Hoi An: Lantern and Coffee Making Class

Hoi An’s coffee culture and lantern craft make a natural pair. You begin by brewing five Vietnamese styles with a small metal Phin filter, then use a calmer, creative hour to build a foldable lantern from fabric and a frame. I especially like the mix of tasting and making, plus the friendly family-run teaching style.

I also like that you learn recipes you can repeat at home and leave with something useful, not just a few photos. The main caution is caffeine: the coffee is strong, and drinking every sample can leave you shaky before the lantern work begins.

Key points to know before booking

• Five Vietnamese coffee styles: Make and taste black coffee, white coffee with condensed milk, Hue salt coffee, Hanoi egg coffee, and coconut coffee.
• A practical Hoi An souvenir: Your lantern folds down for easier packing and can be decorated at home.
• Two nearby family workshops: The coffee and lantern sessions are held at separate locations a short walk apart.
• Hands-on but beginner-friendly: Staff guide each step and offer help without taking over your project.
• Strong value at $24: Coffee, cookies, tea or water, instruction, and a take-home lantern are included.
• Plan for the caffeine: Taste the coffees, but do not feel obliged to finish every cup.

Why this two-part Hoi An class works

This is a good choice if you want more than sightseeing around the Old Town. Hoi An’s lanterns are easy to admire from the street, but making one shows you how much work sits behind those glowing decorations. Vietnamese coffee is just as familiar to the eye, yet the brewing methods and combinations are less obvious until you make them yourself.

The class lasts 210 minutes, giving you enough time for instruction, tasting, and craft work without feeling like a quick demonstration. It also gives you a useful break from walking. Hoi An can be hot, and the indoor workshop setting offers a practical way to spend part of the day.

At $24 per person, the price makes sense for a combined activity. You receive several coffees, guidance in English, cookies, herbal tea or water, and a lantern to take home. You are also learning two local traditions rather than simply buying finished products.

The tone appears relaxed and playful. The coffee hosts are described as funny and generous with their explanations, while the lantern team is patient with beginners. That matters here, since neither coffee preparation nor lantern construction requires previous skill.

Meeting near 12 Ba Trieu Street

The meeting point is at 12 Ba Trieu Street, behind Viettin Bank and opposite Le Ba Truyen restaurant. This is in central Hoi An, so you should allow time to find the exact entrance rather than relying on a large street-side sign.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You make your own way to the meeting point, which is worth remembering if you are staying outside the center or prefer not to walk in the heat.

The two workshops are close together. After the coffee portion, staff may walk you down the street to the lantern venue. That short transfer keeps the experience simple, with no bus ride or long gap between the activities.

The activity is wheelchair accessible, and the instruction is provided in English. An English audio guide is also listed. Since the session includes practical demonstrations, tell the staff at the start if you need extra time or assistance with any step.

Starting with the Phin filter

The coffee portion begins with the Phin, Vietnam’s compact metal filter. It sits over a cup and lets hot water pass slowly through ground coffee. The method is simple to look at, but the pacing, amount of coffee, and use of condensed milk shape the final taste.

You learn how Vietnamese coffee is brewed and how dark-roasted beans are paired with sweet condensed milk. This gives the class useful context without turning it into a lecture. You are not just drinking coffee. You are seeing how a familiar drink fits into daily life in Vietnam.

The session covers five styles:

• Black coffee
• White coffee with condensed milk
• Hue Imperial salt coffee
• Hanoi capital egg coffee
• Coconut coffee

The exact order can vary, but expect to make the drinks step by step. The hosts explain the recipes as you work, and some participants receive recipes or a Phin to use at home. The supplied details confirm the drinks and brewing lesson, but not every booking includes the same take-home coffee equipment, so ask before assuming a filter is part of your package.

Five cups, five different ideas

Black coffee gives you the clearest sense of the roast and the Phin method. It is the least disguised version of the coffee, so it helps you understand the base before sweet or creamy ingredients are added.

White coffee combines coffee with condensed milk. This is the style many people associate with Vietnamese coffee, and it shows why the strong roast works so well with sweetness. The result is powerful and dessert-like rather than mild.

Salt coffee comes from Hue. The salt does not turn the drink into a savory soup. Used in a small amount, it changes the balance of the coffee and softens some of the bitterness. It is one of the more interesting samples because the ingredient sounds odd until you taste the result.

Egg coffee is linked with Hanoi. Its creamy topping gives the drink a texture closer to a soft dessert, while the coffee underneath keeps it from becoming simply sweet. Making it yourself also makes the recipe easier to remember.

Coconut coffee brings a cooler, sweeter profile. One participant singled it out as a favorite, and it is likely to appeal if you prefer creamy or tropical flavors.

The tasting format is one of the strongest parts of the class, but it creates the main practical issue. Several cups may be prepared for you, and the coffee is notably strong. You can taste each one without drinking the full amount. I would take small sips, drink water, and save your appetite for the lantern session.

A useful lesson in Vietnamese coffee culture

The value here is not limited to the drinks. You hear about coffee in Vietnam, how roasting affects flavor, and why condensed milk became such a useful partner for strong coffee. The hosts also explain how the different styles developed in places such as Hue and Hanoi.

The family-run setting helps keep the lesson personal. You can ask questions as the coffee is being made, and the staff appear willing to repeat a step if you miss it. The instruction is aimed at ordinary people, not professional baristas.

This works well for families, too. One family reported that the hosts kept both a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old interested throughout the coffee and lantern sessions. Children who enjoy mixing, pouring, or choosing colors should have plenty to do, though parents may want to monitor the caffeine.

A cookie is provided at the end of the coffee class, along with herbal tea or water. That small finish helps reset your palate before you move on. The comfortable setting and music also make the session feel more like a social workshop than a formal cooking school.

Crossing to the lantern workshop

The lantern-making portion takes place down the street. Staff can guide you between the two locations, which is helpful if you are carrying coffee equipment or trying to keep up with a group.

You choose from different fabric colors and patterns, then select a lantern shape. The lantern is designed to fold, making it much easier to carry home than a rigid souvenir. Staff show you how to compress it for transport, an especially useful detail if you are traveling with only a small suitcase.

You may have a choice between using a prepared frame and constructing the lantern from bamboo sticks. Building from scratch takes more patience and gives you a better sense of the craft. Attaching fabric to a prepared base is the easier option if you mainly want a finished souvenir or have limited time.

The supplied experiences describe a small lantern taking about 1.5 hours and a large one taking about 2.5 hours. Since the advertised combined activity lasts 210 minutes, the available size and construction method may depend on the session schedule. Ask the staff which option fits your booking before you begin.

Working with Tam and the local craft team

Tam is specifically mentioned as one of the lantern instructors. She helps guests through the construction process with patience and humor, and the wider team assists when a step becomes awkward.

That support is important because lantern-making is more exact than it first appears. The fabric needs to sit neatly, and the folding mechanism must work properly. The class is not simply a matter of sticking cloth onto a frame and leaving. You get a better result when you follow the instructions carefully.

At the same time, the staff do not appear to force everyone into the same pace. You can work slowly and ask for help when needed. If you are making a lantern with children, this flexibility is useful. If you are short on time, choose the prepared frame and the smaller design.

The contrast with the coffee session works nicely. Coffee involves tasting, talking, and several quick stages. Lantern-making gives you time to sit, concentrate, and make something with your hands. Scheduling the two together also means the second half can help settle you after the caffeine.

What you take home

The finished lantern is the main physical souvenir. It folds down for travel, then opens again when you want to display it at home. That is a smarter design for a holiday purchase than a bulky lantern that needs its own luggage space.

You also leave with recipes and a better understanding of the Phin method. Some sessions may provide a Phin filter, and additional coffee or lanterns may be available to purchase at reasonable prices, but those extras are not listed as guaranteed inclusions.

The value of a handmade souvenir is that you remember the process. Every time you open the lantern, you are likely to recall the fabric you chose, the tricky parts of the frame, and the coffee lesson that came first. It feels more connected to Hoi An than buying a finished item from a crowded souvenir shop.

Bring a camera if you want pictures of the coffee stages or your finished lantern. You should also bring water if you are sensitive to caffeine, although herbal tea or water is included.

Who should book this experience

I would recommend this class to couples, families, solo visitors, and friends who want a relaxed cultural activity in central Hoi An. It is especially suitable if you enjoy learning by doing rather than watching a guide demonstrate something from a distance.

It is a strong rainy-day option, since both activities take place indoors. It also works well during the hottest part of the day, when several hours away from the pavement can make your sightseeing more pleasant.

Coffee fans will get the most from the first half, but you do not need to be a serious coffee drinker. The five styles give you variety, and you can taste rather than finish each serving.

Craft lovers should allow enough time for the lantern. If you want to build from bamboo, choose the larger design, or work slowly, confirm the time available. The smaller or prepared-frame option is better for anyone with a tight schedule.

This may be less suitable if you dislike coffee, have a strong caffeine sensitivity, or want a fast activity. Three and a half hours is a meaningful portion of your day, and the class is built around participation rather than a quick photo opportunity.

Booking details and practical value

The price is $24 per person. Included are coffee, cookies, herbal tea or water, an English-speaking guide, and a local master for the craft work. There is no hotel transfer, so transport to and from central Hoi An is your responsibility.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available, which helps if your Hoi An plans depend on weather or changing transport.

Starting times vary, so check availability when booking. The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible, though the practical details of moving between the two nearby venues may still be worth confirming if you need a specific arrangement.

The strongest value comes from doing both activities together. Booking only one workshop may suit a tight schedule, but the combined format creates a better rhythm and gives you two souvenirs of Hoi An’s everyday culture: a coffee recipe you can repeat and a lantern you made yourself.

My verdict: book it if you want to make, not just see

Book the Hoi An Lantern and Coffee Making Class if you want friendly instruction, strong coffee, and a useful souvenir at a fair price. The family-run setting, the five distinct drinks, and the foldable lantern give the experience more substance than a standard craft demonstration.

Go in with two simple expectations: taste the coffee instead of finishing every cup, and allow enough time for the lantern you choose. If you follow that advice, this is one of the better ways to spend a half-day in central Hoi An.

FAQ

Where does the Hoi An Lantern and Coffee Making Class meet?

Meet at 12 Ba Trieu Street, behind Viettin Bank and opposite Le Ba Truyen restaurant in central Hoi An.

How long does the activity last?

The advertised duration is 210 minutes, or three and a half hours.

How much does the class cost?

The price is $24 per person.

Which Vietnamese coffees will I make?

The class covers black coffee, white coffee with condensed milk, Hue Imperial salt coffee, Hanoi capital egg coffee, and coconut coffee.

What is a Phin filter?

A Phin is a small Vietnamese metal coffee filter used to brew coffee slowly into a cup.

Do I get to take the lantern home?

Yes. You make a lantern and take it home. The lantern folds down to make packing and transport easier.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Is the class taught in English?

Yes. English instruction is provided, and an English audio guide is listed.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.