Coconut Forest Basket Boat Ride Hoi An
Overview
This basket boat ride takes you into the water coconut forest of Cam Thanh, a peaceful village a short distance from Hoi An. You sit in a round bamboo basket boat, glide between the palms, watch local fishing skills such as net casting and crab fishing, and try paddling yourself. Choose the basic 50-minute ride, or add a lantern-making class where you keep your folding lantern, with or without hotel pickup depending on the option. It suits couples, families and photographers who want a short, hands-on local experience.
Highlights
- Round bamboo basket boat ride through the coconut forest
- Watch net casting and try crab fishing with local villagers
- Try paddling the basket boat yourself
- Optional lantern-making class with a folding lantern to keep
- Choice of meeting-point or hotel-pickup options
- Hat, umbrella, life jacket and bottle of water included
- Early departures for a quieter river
Full Description
The Cam Thanh coconut forest
The Cam Thanh coconut forest is a stretch of water palms along a narrow river channel near Hoi An, and it is one of the most popular half-day escapes from the Ancient Town. The palms create a green tunnel, the water is calm and the village life goes on around you. Many visitors search for a coconut forest basket boat tour in Hoi An because it feels more local and slower than a busy sightseeing day.
Is the coconut forest worth visiting? If you enjoy nature, photography and short cultural experiences, yes, and it works well as a morning activity before the heat builds. The best time to visit is early, ideally before 9:00, when there are fewer boats and the light is soft. Bring sunscreen and comfortable clothes, as there is little shade in the middle of the river.
The basket boat experience
The basket boat, called a thung chai, is a round woven bamboo boat that has been used on Vietnam's rivers and coast for generations. Two guests share each boat, and a local paddler guides you through the palms while you watch fishing techniques such as net casting, and you can try crab fishing and paddling yourself. It is easy, fun and photogenic, and it is the main reason people book a basket boat ride in Hoi An.
Net casting demonstrations usually finish by about 4:30 in the afternoon, so choose an earlier time if you want to see them. The spinning-boat show is an optional extra paid directly to the boat spinner on the spot and is not part of the booking. Guests over 140 kilograms cannot join, for the safety of the boat, and hats, umbrellas and life jackets are provided.
Lantern-making class and choosing your option
Two of the three options add a lantern-making class after the boat ride, where you learn how Hoi An's silk and bamboo lanterns are built and assemble a small folding lantern to keep. It is a gentle craft activity that works well for children and adults, and it pairs naturally with the evening lantern-lit streets of the Ancient Town.
How do you get to the coconut forest from Hoi An? The meeting-point options require you to make your own way to the boat station in Cam Thanh, for example by taxi or bike, and to show your voucher; the hotel-pickup option collects you from hotels within about 7 kilometres of the station and returns you afterwards. Departures for the lantern options run between 7:30 and 8:00 in the morning.
Itinerary
- Arrival or hotel pickupReach the boat station yourself, or be collected from your Hoi An hotel if you chose the pickup option.
- Boarding the basket boatMeet your local paddler, put on a life jacket and hat, and step into the boat.
- Basket boat rideGlide through the coconut forest for about 50 minutes, watching net casting and trying crab fishing.
- Lantern-making classLearn to build a small folding lantern, included in the lantern options.
- ReturnReturn on your own, or ride back to your hotel if pickup is included.
What's included
- Entrance ticket
- 50 minutes in the coconut forest
- Basket boat ride
- Hat, umbrella and life jacket
- Bottle of water
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Lantern-making class
- Tips
Not suitable for
- Guests over 140 kilograms, because of the boat's weight limit
- Travellers with balance problems or difficulty stepping into a small boat
Meeting point
Depending on the option you choose, you either meet at the boat station in the Cam Thanh coconut forest near Hoi An and return on your own, or you are collected from your hotel in Hoi An within about 7 kilometres of the station. The lantern options start between 7:30 and 8:00, and the basic ride at around 10:00. Show your voucher to your taxi driver so you are taken to the right station.
Important information
- Wear sunscreen, comfortable clothes and a hat
- Two people share each boat
- Show your voucher to the taxi driver and ask for the meeting station
- The tour usually goes ahead in most weather; we contact you if it cannot
- Net casting normally ends around 4:30 in the afternoon
- The spinning-boat show is an optional extra paid on the spot
- Guests over 140 kilograms cannot take part
- If you book the 7:35 slot, avoid arriving too early
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
How much does the coconut forest basket boat tour cost?
The price depends on the option you choose. The booking panel on this page shows the current price for each option once you pick your date.
Is hotel pickup included?
Only in the option that says with hotel pickup. The other options are meeting-point options, where you travel to the boat station yourself.
How long is the basket boat tour?
The basic ride takes about 50 minutes, the lantern options about 2 hours at the station, and the pickup option about 3 hours in total.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, children usually enjoy the basket boat and the lantern class. Children must stay seated, and boats are shared by two people.
What should I wear and bring?
Wear light, comfortable clothes and bring sunscreen. A hat, umbrella, life jacket and bottle of water are provided.
Can I book for today or tomorrow?
If a date and time show as available in the booking panel, you can book it. For the early lantern slots we recommend booking a day ahead.
What is the difference between the options?
The basic option is the boat ride only. The other two add a lantern-making class, and one of them also includes hotel pickup and drop-off.
When is the best time to visit the coconut forest?
Early in the morning, ideally before 9:00, for fewer boats and cooler air. Net casting usually finishes by about 4:30 in the afternoon.
Do I keep the lantern I make?
Yes. In the options with the lantern class you keep the folding lantern you make.
