Located in Cam Thanh commune about 4–5 km southeast of Hoi An Ancient Town (and 30 km from Da Nang), the Bay Mau Coconut Forest is a lush 100-hectare estuary ecosystem of water coconut palms (nipa palms) often nicknamed “the Mekong Delta in the heart of Central Vietnam.” Here is our practical 2026 guide to enjoying the bamboo basket boats safely and transparently.
1. What Makes the Cam Thanh Basket Boat Ride Special?
Accompanied by a local rower in a circular woven bamboo basket boat (thuyen thung, holding 2 adults + 1 child plus the rower), you will spend 45 to 50 minutes gliding through shaded emerald canals. Along the way, you will see:
- Basket Boat Spinning Performance (Mua Thuyen Thung): Skilled local rowers spin their basket boats to lively music across the main river basin (watching from your own boat is free; tipping or trying the spin yourself is optional).
- Traditional Fishing Net Casting (Quang Chai): Photogenic demonstrations of traditional round-net fishing over the water.
- Coconut Leaf Origami & Crab Fishing: Your rower weaves rings, grasshoppers, and crowns from fresh nipa palm leaves for kids and lends bamboo rods to catch tiny purple fiddler crabs among the roots.
2. Official Ticket Prices & Best Time to Visit
- Official Entrance Fee: 30,000 VND / person (environmental & site conservation ticket).
- Standard Basket Boat Service: Typically 150,000 – 200,000 VND per basket boat (shared by 2 adults) when booked through reputable piers or pre-arranged via your dananghoiantrips driver.
- Best Time of Day: 08:00 – 10:00 AM (fresh morning air, soft light, fewer tour groups) or 15:00 – 17:00 PM (cool breeze before heading into Hoi An Ancient Town for the evening lanterns). Avoid 11:30 – 14:00 when the sun is directly overhead.
Important Tip from dananghoiantrips Drivers:
Along the road approaching Cam Thanh, roadside touts on motorbikes sometimes flag down tourists to sell overpriced boat packages. When you travel with a dananghoiantrips private car, your driver takes you directly to our trusted partner pier with clean restrooms, welcome coconut water, and transparent listed prices!
