For generations, traditional craft villages have been an integral part of Vietnamese culture. These exquisite and unique products not only showcase the talent and skill of artisans but also embody profound cultural and historical values, reflecting the spiritual life and national identity. Join “Traveling the World” to explore the beauty and enduring value of traditional Vietnamese craft villages, where the Vietnamese soul is imbued in every creation.
Discovering the Diversity of Vietnamese Craft Villages
Handicrafts in Vietnam originated from the rice civilization, when people began to utilize readily available natural materials to create tools for daily life. Over time, rudimentary craft skills were refined, developed, and passed down through generations, forming traditional craft villages across the country. Each village carries its own unique characteristics, linked to the natural conditions, history, and culture of each region, creating a diverse picture of Vietnamese handicrafts.
A bamboo and rattan weaving workshop, where exquisite handicrafts are born, embodying the traditional beauty of Vietnamese craft villages.
From North to South, Vietnam boasts countless famous craft villages. In the North, we can mention Bat Trang pottery village with hundreds of years of history, Van Phuc silk village with its soft silk, Dong Ho painting village with its unique folk art, Trang Son carpentry village with its intricate woodwork, Lang Chuong conical hat village with its charm, and Phong Khe Do paper village with its ancient tradition. Central Vietnam is famous for Tay Ho conical hat village, Non Nuoc marble sculpture village, while Southern Vietnam has Dinh Yen mat weaving village, Phu Hoa Dong rice paper village, and many other craft villages. This diversity not only reflects the richness of natural resources but also demonstrates the creativity and skillful hands of the Vietnamese people.
Top 10+ Famous Traditional Craft Villages in Vietnam
Bat Trang Pottery Village – Hanoi: Where the Soul of Clay Resides
Located on the banks of the Red River in Gia Lam district, Hanoi, Bat Trang pottery village is one of the oldest and most famous pottery villages in Vietnam. Formed in the 14th century, Bat Trang has undergone over 500 years of development, becoming the largest ceramic production center in the country, supplying products to both domestic and international markets.
Bat Trang pottery vases with classic and sophisticated beauty, signature products of the famous traditional pottery village of Hanoi.
Bat Trang pottery is renowned for its high quality, diverse designs, and unique artistic style. To create a Bat Trang pottery product, artisans must go through many meticulous stages, from selecting special white clay, processing the clay, shaping it on a potter’s wheel, drying, drawing patterns, glazing, to firing the pottery in traditional kilns. Each stage requires the skill, experience, and dedication of the craftsman. Bat Trang pottery products are very diverse, ranging from household items such as bowls, plates, teapots, vases, to worship items, decorations, and unique works of art.
Visiting Bat Trang, tourists not only admire the beautiful pottery products but also have the opportunity to learn about the traditional pottery production process, participate in pottery making classes, and create their own personalized products. Bat Trang pottery village is not just a craft village but also an attractive cultural tourism destination, where visitors can discover and experience the unique traditional values of Vietnam.
Hoi Village Mat Weaving Village – Thai Binh: Elegance on Coir Strands
Thai Binh is not only famous for its vast rice fields but also known for Hoi village mat weaving village, one of the oldest and most famous traditional craft villages in Vietnam. Hoi village mats are known for their good quality, beautiful designs, and high durability.
Hoi village sedge mats famous for their sophisticated patterns and durable quality, traditional handicrafts of Thai Binh.
To make a Hoi village sedge mat, craftsmen must go through many elaborate stages, from selecting sedge, dyeing sedge, weaving mats to completing the product. The main materials are sedge and jute fibers, grown directly in the locality, ensuring quality and stable supply. The special feature of Hoi village mats is the unique weaving technique, creating sophisticated patterns such as roses, lotus flowers, portraits, and calligraphy on the mat surface. The skill and creativity of the craftsmen have created a difference for Hoi village mats compared to other mat products.
Hoi village sedge mats are not only familiar items in every Vietnamese family but also cultural products imbued with traditional features. Coming to Hoi village, visitors will witness firsthand the manual mat weaving process, learn about this unique traditional craft and buy high-quality sedge mat products as souvenirs.
Phong Khe Do Paper Making Village – Bac Ninh: The Essence of Vietnamese Paper
Phong Khe Do paper making village, located in Phong Khe ward, Bac Ninh, has a history of more than 800 years, being the birthplace of the famous Do paper, associated with many cultural and historical values of the nation. Phong Khe Do paper is made entirely by hand from Do bark, a tree species typical of the Northern mountainous region.
Person preserving Do paper craft
The process of making Phong Khe Do paper is extremely elaborate and meticulous, going through many stages such as harvesting Do bark, cooking Do bark, soaking, pounding, paper casting, pressing, drying, and curing. Each stage requires patience, skill, and experience of the craftsman. Phong Khe Do paper has porous, lightweight, durable, tough, non-smearing ink, less susceptible to termites, brittleness or dampness, very suitable for painting, calligraphy, making Diep paper for Dong Ho folk paintings, and archiving documents.
Phong Khe Do paper is not only a handicraft product but also a precious cultural heritage, contributing to the Vietnamese cultural identity. Although Phong Khe Do paper making is currently facing many difficulties due to competition from industrial paper, the artisans here are still striving to preserve and develop the traditional craft, hoping to bring Phong Khe Do paper back to its golden age.
Chang Son Fine Art Wood Carving Village – Hanoi: Wood Transformed into Dragons and Phoenixes
Chang Son carpentry village, located in Thach That district, Hanoi, has a thousand-year history, being known as “Typical Traditional Craft Village of Vietnam”. This place is famous for its exquisite and unique wood carvings, imbued with artistic and cultural values.
Exquisite wood carvings of Chang Son craft village, showcasing the skillful technique and creativity of artisans.
Chang Son carpentry uses a variety of precious woods such as Lim wood, Huong wood, Gu wood to create architectural products, furniture, worship items, and high-class wooden statues. Chang Son wood products are famous for their exquisite carving techniques, meticulous to every smallest detail. The patterns and motifs on the products often bear strong traditional cultural features, such as images of dragons, phoenixes, flowers, leaves, birds, and animals, reflecting the talent and artistic soul of the craftsman.
One of the most famous works of Chang Son carpentry village is the set of statues “18 Arhats of Tay Phuong Pagoda”, considered the pinnacle of contemporary wood carving art. Coming to Chang Son, visitors will admire unique works of art, learn about the process of producing handmade wooden furniture, and feel the atmosphere of enthusiastic and bustling labor of the traditional craft village.
Quat Dong Traditional Embroidery Village – Hanoi: Painting Souls onto Silk
Quat Dong embroidery village, located in Thuong Tin district, Hanoi, dates back to the 17th century, being known as the “cradle” of Vietnamese embroidery. This place is famous for its exquisite, lifelike hand-embroidered paintings, reaching a high level of artistry.
Quat Dong hand-embroidered paintings with soft lines and vibrant colors, unique art products of the traditional embroidery village.
Initially, Quat Dong embroidery only served the royal court and nobility, then gradually developed and expanded to the folk market. Quat Dong embroidered paintings are famous for their diverse and delicate embroidery techniques, using many different colors of thread to create vivid, soulful paintings. The themes of Quat Dong embroidered paintings are very rich, from landscapes, portraits, flowers, birds, animals, to historical and cultural stories.
To create a Quat Dong embroidered painting, craftsmen must spend a lot of time and effort, from selecting patterns, drawing patterns, mixing thread colors, stretching frames, to embroidering each stitch. The meticulousness, patience, and dedication of the craftsmen have created special artistic value for Quat Dong embroidered paintings. Today, Quat Dong embroidery village is not only a place to produce embroidered paintings but also an attractive cultural tourism destination, attracting domestic and international tourists to visit, shop, and experience the traditional embroidery craft.
Khon The Traditional Weaving Village: The Colors of Nung Brocade
Located in Phuc Ung commune, Son Duong, Tuyen Quang, Khon The village is home to the traditional weaving craft of the Nung ethnic group. A special feature of this craft village is the ancient looms, made of forest wood, bamboo, and nipa, stained with time.
Khon The brocade fabric imbued with the cultural identity of the Nung ethnic group, with unique patterns and natural colors.
The weaving materials of Khon The village are grown by the people themselves, planting cotton on low mountain slopes, then harvesting and spinning yarn by hand. Self-cultivating cotton and weaving fabric has become an indispensable part of the cultural life of the people here. Khon The fabric is famous for its durable material, unique patterns, and natural colors, mainly the characteristic indigo color. The fabric dyeing technique of Khon The village is also very special, using indigo leaves, lime, and peach kernel to create natural, colorfast indigo.
Khon The village’s woven products are very diverse, from clothes, blankets, bags, headscarves, to decorative products. The patterns on the fabric are usually simple, mainly circles, symmetrical layouts, imitating the sun and stars, imbued with the traditional culture of the Nung ethnic group. Although the weaving craft of Khon The village is gradually fading due to competition from industrial products, the traditional cultural values are still preserved and promoted by the people here.
Phu Vinh Traditional Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Village – Hanoi: Countryside Soul in Every Rattan Strand
Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan weaving village, located in Chuong My district, Hanoi, is one of the oldest and most famous handicraft villages in Vietnam for bamboo and rattan products. With a history of hundreds of years, Phu Vinh has made an important contribution to the development of the Vietnamese bamboo and rattan industry.
Phu Vinh Bamboo and Rattan Weaving Village
Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan products are very diverse, from tables and chairs, cabinets and shelves, lampshades, to household items, decorations, and fine art products. Each product is imbued with traditional craftsmanship, combined with creativity and sophistication in design. Bamboo and rattan materials are carefully processed, going through many stages such as drying, soaking in chemicals to prevent termites, smoking, bending, and weaving to create high-quality, durable products.
A special feature of Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan weaving is the unique natural coloring technique, using water from Soi tree leaves to dye products, ensuring both aesthetics, health safety and environmental friendliness. Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan products are not only popular domestically but also exported to many countries around the world, contributing to promoting the Vietnamese bamboo and rattan brand in the international market.
Chuon Ngo Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Village – Hanoi: Seashells Transformed into Pearl Luster
Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl inlay village, located in Chuong My district, Hanoi, is famous for its unique and exquisite mother-of-pearl inlay craft. This is one of the most special and elaborate handicraft villages in Vietnam, requiring skillful hands, meticulousness, and a high aesthetic eye of the artisan.
Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl inlaid box with sophisticated patterns and shimmering colors, high-end fine art handicraft product of Hanoi.
Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl inlay craft uses seashells and oyster shells to create beautiful inlays on wooden products. To create a mother-of-pearl inlaid product, artisans must go through many complex stages, from selecting seashells, cutting, grinding, trimming, to inlaying, gluing, and polishing. The secret of Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl inlay craft lies in the technique of selecting suitable seashells and oyster shells, and the technique of grinding and trimming seashells to be thin, flat, not broken, and matching the shape of the patterns on the product.
Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl inlaid products are very diverse, from worship items, horizontal lacquered boards with parallel sentences, wooden beds and cabinets, to wall paintings, tea boxes, chopstick holders, plates, and souvenirs. Each product is a unique work of art, showing the talent and dedication of the artisan. Although Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl inlay craft is facing many difficulties due to scarce raw materials and competition from industrial products, dedicated artisans are still striving to preserve and develop the traditional craft, hoping to preserve the precious cultural values of the nation.
Van Phuc Silk Village Ha Dong – Hanoi: Smooth Vietnamese Silk
Van Phuc silk village, located in Ha Dong district, Hanoi, is one of the most famous and oldest silk weaving villages in Vietnam. Van Phuc silk is famous for its high quality, diverse designs, and delicate patterns, being popular both domestically and internationally.
Van Phuc silk soft and lustrous, symbol of the famous traditional silk weaving village of Hanoi.
Van Phuc silk weaving has a history of more than 1000 years, once being a supplier of silk to the royal court. Van Phuc silk is famous for many types of high-quality silk such as plain silk, patterned silk, brocade, satin, gauze, damask, crepe, taffeta, muslin, pongee, and doupion. In particular, Van Phuc patterned silk is known for its raised patterns on the smooth silk surface, creating a unique and luxurious beauty. Van Phuc silk is warm in winter, cool in summer, and has diverse and rich decorative patterns, meeting the needs of many customer segments.
Visiting Van Phuc silk village, tourists will admire traditional silk looms, learn about the process of producing silk, and shop for high-quality Van Phuc silk products as gifts. Van Phuc silk village is not just a craft village but also an attractive cultural tourism destination, where visitors can discover and experience the unique traditional values of Vietnam.
Tay Ho Conical Hat Village Phu Vang – Thua Thien Hue: Hue Poem Hats
Tay Ho conical hat village, located in Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue, is a famous traditional conical hat making village of Hue. Tay Ho conical hats are not only items to shield from sun and rain but also cultural symbols, the charm of Hue women.
Tay Ho Hue conical hat, graceful and delicate handicraft product, imbued with the culture of the ancient capital.
The main material for making Tay Ho conical hats is Qui Diep palm leaves (or coconut leaves, Goi leaves), carefully selected, dried, and ironed flat before being used to make hats. The process of making Tay Ho conical hats is very elaborate and meticulous, going through about 15 stages, from layering leaves, sewing rims, to completing the product. Tay Ho conical hats are famous for their thinness, even and meticulous stitches, and harmonious colors. In particular, Tay Ho conical hats are also decorated with simple patterns or poems about Hue, creating a unique and distinctive feature.
Tay Ho conical hats are not only traditional handicraft products but also an indispensable part of the cultural and tourism life of Hue. Coming to Hue, tourists cannot miss the opportunity to shop for a Tay Ho conical hat as a souvenir, bringing back a piece of the homeland soul of Hue.
Conclusion: Preserving and Promoting the Value of Traditional Craft Villages
Vietnamese traditional craft villages are not only places to produce unique fine art handicrafts but also places to preserve and promote the precious cultural and historical values of the nation. Traditional handicraft products not only carry material value but also contain spiritual value, reflecting the cultural identity and creative talent of the Vietnamese people.
However, in the context of integration and economic development, traditional craft villages are facing many challenges such as competition from industrial products, shortage of young human resources, and the risk of fading traditional cultural values. To preserve and sustainably develop traditional craft villages, it requires the joint efforts of the entire community, from the State, businesses, to people and tourists.
We need to have appropriate support policies to encourage and create conditions for craft villages to develop, while strengthening promotion and introduction of craft village products to domestic and international markets. In addition, it is necessary to focus on educating and passing on the craft to the younger generation, raising awareness of traditional cultural values, and encouraging craft village tourism to create additional income and motivation for people to stick with the craft.
Let’s join hands to preserve and promote the beautiful values of traditional Vietnamese craft villages, so that these cultural essences will forever endure and shine on the world cultural map.