Hoi An basket boats

What is the Bay Mau coconut forest?

A forest of nipa palms (water coconut) in Cam Thanh village, on the lower Thu Bon River about 3 km from Hoi An Ancient Town. During the wars it was a revolutionary base.

The Da Nang Department of Tourism gives the address as Vong Nhi Hamlet, Hoi An Dong Ward, Da Nang City, since Hoi An joined Da Nang City in July 2025. The name comes from the original area of "seven mau", an old unit of land. The forest has grown since, but the name stayed. Its narrow creeks and dense cover made natural shelter in the resistance years, which is why the classes call it a historical site.

It is part of a bigger picture too. UNESCO recognized the Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve on 26 May 2009, and its buffer zone takes in Hoi An's rivers, wetlands, mangrove forests and estuaries, per the Da Nang Department of Tourism. The nipa palms grow with their feet in brackish water, and the fronds arch over the channels.

What is a basket boat, and where does it come from?

A round boat of woven bamboo, called thung chai in Vietnamese. It probably spread under French colonial rule, when fishermen built round boats to avoid taxes on boats, per Wikipedia.

Wikipedia gives two stories. Tradition credits a 10th-century general, Tran Ung Long, with the first ones, built for battle. The likelier history is the colonial one: high taxes on seafaring, and fishermen who answered with something that was not quite a boat. The Asian coracle is woven bamboo made waterproof with resin and coconut oil, and it has no keel, so it floats in only a few inches of water and turns on the spot.

That last part explains the spinning. A paddler who knows the trick can whirl a basket boat like a top, and in Cam Thanh it has become a show.

Can you visit the coconut forest on your own, and what does it cost?

Yes. Entry is 30,000 VND per person, and a basket boat for two costs 150,000 VND for 45 minutes or 180,000 VND for 60 minutes, per the Da Nang Department of Tourism. The site opens 7.30am to 6.30pm.

You buy tickets and boats at the village reception area. The Da Nang Department of Tourism lists several ways out: a short ride from central Hoi An toward Cam Thanh, a bike ride through the rice fields, or a boat from the Ancient Town down the Thu Bon toward the estuary. It also names what happens on the water: boat rides through the nipa palms, the spinning show (which you can try), folk songs on the river and net casting.

Going with a class changes the logistics more than the price. The entry, the boat, the paddler and the transport come in one booking, and you finish at a table with lunch you cooked. On your own, you have the boat for as long as you pay for it. Either way, Bay Mau has its own entry: the Ancient Town ticket does not cover it.

Can you go crab fishing from a basket boat in Hoi An?

Yes. On most boat classes your paddler hands you a bamboo line with bait and you fish for the small crabs that live among the palm roots.

Per the listings, the Hangcoconut class teaches you to fish for crabs and paddle the boat yourself, the crab fishing class has you fishing alongside local fishermen, and the market tour paddles into the waterways "to catch tiny crabs". On the vegan school the locals show you how to catch purple crabs and how to fold rings and flowers from nipa leaves, in about 40 minutes on the water. The lantern making class shows you the fishermen's daily life, with net casting, fishing and crab catching.

Balthazar did the lantern class in Nov 2026: "The bucket boat was hilarious we couldn't stop laughing with the locals driving the boats singing gangnam style and fishing for crabs."

What is the spinning basket boat show, and is it included?

It is a paddler whirling a basket boat on the spot, sometimes with music. Watching is usually part of the ride; a fast spin with you inside is extra on some listings, so check yours.

Each listing words it differently, so here is each one as written:

• Market tour and class: a basket boat with crab catching and "even a little boat spinning".
• Lantern workshop: a short spinning-boat ride, while the fast spinning boat counts as a personal expense.
• Lantern making class: basket boat performances to watch; the spinning boat expense is not included.
• Hangcoconut: a basket boat performance and boat racing.
• Crab fishing class: the basket boat ride and performance are included.

Robin took the crab fishing class with children in Aug 2026: "The man and woman in the basket boat really put on a show, and our kids had the time of their lives". If you want a spin of your own, ask the paddler what it costs before you go round.

The market with a guide, a basket boat show, crab fishing and a 5-course class, with pickup in central Hoi An.

★ 4.8 · 4 hours · from $20

Explore the crab fishing and cooking class → Tour details

Which Hoi An cooking classes include a basket boat?

Seven of the classes on this site, from a 20-minute ride on the Da Nang tour to about 40 minutes on the vegan school's morning. The family, Tra Que, organic farm and cooking-only classes have no boat.

What each one includes on the water, per the listing:

On the bundled listings (the market tour, the lantern workshop and the class from Da Nang or Hoi An), the from-price is for the lowest-priced option. Their class-only options skip the boat and the full tour costs more, so check the options on the listing. Jarryd rode with the Da Nang tour in May 2026: "The coconut boat driver we had was also very fun and happy."

What should you wear on a basket boat?

Light clothes, a sun hat, sunscreen and shoes you can step into a boat with. Bring insect repellent, and a raincoat in the wet months.

The Hangcoconut listing's packing list is a good one: comfortable shoes, a sun hat, a camera, sunscreen, water and insect repellent, plus a raincoat or umbrella in case the weather turns. The market tour adds sunglasses and asks you to leave large bags and luggage behind, since there is little room in a round boat. On the Da Nang tour, a life jacket comes with the ride.

Keep your phone on a strap or in a zip bag; the boat rocks when people stand up for photos. For the evening, the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism suggests insect repellent with DEET and light long sleeves against mosquitoes. The rest of the day, aprons included, is in our cooking class tips.

Can you ride the basket boats in the rainy season?

Often yes, but plan for change. September to January is rainy and cool in Hoi An, and September to November can bring floods, per VNAT; operators may change or move the boat part in high water, so check with yours.

Recent years show why. In late October 2025 record rain flooded the old town and the Thu Bon reached a 60-year high (AP and other press), and in November 2025 VnExpress reported more floods, the third in three weeks.

Some listings say how they handle it. The class from Da Nang or Hoi An takes place rain or shine, and a guest on the lantern making class, Balthazar, notes that three of its four activities are inside. February to August is warm to hot and sunny, per VNAT. Our rainy season notes cover what to ask the operator.

A basket boat in the Bay Mau coconut forest, then Vietnamese coffee, a lantern you make and the class, with hotel pickup.

★ 4.9 · 4.5 hours · from $30

Explore the class with coffee and lantern making → Tour details

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