The 15 Best Lantern Boat Rides on the Hoai River

1.Hoai River Boat Trip by Night and Floating Lantern

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,988 reviews · 20 min · from $8Our pick

Meet an English-speaking guide by the Kazimierz Kwiatkowski bust on Tran Phu Street, collect your paper lantern, and walk about five minutes to the dock. Your group of up to five gets its own wooden boat for a 10-to-15-minute ride on the Hoai River. The rower helps light and release your lantern; expect scenery, not guided commentary.

“the guide Mr Linh was on time to give us tickets and guided us to the river. we skipped the queu . perfect 🙂”

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2.River Lantern Boat Experience with Free 5G eSIM

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,819 reviews · 20 min · from $8

Meet at 153 Tran Phu Street near the Japanese Bridge, then walk with staff to the Hoai River for a roughly 15-minute boat ride. Your $8 ticket includes a lantern to release, herbal tea, and a 24-hour eSIM with 8GB of data and 10 minutes of local calls. The river can be crowded, especially during the monthly lantern festival.

“Very nice to explore Hoi An at night on the boat. They had plenty of times to take photos and videos and the guide was very professional”

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3.Evening Walking Food Tour, folk game and lantern boat

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 665 reviews · from $39Top rated

Starting at White Rose Restaurant at 4:30 pm, this four-hour walk pairs Hoi An dishes such as banh mi, white rose dumplings, and cao lau with a 15-minute boat ride and a floating lantern. Groups are capped at 12. Guides include Jackie, Emma, Nancy, Vu, and Quin; tell the operator about dietary needs when booking.

“Amazing food! You have to come hungry. Very different type of cuisine, quite special. Everything went well.”

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4.Hoi An Lantern Boat Ride on the Thu Bon River

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 169 reviews · 20 min · from $8

Meet an English-speaking greeter by the Kazimierz Kwiatkowski bust in Hoi An’s Old Town, walk five minutes to the river, then board a wooden boat for a 15-minute lantern ride. You’ll receive one floating flower lantern to light, make a wish on, and release. No individual guide name is provided.

“Le type du bateau nous a même pas informé de faire un vœux avant la mise à l’eau de notre lanterne… 🙄 Il les a allumées dès le début 🤦‍♀️, manque de charme. Décevant”

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5.Basket Boat Tour, Hoi An city, boat trip and lantern release

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 138 reviews · from $39

This five-hour Hoi An tour pairs Old Town landmarks with a basket-boat ride at Cam Thanh Coconut Village, dinner, and a short lantern boat trip on the Hoai River. Expect a small group of up to 12, hotel pickup in central Hoi An, and guides such as Tin Tin, Emma, or Thuy, though your guide may vary.

“A must do activity! An incredible day in this city that i next time i intend to spend at least a night there!”

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6.Lantern Boat Trip & Release Lantern

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 131 reviews · 20 min · from $7

Meet your English-speaking guide at 37 Nguyen Phuc Chu, then board a private boat for your booking and cruise the Hoai River for about 20 minutes. You get one paper lantern per person to release with a wish, plus views of Hoi An’s old houses, riverside lights, and traditional costume shops. Guide Minh has helped visitors find the meeting point and taken photos.

“The lantern boat ride is very magical because of the surroundings. Very pretty. This is a must do activity for Hoi An”

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7.Discover Hoi An by Bamboo Basket and Lantern Boat

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews · from $29

This two-hour Hoi An outing pairs a round bamboo basket boat ride through Bay Mau Coconut Forest with crab fishing and a lantern-lit cruise on the Hoai River. A local guide leads the way; guides named Nhan, Anh, and Thuan have been praised for their humor and helpfulness, though your guide may differ. Hotel pickup in Hoi An is included, but a 100,000-dong government fee is extra.

“very good experience, Ahn was very funny and helpful!”

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8.Hoi An Lantern Making Class with Lantern Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews · from $18

In about two hours, an English-speaking local artisan guides you through making a bamboo-and-paper lantern to take home and a floating candle for your wish. Then board a private boat for your booking and see Hoi An’s lantern-lit riverfront. Instructor Le is praised for her patient, encouraging teaching.

“This was an absolutely wonderful experience. Ms. Lè is a literal legend and was very patient with me. I have never been very good with making things but she made me feel very capable. We had a wonderful conversation. She provided inforRead more”

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9.Hoai River Night Boat Trip and Floating Lantern

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 32 reviews · 15 min · from $10

Meet an English-speaking greeter opposite 140 Tran Phu Street, then board a wooden boat for a 15-minute Hoai River ride. You’ll receive one flower lantern, light it, and set it afloat as a wish for luck, health, peace, or prosperity. The boat holds up to four people, and the night market is nearby for a stroll afterward.

“Was unable to make it on my original booking but they were able to accommodate for the next night. Super helpful and was a quick and easy activity. Highlight was them assisting me in still getting the lantern and night boat trip”

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10.Night Boat Trip and Release Lantern at Hoai River

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 30 reviews · 20 min · from $8

Meet a Sky Travel greeter at 140 Tran Phu Street for a 15 to 20-minute shared sampan ride on the Hoai River. Silk lanterns decorate the boats, and your ticket includes one paper lantern to float for a wish. The ride is brief, and the 7 to 8 pm hour is busiest.

“Le service est très médiocre. Le guide sur le bateau n’est pas aimable et ne parle pas un mot d’anglais, il est donc difficile de pouvoir communiquer. Il a été très expéditif quant à la mise à l’eau de la lanterne et le tour a duré moins de 15 min.”

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11.Half-day Hoi An Photo Tour with Lantern Release at Hoai River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $81

Spend an afternoon walking Hoi An’s old town with an English-speaking guide, learning about its history and pausing at photo spots such as Cau Pagoda, narrow lanes and bougainvillea-covered houses. A photographer is included for two hours. Finish with a short Hoai River boat ride and one floating lantern per person.

“Excellent tour in Hoi An - This is my fantastic experience! the lantern release at Hoai River offered beautiful photo opportunities. A must‑do for photography lovers in Hoi An”

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12.Hoi An Boat Lantern With Release Flower Hoai River At Night

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · 20 min · from $5Best value

Meet Hoi An Go at 153 Tran Phu Street, exchange your mobile voucher for a physical ticket, then take a 20-minute boat ride on the Hoai River at night. You’ll receive one flower lantern to release and one water or soft drink. An English-speaking guide welcomes you; no guide’s name is provided.

“Fun little evening activity - a must-do during your Hoi A visit.”

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13.Hoi An Old Town Entrance Ticket +Boat Lantern Release Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 16 reviews · 1 day · from $16

This one-day Hoi An package combines entry to five of 25 Old Town sights with a 20-minute Hoai River boat ride, one flower lantern and a water or soft drink. Visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, temples, museums or assembly halls, then meet at 153 Tran Phu Street for the boat experience. The listed language is English.

“Es demasiado lindo dejar las velitas prendidas en el río. Ademas la ciudad es muy linda y entretenida”

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14.Private night boat Trip & release lantern on river

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 15 reviews · 15 min · from $8

Meet your greeter at the statue at 142 Tran Phu Street for a 15-minute private boat trip on the Hoai River, with space for up to five people. You’ll receive one floating lantern per person to release for luck and peace. The ride has an English-language guide; afterward, you can explore the Old Town and night market on your own.

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15.Night Boat Trip and Floating Lantern on Hoai River

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 13 reviews · from $8

Meet a greeter by the Kazimierz Kwiatkowski bust in Hoi An Old Town, then board a wooden boat for a 15-minute ride on the Hoai River. You get one floating flower lantern per person to release with a wish for peace, luck, and good health. The greeter is not named, and the busiest boarding hour is 18:30 to 19:30.

“Can't comment on this as we didn't actually attend.”

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