Taking a Boat on the Hoai River and Releasing Lanterns in Hoi An: Listed Fares, Best Photo Hours and How to Avoid Being Charged Extra

Hoai River Boat Prices as Listed

Boat fares in Hoi An are charged per boat, not per person. Mr Vo Dang Phong, Deputy Head of the Hoi An Urban Management Office, gave Phap Luat TP.HCM (18 April 2022) a fare of 150,000 VND ($6 USD) for a party of 1 to 3 and 200,000 VND ($8 USD) for a party of 4 to 5, on a trip of about 15 minutes. VTC News (29 June 2022) reported that the fare is collected through face-value tickets, a yellow ticket at 150,000 VND ($6 USD) and a red ticket at 200,000 VND ($8 USD). VinWonders (December 2025) still lists 150,000 to 200,000 VND (~$6 to $8 USD) per trip, 15 to 20 minutes and a maximum of about 4 to 5 guests. We have not found an official 2026 price board of its own, so read the board posted at the landing.

Where to Board and How to Fix the Price

VTC News (29 June 2022) described how the service is organised: a boat enters the operating zone only when its turn comes, in the stretch between the buoy line and Quang Truong Bridge, ticket desks stand at the landing bridges with prices posted, and a boat that picks up guests without a ticket is dealt with under the rules. The safest approach is therefore to buy at a desk with a posted price and to politely decline cheap offers from rowers hanging around outside the landing.

• Fix the price for the whole boat: check it against the real number of people in your party, not per head.
• Fix the turning point: if you want to go near the Japanese Covered Bridge, ask clearly whether there is a surcharge. The case recorded by Phap Luat TP.HCM (18 April 2022) shows a couple quoted 100,000 VND ($4 USD) for two, asked for 50,000 VND ($2 USD) more to pass under An Hoi Bridge, and then told the water was too high to pass.
• Fix the duration: the sources say 15 to 20 minutes, so if the boat turns back much sooner, raise it at the ticket desk straight away.
• Keep your ticket: the yellow or red face-value ticket is your proof if there is a dispute.

Best Hours and Weather

VinWonders (December 2025) suggests 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM as the time when the shop lights and lanterns reflect most clearly on the water. For fewer people and sharper pictures, go at sunset, around 5:30 PM. The riverside is very crowded on the 14th lunar night, so plan to arrive early and see our Hoi An full-moon night calendar.

The water level directly affects the route, since a boatman once cited high water as the reason for not passing under An Hoi Bridge. The rainy season in central Vietnam usually runs from about September to December, so if you travel then, check the forecast and ask again at the landing, and do not build your whole evening around a single boat ride.

Releasing Lanterns on the Hoai River

Paper lanterns with a candle are sold at small stalls along both banks or carried round by street vendors. VinWonders gives a price of about 5,000 to 10,000 VND (~$0.2 to $0.4 USD) each, so there is no need to buy a lot. You can release them from the boat or from the bank: the boat suits you if you want pictures close to the water, while the bank is cheaper because you do not need a boat ticket. When you release one, lower it gently onto the water instead of throwing it, and do not leave wrappers or paper on the bank.

Photo Tips on the Boat and the Riverbank

On the boat the light is low and the water keeps moving, so pictures blur easily. The tips below are our own common shooting experience, not local rules.

• Sit still when you press the shutter, rest your elbows on your knees and switch on night mode, then wait until the boat stops rocking before you shoot.
• Tap a face to lock focus and avoid flash aimed straight at people, because it kills the glow of the lanterns behind them.
• Loop a strap round your wrist, since a phone that falls into the river is very hard to recover, and never stand up in the boat to take a picture.
• On the bank, try the angles around An Hoi Bridge, the Impression Bridge and Cam Nam Bridge that VinWonders mentions when you want a wide view of the river and the boats.
• Wear a life jacket as VinWonders recommends, and keep small children seated close to an adult.

Suggested Evening Itinerary

1. Step 1: 4:30 to 5:30 PM stroll and a light snack. Pick a place to eat close to the river so you do not have to walk far once the lanterns are lit.
2. Step 2: around 5:30 PM buy the boat ticket at a desk with posted prices. Fix the whole-boat price, the turning point and the duration before you go down to the landing.
3. Step 3: 5:45 to 7:00 PM boat ride and lantern release. Take photos while the sky still has a blue glow, then switch to the lanterns.
4. Step 4: 7:00 to 8:30 PM riverside stroll or dinner. If the group wants more night pictures, see our guide to renting an ao dai for photos in Hoi An old town.
5. Step 5: after 9:00 PM return to the car point. Walk out to the edge of the old town to meet your driver and head back to Da Nang or your hotel.

Private Car to and from Hoi An

If you stay in Da Nang, the main route for this evening is the Da Nang to Hoi An private car, and fares for each vehicle type are in the Da Nang and Hoi An car price list. Please tell us your return pick-up time in advance, especially on the full-moon night when the old town is very crowded. Dispatch support runs 24/7, and you can cancel or change the time free of charge when you notify us at least 2 hours ahead.