Overview
Our most comprehensive river experience. Start with an exhilarating bamboo basket boat ride through the mystical water coconut forest of Cam Thanh Village — your guide will perform the legendary spinning dance and teach you about traditional Vietnamese fishing techniques. Then board a larger wooden boat for a peaceful cruise up the Thu Bon River, passing rice paddies, farming communities and the ancient town's waterfront. End the afternoon in a riverside lantern workshop learning to make your own small paper lantern to take home.
Tour Highlights
- Bamboo basket boat through the water coconut forest (30 min)
- Traditional basket boat spinning demonstration
- Thu Bon River cruise on wooden boat (90 min)
- Pass through fishing villages and rice paddies
- Mini lantern-making workshop — take home your own creation
- Complimentary seasonal fruits and green tea on the cruise
- Small group max 10 people
What's Included & Excluded
Bamboo basket boat (60 mins)
Thu Bon River wooden boat cruise (60 mins)
Mini lantern-making workshop
Seasonal fruit and green tea on the boat
4 flower lanterns to release
Life vests for all passengers
English-speaking guide
Shuttle to/from Cam Thanh departure point
Hotel pickup
Main meals
Travel insurance
Full lantern-making course (can be added separately)
Tour Itinerary
2:00 PM
Meet guide at the Ancient Town meeting point. Shuttle transfer to Cam Thanh Village (approx. 15 min).
2:15 PM
Board the bamboo basket boat and enter the water coconut palm forest. Watch and try the famous spinning dance. Learn about traditional fishing techniques used in these waterways for generations (60 min).
3:15 PM
Transfer to the wooden river boat at the Cam Thanh jetty. Board and settle in as seasonal fruits and green tea are served.
3:30 PM
Begin the 60-minute cruise up the Thu Bon River. Pass rice paddies still being worked by farmers, isolated fishing communities, and gradually the waterfront of Hoi An Ancient Town coming into view.
4:30 PM
Arrive at the riverside lantern workshop. Begin your mini paper lantern making session — guided step by step. Your finished lantern goes home with you.
5:30 PM
Release your 4 flower lanterns on the river as the sun sets. Tour ends near Bach Dang Street in the Ancient Town heart.
~6:00 PM
Tour concludes. Ancient Town restaurants, cafes, and markets are all within easy walking distance.
Important Information
- The basket boat portion may involve light splashing — wear clothes you're comfortable getting slightly wet
- Seasonal fruit and green tea is served on the wooden boat cruise at no extra charge
- The mini lantern workshop produces a small but complete paper lantern — ideal for packing in luggage
- For a more in-depth lantern-making experience, ask about our standalone Lantern Making Class
- Suitable for all ages including families with young children
- Maximum 10 guests ensures an intimate, uncrowded experience
Common Questions
How does this compare to the shorter bamboo basket + lantern boat tour?
This tour is more comprehensive: instead of a short lantern boat ride, you get a 90-minute wooden river cruise up the Thu Bon passing rice paddies and villages, plus a mini lantern-making workshop at the end. It's our most complete river experience and ideal for guests who want to spend a full afternoon on and by the water.
What's the difference between the wooden boat and the lantern boat?
The wooden Thu Bon river boat is a larger traditional vessel used for the upstream river cruise — it's slower, more stable, and lets you take in the rural riverscape with fruit and tea. The lantern boats are smaller, decorated evening boats specifically designed for the atmospheric illuminated section near the Ancient Town. Both are wonderful in very different ways.
Can I upgrade to the full lantern making class?
Yes! The mini workshop gives you a taste of lantern making, but if you want the full 2-hour experience with all design options, 12 silk colours, and a certificate of completion, you can book our Lantern Making Class separately — or ask about combining both when you contact us.
