Hoi An: Cooking Class, Market Tour & Bamboo Basket Boat Ride

5.00

(147 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

"Try this one—smells like licorice, right?" That was our guide, Lan, grinning as she handed me a bunch of strange green leaves at the Hoi An market. I nodded, even though honestly it reminded me more of toothpaste than candy. The market was loud and kind of chaotic, but in a good way—the kind where you catch snippets of gossip in Vietnamese and see grandmas haggling over fish. We picked out handfuls of herbs and some slippery noodles. I kept losing track of what was for lunch and what was just for smelling.

After that, we drove out to Bay Mau Coconut Village. The air got heavier with the scent of river water and something sweet—maybe those coconut palms everywhere. Climbing into those round bamboo basket boats felt wobbly at first (Lan laughed when I nearly sat on the edge instead of inside). The local guy steering us made it look easy, spinning us around while pointing out tiny crabs hiding in the roots. At one point he tried to teach me how to paddle; I mostly splashed myself.

The cooking school sat right by the river, all open-air with sunlight sliding through palm leaves. We got a cold drink (I think it was lemongrass tea) before starting the class. The chef showed us how to make banh xeo—Vietnamese pancakes—with this crispy edge that’s impossible to get at home. My spring rolls were lumpy but tasted fine dipped in that tangy sauce. Everyone joked about whose claypot fish looked most like “real food.” Lunch together felt relaxed—just people swapping stories and passing plates around. I still think about the smell of fresh herbs on my fingers after rolling those pancakes.