Hoi An Lanterns to Buy: Where to Shop, Prices and Tips

Featured image: Mig Gilbert from Brighton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Hoi An Lanterns to Buy: Silk Souvenir or Floating Lantern?

Silk lanterns are the keepsake. A bamboo frame holds stretched silk or fabric, and many fold flat for the trip home. Floating lanterns are a different purchase. They are folded paper lotus shapes with a small candle, made to be lit and set on the Hoai River in the evening. A floating lantern costs about 10,000 VND including the candle, a figure reported by local operators.

Prices and hours checked November 2026. Silk lantern prices vary by shop, size and fabric, so no single figure is reliable. Compare two or three shops before paying.

Where to Buy Silk Lanterns Around the Ancient Town

Shophouses selling lanterns line Tran Phu Street between the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Central Market. Nguyen Thai Hoc Street is the second strip to walk. It runs toward the north end of An Hoi Bridge, so a single loop covers both.

On An Hoi island, the Night Market opens in the evening and mixes lantern stalls with other souvenirs. Stalls there suit small and mid-size lanterns. Shops suit larger or custom pieces.

The daytime stalls at the Hoi An Central Market: When to Go, What to Eat, How to Plan are good for comparing quality side by side. Tieu La Street, on the market's east side, adds more vendors selling local products.

• Tran Phu Street: shophouses between the bridge and the Central Market
• Nguyen Thai Hoc Street: shops near the north end of An Hoi Bridge
• Central Market and Tieu La Street: stalls for side-by-side comparison
• Night Market, An Hoi island: evening stalls, easier for small lanterns

How to Judge Quality and Avoid Fakes

Start with the frame. Bamboo ribs should be evenly spaced, smooth and firmly joined, with no splinters at the joints. Press gently on the lantern: a good frame springs back without wobbling.

Next, check the fabric. Real silk feels cool and slightly slippery, and it catches the light with a soft sheen. Painted paper or thin synthetic fabric looks flat and feels stiff or plasticky. Ask the seller what the material is, then compare how it feels with a lantern at a second stall.

Look at the stitching and seams. Straight seams and tidy hems mean careful work. Glue marks, puckering and loose threads point to a cheap batch. Switch on the bulb or fitting if one is included. Wiring should be tidy and the socket firmly attached.

Shop assistants may steer you to a single shop. Walk one block and look again before agreeing to anything.

Prices and Bargaining for Lanterns

Floating lanterns have a reported fixed level of 10,000 VND each, and vendors reportedly give a discount on bulk orders. Bargaining there is limited, since the amount is small.

Silk lanterns leave more room. Ask for the price first, then note it down and visit another shop before returning. Quote a lower figure politely and settle where both sides are comfortable. Buying several lanterns together usually opens a better price. Walking away calmly is often the strongest move.

Cash is the safest assumption at street stalls. Many shops take cards, but ask before you pick a lantern up. Skip pushy touts, and never pay before you have inspected the exact lantern you will receive.

Where to Buy and Release Floating Lanterns

Vendors work along the Hoai River on Bach Dang Street, Nguyen Phuc Chu Street and Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Street. More sell at the Night Market and near boat ticket booths. Boats also carry lanterns, so a boat ride needs no separate shopping.

Vendors are mostly women and older people. Buy from adults, not from children selling on the street. It supports adult incomes and matches local child-protection norms.

Release from the riverbank for the lowest cost. The north bank on Bach Dang Street sits close to the water. Ask the vendor to lend a stick with a small basket. Light the candle, lower the lantern into the water, and keep your hands clear of the flame.

A hand-rowed sampan costs about 150,000 VND for 15 minutes for 1 to 3 people. Groups of 4 or 5 pay about 200,000 VND, and lanterns are extra. Each boat carries at most 5 passengers. Those are reported rates, so ask at the ticket booth before queuing.

Paid sanitation workers are reported to clear burnt lanterns and trash each morning. Take any packaging with you and use only the lantern you buy.

Best Time to Go: Daytime Shopping or Lantern Nights

Daylight suits silk lantern shopping. You see colors and stitching properly, and stalls are calmer. Evenings flatter the lanterns, but dim light hides flaws, so check close-up under a bright bulb.

Floating lanterns belong to the evening. Locals release them most on lunar days 1, 14 and 15. A monthly full-moon lantern festival is reported for the 14th lunar day. Those nights bring bigger crowds, especially at weekends.

To avoid queues, buy sampan tickets early in the evening. Check dates and Old Town entry rules with Hoi An's heritage portal. An Old Town ticket is reported at 120,000 VND per adult and includes 5 attractions. The same site is the place to confirm it.

Getting Lanterns Home: Packing and Shipping

Collapsible frames are easiest. Fold the lantern flat, wrap it in a clean shirt or paper, and slide it between clothes in a suitcase. Rigid frames need more care. Carry them as hand luggage or box them with padding on all sides.

Airline rules vary, so read your carrier's cabin-size and checked-bag pages before you fly. For bulky purchases, ask the shop about shipping and get the quote in writing. Compare it with a courier's current rates.

Keep lanterns dry and away from direct heat. Silk marks easily, so store it in a bag until you arrive home. Photograph the lantern before packing, in case you need to show its condition later.

A Two-Hour Lantern Shopping Route

Start at the Japanese Covered Bridge and walk Tran Phu Street toward the Central Market. Browse the shophouses on the way and note two or three prices. Then loop through the market and Tieu La Street.

Walk west along Bach Dang Street beside the river, then turn onto Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Finish near the north end of An Hoi Bridge. In the evening, cross to An Hoi island for the Night Market and, if you like, buy a floating lantern from a riverside vendor.

Planning wider shopping? A custom outfit pairs well with lanterns, and our Hoi An tailors guide covers the process. Compare makers in our tailor rankings. For footwear and bags, see Hoi An Leather Shops: How to Choose, What to Pay. General trip planning is available at Vietnam's national tourism site.

Common Lantern-Buying Mistakes to Skip

Buying on a festival night without a price check is the top error. Crowds push quick decisions. Look at a few shops by day first.

Another slip is mistaking painted paper for silk. Touch the fabric and ask directly. A third is leaving packing to the airport, where a rigid lantern may not fit your bag.

Last, avoid buying floating lanterns from children, and skip lighting them in strong wind. Candle flames can burn the paper. Choose a sheltered spot on the bank or use the vendor's basket.

Release Floating Lanterns With Less River Waste

Floating lanterns are single-use paper and candle items, so treat the release as a small ritual rather than a purchase to repeat many times. River vendors commonly quote about 10,000 VND for one lantern with its candle. Buy only what your group plans to release, and keep wrappers or spare candles out of the water.

Choose a sheltered spot and use the vendor’s stick-and-basket to lower the lantern gently. This reduces the chance of burning paper or a candle falling onto the bank. Buy from an adult vendor rather than a child, and take your packaging away after the release.

A hand-rowed sampan is another option if you want more space from the busy riverbank. Reported rides last 15 minutes and carry up to 5 passengers, with lanterns charged separately. Ask at the ticket booth for the current arrangement before paying. Avoid releasing lanterns in strong wind, even on popular lunar dates such as the 14th or 15th.