Hoi An Art Class & Basket Boat Tour Review (2025)

So, you are looking around for something different to do in Hoi An, something that, you know, gets you away from just looking at old buildings. I mean, I was in that exact spot, scrolling through lists of activities, and frankly, a lot of them seemed kind of the same. But then, an activity package with painting, a funny-looking round boat, and lunch popped up, and actually, it felt like a full day of real things to do, not just see. Honestly, the thought of actually making something with my own hands was pretty appealing after so many days of just taking pictures. This tour appeared to have a mix of quiet creative time and a bit of silly fun on the water, which, in my opinion, sounded like a just about perfect way to spend a day in Vietnam. The real question, of course, was whether it would really be as good as it sounded on the screen. Well, I decided to book it and just find out for myself.

Finding Your Inner Artist: The Mask Painting Experience

Alright, so the day started with the art portion, which I was honestly really looking forward to. We were taken to a quiet family home, and you know, the art space was set up on a cool, covered patio that looked out over a garden that had a lot of green stuff growing. Basically, it was a very calm setting. A woman, our teacher for the morning, greeted us with a smile that just made you feel right at home, you know? She didn’t speak a huge amount of English, but I mean, she communicated perfectly using her hands and by showing us everything. We each picked out a pre-made paper mache mask; there were a few designs to choose from, like gods and animal faces, and stuff. To be honest, picking one was kind of the hardest part.

Then, the fun really began. The teacher, you know, showed us some completed masks to give us ideas, but she was pretty clear that we should do whatever felt right to us. I really liked that freedom. So, they put out all these little pots of paint, really bright and with a lot of pop, and a few different brushes for each of us. I’m not exactly a natural artist, you know, but I found the whole thing to be really soothing. The only sounds for a while were just the birds in the garden and the little swish of our brushes on the paper. Honestly, concentrating on keeping my hand steady and picking out colors made my mind go totally blank in a good way. The paint itself was a bit thin, so you sometimes had to put on a couple of layers to get the rich shade you were going for. My mask at the end of the day wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot, but it was absolutely mine, full of little quirks and crooked lines, and I was, to be honest, really happy with the object I had created.

Spinning Through the Palm Forest: The Basket Boat Part

Okay, so after the quiet focus of making our artworks, the next part of the day was a total change of pace. A short ride took us to the edge of a water coconut palm area, a place with a maze of small waterways cutting through the trees. And there they were, just floating by the bank: the basket boats, which are called ‘thung chai’. I mean, they literally look like giant, round baskets made of bamboo and sealed with something that looks like tar. Getting in was sort of wobbly and made everyone laugh a little. Honestly, you sit down inside one, and it feels pretty weird, you know, not like a normal boat at all.

Our boat was controlled by an older man who, you know, had a face that looked like it had seen a thousand sunny days. He was using a single paddle to steer us around, and pretty much, he was an expert. He pushed us away from the edge, and just like that, we were gliding quietly through the green waterways. As a matter of fact, the view from down on the water was amazing, with the big palm fronds making a kind of roof over our heads. He would sometimes point out tiny crabs hiding on the muddy banks and even made a little ring and a “grasshopper” out of a palm leaf for us, which was a very sweet little surprise. Of course, the main event of the basket boat ride is the spinning. He asked if we were ready, and with a big grin, he started using his paddle to spin the boat around and around, faster and faster. Seriously, it’s a dizzy, silly, and super fun thing to experience. You can’t help but laugh out loud.

A Real Taste of Hoi An: What We Ate for Lunch

After all that spinning on the river, we were, you know, definitely ready to eat. The lunch part of the package wasn’t at some faceless restaurant, which I thought was really nice. Instead, we went back to the same family home where we had our painting session earlier in the day. It basically felt like we were guests, not just customers. The meal was already laid out on a long table on the patio, and seriously, it smelled incredible. It wasn’t a huge feast with tons of options, but what they gave us was clearly homemade and with a lot of care.

For instance, there were plates of fresh spring rolls that you wrap yourself. They put out a plate with thin rice paper, a pile of fresh greens like mint and lettuce, some rice noodles, and some grilled pork. You know, you sort of just build your own, which is a really fun, interactive way to eat. There was also a Banh Xeo, which is a kind of crispy Vietnamese pancake filled with shrimp and bean sprouts. They showed us the local way to eat it, you know, by breaking off a piece, wrapping it in a big lettuce leaf, and then dunking it in a sweet and sour fish sauce. At the end of the day, every single thing we tried was packed with flavors that felt very real and not like typical tourist food. It was, I mean, the perfect amount of food to feel full but not so stuffed that you wanted to just go to sleep right after.

So, Is This Day Trip a Good Fit For You?

Alright, so when you’re thinking about whether to book this experience, you kind of need to think about what you are hoping to get out of your day. Frankly, if you’re looking for a really deep dive into art history or a strenuous physical activity, this probably isn’t the right choice. But, on the other hand, if your goal is to have a lighthearted, genuinely local-feeling day that mixes a little bit of creativity with some fun on the water and good food, then I mean, this is a pretty great option. I saw families with kids who were absolutely loving the boat spinning, and similarly to us, there were couples who just seemed to enjoy the calm of the painting class. So, you know, it has a broad appeal.

To be honest, what I liked most was that it felt like three different experiences all rolled into one smooth, well-organized package. You really don’t have to think about anything; they just take you from one cool thing to the next.

Basically, here are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to go for it:

• Sun Protection is Your Friend: So, the basket boats are more or less open, and while they give you a conical hat, you will absolutely want to have sunscreen on. The Vietnamese sun can be quite strong, even if it feels cloudy.
• Wear Comfortable Clothes: You’ll be sitting on a low stool to paint and then on the floor of a boat, so, you know, wear something you can move easily in. I mean, don’t wear your best white trousers.
• Embrace the Silly: The boat spinning is supposed to be fun and a bit goofy. You should just let go and enjoy it. To be honest, the more you laugh, the more fun your boatman will have too.
• It’s a Taster, Not a Masterclass: Remember, you know, you’re getting an introduction to mask painting, not a full course. At the end of the day, the goal is to have fun and make a personal souvenir, not to create a work of high art.

Read our full review: [Hoi An Art Painting Class-Basket Boat Tour & Lunch Full Review and Details]

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