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

Vietnamese coffee is more than strong coffee poured over ice. At Tri Long Coffee, Long shows you how roasting, condensed milk, salt, coconut, and even egg can turn one local crop into very different drinks. I like the small-batch roastery setting and the chance to make the coffee yourself, rather than simply ordering a cup. I also like that you leave with recipes you can use at home.

The main limitation is time. One hour passes quickly, especially if you want to learn several recipes and linger over your drink. The class is also not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments, and one booking platform has occasionally caused confusion about what guests reserved, so confirm your class details before arriving.

Key points at a glance

• Choose traditional Vietnamese styles: Depending on the session, you can make phin filter, egg, salt, or coconut coffee.
• Meet at a real local roastery: Tri Long Coffee at 88 Phan Chau Trinh Street is both the classroom and the coffee setting.
• Learn from bean to cup: The lesson connects Vietnamese coffee-growing regions, roasting, café culture, and preparation.
• Make and taste your own drinks: Recent class formats commonly include two coffee recipes, though you should confirm this when booking.
• Take the lesson home: Recipe cards make it easier to recreate the drinks after your trip.
• Pay a modest price: At $15 per person, this is a good-value one-hour activity for coffee drinkers who want more than a standard café stop.

Starting at Tri Long Coffee on Phan Chau Trinh Street

Your meeting point is Tri Long Coffee, at 88 Phan Chau Trinh Street in Hoi An. There is no hotel pickup, so you will need to reach the shop on your own. That is a small drawback for anyone staying outside central Hoi An, but it also keeps the experience simple and local.

You walk into a working coffee shop and roastery, not a large attraction built only for tours. The atmosphere is described as small and comfortable, with music playing while you work and drink. That matters because the class feels tied to everyday café life in Vietnam rather than separated from it.

The setting also keeps the group experience personal. Some sessions have been one-on-one or limited to two people, while other bookings may include more participants. A small group gives you more time to ask questions and handle the equipment, but the exact group size is not stated in advance.

The shop is in central Hoi An, so this class fits neatly between sightseeing stops. You can schedule it before a walk through the old town or use it as a slower break after several hours in the heat. Since the class lasts one hour, it does not take over your day.

What Long explains about Vietnamese coffee

Long begins with the story behind Vietnamese coffee and the cafés that serve it. The point is not just to memorize drink recipes. You learn how coffee connects with Vietnamese food habits, café culture, and local history.

Vietnam is known for producing coffee, and this experience gives you a basic route from crop to cup. You hear about coffee-growing regions, how the beans are selected, and why roasting affects the final taste. The beans used at the shop are roasted in small batches, with an emphasis on quality and sustainability.

That explanation adds value to the tasting. A sweet egg coffee can seem like a novelty if you only order it for a photograph. Once you understand the coffee beneath the topping, the drink makes more sense as part of a wider café tradition.

Long’s teaching style is one of the strongest reasons to book. The class details describe an English-speaking coffee specialist, and the instruction is practical rather than formal. You get clear explanations, time to ask questions, and help while preparing the drinks. The instructor has also been described as patient and friendly, which is useful if you have never used Vietnamese coffee equipment.

Do not expect a technical barista certification course. This is a short introduction for curious drinkers. You will learn enough to understand the basic methods and repeat them at home, but you will not cover every roasting method or regional coffee style in Vietnam.

Making coffee with the Vietnamese phin filter

The phin filter is the most traditional choice in the class. It is a small metal brewer that sits on top of a cup or glass. Coffee grounds go inside, hot water is added, and the drink slowly filters through.

This method teaches patience. Unlike an automatic machine, the phin gives you control over the amount of water and the pace of the brew. The result is a concentrated coffee that is commonly paired with condensed milk or ice.

The process is simple enough for a first-time coffee maker, but small adjustments matter. How tightly the coffee is pressed, how much water you add, and how long you wait all affect the strength. Long guides you through those steps instead of leaving you to guess.

I would choose the phin option if you want the most useful recipe for daily life at home. The equipment is compact, the method is easy to understand, and the drink gives you a direct taste of Vietnamese café culture. You also get a good base for comparing the sweeter styles that follow.

If you prefer mild coffee, be prepared for a strong cup. Vietnamese coffee can be intense, and the condensed milk adds sweetness rather than softening it in the way ordinary milk might.

Egg, salt, and coconut coffee choices

The class lets you explore drinks that look and taste very different from one another. Availability and the exact number of recipes may vary, but the listed choices include egg coffee, salt coffee, and coconut coffee alongside the phin filter.

Egg coffee is the most unusual option for many first-time visitors. A whipped egg mixture gives the drink a creamy topping. The coffee underneath keeps it from becoming a simple dessert, so you get a mix of bitterness, sweetness, and a soft texture.

Salt coffee is a clever lesson in balance. The small amount of salt is not meant to make the drink salty. It can reduce the sharp edge of strong coffee and bring out the sweetness. Several people specifically enjoyed learning this recipe, and it is one of the best choices if you want to take home a technique that will surprise your friends.

Coconut coffee offers a cooler, sweeter direction. It pairs coffee with coconut flavor and gives you a drink that feels suited to Hoi An’s warm climate. If you already enjoy iced coffee or tropical flavors, this is likely to be the easiest style to appreciate.

The class experience commonly allows you to make two coffee recipes. Since the basic activity description also presents the choices as a selection, I would confirm the number of drinks included when you book. That small check avoids disappointment, especially if you are choosing the class mainly to learn egg and salt coffee in the same session.

The hands-on part is the real reason to go

The activity includes all ingredients and equipment, so you do not need to bring anything. You watch the method, prepare the ingredients, and make the drink with guidance from the coffee specialist.

This hands-on format is more useful than a tasting flight. When someone else makes your coffee, you can enjoy the flavor but may forget the method. Here, you handle the filter and other ingredients yourself, which makes the steps easier to remember.

The class also works well for people with different levels of coffee interest. If you are already familiar with espresso or pour-over coffee, the Vietnamese methods give you a new set of tools. If you normally drink instant coffee, you can still follow along because the lesson is built for beginners.

You may wear a simple apron and hat during the activity. That detail adds a bit of fun, especially for couples, families, and friends who want a light activity rather than a serious workshop. It is not a costume show, though. The focus remains on preparing and tasting the coffee.

You should expect some sweetness. Condensed milk, egg, coconut, and flavored toppings are part of the appeal, so this is not the right class if you want only black coffee. The phin filter gives you the least elaborate route, but even that drink is bold and often sweetened.

Finishing with your own coffee in a relaxed café

After preparing the drinks, you sit down and enjoy what you made. The class leaves time for you to relax with music in the café, rather than ending the moment the last step is complete.

That final pause is important. You can compare the two styles, ask follow-up questions, and think about which recipe you would repeat at home. It also prevents the experience from feeling like a rushed demonstration.

Recipe cards are another practical touch. You can take home the methods for the coffees you make, and some sessions provide recipes for all the listed styles. If you are planning to recreate the drinks, take a quick photo of the cards before leaving and note which beans and sweeteners you preferred.

The coffee itself is the main refreshment. Meals and other drinks are not included, and personal expenses are your responsibility. You should not arrive expecting a full breakfast or café meal. Think of this as a drink-making lesson with a tasting, not a food tour.

Is $15 a fair price for one hour?

At $15 per person, the class offers good value if you are interested in Vietnamese coffee. You receive the ingredients, equipment, instruction, access to the roastery, and at least one drink to taste. If your session includes two recipes, the value improves further.

The price is especially reasonable compared with paying for several specialty coffees separately. You are buying the method as well as the drink. The recipe cards add a lasting benefit, since you can use the lesson after returning home.

The value is lower if you only want a quick coffee. Hoi An has plenty of cafés where you can order a phin coffee without committing an hour. The class makes sense when you want context, guidance, and a chance to prepare the drink yourself.

It is also a good choice for a rainy afternoon or a break from walking. The one-hour length is short enough to fit into most itineraries, and the indoor setting gives you a useful option when outdoor sightseeing becomes uncomfortable.

Practical details before you book

The class is conducted in English. The activity lasts one hour, and starting times depend on availability. Since there is no hotel transfer, allow enough time to reach 88 Phan Chau Trinh Street.

The booking terms are flexible. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Hoi An schedule is still changing.

One practical warning: a booking made through an outside platform has sometimes led to confusion about the exact reservation. If the number of drinks or the booking time matters to you, confirm those details with Tri Long Coffee or Thao Nguyen Travel Company before the class.

The experience is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. The available information does not describe step-free access, seating arrangements, or restroom access, so ask the provider directly if you need specific accessibility information.

Who will enjoy this Hoi An coffee class?

I would recommend it most strongly to:

• Coffee drinkers who want to understand Vietnamese preparation
• First-time visitors curious about egg, salt, or coconut coffee
• Couples and friends looking for a short shared activity
• People who enjoy practical souvenirs they can recreate at home
• Anyone who wants a calm indoor break in central Hoi An

Families may also enjoy the simple hands-on format, though the activity is most appealing to people who can safely handle the equipment and hot coffee. If your group has very limited mobility, choose another Hoi An activity.

This is less suitable for someone seeking a long food experience, a full roasting workshop, or a broad tour of Vietnamese cafés. You will get a focused introduction in one shop, not a city-wide coffee crawl.

Should you book the Tri Long Coffee class?

Book it if you want to do more than drink Vietnamese coffee. For $15, you get a clear introduction to the beans, the café culture, and the methods behind several familiar drinks. The strongest features are the friendly English instruction, the small roastery setting, the hands-on preparation, and the recipes you can take home.

Choose the salt coffee option if you want the most distinctive lesson. Choose phin coffee if you want the most practical everyday method. Egg and coconut coffee are better picks if you enjoy sweet, creamy, or dessert-like drinks.

I would skip it only if you have very little time, want a full meal, or prefer to spend your Hoi An budget on a longer culinary tour. For most coffee fans, this is an easy one-hour addition to a Hoi An itinerary. Just confirm whether your booking includes one or two recipes and arrive at the correct shop on Phan Chau Trinh Street.

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 activity lasts one hour.

Which coffee styles can I learn to make?

The available choices include Vietnamese phin filter coffee, egg coffee, salt coffee, and coconut coffee.

Is the class taught in English?

Yes. The activity includes an English-speaking live guide or coffee specialist.

Is transportation included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you must reach Tri Long Coffee independently.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.