Cuisine and lanterns are two distinctive cultural symbols of Hoi An tourism. Experiential tours boost their value and enhance the city’s tourism brand.
Lantern-making class in Hoi An
Taste to remember
Hoi An’s diverse cuisine is a major draw, with global accolades emphasising its signature flavours. More than just tasting, visitors can cook like locals. Lonely Planet ranked Hoi An’s cooking classes among Vietnam’s top 13 experiences in 2024.
Traditional food tours take visitors through local markets and farming villages, offering an authentic glimpse into rural life and culture in Quang Nam.
Hands-on cooking in Hoi An
Joining cooking classes, visitors select fresh ingredients and then enjoy their own dishes.
In early 2025, Hoi An welcomed international guests for rural cultural and culinary experiences, with expanding suburban classes drawing more tourists.
In 2023, Quang Nam’s food sector earned 1,200 billion VND (up 40% compared to 2019), with many households embracing culinary tourism. Le Hoang Ha, Director of Duy Nhat Hoi An Travel, sees it as a growing trend, enhancing cultural understanding and promoting Hoi An worldwide.
Touching heritage with lanterns
Another popular tour in Hoi An is the lantern-making experience, recognised by Tripadvisor as one of Vietnam’s top 10 travel experiences in 2023 (Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards).
Lantern-making experience in Hoi An
Visitors, especially foreigners, are attracted to crafting their own lanterns and learning bamboo and silk’s journey. There are now 40 artisan families in Hoi An, producing hundreds of lanterns daily, especially during Lunar New Year.
Many workshops now integrate tour experiences. With Hoi An joining UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in crafts and folk arts, innovation in lantern-making is gaining momentum.
Tran Ha, owner of Ha Linh Lanterns, sees lantern-making as a bridge between past and present, preserving heritage for future generations.
Translated by H.Thu