Hoi An: Lantern and Coffee Making Class

Hoi An’s coffee and lantern class joins two very different local skills: brewing powerful coffee through a tiny phin filter, then building a colorful lantern you can fold into your luggage. The coffee session covers black coffee, sweetened white coffee, coconut coffee, Hue salt coffee, and Hanoi egg coffee, followed by hands-on craft work.

I like the practical souvenirs: you take home a foldable lantern and, in some sessions, a phin filter or coffee recipes. I also like the family-run feel and the good humor of the instructors, including Tam at the lantern workshop. The main caution is caffeine. Five strong coffees can leave you shaky if you drink every cup.

Key points to know

• Five Vietnamese coffee styles: Make and taste black, white, coconut, Hue salt, and Hanoi egg coffee.
• Foldable lantern to take home: Choose fabrics and patterns, then compress your finished lantern for easier packing.
• Two nearby family workshops: The coffee and lantern sessions take place down the street from each other.
• A useful caffeine warning: You are encouraged to taste the coffees, not necessarily finish every serving.
• Good value at $24: Three and a half hours of instruction, drinks, cookies, tea or water, and a handmade souvenir are included.

Why this Hoi An class works so well

Many Hoi An activities give you something to look at. This one gives you something to make, drink, and carry home. In 210 minutes, you move from Vietnamese coffee culture to one of the crafts most closely linked with Hoi An’s old town.

The pairing makes sense. Coffee keeps your hands busy at the start, while lantern construction gives you a calmer second half. After several tastings, the slower rhythm of cutting, fitting, and covering the frame is welcome.

I like that the class is not only a demonstration. You prepare the drinks yourself, learn the basic method, and make a lantern rather than simply buying one from a shop. You also get a chance to ask questions about the ingredients, tools, and local traditions.

The class is taught in English, with an English audio guide included. It is wheelchair accessible, and no hotel pickup or drop-off is provided, so you need to reach the meeting point yourself.

Finding the workshop on Ba Trieu Street

The meeting point is at 12 Ba Trieu Street, behind Viettin Bank and opposite Le Ba Truyen restaurant. That description is useful, since the workshop is not presented as a major landmark with a large roadside sign.

Allow a little time to find the exact entrance, especially if you are arriving from another part of Hoi An’s old town. The two workshops are close together, and the coffee team can walk you to the lantern-making location. You do not need a separate transfer between the activities.

The price is $24 per person. For a 210-minute session, that is a fair deal, especially because the cost includes the coffee, cookies, herbal tea or water, English instruction, a local master, and the lantern you make.

The value is strongest if you like active cultural experiences. If you only want a quick coffee tasting or a short souvenir stop, three and a half hours may feel long. If you enjoy learning by doing, the combined booking gives you a full half-day activity without a major expense.

Starting with the Vietnamese phin filter

The coffee portion begins with the phin, a small metal filter used to brew Vietnamese coffee. It is not quite a French press, though the comparison helps if you have never seen one. Coffee grounds sit in the filter, hot water passes through slowly, and the result is concentrated and strong.

This slower method is part of the pleasure. You see the coffee drip rather than having a drink appear instantly, and the instructor explains how roasting and preparation affect the final cup. The beans are roasted dark, then often paired with sweetened condensed milk for the familiar Vietnamese white coffee.

You will prepare black coffee and white coffee first, then move through several flavored or regional versions. The class is designed to show how one base ingredient can produce very different drinks through small changes in sweetness, salt, egg, or coconut.

The instructors provide recipes, so you can try the drinks again at home. That makes this more useful than a one-time tasting, particularly if you already enjoy coffee and want to recreate the flavors after returning home.

Five coffees, five very different flavors

The advertised coffee set includes five Vietnamese styles:

• Black coffee
• White coffee with sweetened condensed milk
• Coconut coffee
• Hue Imperial salt coffee
• Hanoi capital egg coffee

Black coffee is the simplest place to understand the phin. White coffee shows the classic condensed-milk combination, which softens the bitterness and gives the drink its familiar sweetness.

Coconut coffee brings a smoother, dessert-like direction. One particularly useful detail is that the session lets you compare these styles close together, rather than trying to remember a drink from a café several days earlier.

Hue salt coffee sounds strange until you taste the balance. The salt is used as part of the recipe, not as a heavy savory topping. The class connects the drink with Hue, Vietnam’s former imperial capital, which gives the tasting a regional angle.

Hanoi egg coffee is the most playful of the set. Egg is worked into a sweet, creamy topping, creating a drink that feels closer to a dessert than a standard morning brew. Making it yourself helps you understand why it has become such a well-known specialty.

The portions are strong enough that you should pace yourself. Several participants have found that drinking all five servings, or every pour offered during the class, can produce an intense caffeine rush. Taste each one, but do not feel obliged to empty every cup.

The social side of the coffee lesson

The coffee hosts are a major part of the experience. The class is family-run, and the atmosphere is described as funny, relaxed, and informal rather than stiff or classroom-like. The brothers at the coffee workshop are especially good at keeping the mood light while still explaining the drinks and their background.

That balance matters. You learn how Vietnamese coffee is prepared, but you are not buried in a long lecture. The instructors demonstrate each step, then help you repeat it.

Fresh ingredients and professional equipment are provided. You also get cookies with the coffee, plus herbal tea or water. Those small additions are useful after several sweet and concentrated drinks.

The coffee session can take close to two hours, depending on the pace of the group. It is a good fit for families because the hands-on steps give younger participants something to do. One family found that children aged 12 and 15 stayed engaged through both the coffee and lantern portions.

Walking to the lantern workshop

After the coffee activity, you move down the street to the lantern-making class. The walk is short, and the staff can guide you there, so the transition is simple.

The second workshop changes the mood. Instead of measuring coffee and waiting for a phin to drip, you work with a lantern frame, fabric, and adhesive. The instructors show you the process step by step and help when your hands are not quite cooperating.

You may have a choice between a small and large lantern. A small version can take about an hour and a half, while a large one may take around two and a half hours. The exact pace depends on your choice and how much of the frame construction you do yourself.

The workshop can offer either a prepared frame or the option to build more of the lantern from scratch using bamboo sticks. This is an important choice. The prepared base is easier and faster, while the bamboo option gives you a closer look at the skill behind the finished product.

Choosing fabric and shaping your souvenir

One of the most enjoyable parts is choosing the lantern’s fabric. You can pick from different colors and patterns, then apply the material to the frame under guidance from the local craft team.

The staff do not simply hand you supplies and leave you alone. They show you how to work through the tricky parts and step in when needed. Tam has been singled out for her patience, humor, and practical help during this stage.

The work is creative, but it is not completely effortless. Lanterns that look simple in Hoi An’s streets require careful fitting and a steady hand. If you rush, the fabric may not sit evenly or the shape may lose its clean lines.

That is part of the value. You leave with a better understanding of what goes into a lantern sold around town. The finished item is not just a colorful object. It represents several hours of measuring, shaping, covering, and correcting small mistakes.

Why the foldable design matters

The lantern folds down for transport, which is a major advantage for anyone traveling with limited luggage. You do not need to carry a rigid souvenir through several flights or bus rides.

The staff show you how to compress it properly. That instruction is worth paying attention to, since a handmade lantern can be awkward to pack if you do not know how the frame works.

You can take the lantern home as a decoration, and you can pair it with the coffee skills learned earlier. A phin filter is small and easy to pack, and some sessions provide one as an extra takeaway. Recipes may also be supplied, giving you a way to repeat the coffee lesson at home.

The class therefore produces a souvenir with a clear connection to the activity. You are not simply handed a generic gift at the end. You make the lantern yourself, choose its appearance, and learn how to carry it home.

Timing, comfort, and practical planning

The full experience lasts 210 minutes. That is long enough for both workshops, but you should plan around it rather than squeezing it between two tightly timed sightseeing stops.

A morning session can work well before the hottest part of the day. An afternoon session gives you a pleasant indoor break after walking around Hoi An. The workshop setting is comfortable, and fans and drinks have been provided when people arrived early to escape the heat.

Bring a camera if you want photos of the process and the finished lantern. Also wear something comfortable for sitting and working with your hands. The supplied information specifically recommends a camera, while the craft itself calls for patience more than special equipment.

No hotel transportation is included. You must make your own way to 12 Ba Trieu Street, behind Viettin Bank and opposite Le Ba Truyen restaurant.

The class is wheelchair accessible. Since the coffee and lantern workshops are close to one another, there is no long transfer between them, though you should still confirm any personal access needs when booking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. You can also reserve and pay later, which helps if your Hoi An plans depend on weather or changing transport arrangements.

Who should book this class

I would recommend it to couples, families, and solo visitors who want a cultural activity with a clear result at the end. It also suits a rainy afternoon, since the main work happens indoors and does not depend on sightseeing conditions.

Coffee drinkers will get the most from the first half. You do not need to be an expert, though. The instructions are designed for beginners, and the class explains the recipes in manageable steps.

The lantern workshop is a good choice if you like crafts, souvenirs, or slow creative work. It is less suitable if you dislike detailed handwork or want an activity that finishes quickly.

Families should note the caffeine issue. Children may enjoy the preparation and tasting, but nobody needs to finish every coffee. Share samples, take small sips, and use the water or herbal tea provided.

This is also a good option for visitors who want to support a small local business. Both parts are family-run, and the teaching feels personal rather than mass-produced.

Is the Hoi An coffee and lantern class worth $24?

Yes, for most people who have three and a half hours available. The price covers five coffee preparations, instruction, snacks, drinks, a local guide, and a handmade lantern that folds for travel.

The best value comes from the combination. You get two separate skills, two nearby workshops, and a souvenir that you make yourself. Some people also purchase extra lanterns or coffee afterward at reasonable prices, though those purchases are not included.

My only real reservation is the caffeine load and the time commitment. If you are sensitive to coffee, the tasting can be more intense than expected. If your schedule is tight, you may prefer to book just one workshop, since the coffee and lantern classes can also be taken separately.

Book it if you want a friendly, hands-on Hoi An experience and like the idea of returning home with both a new coffee recipe and a foldable lantern. Skip it if you prefer a short, quiet activity with no craft work or if strong coffee is a poor match for you.

FAQ

How long does the combined Hoi An coffee and lantern class last?

The full activity lasts 210 minutes, or three and a half hours.

How much does the experience cost?

The listed price is $24 per person.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet at 12 Ba Trieu Street, behind Viettin Bank and opposite Le Ba Truyen restaurant.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Which coffees will I make?

You will prepare black coffee, white coffee with condensed milk, coconut coffee, Hue Imperial salt coffee, and Hanoi capital egg coffee.

What is a phin filter?

A phin is a small Vietnamese metal coffee filter. It brews the coffee slowly and produces a concentrated drink.

Do I have to drink all five coffees?

No. The coffee is strong, so you should taste the drinks without feeling obliged to finish every serving.

Can I take the lantern home?

Yes. You make a lantern and take it home. The lantern folds down to make packing and transport easier.

Can I choose the lantern’s fabric?

Yes. The workshop provides different fabric colors and patterns, and you can choose the look of your lantern.

Is the activity taught in English and wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The instructor and audio guide are in English, and the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.