Shaped by Water, Shaped by Fortune: Discovering Hoi An’s Storied Thu Bon River

To stand on the riverbank in Hoi An is to stand in a land defined by water. Three main river systems carve their way through the part of Central Vietnam historically known as Quang Nam. Of them, the Thu Bon River is perhaps the most majestic. 

Its riverheads are found in the western mountains. Its streams wind through forested hills, open into vast plains of rice fields, and converge in a wide, meandering river that branches into sandy deltas and estuaries as it meets the East Sea.

Sheltered from coastal currents by the Cham Islands, the Cua Dai estuary offers a natural entryway into the Thu Bon River. If you journeyed to Hoi An centuries ago, this is very likely the route you would have taken. 

Merchants and traders along the maritime silk road sailed upstream on this waterway to reach Faifo (later called Hoi An) where a bustling trading port thrived along the water’s edge, offering the finest crafts, spices, silks, and ceramics Vietnam had to offer.

Today, The Merchant River Cruise brings travellers close up with the beautiful Thu Bon River -- the tributary that shaped Hoi An’s fortunes, and still carries some of its most striking scenery, timeless traditions, and memorable stories. 

The cruise departs from Namia River Retreat each day at 5:30pm, when the light begins to soften the riverscape, and cool breezes rush inland as the heat of the day dissipates. Casting off from the bank, the cruise enters the gentle current of the river, heading toward Cua Dai Wharf.

As sundowners and canapes are served on the upper deck, the cruise glides past green islets and nipa palm forests, which line canals and river banks in a thick wall of waving green, providing a habitat for young aquatic species, as well as a source of food and materials for local residents. 

Close to the estuary, the Cua Dai bridge spans the wide river mouth. In the wharf, brightly painted fishing boats lie in anchor, awaiting their next voyage. Soon the vessel turns and cruises upstream, giving guests a front row view of sunset behind the Truong Son Mountains. Soon the riverside hamlets of Hoi An come into view, where countless wooden boats share the river for transport and tourism.

Over the centuries, every civilisation that settled along the Thu Bon understood its importance. Offering ideal shelter and passage for sea vessels, the river enabled Hoi An to thrive as a center for trade and exchange between Vietnam and the world. 

Many Vietnamese artisans relocated to Hoi An, and founded craft villages along the riverbanks to supply items for annual trading fairs and the foreign merchants who settled in the town. The Nguyen Lords, who ruled much of Vietnam from the 16th to 18th centuries, took advantage of Hoi An’s reputation as a favored trading port. The wealth generated through trade with foreign merchant ships strengthened the Nguyen Lords’ economy and political influence. 

As the cruise rounds the edge of An Hoi Islet, the silk lanterns of the UNESCO-listed Ancient Town come into view, glowing from the balconies of shophouses, the masts of small boats, and the streets themselves, where merchants from China, Japan, and countries as far as India and Portugal once mingled.

The Merchant’s five-course dinner celebrates this fusion of cultures, as well as the fresh produce cultivated in Hoi An’s farms, fields, and gardens, and caught in the waters off the coast. 

This special menu, created by Executive Sous Chef Viet Pham, is an encounter with Hoi An in itself. Each course tells a story of the rich culinary culture of Central Vietnam.

After dinner, tempting desserts and calming cacao are served indoors or amid the balmy night air, as the vessel cruises back to the starting point. As stars appear overhead, and the inky silhouettes of the forests pass silently on the riverbanks, the Thu Bon seems alive with stories of adventurers past, and perhaps those still to come.

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The Merchant River Cruise is now available to book. A 20% discount applies for reservations in the soft opening period, from 03 June to 31 July, 2026.