A coconut-boat ride and dinner you can cook. This vegetarian-friendly experience pairs a basket boat outing (optional) with hands-on cooking of classic Hoi An dishes. You’ll get picked up in Hoi An ancient town, head out with an English-speaking guide, and learn by doing with a local chef.

Two things I really like about this setup are the vegetarian/vegan catering for the cooking class and the fact that you eat what you make right after. A potential drawback to plan for: if you pick the combo with basket boat, weather can affect the experience, and the crab fishing part may not suit everyone’s comfort level.

Key highlights you should care about

• Cook 4 Hoi An dishes as a real practice session, not a demo
• Optional market visit to learn herbs and spices before you cook
• Bay Mau bamboo basket boat near Cam Thanh coconut forest
• A family-style lunch or dinner from the dishes you prepare
• Vegetarian focus with options that work for vegans too
• Small moments beyond the food, like net throwing and basket-boat performance

Vegetarian cooking in Hoi An: the menu you’ll learn

If your main goal is good food you can recreate later, this class gives you a clean, practical target: you cook four Hoi An dishes. The exact menu depends on the option you choose, but the combo menu is clearly laid out, and it’s very “Hoi An” in flavor and technique.

Here’s what you’ll cook in the market + basket boat combo:

• Fried tofu with mushroom
• Hoi An papaya salad (papaya, carrots, basil)
• Hoi An spring rolls
• Hoi An rice pancake

You’re not just mixing sauces and calling it a day. This is hands-on cooking that walks you through the ingredients and steps, then sends you to eat the result as part of the day’s meal.

If you choose the cooking class only option, you still cook multiple local dishes (the menu described includes classics like Hoi An pancakes and Hoi An spring rolls), and you finish by eating what you prepared. Either way, the format is the same idea: chef instruction, then your food on the table.

From pickup to the local home kitchen

The day starts in Hoi An ancient town. Your guide picks you up at the hotel lobby area in the city center and transfers you by car to the countryside fishing-village area. Once you arrive, there’s a welcome drink and a little downtime at a local home before you move into cooking.

That break matters more than you’d think. It helps you reset after the pickup and ride, and it makes the experience feel less rushed. It also gives you a moment to settle in before the chef starts teaching.

Then you get into the lesson itself. The class is led by a chef who teaches you how to cook the local dishes step-by-step. When it ends, you sit down with your group and eat what you cooked, which is the best kind of souvenir. You’ll leave with a meal you already know how to make.

The basket boat in Cam Thanh’s coconut forest (optional, but memorable)

If you want something active and very “Vietnam,” choose the basket boat combo. After the market visit (if selected), you transfer to Cam Thanh coconut village by car and then head out on the water.

The boat ride is described as happening near the Cam Thanh area, with a stop in the Bay Mau coconut forest. You’ll ride on a bamboo basket boat, watch a basket boat performance, and see fishing-related activities.

The specific activities mentioned include:

• Fishing crabs
• Watching a basket boat performance
• Throwing a fishing net

That last one is the kind of detail that makes a tour feel real. It’s not just sightseeing from a dock. You’re seeing how people work the water, and you’re part of the experience even if you’re not doing it professionally.

Weather note (important): one review flagged that rain can make the basket boat part less enjoyable. If rain is in the forecast, consider whether you’d still be happy focusing on the cooking class and meal even if the boat ride feels damp and shorter on fun.

Market visit for herbs and spices: what you gain

The market stop is one of the best ways to make the cooking class feel more meaningful. With the combo option, you’ll go to a local market first, where the guide explains key ingredients in Vietnamese cuisine and helps you pick fresh items for the cooking class.

This isn’t framed as a shopping spree. It’s more like guided ingredient literacy. You learn what matters, what’s fresh, and why certain flavors show up again and again in Vietnamese cooking.

The herbs and spices angle is specifically called out as a highlight. Even if you’re not the kind of traveler who buys spices to take home, understanding what you’re tasting while you cook makes the whole class click.

One practical heads-up: the market includes meat sections. A review specifically mentioned that non-animal eaters may find the sight of certain animal parts unpleasant. If you’re strongly uncomfortable with that, you may want to skip the market option and do the cooking-only version.

Vegetarian and vegan fit: what works and what to watch

The cooking class is designed to work for vegetarians and vegans. One of the most positive points from feedback is that the class was well catered to vegetarians/vegans, and the cooking portion itself was excellent.

There’s one detail to know about group mix. The vegetarian/vegan class may operate with a larger group that includes people booked on a non-vegetarian option. That doesn’t automatically mean you’re served meat, but it can affect the overall atmosphere and what you see at the market.

If you’re vegan, it’s a good idea to tell your guide up front so they can steer you through the safest parts of the lesson and ingredients. The class menu is vegetarian-based (tofu, papaya salad, spring rolls, rice pancake), which helps your diet planning, but communication is still smart when groups are mixed.

Comfort level question: the combo includes fishing-crab activity. If you’re sensitive to that, the cooking class only option may be the better match.

Lunch or dinner with your dishes: why this format is good value

You don’t just cook and then wait for the real meal to start elsewhere. This experience includes lunch or dinner, and it’s the food you made with the chef’s help.

That’s one of the biggest reasons the price feels reasonable. A cooking class alone is often a heavier learning experience with a modest meal. Here, the meal is part of the package, and it’s tied directly to your hands-on work.

You’re also eating in a local-family context, which tends to feel more grounded than a restaurant meal with a show tacked on. The vibe is practical: you cook, then you eat, then you go back.

Timing, price, and how to plan your day

The total duration is listed as 150–270 minutes, depending on which option you choose and whether you’re adding the market + basket boat elements. The tour runs either morning or afternoon, so you can match it to your sightseeing rhythm in Hoi An.

The price is $24 per person. In plain terms: you’re paying for hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking guide, bottled water, cooking instruction, and the included meal. If you pick the combo option, you’re also adding the market visit and basket boat ride.

A small logistics point: pickup is available from selected hotels in Hoi An city center. If you’re staying outside central Hoi An or you’re starting from Da Nang, there’s an extra charge of 250,000 VND one way (for 2–3 pax sharing). You pay the guide directly for that transfer.

So the value calculation is really about what you want most:

• If you want food skills + a meal: cooking class only is likely best.
• If you want the “out of town” experience too: the basket boat combo justifies the extra time.

Who this tour suits best (and who should skip parts)

This is a great fit if you:

• Want a hands-on cooking experience instead of a quick tasting
• Travel as a vegetarian or vegan and want a class that’s geared toward you
• Like classic Vietnamese dishes you can actually reproduce at home
• Want something active beyond the usual ancient-town walking loop

Choose the cooking class only option if you’d rather avoid two possible rough edges:

• The market may include meat sections that some non-animal eaters find upsetting
• The combo includes crab fishing, which may not be for everyone

Choose the combo option if you:

• Don’t mind fishing-themed activities
• Want the bamboo basket boat experience in Cam Thanh’s coconut forest
• Prefer a day that blends “learn to cook” with “see a working village routine”

Families can consider it too, with one key detail: children under 3 are free but won’t participate in cooking. That’s good to know for planning your expectations.

Should you book the Vegetarian Cooking Class with optional basket boat?

I’d book it if you want a fun, practical food day in Hoi An that doesn’t ignore vegetarian travelers. The cooking class is the core, and the included meal is a real benefit because you eat what you made.

Pick the combo if you’re excited by the basket boat and you’re comfortable with crab fishing being part of the program. If the idea of fishing activities or market meat sections makes you uneasy, the cooking-only option keeps things focused on the kitchen and the dishes.

Either way, bring an open mind. This kind of tour is at its best when you treat it like a day with locals: learn, cook, ask questions, and then eat.

And one last practical tip: if you get rain, be ready to enjoy the cooking portion even if the boat side feels less magical that day. The meal and the skills are the durable part.

FAQ

What does the Vegetarian Cooking Class include?

It includes hotel pickup and drop-off, an English-speaking tour guide, bottled water, and lunch or dinner. If you select the market option, you also get a local market visit, and if you select the basket boat option, you also get a basket boat ride.

Is the basket boat ride included?

It depends on your option. The basket boat ride is included with the market and basket boat combo option, not with the cooking class only option.

How long is the tour?

The duration is listed as 150–270 minutes. Your exact time can vary based on the option you choose and the day’s schedule.

What dishes will I cook?

With the market and basket boat combo menu, you cook fried tofu with mushroom, Hoi An papaya salad, Hoi An spring rolls, and Hoi An rice pancake. The cooking class only option also mentions Hoi An pancakes and Hoi An spring rolls.

Do they cater to vegetarians and vegans?

Yes. The cooking class is specifically described as catering well to vegetarians/vegans, and the included menu dishes are vegetarian-based.

Is there hotel pickup?

Pickup is available from selected hotels in Hoi An city center. Pickup from Da Nang city or outside of Hoi An city center has an extra charge of 250,000 VND one way (for 2–3 pax sharing), paid to the guide.

Are there different tour options for this experience?

Yes. You can choose cooking class only, or choose cooking class with market and basket boat trip.

Can children join?

Children under 3 can attend free of charge, but they will not participate in the cooking.

Is free cancellation available?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Is there a holiday surcharge in Vietnam?

Yes. Booking on a public holiday in Vietnam comes with a surcharge of 200,000 VND per person, paid by cash.