Two crafts, one very caffeine-forward afternoon. You’ll learn Vietnamese coffee the traditional way using a Phin filter, then switch gears and make a lantern you can actually take home and use. It’s a fun combo of hands-on food learning and a real craft, not a rushed stop-and-watch thing.

I especially like how the coffee portion is well organized and structured—so you’re not just tasting, you’re doing. Second, the lantern part stays upbeat and doable, and you end up with a foldable lantern you can decorate with later. The only real drawback: there’s no hotel pickup or drop-off, so you’ll need to get yourself to the meeting point at 10C Bà Triệu.

Key Highlights to Know Before You Go

• Phin filter coffee hands-on: You learn how the metal filter method creates strong, deep flavor.
• Several coffee styles you make: black coffee, white coffee, salt coffee, egg coffee, and coconut coffee.
• Dessert-and-coffee break before lanterns: you sip what you made and snack while you switch activities.
• Lantern making with a take-home result: you create a lantern you can fold and keep.
• Small group feel: capped at 20 travelers, which keeps the class more personal.
• Family-friendly vibe: the atmosphere is comfortable, with good music in the background.

Coffee First: The Phin Filter and Dark Beans Method

In Hoi An, coffee isn’t just coffee. It’s a small ritual built around control: heat, time, and how you let the grounds drip. In this class, that starts with the Phin, a little metal filter (think French press cousin) that sits on top of your cup and slowly brews a concentrated coffee.

What I like about this approach is that it makes the flavor make sense. If you’ve ever wondered why Vietnamese coffee tastes heavier and more intense than what you get in many cafés, this is your answer. You’ll get the steps for roasting dark beans too, so you understand why the coffee ends up tasting rich and bold—plus how it works when you mix it with sweetened condensed milk.

And yes, you’ll be doing it yourself. That’s the point. Watching someone else pour is fine, but making it helps you remember what to do next time you want a Phin brew back home.

The Five Vietnamese Coffees You’ll Actually Make

This isn’t a one-style-tastes-only situation. You’ll prepare multiple coffee types, then drink what you made while the class moves into the lantern workshop.

Here are the coffee styles included:

• Black coffee: the base, strong and straightforward.
• Happy white coffee: the sweet, smooth style that many people fall for.
• Hue Imperial salt coffee: a savory-sweet twist, using salt as part of the flavor balance.
• Ha Noi egg coffee: the famous egg-foam style with a silky, custard-like top.
• Coconut coffee: a softer, tropical variation that keeps things interesting.

The real value here is learning how each one changes the drink rather than just memorizing recipes. You’ll understand why condensed milk is such a big deal for Vietnamese coffee, and how different add-ons create that signature “Vietnamese coffee” taste profile.

If you like food experiences that are both practical and culturally grounded, this section hits a sweet spot. You don’t need to be a coffee nerd. But you will leave knowing what makes the flavors different—and how to reproduce them.

Condensed Milk, Timing, and Why It Tastes Strong

Most people get Vietnamese coffee wrong at home because they only copy the ingredients, not the process. This class explains the process part: roasting dark beans, using the Phin correctly, and then combining coffee with sweet condensed milk.

The Phin method matters because it slows down extraction. Instead of a fast pour, the drip gives the coffee a more concentrated personality. When you then sweeten it the Vietnamese way, the drink tastes both bold and balanced—strong enough to wake you up, smooth enough that it doesn’t feel harsh.

One small practical tip from the way the class runs: because you’re moving through several coffee types, you’ll get used to switching gears quickly. That’s helpful if you’re traveling with mixed tastes—someone who wants egg coffee can stay focused, and someone who prefers something simpler still gets a clear path to make it.

A Cookie Break and Music-Led Atmosphere

After you’ve made and sampled the coffees, the class keeps momentum with a snack and cookie moment. You’ll sip your coffee during the lantern-making section, which also helps keep things calm while you handle the craft steps.

The atmosphere is set up to feel comfortable, not classroom-stiff. There’s good music in the background, and the pacing is designed so you don’t feel rushed from one step to the next. That matters in a hands-on workshop. A little breathing room makes a bigger difference than you might think.

Also, coffee is doing double duty here. Yes, it’s delicious. But it also helps you focus while you learn the lantern-making technique—so you’re not stressed trying to multitask with dry hands, messy materials, or unclear steps.

Lantern Making: Crafting a Unique, Foldable Take-Home Piece

Then you move from sipping to building. The lantern workshop centers on creating a very unique lantern—and the best part is that it’s foldable, so you can take it home and still keep it from becoming a luggage problem.

You’ll follow along with the steps, and you’ll have time to do it rather than just assembling something from a kit. That’s what makes it satisfying: you see how the craft comes together, and you can customize the result through the process itself.

A practical advantage: because you’re working after the coffee portion, you already feel less hungry and more settled. The rhythm of the class—coffee first, lantern next—makes sense. You’re not trying to learn a fine-motor craft while your brain is under-caffeinated.

When you’re done, you leave with a lantern you can decorate with later. It’s a souvenir that isn’t just for a photo. It’s also something you can use.

Timing and Group Size: What the 3.5 Hours Feels Like

The whole experience runs about 3 hours 30 minutes. That’s long enough to learn properly and actually make both the coffee and the lantern, but not so long that it drags.

Group size is capped at 20 travelers, which is a sweet spot for a workshop. You’re likely to get enough attention when you have questions, without waiting forever for instructors to come to your side. It also helps the class feel lively and social.

The only logistics note: the activity ends back at the meeting point. So you’ll want a plan for your next stop after the class—especially if you’re hoping to wander Old Town or eat nearby afterward.

Getting There Without Pickup: Meeting Point Matters

This experience starts at 10C Bà Triệu, Phường Cẩm Phổ, Hội An. There’s no hotel pickup or drop-off included, so you’ll want to map the meeting point ahead of time.

The good news is that it’s near public transportation, so you shouldn’t have to depend on a private taxi. Still, give yourself a little buffer. Getting there on time helps the class flow, especially when the coffee portion begins right away.

If you’re staying in a busy tourist hub, budget a bit of time to move across town. In Hoi An, that’s easy to underestimate—especially if you’re stopping for snacks along the way.

Price and Value: What You’re Really Paying For

At $29 per person, this class feels like solid value because you’re not just buying entertainment. You’re paying for:

• multiple styles of Vietnamese coffee that you make yourself,
• coffee/tea and snacks included,
• and a take-home craft (a foldable lantern),
• plus an instructor-led setup that keeps everything organized.

Many Hoi An classes either focus heavily on craft but ignore the cultural food side, or they do a tasting with limited hands-on work. This one gives you both—and it still stays a single, half-day chunk.

So if you want an experience that adds real skills (Phin brewing steps and lantern-making technique) instead of only souvenirs, the price makes sense.

Who Should Book This Class (and Who Might Skip)

This works especially well if you:

• want hands-on learning instead of a passive tour,
• like Vietnamese coffee and want to learn the method behind it,
• want something fun for a mixed group (adults, couples, even families),
• and like arts-and-crafts that end with something you can keep.

It’s also a great choice if you want a change of pace from lantern sightseeing and river walks. You’ll create your own lantern, and you’ll understand the coffee side too.

You might skip it if:

• you rely on hotel pickup (this doesn’t include it),
• you’re not comfortable with a 3.5-hour workshop format,
• or the weather is unstable on your travel dates, since good weather is required.

Weather and Comfort: A Few Practical Notes

The activity requires good weather. If conditions are poor enough that the experience can’t run, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

In terms of comfort, you’ll be doing drink prep and craft work back to back. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting a little messy—this is a hands-on workshop. Also, arriving with a light appetite helps. You’ll have snacks and coffee, but the session moves at a steady pace.

Should You Book It?

Yes, if you like experiences where you go home with actual skills and something physical you made. This is a strong choice for people who enjoy learning by doing: Phin coffee steps that you can repeat, plus lantern making with a take-home result that feels meaningful.

Skip it only if the lack of pickup is a deal-breaker for you or if your dates are weather-chaotic. Otherwise, it’s an easy recommendation for your Hoi An schedule. You’ll end the class with a new routine to try later—coffee you brewed yourself—and a lantern to remind you of the afternoon.

FAQ

How long is the lantern and coffee making class?

It lasts about 3 hours 30 minutes.

How much does it cost?

The price is $29.00 per person.

What’s included in the experience?

Coffee and/or tea and snacks are included.

Is hotel pickup or drop-off included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Where does the experience start and end?

It starts at 10C Bà Triệu, Phường Cẩm Phổ, Hội An, Quảng Nam 560000, Vietnam, and ends back at the meeting point.

What coffee types will I make?

You’ll make several Vietnamese coffee styles, including black coffee, happy white coffee, Hue Imperial salt coffee, Ha Noi egg coffee, and coconut coffee.

What’s the group size?

There is a maximum of 20 travelers.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.