Hoi An Lantern Festival Guide: Best Tours, Hotels & Insider Tips

The first time I watched Hoi An switch its lights off, I actually gasped out loud. One minute the ancient town looked like any other pretty riverside strip in central Vietnam. Then, around 6 pm, the streetlamps went dark, and hundreds of silk lanterns took over instead. That’s the Hoi An Lantern Festival, and it’s the reason half the photos you’ve seen of Vietnam exist in the first place.

If you’re a Filipino traveler weighing a Da Nang or Hoi An trip, this guide covers everything practical: when the festival actually happens (it’s not once a year, and that surprises a lot of people), which tours are worth booking, where to stay so you can walk to the river in flip-flops, and the mistakes I’d skip if I went back.

What Is the Hoi An Lantern Festival, Really?

Locally it’s called Đêm Rằm Phố Cổ, or “Old Quarter Full-Moon Night.” It happens on the 14th day of every lunar month, the evening before the full moon, when Hoi An’s Ancient Town cuts its electric lighting from roughly 6 pm to 10 pm. For those few hours, the only light comes from lanterns, candles, and the moon itself.

The tradition dates back to a 1998 decision by the local government to formalize what had been an older full-moon custom into a monthly event for the Ancient Town. The 14th and 15th of the lunar month are considered sacred days in Vietnamese folk beliefs, a time when people honor ancestors, visit pagodas, and float small paper lanterns down the Thu Bon River carrying a wish or prayer. Tourists join in for the same ritual now, minus the ancestor-honoring part, mostly for how it looks in a photo.

Because the Hoi An Lantern Festival runs monthly rather than annually, you don’t need to plan a trip around one single date the way you would for, say, a specific holiday. There’s a lantern night roughly every four weeks, all year.

When Does the Hoi An Lantern Festival Happen in 2026?

Since it follows the lunar calendar, the Gregorian date shifts every month. Based on the 2026 lunar conversion, the festival falls on:

• January 2
• February 1
• March 2 (the first full moon after Tết — expect the biggest crowds of the year)
• April 1 and April 30
• May 30
• June 28
• July 27
• August 26
• September 24
• October 23
• November 22
• December 22

A quick caveat: lunar-to-Gregorian conversions can differ by a day depending on the source, so treat these as a strong planning estimate and double-check the exact date a week or two before you fly. The first full moon after Tết, which lands in late February or early March, is the one known locally as Nguyên Tiêu. It’s the most crowded and most elaborate lantern festival Hoi An hosts each year, so book hotels two to three months ahead if that’s your target month.

On a regular festival night, things run from about 5:30 pm to 10 pm, with the lantern release on the river peaking between 7 and 9 pm.

Getting There from the Philippines

Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and Philippines AirAsia all fly nonstop from Manila to Da Nang, which is the closest airport to Hoi An (about a 45-minute drive or a 30-minute taxi ride south). Flight time runs around 2.5 to 3 hours. Round-trip fares fluctuate a lot depending on season, but budget carriers regularly run promos well under ₱10,000, while full-service options can run higher. AirAsia Philippines also added Manila–Da Nang service in 2026, so there’s more competition on the route than there was a few years back, which is generally good news for pricing.

If you’re departing from Cebu or another regional hub, you’ll likely connect through Manila or Ho Chi Minh City, so factor that into your itinerary.

Best Tours for the Hoi An Lantern Festival

You can absolutely walk into Old Town on your own and enjoy the lantern festival for free; the lights-off atmosphere doesn’t require a ticket. But a few tour add-ons are worth the money if you want structure, especially on your first night in town.

Basket boat and lantern release combo tours. These are the most booked Hoi An experiences on Klook, Viator, and GetYourGuide, and for good reason. You typically start at Cam Thanh Coconut Village for the spinning basket boat ride (a Vietnamese fishing tradition turned photo-op), then transfer to a lantern boat on the Hoai River in Old Town for the actual lantern release. Reviewers consistently mention friendly, English-speaking guides and note that the basket boat portion can involve a small tip for the “spinning” trick, so agree on costs upfront.

A dedicated lantern boat ride, not a basket boat. If you’d rather skip the coconut forest and go straight to the river, shorter lantern-only boat tours depart from An Hoi Bridge. You’ll glide past the Ancient Town, stop near the night market, and release a flower lantern with a wish attached, all in under an hour.

Lantern-making workshops. A few operators run hands-on classes where you build your own silk lantern over a bamboo frame, usually alongside a short tea tasting. It folds flat for your suitcase, which makes it one of the few Vietnam souvenirs that’s actually worth the luggage space.

Full Hoi An city tours. If it’s your first visit, a half-day guided walk through the Japanese Covered Bridge, the old merchant houses, and the assembly halls before the lights go off gives helpful context for what you’re looking at once the lanterns come on.

Whichever tour you pick, book it for a night that lines up with the actual Hoi An lantern festival date if you want the full lights-off effect. Some operators run lantern boat rides nightly regardless of the lunar calendar, which is a fine backup but isn’t quite the same show.

Where to Stay for the Hoi An Lantern Festival

Location matters more than star rating here. You want to be within walking distance of Old Town so you’re not stuck in a taxi queue when the streets fill up.

Inside or right next to Old Town: Places like River Suites Hoi An Hotel and a handful of boutique guesthouses put you steps from the Japanese Bridge and the night market. Expect smaller rooms and higher prices during festival nights, especially the post-Tết one in March.

Just across the river (An Hoi area): Hotels here, including riverside boutique properties with pools and rooftop bars, give you a five- to ten-minute walk to Old Town without the noise of being in the thick of it. This is where I’d stay if I went back — you still see the lanterns reflected on the water from your side of the river.

Slightly further out, near the beach or rice fields: Larger resort-style hotels a short tuk-tuk or Grab ride from town suit travelers prioritizing pool time and quiet over walkability. Just build in transport time so you’re not rushing to catch the lights-off moment.

Whatever you book, reserve two to three months out if your trip lines up with the Nguyên Tiêu festival in March, since that’s when Hoi An hotels sell out fastest.

Insider Tips for the Hoi An Lantern Festival

• Arrive by 5:30 pm. Vendors set up lantern stalls, and the crowd starts filling in well before the actual lights-off moment. Arriving early gets you a decent spot without elbowing anyone.
• Bring cash, small bills. Lantern boat rides, souvenir lanterns, and street food stalls mostly run on cash, and change can be scarce for large notes.
• Skip the unofficial ticket sellers. Agree on a price before boarding any boat, and book through a recognized platform if you’d rather not haggle at all.
• Go beyond the main bridge. The Japanese Covered Bridge area gets packed. A five-minute walk down a side street toward the river still gets you the lantern glow with a fraction of the crowd.
• Check the weather for October to December. Central Vietnam’s rainy season can bring flooding to low-lying parts of Old Town, so if you’re flexible, February through April tends to offer better conditions and clearer river views for photos.
• Pace your trip around the date, not the other way around. Since the lantern festival happens monthly, it’s often easier to shift your Hoi An days by a night or two than to force your whole itinerary around one date.

Planning the Rest of Your Trip

Hoi An works well as a two- to three-night stop paired with Da Nang, whether you’re coming from Manila directly or adding it onto a longer central Vietnam loop. Pair a lantern festival night with a day trip to My Son Sanctuary or Marble Mountains, and leave one evening free just to wander Old Town without a tour guide. Some of the best lantern photos happen on the quiet side streets nobody books a tour for.

If you’re building out a longer Vietnam itinerary, our guides on Da Nang and Hoi An day trips and the Ha Long Bay cruise guide cover the rest of the country well.

FAQs

Is the Hoi An Lantern Festival only once a year? No. It happens monthly, on the 14th day of every lunar month, the night before the full moon. The biggest celebration each year is the first full moon after Tết, usually in late February or early March.

What is the exact date of the Hoi An Lantern Festival in 2026? The dates fall on the 14th lunar day each month, which converts to roughly January 2, February 1, March 2, April 1 and 30, May 30, June 28, July 27, August 26, September 24, October 23, November 22, and December 22, 2026. Confirm the exact date closer to your trip, since lunar conversions can shift by a day.

How much does a lantern boat tour in Hoi An cost? Prices vary by platform and season and change frequently, so check current listings on Klook, Viator, or GetYourGuide before booking rather than relying on a fixed number.

Do I need to visit during a full moon to see lanterns in Hoi An? No. Lantern boat rides and the general lantern-lit atmosphere run most nights in Old Town. The lights-off, festival-specific version only happens on the 14th lunar day, but even a regular night gives you plenty of lantern scenery.

Is Hoi An safe for solo Filipino travelers? Hoi An is generally considered one of the more tourist-friendly towns in Vietnam, with a walkable Old Town and a steady flow of foreign visitors. As with anywhere popular, stay alert around unofficial ticket sellers and agree on prices before boarding boats or hiring guides.

How do I get from Da Nang Airport to Hoi An? Hoi An is about 45 minutes by car or taxi from Da Nang International Airport. Grab, hotel transfers, and pre-booked airport pickups are all common options.

Final Thoughts

The Hoi An Lantern Festival earns its reputation. I’ve seen a lot of “magical” travel moments get oversold, but watching an entire town go dark except for a few thousand handmade lanterns is one that actually delivers. Time your Hoi An trip around a lantern festival date, book a lantern boat ride for the evening itself, and stay close enough to Old Town that you can wander back after the crowds thin out. That’s really the whole plan.

Ready to book? Check flights from Manila to Da Nang, lock in a riverside hotel near Old Town, and reserve your lantern boat tour ahead of your travel dates, especially if you’re aiming for the March post-Tết festival.

Suggested Internal Links: Da Nang and Hoi An Day Trips guide, Ha Long Bay Cruise Guide, Vietnam Filipino Travel Guide, MoneyPoint travel budgeting guide for Vietnam

Suggested External Links: Official Hoi An tourism information (Quang Nam Department of Tourism) · UNESCO World Heritage listing for Hoi An Ancient Town