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

Your coffee class starts with a roaster tour. In Hoi An at Tri Long Coffee shop (88 Phan Chau Trinh), Long mixes stories about Vietnamese cafes with hands-on brewing using small-batch roasted beans. I love how you learn the coffee basics from crop to cup, and I love that you actually make a classic Vietnamese style coffee, not just watch. One catch, it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or wheelchair users.

The class feels relaxed and friendly, with English guidance, some good music, and a comfortable place to sit and sip your own cup at the end. You also get practical take-home support, including recipe cards, so the experience can keep paying you back after you leave Hoi An.

Key things to know before you go

• Tri Long Coffee shop meeting point on Phan Chau Trinh, right in central Hoi An
• Long leads the class in English and focuses on real technique, not a lecture
• Choose a traditional style to make and taste, like phin filter, egg coffee, salt coffee, or coconut coffee
• You visit the local roastery and see the small-batch roasted beans used for the lesson
• You get take-home recipe cards so you can recreate what you made
• It is designed to be fun and comfortable, with time to relax and enjoy your drink

Tri Long Coffee shop and the small-roastery vibe in Hoi An

Hoi An has a way of making you slow down. You end up walking the same streets, ducking into lantern-lit places, and suddenly you realize you are collecting little food moments instead of rushing from one checkbox to another. This coffee class fits that mood perfectly, because it starts in a working roastery environment rather than a showroom.

You meet at Tri Long Coffee shop on 88 Phan Chau Trinh street. From there, the tone is personal. Long is the English guide you will spend the hour with, and the class is built around you doing the work, not just smelling the coffee and listening from the sidelines. The whole setup feels small and cozy, which matters, because it usually means less waiting and more hands-on attention.

Why I think the roastery part is the real value

If you have ever taken a coffee tour that mainly points at products, you will like the difference here. The lesson includes time at the local roastery where they roast coffee beans in small batches. That gives you a more grounded idea of what you are drinking and why it tastes the way it does.

They also talk about how their beans come from Vietnam’s coffee-growing regions, and they connect that sourcing back to quality and sustainability. Even if you are not the type who cares about farming details, it helps you understand why coffee from the same country can still taste different.

Choosing your Vietnamese coffee style to make and taste

A big reason this class scores high for many people is choice. You can pick the traditional style you want to make and taste, and the options are clearly laid out.

Your options you can choose from

From what is offered, you can select one style (and in many sessions, you may end up making more than one) such as:

• Vietnamese Phin Filter coffee
• Egg Coffee
• Salt coffee
• Coconut coffee

Each option brings a different personality to the cup. That is the point. Vietnamese coffee culture is not one single flavor. It is a spectrum, from strong and simple drip-style brewing to dessert-like café drinks that feel like a treat.

What to consider when picking your style

Pick based on how you like to drink at cafes:

• If you enjoy straightforward coffee flavors, phin filter coffee is usually the easiest entry point.
• If you want something that feels more like a café dessert, egg coffee and coconut coffee tend to match that mood.
• If you are curious about the more unusual side of Vietnamese coffee, salt coffee is the one that turns heads.

You will still taste your final cup at the end, so even if you are unsure, you can usually trust that the class will walk you through it step by step.

From crop to cup: what Long teaches during the class

This is not a one-sentence story about coffee. Long guides you through how Vietnamese coffee goes from crop to cup, and you also hear stories behind popular Vietnamese cafés and their links to history and culture. The goal is context you can use, not trivia for trivia’s sake.

The class is built around how coffee becomes a drink

The structure makes sense for a busy traveler. In about an hour, you get:

1. A roastery introduction and coffee sourcing context
2. Technique guidance for Vietnamese coffee making
3. Hands-on brewing
4. Tasting your own drink to close

That pace is important. You are not trying to become a barista. You are learning enough technique to understand why the cup tastes right, and then enjoying it immediately.

Why the café stories help more than you might expect

You might think the café-history chat is filler. It is not. When someone explains why certain Vietnamese coffee styles became café staples, you naturally pay more attention during brewing. You start noticing differences instead of just drinking. That is how a short class becomes memorable.

Hands-on brewing: what you will do at the table

The fun part starts once you choose your coffee style. You will learn by doing, using the equipment and ingredients provided. This matters because Vietnamese coffee making can look simple, but doing it correctly takes guidance.

Equipment and ingredients are included

The class includes all ingredients and equipment, so you do not need to bring anything besides yourself. You also do not have to hunt down specialty ingredients in Hoi An later, since the class aims to get you making a real cup during the session.

A playful, practical touch

In a few accounts of the experience, people mention wearing cute hats and aprons during the making part, which might sound silly until you realize it helps keep the mood light. When you are learning a new brewing method, a relaxed atmosphere makes you more willing to ask questions and try again.

Brewing is only half the skill, tasting finishes the job

At the end, you sip the coffee you made while taking in good music in a comfortable atmosphere. That simple ending matters, because it turns the lesson into a full loop: learn, make, taste, and then actually enjoy the result while it is fresh.

Tasting like a pro for beginners (and still enjoying it)

If you worry you will mess it up, you will probably relax once you see the class flow. Long is the type of instructor who keeps things clear and patient, and the experience is set up so you can succeed during your hour.

People consistently describe the guidance as helpful and friendly, and that is exactly what you need for a hands-on class like this. Brewing a traditional Vietnamese coffee style is not hard, but it is easy to miss a step if nobody shows you.

You will taste more than coffee

Because you are learning multiple styles (in many cases, people end up making two types during the class), you end up comparing flavors. Coconut coffee reads differently on the palate than phin filter coffee, and salt coffee offers a different kind of surprise.

That comparison is where the class becomes more than a single drink experience. You walk away with a mental map of what you liked, and you can use that on café visits later.

Take-home recipe cards that make it worth repeating

One of the best “buy” features here is the take-home support. Many people come away excited to remake the coffees at home, and that is usually because the class gives you recipe cards for what you made.

You can use those cards in two ways:

• If you are a coffee nerd, you can follow the steps and compare your results to what you made in Hoi An.
• If you are not, you still get a clear shortcut to recreating the vibe of Vietnamese café coffee without guessing.

This is one reason the class works well even if you are not staying in Hoi An long. You are not just spending an hour. You are collecting a small skill and a practical reference.

Price and value: is $15 per person a fair deal?

At $15 per person for a 1 hour experience, the cost is straightforward. The value is not the coffee alone. The value is what you get bundled into that hour:

• A roastery visit to see the small-batch roasted beans
• Hands-on instruction and equipment
• Making and tasting a traditional Vietnamese coffee style
• An English coffee expert (Long)
• Take-home recipe cards (based on what participants receive)

What is not included, and how that affects planning

The class does not include meals or other drinks, and there is no hotel pickup or drop-off. That means you should plan to eat before or after. Also, since you are going to the meeting point yourself, you will want to schedule it during a time you are already near central Hoi An.

If you compare it to buying multiple coffees at different cafés, $15 can feel like a steal because you are paying for instruction and ingredients, not just one beverage. If your goal is only to sip something sweet, you might prefer a café. If your goal is to learn a technique you can use again, this price makes more sense.

Logistics in plain terms: timing, meeting point, and language

This class runs for 1 hour, and you can check starting times based on availability. The guide is in English, which is a big deal in Vietnam if you want more than a simple translation. Here, you are not just ordering. You are learning.

You meet at:

• Tri Long Coffee shop, 88 Phan Chau Trinh street, Hoi An

Also, the booking process includes the usual convenience of skipping the ticket line. In a small venue, that saves time and keeps the flow easy.

My practical tip

Show up a few minutes early and keep your booking confirmation handy on your phone. In small local shops, staff need to match your name to the right session, and being ready reduces any awkward back-and-forth.

Who should book this class with Long, and who might skip it

This experience is a strong match if you:

• Want a hands-on food activity in Hoi An that is only 1 hour
• Like coffee enough to learn what makes different Vietnamese styles different
• Enjoy small-group, personal instruction
• Want something more useful than a plain tasting

It might not be the right fit if you:

• Need wheelchair access or accommodations for mobility impairments, since the activity is not suitable for those needs
• Want a full meal included or a long multi-hour coffee crawl

If you are traveling as a couple or solo, the small and cozy vibe tends to feel friendly. If you are lucky with timing and group size, you might even get a more focused experience, which makes the instruction feel even more personal.

Should you book it?

Yes, if you want to leave Hoi An with something practical, not just a photo and a memory. This class gives you hands-on Vietnamese coffee making, a visit to a small-batch roastery, and take-home recipe cards that help you repeat the experience later. For $15, the value is strongest when you care about learning how the drink is made and you plan to spend that hour fully engaged.

If you are mobility-limited, skip it. If you can’t do a roastery-style hands-on activity comfortably, look for a café tasting instead. But if you are game to try a phin filter cup and at least one more traditional style, booking is an easy yes.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point for the class?

The meeting point is Tri Long Coffee shop at 88 Phan Chau Trinh street, Hoi An.

How long is the coffee making class?

The duration is 1 hour.

What coffee types can I choose to make and taste?

You can choose traditional Vietnamese coffee styles such as Vietnamese Phin Filter coffee, Egg Coffee, salt coffee, or Coconut Coffee.

Is hotel pickup or drop-off included?

No, hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Is the class in English?

Yes, the live tour guide is available in English.

Can I get a full refund if I cancel?

Yes. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.