Looking for real Hoi An handicraft classes and not sure where to start? Thanh Truc Lantern runs two hands-on sessions out of Cam Thanh village: a lantern making class and a companion Hoi An painting class, both built around actually working with your hands rather than watching a demonstration.
The lantern making class covers the whole process: bending bamboo into a frame, stretching silk over it, trimming, and gluing everything by hand. It's a slower, more involved version of the lantern classes you'll see advertised around the Old Town, and most sessions run two to three hours.
The painting class pairs naturally with it - you paint your own design onto the silk before it goes on the frame, so your finished lantern is a one-off rather than a copy off a shelf. Either class can be booked on its own, but doing both together makes for a full, satisfying morning in Cam Thanh.
Full details and booking: hoianlanternmakingclass.com