Hoi An with Kids | Complete Guide to the Best Family Activities

Hoi An with family

If you’re in Hoi An with children and wondering how to keep them entertained, don’t worry. This city is actually a great pick for a family trip.

Sure, Hoi An’s calm beaches are perfect for kids but it’s not just about sand and sea. There are plenty of fun, accessible, and original activities that the whole family can enjoy, parents included.

In this guide, I’ll share what I’ve personally tried, loved, or skipped, so you can choose what fits you best and make the most of your time in Hoi An with kids.

1. Hoi An Treasure Hunt – Grandpa Faifoo

If you want to explore the Ancient Town in a different way, I highly recommend Hoi An Treasure Hunt, an interactive treasure hunt you can do as a family, directly on your phone: no guide, no app needed.

The concept is simple: you follow the clues left by Grandpa Faifoo, a mischievous old man who takes you through alleys, in front of temples, old houses, and even tiny details you’d never notice on your own. There are multiple-choice questions, photos to find, codes to crack, and even a secret phrase to reveal. Everything is designed to get the kids involved and even the parents end up hooked.

The best part? You play at your own pace. One session or two, depending on your kids’ age and the game saves your progress. Since it’s fully autonomous, you can play in the morning, pick it up after lunch, or even play by lantern light in the evening.

• Duration: 1.5 to 2 hours
• Device: Smartphone (works directly in your browser)
• Price: From €10 per family
• Link: https://hoiantreasurehunt.com

2. Pottery Fun in Thanh Ha

Looking for a cultural, creative, and fun activity to do with kids? I suggest spending a morning or afternoon in Thanh Ha, just west of Hoi An.

The Terracotta Park is full of surprises. First, you’ll see miniature versions of famous landmarks: the Taj Mahal, Stonehenge, the Sydney Opera House… Perfect for sparking kids’ curiosity (and testing your own geography knowledge). Then comes the hands-on part: kids can paint a Vietnamese theater mask or make their own pottery, and bring it home as a souvenir.

After the park, you can continue to Thanh Ha Pottery Village, right next door. It’s quieter and more authentic. You’ll see how pottery was made the traditional way, with foot-powered wheels, clay ovens, and everyday shapes. It’s a mini time-travel moment that both kids and adults enjoy.

It’s one of the best family activities in Hoi An.

• Opening hours: 8 AM – 5:30 PM
• Entrance: 30,000 VND per adult, 15,000 VND per child
• Address: Block 5, Thanh Ha, Hoi An

3. VinWonders Nam Hoi An – A Full Day of Family Fun

Alright, it’s not Disneyland but honestly, VinWonders Nam Hoi An (formerly Vinpearl Land) is totally worth it if you’re traveling with kids. The park is huge (over 60 hectares), clean, well-organized, and most importantly, incredibly varied.

There are five main zones:

• Water World – water slides, wave pool, splash areas for all ages
• River Safari – a boat ride through animal habitats
• Bird Park – exotic birds in semi-open enclosures
• Hoi An Cultural Land – traditional houses, hands-on workshops, cultural exhibits
• Adventure Land – rides, bumper cars, roller coasters, an indoor game zone, and even a 4D cinema inside a castle

You’ll also find restaurants, shops, shaded resting areas, and to end the day, a light-and-water show at 7:30 PM that’s surprisingly good.

It’s a big day out, so plan for at least half a day but kids love it, and even adults have fun.

• Entrance: 500,000 VND per adult
• Children: 200,000 to 400,000 VND, depending on height

4. Taboo Bamboo Workshop – Build Your Own Creation

Looking for something hands-on, local, and totally unique? Head over to Taboo Bamboo Workshop in Cam Thanh. The owner, Tan, has turned the place into a bamboo wonderland: a two-story house, electric car, phone, furniture, all made from bamboo.

Tan is deeply passionate about this traditional craft, which has been in his family for three generations. He welcomes you with a smile and shares how bamboo is strong, flexible, durable, and just how much you can do with it. Spoiler: pretty much anything.

You can stop by for a quick look, but I recommend booking the full workshop. For 3 hours, you get to build your own bamboo object, guided by Tan and his team. It’s suitable for kids from 7–8 years old, and everyone goes home with their own creation. Plus, you’re helping to keep a traditional Vietnamese craft alive.

• Phone: +84 (0) 905 312 812
• Price: 700,000 VND per person
• Duration: 3-hour workshop
• Address: Thanh Tam Dong, Cam Thanh
• Opening hours: 9 AM – 12 PM and 2 PM – 5 PM (closed on Sundays)

5. Lantern Making – A Calm and Creative Family Activity

If you’re in Hoi An with your family, making your own lantern is a must-do. It’s calm, hands-on, creative, and accessible from around 6 or 7 years old. I recommend the workshop by Hoi An Discovery Tours, a small, family-run business, far from the big tourist groups.

The class is led by Mrs. Hai, a passionate local who really takes her time with each participant. She begins by explaining the history of lanterns in Hoi An, where they come from, why they’re everywhere, and how the techniques have evolved over the years.

Then comes the fun part: you choose your model, silk fabric, and colors, and go step by step through the process, folding, cutting, gluing, then painting or decorating your lantern with your own design. Kids love going home with their handmade lantern, and it makes for a truly unique souvenir.

• Guided workshop, child-friendly
• Duration: about 1.5 to 2 hours
• Language: English

6. Cooking Class at Tra Que – Fun from Market to Plate

If your kids like getting their hands dirty in the kitchen, I strongly recommend the Tra Que Waterwheels cooking class. It’s one of the most complete and fun activities for families in Hoi An.

It all starts with a visit to the local market, colorful, chaotic, and full of smells and surprises. Then, you hop on a bike ride through the countryside to reach Tra Que village. That part alone feels like a mini-adventure. Once there, the kids can dress like farmers, ride a water buffalo, and even help harvest vegetables in the garden.

Then it’s time to cook. You’ll learn to make rice paper from scratch, carve vegetables into flowers or animals, and prepare simple Vietnamese dishes that kids can recreate at home. The staff is kind and patient, the pace is perfect for families, and everyone leaves happy and full.

• Location: Tra Que village (bike transfer included)
• Price: 900,000 VND per adult
• Kids (5–10 years): 50% off
• Duration: half day, morning or afternoon

7. Basket Boat Ride in the Cam Thanh Mangroves

If you’re looking for something short, fun, and a bit unusual, I recommend the basket boat ride in the Cam Thanh mangrove. It’s one of the classic family activities in Hoi An, and honestly, it never fails with kids.

Once there, you hop into a round bamboo boat, steered by a local rower, and glide through the water coconut palm forest, it feels a bit like Jurassic Park. The scenery is stunning, especially early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

During the ride, the rowers often make little animals out of coconut leaves for the kids, and some even sing, dance, or spin the boat around for fun (watch out if you get seasick!). It can get a bit crowded, but it’s still a lighthearted, easy-going activity, perfect if you only have an hour or two.

• Easy access: by bike, taxi, or as part of a tour
• Village entry: 35,000 VND per person
• Boat ride: 150,000 to 200,000 VND per boat (approx. 1 hour)

8. Explore the Hoi An Countryside by Bike

Don’t get stuck in the Old Town. Hoi An’s real charm is also in its countryside and the best part is, you only need 5 minutes by bike to reach wide-open rice fields and small village paths.

It’s one of the easiest and most relaxing family outings: no guide, no reservation. Just grab a bike (or rent one at your hotel) and start riding along the narrow paths between the fields.

Kids love it, there are buffaloes, ducks, chickens, tractors, and often friendly farmers waving hello. If you’re lucky, you might come across a harvest scene or a buffalo taking a mud bath.

It’s quiet, scenic, and completely free. Perfect for a half-day break in the fresh air.

• Distance: only 5 minutes from the Old Town
• Duration: as long as you want, 30 minutes or a whole morning
• Gear: city bike or mountain bike (helmets recommended for kids)

9. Traditional Mask Painting at The Timing Masks

If you’re looking for something hands-on, creative, and meaningful, I highly recommend The Timing Masks, right in the heart of Hoi An’s Old Town. It’s a family-run workshop, founded by Mr. Phong Bui, who is dedicated to preserving Vietnam’s traditional mask-making craft.

The studio is beautiful, walls filled with colorful masks in every shape and size. You can choose between two options:

• A simple mask-painting session, perfect for younger children
• Or a full 2-hour mask-making workshop, where you shape your own mask before decorating it

Everything is calm, well-organized, and genuinely inspiring. It’s a great alternative to louder or more touristy experiences, and everyone leaves with their own handmade mask as a souvenir.

• Mask painting: 200,000 VND per person
• Full workshop (2h): 350,000 VND
• Address: 58/7 Lê Lợi, Hoi An
• Opening hours: 9 AM to 6 PM

10. Evening Sampan Ride on the River

It couldn’t be simpler to organize and yet it never gets old, even after years in Hoi An. Just walk down to the river near Bach Dang Street, and you’ll find dozens of small boats ready to take you on a ride.

You hop into a lantern-lit sampan, sit back, and for 20 to 30 minutes, you glide gently along the river surrounded by hundreds of floating lights. It’s peaceful, colorful, and honestly magical. Kids love releasing a floating wish lantern, usually included, or offered for a small extra fee.

No booking needed, just show up, negotiate a price, and go.

• Price: 150,000 to 200,000 VND per boat (20 to 30 minutes)
• Location: Bach Dang Street, Old Town
• Best time: between 6:30 PM and 8:30 PM to enjoy the full lantern effect

My Opinion

If you’re in Hoi An with kids, there’s honestly plenty to do. It’s not a typical “family resort” destination and that’s exactly what makes it interesting. There are lots of hands-on, local, and authentic activities where kids aren’t just tolerated, they’re actually involved.

What I like is that everything is flexible and à la carte, depending on your kids’ age, energy, and mood. Creative workshops, nature, treasure hunts, relaxed outings or more energetic ones, you can easily build a stress-free plan that works for the whole family.

No need to rush or book everything weeks in advance, you can go at your own pace. And even after years here, I’m still discovering activities that kids and adults both enjoy. So yes, Hoi An is absolutely kid-friendly… even if it doesn’t advertise it.