Between watching the lantern boats from the riverfront and enjoying a boat ride ourselves, this was certainly a highlight of our time in Hoi An!
Again, you'll find this activity within Hoi An's Ancient Town. If you're exploring the area in the evening it'll be hard to miss! Every night Hoi An lights up with lanterns as boats float up and down the river, it's incredibly beautiful to see... and the reason Hoi An is known as the city of lanterns!
Where to go: The area around the An Hoi Bridge and Nguyen Phuc Chu Street is the busiest and most popular spot to pick up boats. You can also find vendors along Bach Dang Street, near the Japanese Covered Bridge.
Cost: At the time of our visit we paid $150,000 VND ($8 AUD) for a boat for a family of 4. After a quick google search, it looks like the rate today is closer to $200,000 VND ($10 AUD). Either way, this is a very affordable activity.
If you'd like to experience releasing a lantern they are available for purchase at a small additional cost.
Things to know if going with kids:
Since this experience was on water and in the dark, I was a little nervous to do this with kids! Here are a few things to know if you're feeling the same:
Life jackets are provided. They had smaller sizes available for kids.
Our 1 year old didn't end up wearing a life jacket - I cannot remember if this was because the ones provided were too big or he was being stubborn. But you might want to consider taking your own if you're concerned.
The experience lasts approximately 30-60 minutes. Something to keep in mind if you have wiggly little ones.
Releasing a lantern into the water is a part of the experience, but it can be challenging for kids with short arms so they may need assistance.
Book online vs on the ground
We simply arrived at the experience and paid a vendor on the spot. However, if you feel more comfortable booking in advance I have included a link to highly-rated tour in this guide.
