Vietnam · LANTERN & NIGHT MARKET TOURS
The old town cuts its electric lights on the full moon and the river fills with paper boats. These 15 cover the lantern-making workshops, the night market walks and the boat rides, priced and clear on what you take home.
At this family-run Hoi An workshop, an English-speaking instructor guides you through a 90-minute to 2-hour lantern class. Choose silk, color, and shape, then build from a bamboo frame or start from scratch. Tea, music, a short cultural talk, and a foldable souvenir are included.
“It was great fun to make my ow lantern, really enjoyed the workshop!”
At Hoian Handicraft Tours in Cam Pho, you’ll build a foldable silk lantern from 12 bamboo stakes, wire, fabric, and a tassel. English-speaking instructors, including Huy, Vie Vie, and Tam, guide you through the process, with tea tasting and a finished lantern to take home.
“What a great time my daughter and I had makong lanterns on a cloudy afternoon. The team were very helpful and made us laugh at their critique of our amateur lantern making skills. They were also very quickly able to rectify our mistakes. We would definitely recommend this very reasonable priced activity.”
Meet your English-speaking guide at the Kazimierz Kwiatkowski bust on Tran Phu Street. You’ll walk five minutes to the Thu Bon River, board a private wooden boat for up to five people, and release one paper lantern each. Guide Linh and Phuoc Ho have been praised for clear communication and smooth arrangements.
“We met our guide who then took us to the river. It was beautiful on the lake and our boatman was very helpful with getting us on and off and also took photos for us. He also lit the candles of our lanterns which we then put on the water. A lovely 20 min trip.”
Meet near the Japanese Bridge at 153 Tran Phu Street, then walk to the Hoai River for a 20-minute boat ride. Your lantern, herbal tea, and 24-hour eSIM are included. Expect glowing river views, help with photos, and an easy way to avoid riverside bargaining.
“The team were very obliging and even helped when I could not attend and rescheduled my date very kind and an amazing g experience”
Start at White Rose Restaurant at 4:30 pm with an English-speaking guide such as Emma, Jackie, Nancy, or Quin. Walk Hoi An’s Old Town for banh mi, white rose dumplings, cao lau, coffee, and more, then play bingo, take a 15-minute shared boat ride, and release a lantern.
“Amazing food! You have to come hungry. Very different type of cuisine, quite special. Everything went well.”
At The Lantern Lady’s Old Town workshop in Hoi An, you choose a 20 cm bamboo frame, silk fabric, and lantern shape, then build your own traditional lantern with patient English-language guidance. Make a foldable souvenir to take home, or choose a paper lantern to float on the river.
“We got the chance to make a 20cm lantern. We were guided through the steps on how to do it. The lady who runs it is very kind. It was very busy because of the weather, but they still tried to ensure everyone was looked after.”
At 3/6 Phan Boi Chau Street, local English-speaking instructors guide you through the history, shape, color, and making of a foldable Hoi An lantern. Choose your fabric and tassel, build a 20 cm lantern from start to finish, and carry it home easily. Allow up to 1.5 hours if the class is busy.
“We thoroughly enjoyed making a traditional lantern. The workshop was busy but well stocked. It was down a laneway so look for the Lantern signs.”
Meet guides such as Linh or Anna at the assigned meeting point for a market visit, coconut-forest basket boat ride, four-dish cooking class, and simple lantern-making session. You cook pho, banh xeo, banh cuon, and che, then take your lantern home.
“I thoroughly enjoyed learning how to make 3 authentic Vietnamese dishes, which were full of flavour and easy to make. the boat ride and lantern making was also included in this tour and is great value for money 🥰”
Start at 2pm with a private car and English-speaking guide, then visit Marble Mountains, Hoi An’s historic streets, the Japanese Covered Bridge, Night Market, and a sampan boat ride. Guides such as Chang, Danny, Hoang, and Vy are praised for clear explanations and flexible pacing.
“A fun tour. Started with a coconut boat ride as we had already visited the Marble Mountains. It’s a lot of fun. Then headed into Ho A for a walking tour visiting some of the key historical sites before the obligatory evening boat ride on the river. The city was packed and it felt very touristy but our guide Hoang was great and very insightful on the history of the region and the positive impact of tourism in the area. Also gave us a fabulous tip for dinner - the Hai Cafe.”
Meet your English-speaking greeter at the Kazimierz Kwiatkowski bust beside 140 Tran Phu Street. Walk five minutes to the river, board a wooden boat for a 15-minute cruise, and release one flower lantern per person. Boats hold up to five people, with peak queues from 18:30 to 19:30.
“Le type du bateau nous a même pas informé de faire un vœux avant la mise à l’eau de notre lanterne… 🙄 Il les a allumées dès le début 🤦♀️, manque de charme. Décevant”
Meet your guide at 6 pm on Hai Ba Trung Street for a two to three-hour walk through Hoi An’s old town and market. Expect banh mi, dumplings, pork, local noodles, dessert, coffee, and beer, with guides such as Jackie and Jun adding food and town context.
“Only couple on the street tour. Walked through the market and stopped for food . Although not the food described on the itinerary but all was tasty . No coffee stop. Did watch some street activities. Expensive for what we got .”
Spend 210 minutes learning five Vietnamese coffee styles with an English-speaking instructor, then walk to a nearby family-run workshop to make a foldable Hoi An lantern. Choose fabric, colors, and a lantern shape, with patient help from local masters such as Tam.
“Such a fun experience, the guys are hilarious, coffees are delicious and they were amazing help with the lantern making. We couldn’t recommend enough.”
At The Lantern Lady on Phan Boi Chau Street, an English-speaking local craft instructor guides you through making a foldable, garlic-shaped 20-centimeter lantern. You’ll hear why Hoi An families hang lanterns for luck, happiness, and wealth, then choose materials and take your finished souvenir home.
“Such a fun activity with every friendly and helpful guides! Thank you so much!”
Leave Da Nang at 3 pm for a private, five-hour visit to Hoi An with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, a walking tour of the Ancient Town, and a 30-minute sampan ride on the Hoai River. Guides such as Chang, Ken, Minh, and Hung add history, local tips, and time to explore the lantern market.
“Very friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. Took us on a walk through the streets of Hoi An and explained the history”
This five-hour Hoi An tour combines old-town sights, the Bay Mau Coconut Forest, a shared bamboo basket boat, dinner, and a 15-minute lantern cruise. Guides such as Tin Tin, Emma, Thuy, and Harry lead the experience, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.
“Tingh Tingh was an excellent guide, Thank-you so much, she made the day extra special. Great value for money”
Pick a bay, a kitchen, a tunnel or a road.
