Hanoi’s traditional craft villages are a vital part of Vietnamese culture and showcase unique communities that contribute to the country’s rich heritage. As time went on, villagers developed their unique skills and teamed up, either working as single units creating the items, or working on a particular element of a more complex product, like furniture, where the production process could be broken into stages.
Hanoi has 1,350 craft villages. Among those 200 are traditional craft villages, one fourth of which are a century old with rich cultural and historical values: pottery, conical hat, embroidery and rattan, bronze casting, silk, incense and many others.
The Incense Village
Quang Phu Cau in the outskirts of Hanoi quickly gained worldwide attention, because of the beautifull and incredibly photogenic incesce sticks, put out to dry in the yard in different shapes and colors.
A spiritual object of the Vietnamese worshipping culture, burning incense is believed to be the channel of communication to their ancestors in the spiritual realm, and has become a deeply-rooted Vietnamese custom.
Soy Sauce Village
The making of a bowl of yellow, sweet and tasty soya sauce requires a lot of time, specific techniques and experience. First, the craftsmen soak sticky rice in water and boil it. The boiled rice is then left for two days until it turns yellow due to fungus.
The rice is then mixed with soybeans, salt and water. The mixture is poured into earthen or ceramic jars, which are covered tightly and dried in the sun for two to three months. During the drying period, makers must stir the mixture every morning and noon.
Soy sauce can be found in many localities, but it's said that the most delicious one is made by locals in Ban Yen Village.
Bamboo Fishing Trap Village
Several villages in northern Vietnam have upheld a centuries-old tradition of handcrafting bamboo underwater traps for about 200 years. It takes around an hour to make one trap, and they're sold for $1 each. These traps come in various designs tailored to catch different sea creatures, such as fish, crabs or eals. However, as fishing methods evolved, single-fish traps were replaced by fishing rods and nets. Nowadays, these traps are mostly used as decoration or furniture. The village of Thu Sy has become a living museum preserving this disappearing craft.
Read our other articles about Vietnam
In the beginning of 2024, we spent over 4 months traveling around Vietnam. By staying longer in Vietnam, we were able to visit places off the beaten path, where regular tourists don't usually go, and create comprehensive guides for you to plan your travels.
