As night falls, the Hoai River glows with hundreds of floating lanterns. A boat ride with lantern in Hoi An is the classic way to see it: a 20-minute trip along the river past the lit-up Ancient Town, where you release your own paper lantern onto the water and make a wish. We arrange the boat, the lanterns and the meeting point for you, so there is no haggling on the riverbank. One thing to know up front: our lantern boats are motorboats, not the small hand-rowed boats, so read the note below before you book.
| Activity | Evening boat ride with lantern release |
|---|---|
| Duration | 20 minutes |
| Where | Hoai River, Hoi An Ancient Town (outer stretch, past the Moonlight Bridge) |
| Boat | Motorboat: small boat for up to 6 guests, large boat for 7–20 |
| Hours | 5:00 – 10:00 PM daily |
| Price | From 200,000₫ (≈ $7.7) per small boat (1–2 people) |
| Included | Boat ride, life jacket, 1 free lantern per guest; children under 5 ride free |
| Pickup | Old Town meeting point, or another spot on request (the host arranges it) |
Boat Ride with Lantern: Packages and Prices
Small boats are priced per boat, so up to 6 friends share one price. From 7 people you move to a large boat, priced per person.
| Group size | Boat | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 or 2 people | Small boat | 200,000₫ (≈ $7.7) / boat | 1 free lantern per guest |
| 3 – 6 people | Small boat | 250,000₫ (≈ $9.6) / boat | 6 guests is the most a small boat takes |
| 7 – 20 people | Large boat | 50,000₫ (≈ $1.9) / person | One boat for the whole group |
| 21+ people | 2 large boats | 50,000₫ (≈ $1.9) / person | The group is split across two large boats |
Included and not included
- Included: 20-minute motorboat ride, life jackets, 1 free lantern per guest
- Free: children under 5
- Pickup and drop-off: the usual meeting point is in the Old Town, within walking distance of most hotels. The boat can also pick you up and drop you off at other spots on request; contact the host to arrange it.
How to Book Your Boat Ride with Lantern
Send us your date, time and group size using one of the options below. We confirm within 15 minutes and send you the meeting point.
Book directly with the organizer
Prefer to deal with the provider yourself? Get the organizer’s contact details and book with them directly.
- Talk straight to the person who runs the tour
- Ask for anything special and shape the experience to suit you
- The host looks after your experience
- You arrange times, pick-up and payment with the host yourself
Website, phone, WhatsApp and email in one place.
Let Hoi An Fairy Tour contact you
Not sure yet? Tell us your plan and our local team will reach out with free advice, prices and availability.
- Our experienced team speaks your language and books everything for you
- We take care of you from booking until your tour is done
- The tour itself is still run by the local provider
Thank you! We've got your request.
Our team usually replies within 15 minutes (8am – 10pm Vietnam time) via the app you chose.
Payment options: pay directly, by domestic bank transfer, or by PayPal (5% transaction fee).
Photo album 3
Boat ride on Hoai river with lantern dropping
Boat ride on Hoai river with lantern dropping
Boat ride on Hoai river with lantern droppingSwipe or use the arrows to see more photos.
More about this experience
Why Take a Boat Ride with Lantern in Hoi An?
- See the town from the water: sail up the Hoai River and enjoy the Old Town’s lights reflected on the river.
- Make a wish: set your own lotus-shaped paper lantern free on the water, a local tradition for good luck.
- Beautiful photos: one of the most photogenic experiences in Hoi An.
- Hassle-free: we send you the exact meeting point and connect you with your boat driver. Want to board or get off somewhere else? Just ask and the host will arrange it.
Good to Know: This Is a Motorboat, Not a Rowboat
Our boat ride with lantern uses a motorboat. Hoi An keeps the stretch of river around the Japanese Covered Bridge (Chua Cau) for small hand-rowed boats only, so a motorboat does not go up to the bridge. It runs on the wider, outer part of the Hoai River instead.
Honestly, I don’t see that as a downgrade. Motorboats are bigger and far more lavishly decorated with lanterns, the view of the Moonlight Bridge (Cau Anh Trang) lit up at night is beautiful, and the whole group fits on one boat, which makes it ideal for families and big groups. If gliding right past the Covered Bridge is the one thing you have in mind, a rowboat is the better pick, and you can still walk over to the bridge after your ride.
The Hoai River and the Lantern Tradition
The Hoai River is a 1.5-kilometre waterway through the heart of Hoi An, separating the Ancient Town to the north from An Hoi Island to the south. Its name means “the missing”, a reminder of the homesickness felt by traders who settled here from far away.
For generations, locals have celebrated the full moon by hanging red lanterns and releasing candle-lit paper lanterns on the river, a practice rooted in Buddhist tradition, to pray for happiness and for loved ones. Boat rides let visitors take part directly from the water. Since 2018, regulations keep the experience safe and authentic, with each boat carrying one lantern at the bow and one at the stern.
How It Works
- Book: tell us your date, time and group size.
- Get the meeting point: we send you the location and clear directions to meet your boat driver. Prefer to be picked up or dropped off somewhere else along the river? Tell us and the host will sort it out.
- Enjoy the ride: 20 minutes on the river, enough to admire the lantern town and release your lanterns.
Best Time for a Boat Ride with Lantern
Boats run every day from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. An early ride catches the last of the daylight; once it is fully dark the lanterns glow brightest and the river is at its liveliest. The ride is especially magical on the monthly Hoi An Lantern Full Moon Festival, when the town hangs red lanterns and fills with folk games and performances.
What to Do After Your Boat Ride
- Hoi An Night Market on Nguyen Hoang Street, with over 150 stalls of souvenirs, snacks and crafts.
- Bai Choi, a traditional central-Vietnamese folk game, played near An Hoi Bridge.
- The Japanese Covered Bridge, beautifully lit at night.
- Riverside dinner on Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa food street, then drinks on Nguyen Phuc Chu pub street.
- A big show: the Hoi An Memories Show, Vietnam’s largest outdoor performance.
Tips for a Perfect Boat Ride with Lantern
- Go on a full-moon night if you can. The monthly lantern festival makes a boat ride with lantern even more atmospheric.
- Set your camera to night mode. Hold still for a second when you release the lantern for the best shot.
- Make a wish. Locals release the lantern with a wish for health and happiness for their loved ones.
- Keep valuables close. You are on the water at night, so a phone strap or zipped bag is a good idea.
- Travelling with little ones? Children under 5 ride free, and there are life jackets on board.
- Big group? Book a day ahead so we can hold a large boat for everyone, especially on full-moon nights.
Why Book Your Boat Ride with Lantern Through Us?
On a busy evening the riverbank is full of boat operators, and it can be hard to know the right price or where to go. When you book your boat ride with lantern with Hoi An Fairy Tour, the price is clear in advance, a life jacket and one free lantern per guest are included, and we send you the exact meeting point so you can walk straight to your boat. It is the easiest way to enjoy one of the most famous experiences in the UNESCO-listed Ancient Town.
Small groups get the best deal: up to 6 people share one small boat for 250,000₫ (≈ $9.6). Groups of 7–20 ride together on one large boat at 50,000₫ (≈ $1.9) per person, and groups of more than 20 are split across two large boats.
Plan your evening: a boat ride with lantern takes only 20 minutes, so it pairs perfectly with dinner by the river, the night market or a show.
More Evening Ideas in Hoi An
- Paddle to the lantern town at dusk on a sunset kayak tour in Hoi An.
- A different kind of show: the Teh Dar Show in Hoi An.
- After dark: the best bars for Hoi An nightlife.
- More short activities: quick activities in Hoi An.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a boat ride with lantern in Hoi An?
With Hoi An Fairy Tour, a small boat costs 200,000 VND (≈ $7.7) for 1–2 people and 250,000 VND (≈ $9.6) for 3–6 people (6 is the maximum). Groups of 7–20 take a large boat at 50,000 VND (≈ $1.9) per person, and groups over 20 are split across two large boats. Children under 5 ride free, and a lantern for every guest and life jackets are included.
How long is the lantern boat ride?
The standard ride lasts 20 minutes, which is enough to admire the lantern-lit Old Town and release your lanterns.
What time do the boats run?
Every day from 5:00 to 10:00 PM. The lanterns look their best once it is fully dark.
Does the boat go past the Japanese Covered Bridge?
No. Our lantern boats are motorboats, and the stretch around the Covered Bridge is reserved for hand-rowed boats. The motorboat runs on the wider, outer part of the Hoai River, with a lovely view of the Moonlight Bridge, and it has room for big groups.
Is the boat ride included in the Hoi An Old Town ticket?
No. The boat ride is a separate activity and is not included in the Old Town entrance ticket.
Where do I meet the boat?
After booking, we send you the exact meeting point in the Old Town. The boat can also pick you up and drop you off at another spot on request; just ask the host to arrange it.
From Vincent – the Author
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