Best Hoi An River Cruises — Our Top 13

1.Hoai River Boat Trip by Night and Floating Lantern

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,988 reviews · 20 min · from $8Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide at the Kazimierz Kwiatkowski Bust on Tran Phu Street. You’ll receive a paper lantern, walk five minutes to the Thu Bon River, and board a private wooden boat for your group. The rower helps light and release the lantern during a 10 to 15 minute ride. Guides including Linh and Phuoc Ho are praised for clear communication and smooth arrangements.

“The river was beautiful at night, and each party got their own boat, which was very nice. There was a crazy amount if people and boats in the area, but the experience was nice”

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2.River Lantern Boat Experience with Free 5G eSIM

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,819 reviews · 20 min · from $8

Meet at 153 Tran Phu Street near the Japanese Bridge, then walk about five minutes to the Hoai River. Your 20-minute boat ride includes a lantern to release, bottled herbal tea, and help from English-speaking staff. The free 24-hour eSIM adds 8GB of data and 10 minutes of local calls.

“Surprised by how good this was! I thought it would be crazy and really busy. But it was so slick and peaceful! We didn’t have to wait at all and whilst the experience was relatively short, it didn’t feel rushed. We recalled enjoyed it :)”

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3.My Son Sanctuary and Thu Bon River Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 653 reviews · 5 hours · from $16

Spend five hours visiting My Son Sanctuary with an English-speaking guide, see a Cham dance performance, enjoy local lunch or banh mi, then cruise back toward Hoi An on the Thu Bon River. Guides such as Philip, Ben, Lee, Tu, and Vu are known for clear history talks and friendly help.

“Definitely worthy! Our guide Ben was very informative and I have to say such a skilled photographer. We are very impressed with the My Son site and had super nice time thanks to Ben!”

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4.My Son Sanctuary & Sunset River Cruise BBQ or Banhmi

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 345 reviews · 5 hours - 330 minutes · from $18

You’ll visit My Son Sanctuary from Hoi An with an English-speaking guide such as Thao, Tin, Van, or Lam, then finish with a sunset cruise on the Thu Bon River. Choose a BBQ meal or banh mi. Expect Hindu temples, a traditional Cham performance, Vietnamese coffee with the BBQ option, and hotel pickup within Hoi An.

“A perfect day out. Charlie the guide was excellent 👍”

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5.PRIAVATE DaNang CITY TOUR-FOOD TOUR-Sunset BOAT TRIP on Han river

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · from $100Top rated

Start at 1:30 pm with hotel pickup in Hoi An or Da Nang. Guide Long leads you to Marble Mountains, Am Phu Cave, Non Nuoc stone carving village, My Khe Beach, Linh Ung Pagoda, and Han Market. Finish with local food and a one-hour Han River boat ride past nine bridges. Entrance fees, drinks, fruit, and transfers are included.

“We had a great time with Pacific Boat team to visit all most beautiful destinations of the city.Long is a superb guide who is helpful and smart.The place was well worth to visit and very comfortable with group only 8 persons.Highly recommend”

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6.Hoai River Night Boat Trip and Floating Lantern

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 32 reviews · 15 min · from $10

Meet an English-speaking greeter opposite 140 Tran Phu Street, walk to the dock, and board a wooden boat for up to four people. You’ll float along the Hoai River for 15 minutes, light one flower lantern, make a wish, and watch it drift away. Afterward, explore Hoi An’s night market on foot.

“magical experience..we were the only 3 on boat so it was great ..would definitely recommend 10/10”

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7.Danang: My Son Sanctuary and River Cruise 7.30 am/12.30 pm

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 20 reviews · 5 - 6 hours · from $33

Travel from Danang to My Son Sanctuary with an English-speaking guide, explore the former Cham religious center, and watch an Apsara dance. The morning option adds lunch at a local house and a boat ride to Hoi An. The afternoon option includes Vietnamese bread and a sunset cruise when weather allows. Guides such as Simon and Tu have been praised for clear explanations and friendly service.

“Very knowledgeable guide Mr Simon. Thanks a lot to him.”

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8.Authentic Mekong Delta: Tuk Tuk, Rowing Boat, Biking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.2 · 9 reviews · 8 hours · from $18

Spend eight hours traveling from Ho Chi Minh City into the Mekong Delta by air-conditioned van, motorboat, rowing boat, and tuk tuk. You’ll visit Vinh Trang Pagoda, Qui Islet, a coconut candy workshop, a Garden-Pond-Cage farm, tropical fruit gardens, and a Southern Vietnamese folk music performance. Lunch, fruit, water, and central District 1 pickup are included.

“loved the boat ride and lunch. really great tour and the guide really trys to make sure you have a great experience. very friendly and I highly recommend”

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9.HoiAn Small Boat By Night on Bach Dang River

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · from $9

Take a private, roughly 20-minute boat ride from 94 Bach Dang in Hoi An’s old town. Choose sunset for river photos or night for the chance to release a lantern. A local guide, coffee or tea, and mobile ticket are included, but pickup details need checking.

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10.Hoai River Boat Trip by Night with Release Lantern

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · from $9

Meet your greeter at 142 Tran Phu Street for a 20-minute shared boat ride on the Hoai River. You’ll receive one flower lantern to release into the water, then explore Hoi An’s Old Town and night market independently. Boats carry one to four people, with queues most likely from 19:00 to 20:00.

“It’s was a quick tour. Took us only 20 mins. Great way to experience Hoi A from the water. Recommend doing it in the night so you can see vibrant night life.”

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11.Da Nang/Hoi An: Coconut river boat tour & Lantern Festival

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 4 reviews · from $31

You’ll travel from Da Nang or Hoi An to Cam Thanh’s Bay Mau Coconut Forest, row a round basket boat, watch fishing and spinning performances, then visit Hoi An’s Fukian Assembly Hall, Japanese Covered Bridge, old houses, and Nguyen Hoang Night Market. The private tour includes an English-speaking guide, transport, dinner, tickets, and water.

“It was varied and we were shown and told a lot. The individual activities, especially in Hoi An, fascinated us.”

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12.Discover My Son Sanctuary & Sunset River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · 5h 30m · from $21

Travel from Hoi An to My Son Sanctuary with an English-speaking guide, walk about 2 kilometers among Champa ruins, watch traditional performances, then return by boat along the Thu Bon River. A Vietnamese banh mi is served onboard. Guide Thy earned special praise for clear, detailed explanations.

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13.Amazing My Son Sunset & River Cruise Tour From Hoi An/DaNang

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · from $27

You’ll visit My Son Sanctuary with an English-speaking guide, learn about the Champa Kingdom, watch an Apsara dance, try making rice paper, and eat a Vietnamese banh my. A small group of up to 12 then boards a boat on the Thu Bon River, with hotel pickup and drop-off in Hoi An included.

“the organization was good, the guide was very helpful. Doing the excursion in a small group was an added value”

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