10 Hands-On Workshops & Craft Classes in Hoi An (2026)

Hoi An is a place where craft is part of everyday life. Techniques are passed hand to hand, not staged for display. From lanterns and pottery to bamboo and leather, creativity here is practical, cultural and quietly enduring.

As Vietnam’s cultural craft capital, Hoi An invites visitors to participate rather than observe. These workshops in Hoi An reflect the same values found at Namia River Retreat – Craft with Nature. Below are 10 hands-on workshops and craft classes in Hoi An for 2026, offering meaningful ways to learn, create, and connect with local heritage.

1. Silver Jewellery Workshop at Lotus Leaf Fine Arts

• Location:  395 Cửa Đại, Cẩm Châu, Hoi An, Quảng Nam
• Hours: 10:00 – 19:30 (Sunday: 14:00 – 17:30)
• Price: ~500,000 – >1,000,000 VND
  Duration: 1 – 2 hours

This workshop reveals the discipline behind permanence. Under the guidance of master silversmiths, guests learn the entire process, from raw silver to a finished piece, and understand why silver has long been worn for protection, memory, and continuity in Central Vietnam. You leave not only with jewellery, but with an appreciation for craftsmanship that resists speed.

2. Lantern-Making Workshop at Hoi An Tiếng Vọng Phố

• Address: 507 Đ. Hai Bà Trưng, Cẩm Phổ Ward, Hội An, Quảng Nam
• Hours:  08:30  –  19:00; ( Monday: 08:30  –  18:00)
• Price: 250,000 VND
• Duration: 1 hour

The experience in Hoi An closely follows traditional lantern-making methods used by families who once supplied the old town. From shaping bamboo frames to stretching silk, the process mirrors how lanterns evolved alongside river trade and festivals.

3. Lantern-Making Class at Thanh Trúc

• Address: Cẩm Thanh, Hội An, Quảng Nam
  
• Price: 150,000 – 300,000 VND
• Duration: 45 – 60 minutes

Designed for simplicity and adaptability, this family-run workshop reflects how traditional crafts survive by fitting into everyday life. Instructions are clear and efficient, allowing visitors to complete a lantern within an hour. Ideal for travelers with limited time, this experience shows how heritage remains practical, not precious.

4. Lantern-Making Class with Lynn

• Address: 8/6 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Minh An
• Hours: 09:00 – 22:30
• Price: 250,000 VND
• Duration: 1 hour

This intimate workshop focuses on connection over output. With small group sizes and close guidance, the pace is unhurried and personal. Crafting a single lantern becomes a quiet, shared moment rather than a production task. Especially suited for couples or solo travelers seeking a reflective, human-scale experience.

5. Pottery Making at Thanh Hà Terracotta Park

• Address: Phạm Phán Street, Thanh Hà, Hoi An
• Hours: 08:30 – 17:00
• Price: 100,000 VND
• Duration: 1 hour

Here, guests engage directly with one of Vietnam’s oldest functional crafts. Clay, water, and timing dictate the outcome. Working at the wheel reveals why Thanh Hà pottery has endured for centuries: it responds to daily needs, climate, and local materials.

6. Vietnamese Coffee Workshop – Namia River Retreat

• Address:  232 Tran Nhan Tong Street, Hoi An Dong Ward, Hoi An, Việt Nam
• Hours: Available daily upon request, with flexible timing to suit guests’ schedules
• Price: From ₫610,000 ($23) per person
• Group size: Min. 2 guests | Max. 10 guests

This Vietnamese Coffee Workshop invites guests to experience coffee as a cultural ritual shaped by land, time, and tradition. Rather than focusing on speed or convenience, the session explores why Vietnamese Robusta is brewed slowly using the phin filter, highlighting patience, aroma, and attention as essential parts of the process.

Through a guided tasting of medium and dark roasts from Vietnam’s diverse coffee regions, guests discover how soil, climate, and craftsmanship influence each cup’s character. Stories behind single-origin beans add depth to the experience, revealing how everyday habits become grounding cultural practices rooted in rhythm and restraint.

7. Painting Workshop at PHAP Studio

• Address:  133 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, Cẩm Châu
• Hours: 10:00 – 15:00; ( Tuesday: 10:00 – 15:30)
• Price: 650,000 VND
• Duration: 2 hours

Rather than focusing on technique alone, PHAP Studio emphasizes seeing. Guided observation helps participants translate Hoi An’s light, river scenes, and quiet streets into personal expression. Suitable for all skill levels, this workshop values presence and interpretation over perfection.

8. Bamboo Crafting Workshop at Taboo Bamboo

• Address: Thanh Tam Đông, Cẩm Thanh
• Hours: 07:30 – 17:30 (Closed Sundays)
• Price: 700,000 VND
• Duration: 2 – 3 hours

Bamboo is one of Vietnam’s most essential materials – renewable, resilient, and deeply practical. After learning about bamboo’s lifecycle, guests craft functional objects such as lamps or utensils. This experience connects sustainability with tradition, showing how natural materials shape both architecture and daily life.

9. Paper Mask Painting at The Timing Masks (Mặt Nạ Thời Gian)

• Address: 58/7 Le Loi, Minh An Ward
• Price: 100,000 VND
• Duration: Under 1 hour

A short but culturally rich activity, this workshop introduces traditional paper masks used in folk theatre and festivals. Painting becomes a way to explore symbolism through color, emotion, and character. Light, playful, and accessible, it offers cultural insight without complexity – ideal for families and quiet creative pauses.

10. Handmade Leather Crafts Workshop at Blue Lotus Leather

• Location: 98 Hung Vuong, Hoi An
• Hours 08:30  –  17:00
• Price: 890,000 VND
• Duration: 2.5 – 4 hours

This workshop emphasizes durability and care. Guests learn hand-stitching techniques that prioritize longevity over decoration. Leatherworking here is about respect for the material and mindful making – creating objects meant to age well with use. You leave with practical skills that extend beyond the workshop itself.

How Namia River Retreat Complements Craft Experiences in Hoi An

Craft as Daily Rhythm

For every traveller to Hoi An, the choice of where to stay shapes how deeply culture is felt and lived. At Namia River Retreat, craft is woven into everyday experience – from slow-brewed coffee and locally sourced breakfasts to Kids Eco Crafting using natural and recycled materials. Basket boat journeys and cultural activities are easily accessible, allowing guests to experience craft as part of the daily flow rather than scheduled entertainment.

Explore daily experiences: https://namiariverretreat.com/experiences/

A Creative Sanctuary

Namia River Retreat’s architecture and interiors draw inspiration from the surrounding craft villages:

• The Merchant Restaurant reflects ceramic traditions and nipa palm textures

• The Apothecary functions as a sensory herbal workspace rooted in Vietnamese wellness knowledge

Close to Craft Villages

Namia River Retreat offers convenient access to key craft communities:

• Cam Thanh Coconut Village: 3.6 km
• Thanh Hà Pottery Village: 5.7 km

A Quiet Way to Experience Hoi An

Workshops in Hoi An invite guests into presence – time spent listening, observing, and learning through the hands. By shaping clay, bending bamboo, stitching leather, or painting a lantern, visitors glimpse how craft lives within daily routines in Hoi An.

After each workshop, guests return to the slow living of the serenity of Namia River Retreat, where 60 private pool villas overlook nipa palms or the Thu Bon River. Every stay includes a 90-minute wellness journey per person, per night at Lumina Spa & Wellbeing, rooted in Vietnamese herbology, mindful movement, and sunset river cruises.

Paired with the calm rhythm of Namia River Retreat, these craft experiences offer a way to explore Hoi An that feels natural and grounded: creative without pressure, immersive without excess, and a meaningful wellness retreat.

Contact

Location: 232 Tran Nhan Tong Street, Hoi An Dong Ward, Hoi An, Việt Nam
Phone: +84 235 3969 888
Email:  hello@namiariverretreat.com