Hoi An: Bay Mau Cooking Class Only and Making Pho

Food can explain Hoi An fast. This three-hour class at Bay Mau Cooking Class combines four local dishes with old-fashioned rice work, making it a useful choice when your time is short. I like the small group, limited to 10 people, and the chance to use a stone mortar, grinder, and wooden pestle rather than simply watching a chef cook.

I also like that the meal is made by you, then eaten while it is fresh. Chef Kieunguyen has been praised for clear explanations and for showing each step of making rice milk, rice paper, and rice noodles. The main drawback is that this is a commercial cooking venue, not a market visit or a quiet private lesson, and hotel transport is not included.

Key points before you book

• Four dishes in three hours: Make Southern-style beef vermicelli, Hanoi-style beef pho, banh xeo, and fresh salad rolls.
• Rice-making comes first: Pound and separate rice, grind it into rice milk, and learn how rice paper and noodles begin.
• Small group size: The class is limited to 10 participants, so you should have a fair chance to work at the station.
• Inside Bay Mau coconut village: You meet at Ba Tran Cooking Class by Big Dragon Bridge, then move to the cooking venue.
• Good value at $26: Ingredients, village admission, lunch or dinner, recipes, souvenirs, mineral water, and juices are included.
• Plan your own ride: Hotel pickup, hotel drop-off, the local market trip, basket boat ride, drinks beyond the stated refreshments, and personal costs are extra.

Rice work before the cooking begins

The class starts at the meeting point in front of Ba Tran Cooking Class, near the Big Dragon Bridge. Your English-speaking local chef meets you there and takes you into Bay Mau coconut village, where the cooking class is held.

You should send a WhatsApp number when booking. This allows the chef or operator to send clear directions to the meeting point, which matters because your hotel is not part of the transport plan. You need to arrange your own way to Ba Tran Cooking Class and your own return afterward.

The first part is not simply a quick demonstration. You get to handle traditional tools and see the labor behind common Vietnamese ingredients. The chef shows you how to pound and separate rice, then grind rice to make rice milk. A stone mortar, grinder, and wooden pestle give this lesson some physical character. Your arms may get more of a workout than they would in a standard demonstration, but that is part of the point.

This rice preparation helps explain why rice appears in so many forms on the Vietnamese table. It becomes paper, noodles, milk, and the base for several familiar dishes. You may already know rice paper rolls and pho from restaurant menus, but seeing the early steps gives those foods a more practical meaning.

You also learn how rice paper and rice noodles are made. The information provided does not give exact details about how long each step takes or how much individual cooking time you receive, so expect a guided introduction rather than a full production lesson. Still, this section adds something that a simple recipe class would miss: the connection between raw rice and the finished food.

Making four Vietnamese dishes by hand

After the rice work, the chef guides you through four local dishes. The menu covers noodles, soup, crepes, and rolls, so you get a broad sample of Vietnamese cooking rather than four versions of the same meal.

Southern-style beef vermicelli

The first dish is Southern-style beef vermicelli, known as Bun Bo Nam Bo. It offers a useful contrast to pho because it is not a soup. You work with beef and vermicelli in a bowl-based dish, learning how the ingredients are assembled and balanced.

This is a good choice for a cooking class because the final bowl can look simple while depending on several separate preparations. You should pay attention to the order in which the ingredients are handled and seasoned. The chef’s demonstrations are especially useful here because a written recipe may not tell you how the finished mixture should look.

Hanoi-style beef pho

Pho Bo Ha Noi gives you the chance to make one of Vietnam’s best-known dishes in its northern style. The experience is not limited to eating a bowl at a restaurant. You follow the cooking process with the chef and then taste the result as part of the meal.

The class description does not spell out every broth ingredient or cooking time, so I would not book this expecting a full professional lesson in stock preparation. Instead, think of it as a practical introduction to the dish, with the benefit of seeing how a local chef explains the method.

If pho is the main reason you are interested, ask questions during the demonstration and take careful notes. The recipe handout is provided at the end, so you can continue working on it after returning home.

Sizzling Vietnamese crepes

Banh Xeo, the sizzling Vietnamese crepe, adds the most theatrical cooking moment to the menu. The name refers to the sound of batter hitting a hot pan, and the dish gives you a change of texture after the soft noodles and soup.

The class lets you take part in the cooking rather than only photographing the finished crepe. Follow the chef’s guidance closely when handling the pan and batter. The supplied details do not specify the cooking equipment or fillings beyond the dish name, so you should expect the local chef to direct the exact method used that day.

Vietnamese salad rolls

Goi Cuon, or Vietnamese salad rolls, round out the lesson with a hands-on assembly task. Rolling rice paper neatly can take practice. The paper needs enough moisture to bend, but too much can make it difficult to handle.

This is one of the dishes where your own technique matters. Watch how the chef places the ingredients, folds the sides, and tightens the roll. Even if your first roll is not picture-perfect, you will understand the method well enough to repeat it at home.

Eating the meal you prepared

The class includes a traditional lunch or dinner made from the dishes you cook. One useful feature is that you can eat each finished item as it is completed, rather than waiting until the entire menu is ready. That keeps the three-hour session active and lets you taste each dish at its best.

You should expect a filling meal. The included menu covers beef vermicelli, beef pho, banh xeo, and goi cuon, although the exact serving order and portion sizes are not stated. Mineral water and juices are included, but the information also lists drinks as not included. I would read that as meaning the stated water and juices are provided, while other drinks may cost extra.

A verified booking from Germany gave particular praise to the fresh juice and the food eaten during the class. That same account noted that Chef Kieunguyen explained how to make fresh rice sheets, rice noodles, and rice milk. Those details suggest the class is strongest when you take part in the preparation, not when you treat it as a meal with a short cooking show attached.

Chef Kieunguyen and the teaching style

Chef Kieunguyen is the named chef associated with the strongest detailed account of the class. Her teaching includes the rice preparation as well as the four finished dishes, and her explanations were described as clear.

The experience is conducted in English, with a local chef serving as your guide. The group limit of 10 is important. It is small enough to make hands-on work realistic, though it does not promise a private lesson. If the class reaches its limit, you will still be sharing the space and the chef’s attention with other participants.

A second booking gave the food a high mark but also made an important practical point: this is a large commercial place. That does not make it a poor choice, but it sets the right expectation. You are booking an organized cooking activity inside a popular coconut village setting, not a family kitchen hidden away from the tourism circuit.

I see that trade-off as fairly simple. The commercial setup likely makes the class easier to run, with ingredients, tools, recipes, and meals arranged for you. The cost is a little less privacy and a little less sense of being invited into someone’s home.

What the $26 price really covers

At $26 per person, the value is good if you want several activities in one short session. The fee covers the English-speaking chef, ingredients, admission to the coconut village, mineral water and juices, the meal, recipes, and a local souvenir.

The strongest value comes from the combination of food and cultural tools. You are not paying only for lunch. You are also paying for access to the rice-pounding, separating, and grinding demonstrations, plus the chance to use traditional equipment yourself.

You should budget separately for transport to the meeting point and back to your hotel. A local market trip and basket boat ride are not included, so do not assume this booking covers the wider Bay Mau coconut village package. Drinks beyond the included refreshments and personal expenses also cost extra.

One especially useful souvenir is the recipe collection. The recipes let you repeat the dishes at home, which makes the class more useful than a meal that ends when you leave. One participant also received long chopsticks used for cooking and took them back to the hotel. The provided details do not confirm that every participant receives the same item, so treat that as a possible local gift rather than a guaranteed inclusion.

Who will enjoy this class most

I would recommend this experience to anyone with only a short time in Hoi An who wants a broad introduction to local food. You get four dishes, several rice-making techniques, a meal, and a small-group format in three hours.

It also suits people who enjoy practical cultural activities. If you want to pound rice, grind it, handle rice paper, and work with traditional tools, this has more substance than a class built around watching a chef stir a pot.

Families and first-time cooks may like the varied menu, though the activity is not suitable for wheelchair users. Vegetarians can request vegetarian options, but you should make that request in advance. The listed dishes include beef, so do not wait until the cooking begins to explain your dietary needs.

I would be less likely to recommend it to someone seeking a quiet, highly personal food experience. The venue is described as a large commercial operation, and the class does not include a local market visit. If shopping for ingredients with a chef is your priority, this is not the right package.

Practical details that affect your day

The experience lasts three hours, with starting times available according to the schedule on your chosen date. Since the class includes a meal, you can book it for lunch or dinner depending on the available time.

Meet in front of Ba Tran Cooking Class at the Big Dragon Bridge. Do not go straight to Bay Mau Cooking Class unless you have received different instructions. The chef meets you at the stated point and leads you into the coconut village.

You should wear something comfortable for hands-on cooking and be prepared to use tools, but the supplied information does not give a specific dress code or equipment list. Pets are not allowed. The class is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Hoi An schedule is still changing.

Should you book this Bay Mau cooking class?

Book it if you want four Vietnamese dishes, traditional rice work, and a meal for $26 without spending a full day on a food program. The small group, English-speaking chef, recipe handout, and included village admission make the price sensible.

Skip it if you want a market tour, basket boat ride, hotel transportation, or a private home-style setting. For the best fit, send your WhatsApp number, arrange your own transport to Ba Tran Cooking Class, request vegetarian food in advance if needed, and arrive ready to work rather than simply watch.

FAQ

How long does the Bay Mau cooking class last?

The class lasts three hours. Starting times depend on availability for your chosen date.

Where is the meeting point?

Meet in front of Ba Tran Cooking Class at the Big Dragon Bridge. The chef meets you there and takes you to Bay Mau Cooking Class inside the coconut village.

Which dishes will I cook?

You will make Southern-style beef vermicelli, Hanoi-style beef pho, sizzling Vietnamese crepes, and Vietnamese salad rolls.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Pickup and drop-off from hotels in the Hoi An area are not included. You need to arrange your own transport to and from the meeting point.

Are vegetarian options available?

Yes. Vegetarian options are available upon request. Make the request when booking or before the class.

What is included in the $26 price?

The price includes the English-speaking local chef, cooking ingredients, coconut village admission, mineral water and juices, a traditional lunch or dinner, local souvenirs, and recipes. Market visits, basket boat rides, other drinks, personal expenses, and hotel transport are not included.