays. This works well if you want the history and context woven into the evening rather than just the food and the boat ride on their own.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): 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.

What is the Japanese Covered Bridge and why does the tour stop there?

The Japanese Covered Bridge is a 18th-century arched footbridge in the heart of Hoi An's old town, built by Japanese merchants who lived there. The tour includes it as one of the main heritage landmarks that define the town's character and history.

Do I get to eat a full dinner, or are these just small tastes at the market?

You taste multiple local dishes at night market stalls (bánh mì, cau lau, white roses, wonton, chicken rice, rice pancakes), so it amounts to a full meal made up of several stops rather than one plated dinner. Drinks are included.

What happens during the sampan boat trip, and is it safe for people who are not strong swimmers?

The sampan is a small wooden boat that drifts on the Thu Bon River. You sit in the boat and release a lantern into the water. You do not need to swim: the boat stays on the water and the guide handles the navigation.

How long does the lantern release take, and can I do it even if I do not believe in wishes?

The lantern release is part of the evening's flow and takes as long as you want to spend on it. Whether you make a wish or simply release the lantern as a gesture is entirely up to you.

Will the guide explain the history of the places we visit, or is this tour mostly about food?

The guide is a local who explains the daily life and history of Hoi An as you walk through the old town, visit the heritage sites, and stop at the market. The food is woven into the evening, not the only focus.

What time does the tour start and end, and how do I get picked up?

The tour runs for 5.5 hours in the evening and includes pickup and drop-off from Da Nang or Hoi An by air-conditioned SUV or minivan. The exact start time depends on the operator's schedule. Confirm it when you book.