Hoi An: Hands-on Vietnamese Coffee Making Class with Long

Vietnamese coffee is more than a strong drink poured over ice. In this one-hour hands-on class, you learn how beans become the sweet, salty, creamy, and aromatic drinks found in cafés across the country. At Tri Long Coffee, guide Long explains the coffee-making process, then lets you prepare your own cup.

I like the small local roastery setting, where the focus stays on beans, brewing, and Vietnamese café culture rather than a long list of tourist stops. I also like the practical finish: you drink what you make, and recipe cards let you try the drinks again at home. The main drawback is that the class is short, and some people have found confusion about the exact booking details, so confirm what you will make when you arrive.

Key points at a glance

• Choose traditional Vietnamese styles: Depending on the class arrangement, you can make phin filter, egg, salt, or coconut coffee.
• Meet at a working coffee shop: The class takes place at Tri Long Coffee, 88 Phan Chau Trinh Street in Hoi An.
• Learn from crop to cup: Long explains Vietnamese coffee culture, roasting, café customs, and preparation.
• Make and taste your own drink: Ingredients and equipment are included, so you only need to arrive ready to participate.
• Take the recipes home: Recipe cards make this more than a one-time tasting.
• Good value at $15: It is a compact, practical activity for a free hour in central Hoi An.

A one-hour introduction to Vietnam through coffee

I like this class because it gives you a small, useful window into everyday Vietnamese culture. Cafés are part of daily life in Vietnam, and coffee preparation often has its own rhythm: slow filtering, condensed milk, ice, foam, coconut, or even a touch of salt.

The class begins at Tri Long Coffee, a local coffee shop and roastery on Phan Chau Trinh Street. You meet your English-speaking instructor there rather than being collected from your hotel. That makes the activity easy to fit into a day spent walking around Hoi An, but you need to arrange your own way to the meeting point.

The setting is described as small and comfortable, with music playing while you enjoy the finished drinks. That matters because the activity is not built around rushing from one station to another. You have time to listen, prepare, taste, and sit with your coffee at the end.

The format is best understood as a café workshop, not a formal cooking school. You will handle the ingredients and equipment, but the class also leaves room for conversation about Vietnam’s coffee traditions and the story behind popular cafés.

What Long explains before you start brewing

Long introduces the beans and the work that happens before the coffee reaches your cup. The focus is on small-batch roasting and coffee sourced from Vietnamese growing regions. You learn how coffee moves from crop to roasting and then into the brewing methods used in local cafés.

This background gives the drinks more meaning. A phin filter is not simply a metal gadget placed over a glass. It creates a slow, measured brew that suits Vietnam’s strong coffee and sweet condensed milk. Egg coffee is not just a dessert-like drink, and salt coffee is not a gimmick. Each recipe shows how cafés use texture and sweetness to shape a familiar ingredient.

The class also touches on the connection between coffee shops, Vietnamese history, and café culture. The information is presented in English, and the strongest part of the teaching is its practical link to what you are about to make. You are not listening to a long lecture before getting involved.

Several people who took the class praised the guide’s patience, clear explanations, and friendly manner. That is especially useful if you rarely make coffee by hand. You can ask questions as you go, and the equipment is provided for you.

Choosing between phin, egg, salt, and coconut coffee

The most appealing part of the class is the choice of coffee style. The available options include Vietnamese phin filter coffee, egg coffee, salt coffee, and coconut coffee.

Phin filter coffee is the most direct introduction to Vietnamese brewing. You watch the coffee drip through the small metal filter, then combine it with the ingredients supplied during the class. It is a good choice if you want to understand the basic method behind the coffee served in many Vietnamese cafés.

Egg coffee offers a very different texture. The egg mixture gives the drink a creamy topping and changes the coffee from a simple beverage into something closer to a soft dessert. Choose it if you are curious about one of Vietnam’s most distinctive café creations.

Salt coffee is the unusual option. A small amount of salt can soften bitterness and bring out sweetness, creating a surprisingly balanced drink. One participant specifically enjoyed learning this recipe and planned to make it at home, which says something about how easy the method is to remember.

Coconut coffee is a good pick if you prefer a cooler, smoother drink. Coconut changes the body and flavor of the coffee, making it an appealing choice for a warm afternoon in Hoi An.

The exact number of drinks can vary. Several recent bookings included two coffee recipes, while the main activity description presents the choice as a traditional coffee style. If making two drinks matters to you, ask Long or the shop staff to confirm the arrangement when you arrive.

The hands-on part is the real value

At $15 per person, this is not priced like a full meal or a long guided tour. Its value comes from participation. You are not simply handed a finished coffee and told a few facts. You use the ingredients, follow the preparation, and taste the result.

All equipment and ingredients are included. That keeps the class simple and means you do not need to bring anything special. The activity also includes access to a coffee specialist, which helps when you are unsure about quantities, mixing, or timing.

I especially like the fact that the final drink is yours. If the coffee is too strong, too sweet, or not quite balanced, that becomes part of the lesson. You can see how small changes affect the result.

This is also a useful activity for couples, friends, and small groups with different levels of coffee interest. A coffee enthusiast can ask about roasting and brewing, while a casual drinker can focus on the flavors. The class has sometimes been almost private when few people booked, though group size is not fixed in the information provided.

The class does not include a meal or other drinks. That is worth remembering if you are hungry. Think of the coffee as the tasting and the lesson, not as a replacement for breakfast or lunch.

Recipe cards turn a short class into a useful souvenir

Many short food activities end when you finish eating. This one gives you something practical to carry away. Recipe cards for the drinks made in class are provided, and some participants also received recipes for all the available styles.

That small detail improves the value. Vietnamese coffee recipes often look simple, but proportions and texture matter. A card helps you remember what you did instead of relying on a vague memory of coffee, condensed milk, coconut, or egg.

You will not need to buy equipment for the class, but making phin coffee at home may require your own filter. The activity does not state that a filter or ingredients are included as a take-home gift, so plan to use the recipe cards as your guide rather than expecting a complete kit.

The recipes also make this a good choice for anyone who enjoys food-related souvenirs but does not want to carry another object through Vietnam. You can take the method home and adapt it to the coffee equipment available in your kitchen.

The roastery setting and the pace after brewing

Tri Long Coffee is both the meeting point and the setting for the lesson. The shop is described as small and comfortable, which suits a class focused on conversation and close instruction.

After making your drink, you can sit and taste it while listening to music. This relaxed finish is important. You do not finish the last step and immediately get sent back onto the street. You have time to compare the flavor with what you expected and enjoy the café atmosphere.

The shop’s stated focus on quality and sustainability is tied to its small-batch roasted beans. The information does not provide a detailed sustainability program, so I would treat this as part of the roastery’s approach rather than expecting a separate presentation about farming or packaging.

The atmosphere may appeal to you if you prefer a small café to a large commercial cooking venue. It may be less suitable if you want a long workshop with several dishes, a market visit, or a full meal.

Timing, meeting point, and practical planning

The activity lasts one hour. That makes it easy to place between Hoi An’s main sights, a meal, or an afternoon break. Check the available start times when booking because the information does not give one fixed daily schedule.

You meet at Tri Long Coffee, 88 Phan Chau Trinh Street, Hoi An. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you need to reach the shop independently. If you are staying in or near central Hoi An, this should be a straightforward addition to a walking day, but allow enough time to find the shop.

The class is conducted in English. It is not designed for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. The available information does not describe the exact seating, steps, or restroom setup, so contact the provider directly if you need more precise access details.

The experience is offered by Thao Nguyen Travel Company. You can reserve now and pay later, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. Those terms are useful if your Hoi An plans may change, but check the booking conditions shown at the time you reserve.

One practical note: there has been at least one case of confusion between the booking channel and what the shop expected. To avoid an awkward start, bring your booking confirmation and confirm the number of coffee recipes included.

Who will enjoy this class most

I would recommend this class to you if you enjoy learning one local skill rather than collecting a string of quick photo stops. It is especially suited to:

• Coffee drinkers curious about how Vietnamese café drinks are made
• People who enjoy compact activities lasting about an hour
• Couples or small groups looking for something interactive
• Visitors who want a recipe they can use at home
• Anyone interested in the link between coffee, cafés, and Vietnamese culture

It is less suitable if you dislike coffee, need a fully accessible activity, or want a long culinary program with a full meal. The class centers on coffee, and the one-hour format leaves little room for a wider cooking lesson.

Families with older children may find the hands-on method engaging, but the supplied information does not specify a minimum age. Ask before booking if age requirements matter to your group.

Is $15 a fair price?

At $15, the class offers good value for a focused Hoi An activity. Your fee covers the coffee ingredients, use of the equipment, instruction, the roastery setting, hands-on preparation, and tasting.

The strongest value comes if you use the recipe cards later. A one-hour activity can feel expensive when it is only a demonstration, but here you take part and leave with methods for making the drinks again.

The price does not include transportation, food, extra drinks, or personal expenses. That keeps the advertised cost simple, but remember to budget for getting to Phan Chau Trinh Street and for any café purchases beyond the included tasting.

I would not choose this as your main food tour in Hoi An. I would choose it as a low-cost add-on that gives you a local skill, a quiet café break, and a better understanding of the coffee menu you will see elsewhere in Vietnam.

Should you book the coffee class with Long?

Book it if you want a friendly, practical introduction to Vietnamese coffee and like the idea of making your own drink. The best reasons are the small roastery setting, the choice of unusual styles such as salt and egg coffee, and the recipe cards that help you repeat the experience at home.

The class is short, so keep your expectations realistic. You will not visit coffee farms, tour several cafés, or eat a full meal. You will spend one hour at Tri Long Coffee learning from Long, preparing coffee, and tasting the results.

For most coffee drinkers spending time in Hoi An, $15 is a sensible price for that experience. Bring your confirmation, clarify whether you will make one or two recipes, and arrive ready to work with the ingredients. If that sounds like your kind of souvenir, this is an easy activity to add to your plans.

FAQ

Where does the coffee class take place?

The class takes place at Tri Long Coffee, located at 88 Phan Chau Trinh Street in Hoi An.

How long does the activity last?

The coffee-making class lasts one hour.

How much does the class cost?

The listed price is $15 per person.

Which Vietnamese coffees can I make?

The available choices include Vietnamese phin filter coffee, egg coffee, salt coffee, and coconut coffee. The exact number of recipes included can vary, so confirm this when you arrive.

Is the class taught in English?

Yes. The activity includes an English-speaking live guide, and the instructor is identified as Long.

Are ingredients and equipment included?

Yes. The class includes all ingredients and equipment needed to prepare and taste the coffee.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you must make your own way to Tri Long Coffee.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The activity also offers a reserve-now, pay-later option.