Hoi An Boat Tour: Embark on a unique journey through Hoi An’s cultural landscape with a private boat trip along the beautiful Thu Bon River. This immersive tour takes you to the heart of local crafts, beginning with a visit to Kim Bong carpentry village, where you’ll observe skilled artisans creating traditional wooden boats. Then you will visit Thanh Ha pottery village, where you can admire the artistry of ceramics, and see where pottery is made. The tour ends with a fun and interactive lantern-making class.
Our knowledgeable guide will share the rich history and traditions of each village, giving you a deeper understanding of Hoi An’s cultural heritage. Enjoy a relaxing river journey and learn the arts that have provided the region with a livelihood for centuries. Book more tours here.
Kim Bong village: Kim Bong carpentry village, located on the Thu Bon River near Hoi An, Vietnam, boasts a rich history of woodworking dating back centuries. Artisans here have honed their skills, creating everything from furniture and boats to intricate carvings and architectural elements, even serving royal commissions during the Nguyen Dynasty. Traditional techniques using hand tools are still widely practiced, with skills passed down through families. The village is known for its diverse specialties, intricate carvings, and the blending of Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese styles. Today, visitors can tour workshops, observe artisans at work, purchase unique wooden items, and experience the enduring traditions of this cultural gem, making it a popular destination for those seeking authentic Vietnamese craft experiences.
Thanh Ha pottery village: Thanh Ha pottery village is a vibrant hub of traditional ceramics with a history stretching back over 500 years. Originally established by migrants from Thanh Hoa province, the village has become renowned for its distinctive pottery techniques and styles. Unlike the more widely used potter’s wheel, Thanh Ha artisans often employ hand-building techniques, creating unique shapes and textures. Their products range from everyday household items like bowls and pots to decorative pieces, animal figurines, and even miniature versions of famous landmarks. The local clay, found near the riverbank, is key to the village’s craft and results in the pottery’s warm, reddish hue. Visiting Thanh Ha allows you to witness the entire pottery-making process, from the initial preparation of the clay to the shaping, drying, firing, and glazing. Many workshops offer hands-on experiences where visitors can try their hand at creating their own pottery pieces. The village also has a small museum showcasing the history of Thanh Ha pottery and displaying examples of both traditional and modern works. The bright and colorful pottery, often featuring simple yet charming designs, makes Thanh Ha a popular stop for tourists and a vital part of the cultural heritage of the Hoi An area.
Your Private Tour Includes:
Private boat transport along the Thu Bon River
Engaging local guide
Visits to Kim Bong and Thanh Ha villages, including the Terra Cotta Park Museum
Interactive lantern making session
Bottled water, and coffee
We will take a 30-minute boat ride to the Kim Bong Carpentry Village. This is a traditional craft village in Hoi An and formed in the 15th century by the Northerners: Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh. Visit and learn about the shipbuilding area where wooden fishing vessels are built using traditional techniques. You will also have a stop at the carpentry workshop where carpenters create handcrafted furniture and sculptures.
Continue taking another boat ride to Thanh Ha Pottery Village where you will observe how the villagers making pottery products such as vases, pots and kettles. Thanh Ha Pottery Village has over 500 years of history from the establishing period up to now. We then visit Thanh Ha Terra Cotta Park Museum, where masterpiece series includes works of art of human architecture & sculpture are clearly and vividly re-appeared, such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy), Taj Mahal (India), Sydney Opera House (Australia), the White House (USA), Pyramid (Egypt), Notre Dame (France)… made entirely of clay, made by the artisans in village.
Finish the tour by visiting the home of a local lantern craftsman to learn the traditional art of lantern making. Lantern making in Hoi An is recognized as one of nine traditional craft villages in Vietnam.
The tour lasts 4 hours.
No, we will take the boat and the car mainly.
English is spoken in this tour.
No, this tour just include coffee.
You should book it 10 hours before departure
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Bike tour
Jack S (verified owner) –
Bike tour was amazing. Highly recommend. This was the second tour we’ve done on our trip with Khanh and both were wonderful. The bike trip takes you through several small shops where you get to see traditional items being made. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience.
one minor thing
Sacha (verified owner) –
Great course, we have absolutely no regrets. The tour is super interesting, we had a great time! The whole team is super nice despite a few mistakes on our part (be careful not to cut the thread 😂). The only comment is that I have the impression that there is not enough choice of fabrics ( at the lantern making), I would have liked other patterns but I don’t really know if it is feasible and I have no elements of comparison. Otherwise it was perfect. Possibility to leave with your lantern of course and also to buy a kit to redo at home or offer.
Short tour
Daniella –
I had a great experience making pottery here. They were very welcoming and I enjoyed laughing about my horrible pottery skills with them. Thank you for a very enjoyable experience and for fixing my messy vase 🙂
What a wonderful afternoon
Helena –
We loved the tour of the pottery village and museum. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us lots of interesting information about the village and pottery making. We loved making the small pots and learning about the area.