Basket Boat Ride in Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An has a deep-rooted fishing culture, and basket boats are the traditional vessels used by local fishermen to earn their livelihood. However, the way these boats have been converted into a sought-after tourist attraction can serve as a valuable lesson for tourism promotion around the world.

The basket boat ride starts early. If you plan to stay overnight in Hoi An, ensure that you keep your morning free and don't miss this attraction.

Locally known as 'Thung Chai', basket boats are traditional Vietnamese crafts made from bamboo and designed like large baskets. The ride begins in the lush, green mangroves of the Thubon River in the Bay Mau Coconut Forest, also known as the Water Coconut Forest.

The Basket Boat Ride in Hoi An, Vietnam begins on the tranquil waters of the river, where the gentle current escorts you through the beautiful scenery of the mangroves. Keep gliding along the river and see the water current gradually rise as you reach the point where the Thubon River empties into the East China Sea. As the river widens, the waters become more dynamic, and the unmistakable salty breeze announces your approach to the open sea.

You can see the local way of life unfolding before your eyes, local fishermen casting nets and children happily playing along the riverbanks.

One of the joys of a basket boat ride is the lively atmosphere brought by the boatmen. As you paddle along, your guide often doubles as a talented singer, serenading you with traditional Vietnamese songs. Most of them speak reasonably good English. I always like to indulge in a conversation with the locals to get more info for my blogs.

Our boatman, a young, enthusiastic lad, told us that basket boats have been used for over 1,000 years and play a crucial role in preserving the fishing heritage of the region.

I'd like to share some tips that might come in handy for your Basket Boat in Adventure...

1. The basket boat ride timings are from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. However, the best time for a ride is early morning or late afternoon, since midday can be extremely hot in the scorching sun.

   
   

2. Price per person is approx. 100,000 VND, which roughly comes to about USD 4.00 for a one-hour ride.

   
   

3. Wear light, comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes. There is always a possibility of you getting wet by the liberal splashes of water all around you by excited tourists and boatmen alike, so consider bringing a change of clothes in case you have travel plans ahead. However, I didn't see any proper changing rooms anywhere, although there were some shacks which could double up as changing rooms in an emergency.

   
   

4. As I've discussed above, the boatmen are very eager to please tourists and volunteer information. Don't hesitate to ask questions or even join in the singing, as there's a live karaoke that plays loudly on loudspeakers all around. I wouldn't deny that this loud music interferes with the calm and serene ambience of the mangroves. I would have preferred a calmer boat ride where we could see the abundant bird species that throng this water body.

   
   

5. We read some pretty bad reviews about the basket boat ride experience on many platforms before our trip, with many people calling it a tourist trap and the utter lack of authenticity, among other things.

   
   

   I'd like to state my opinion here.

   Yes, the entire boat ride experience is touristy!

   Typical Vietnamese basket boats, floating on the mangroves, tourists donning bamboo hats and local fishermen singing along and putting on a display of vessels spinning on the water, accompanied by fun activities like crab fishing to capture tourists' interest. There is loud music blaring on big loudspeakers right in the middle of the sea. But despite all this hoopla, I would still rate this as a fun outing for a very reasonable sum of money.

   The only thing to watch out for is to ensure that no one dupes you of extra money. Most boatmen are tourist-friendly and seem to be quite well-versed in handling the boats; no cause for concern there. So, sit back and enjoy the ride!