Hanoi’s 36 guild streets, also known as the OldQuarter, have a long history of craftsmanship reflected in street names such as Hàng Bạc (Silver Street) and Hàng Quạt (Fan Street). Entire craft villages continue to thrive on centuries-old traditions by exporting their goods worldwide. Here’s your guide to exploring Vietnam’s time-honoured crafts.

Dó paper 

Select stationery stores across Vietnam carry notebooks, sketchbooks and calendars made from dó paper. The thick fabric-like paper is uniquely Vietnamese, and made by just a few villages in the North. The dó trees are grown and harvested by small communities who continue to use traditional processes of soaking, pounding and filtering pulp, colouring the fibres with natural dyes, and drying sheets of paper in the sun. 

Where to find it: The Zó Paper tour brings you to a traditional Dó paper village in Hòa Bình province where you'll get a chance to make your own paper from scratch. You can buy Dó paper calendars and notebooks at Collective Memory in the Old Quarter.

Lacquerware

Vietnamese lacquer first gathered international recognition in the 1930s when a group of innovative students from Ha Noi University blended this Vietnamese handicraft with principles of French fine art, to create extraordinary pieces requiring hundreds of days of work. Since then, Vietnamese lacquer has become an artistic treasure, and enjoys a reputation for class and elegance. 

Where to find it: Hanoia, a high-end lacquerware boutique, employs craftsmen from traditional lacquer villages to execute their contemporary designs, such as the Ha Thai village near the capital. Art enthusiasts will love their trendy lacquer wood sandals, playful sculptures and vibrant hand-painted vases. 

Silk weaving

 There’s a saying in Vietnam that 2000 years ago there were two rice crops and six silk crops. True or not, the saying gives insight into how important silk production was and continues to be in Vietnam. One of the most famous silk villages is Van Phuc village on the outskirts of Ha Noi. Artisans from Van Phuc are known for their sophisticated weaving patterns. Vietnamese silk comes in many different varieties. Sturdy Lismore bud silk and satin silk are two handmade styles you’ll find often used around the country. 

Where to find it: In the Old Quarter, the entire Hang Gai street was once dedicated to this luxurious cloth, and you can still find beautiful silk tunics and dresses sold up and down the street. Hoi An’s public market is another place where you can shop for silk or have silk clothes tailored to match your tastes.

Calligraphy 

Calligraphy in Vietnam was previously done in Chinese lettering, however a new generation of Ong đồ, or masters of scriptures, reimagined this art form using the Vietnamese alphabet, with striking results. In Vietnam, calligraphy masters are called on to write messages wishing good health and prosperity for special occasions, such as the Lunar New Year. Nowadays they also paint English sayings and fun Vietnamese expressions in calligraphic style. 

Where to find it: Ask for a personalised poster by a street artist on calligraphy streets such as Phố Ông Đồ in Ho Chi Minh City. Better yet, take part in a calligraphy workshop, like the Calligraphy and Coffee Trail by Saigon Street Eats, and make your own.

Handmade ceramics

Vietnamese pottery can be earthy and unpretentious, or refined and elegant. Popular glazes for pots and table sets are velvety dark colours and vibrant blues, a style you'll see on a visit to Bát Tràng ceramics village, just an hour by car from Ha Noi. The village is famous for exporting ceramics overseas, but you can pick up some pieces in person at the daily market, where artisans display ceramics straight out of the family kiln. 

Where to find it: During your travels you’ll may stumble upon shops selling pottery from Bát Tràng village. You can also visit Reaching Out in Hoi An for a chance to purchase beautiful ceramics and tea cups made by disabled artisans.

Water puppetry

Puppets dancing on shimmering water give everyone, even adults, a sense of childlike wonder. The story goes that before planting season, farming villages would set up puppet stages in flooded rice paddies and entertain youngsters with folk tales and moonlit shows. In modern theatres, puppeteers tell stories by skillfully moving little wooden dolls using rods and strings hidden underwater. Musicians and singers provide live music to accompany each show. 

Where to find it: Take yourself to one of the puppet theatres around Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Ha Noi to laugh out loud at the slapsticks humour and charming stories told on water. For a more personal experience, visit the home theatre at Khâm Thiên Market Lane in Đống Đa District.

Ethnic textiles

The diversity of Vietnam’s textiles are best seen in its ethnic minority costumes, which stand out with fringes, pompoms and colourful weaving. The country has 54 ethnic minorities and each traditional costume is completely unique. For example, the H'Mông people wear jackets dyed deep indigo, while the Red Dao people are known for their intricate geometric embroidery and clashing patterns. At Vietnam's Women Museum in Ha Noi, you can compare all the various styles from Vietnam’s ethnic minorities.

Where to find it: Indigo Cat, a social enterprise in Sa Pa, sells beautiful clothes made by Vietnam’s ethnic minorities. Racks hang heavy with delightful autumn jackets and bags made by the H'Mông minority.

Cotton fabric handicraft products

In recent years, both domestic and international tourists have shown a growing interest in community-based tourism experiences at social enterprises, workshops producing handicrafts, and businesses utilizing natural, traditional materials that reflect regional cultural identity. Moreover, tourists participating in this type of tourism can experience a sense of human connection as they immerse themselves in the lives and work of people with disabilities or those who are disadvantaged in society.

Where to find it:

KYMVIET is a social enterprise specializing in manufacturing and supplying handmade products: ✔️ Stuffed animals, ✔️ Stuffed gifts, ✔️ Mascots, ✔️ Yearbooks, ✔️ Symbols are made of cotton fabric created by disabled artisans containing meticulousness, sophistication, and traditional Vietnamese cultural identity.

Specifically, tourists have the opportunity to experience the local way of life, staying in homestays, immersing themselves in daily activities, and participating in local cultural events. This also provides an opportunity for tourists to learn about and explore the local culture, traditions, and unique characteristics of the destination.

Community-Based Tourism in Vietnam

Community-based tourism in Vietnam is emerging as a new travel trend and is gaining popularity among tourists. Many regions in Vietnam, such as the Northwest, Central Highlands, and Mekong Delta, have successfully developed this model. The revenue generated from community-based tourism not only helps local people increase their income and achieve sustainable economic development but also contributes to the conservation of local resources and heritage.

What are the fundamental principles of community-based tourism?

Specifically, the fundamental principles of community-based tourism include social equity, respect for local culture and heritage, and local ownership and participation.

·  Social Equity: Community members participate in the planning, implementation, and management of tourism activities within their community. Moreover, the participation of the local community in the preparation, implementation, and organization of tourism activities is emphasized. A characteristic of community-based tourism is that economic benefits are shared equally, not only for travel agencies but also for community members.

Respect for Local Culture and Natural Heritage: Most tourism activities have both positive and negative impacts on local communities and the natural environment. It is crucial to respect local cultural values and the natural environment through the active engagement of all stakeholders in the local tourism industry to maintain the local social structure. Therefore, communities must not only recognize their responsibilities and roles in providing successful tourism experiences but also understand the positive and negative impacts of tourism activities on them and their natural environment in the absence of proper planning or management.

·  Benefit Sharing: Sharing the benefits of community-based tourism requires that the community receives benefits similar to those of other relevant stakeholders. Typically, revenue from tourism activities is shared among all participants, with a portion set aside to contribute to a community fund. This fund can be used for purposes such as reinvesting in infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, or for other community benefits like education and healthcare.

Local Ownership and Participation: Successful community-based tourism models effectively leverage the resources and knowledge of the local community to achieve tourism outcomes. Therefore, the participation of the local community from planning to implementation and evaluation is crucial in maximizing local participation and ensuring local ownership.

The Role of Community-Based Tourism

Community-based tourism is a popular and trending form of travel, with great potential for development. Therefore, this type of tourism plays several specific roles:

• Raising Community Awareness: This form of tourism helps improve people's awareness of preserving heritage, ecosystems, and protecting the environment. Moreover, it helps communities enhance their skills, expertise, and awareness of resisting inappropriate foreign trends.

• Preserving Cultural Identity and Nature: It can be said that community-based tourism is the best solution to preserve, maintain, and develop the cultural identity and nature of a nation. Because this form of tourism operates based on local cultural values and uses local services. This contributes to strengthening the role in preserving cultural identity and, at the same time, promoting the development of traditional professions.
• Creating Jobs and Increasing Income for Local People: This form of tourism also contributes to creating jobs and income for local people. From there, it ensures balance and sustainable economic development, especially in ethnic minority areas, remote and mountainous regions.

Connecting Tourists and Locals

Through shared, authentic experiences, tourists and locals can forge stronger connections. This fosters a sense of familiarity among tourists as they gain a deeper understanding of the local culture, people, and way of life. Meanwhile, locals feel a sense of pride in sharing aspects of their community.

Impacts of Community-Based Tourism

While community-based tourism offers numerous benefits, it can also have some negative impacts on local communities. These impacts are detailed below:

Positive Impacts

• Reducing unemployment: By creating job opportunities, especially in remote and rural areas.
• Developing the local economy: Through the provision of services and the sale of local products to tourists, generating revenue from these resources.
• Prioritizing investment: Community-based tourism destinations often receive preferential treatment in terms of investment, infrastructure, and support from government agencies and non-governmental organizations.
• Expanding markets: Providing a market for local products, goods, and services.

Types of Community-Based Tourism in Vietnam

Vietnam boasts a diverse range of landscapes, from fertile deltas to majestic mountains, and a rich cultural tapestry woven from the unique traditions of 54 ethnic groups. These factors create favorable conditions for the development of various forms of community-based tourism:

Ecotourism

This is a form of tourism based on nature, closely linked to local culture, and with community involvement for sustainable development. Accordingly, when participating in ecotourism, tourists have the opportunity to learn about the culture and explore the landscapes and environments of the local area.

Cultural Tourism

Cultural tourism is a type of tourism that exploits the history, archaeology, and culture of a locality. When choosing this form of tourism, tourists will be guided by tour guides to learn about the unique culture of the region, know about heroic historical events, famous religious sites, or archaeological artifacts preserved from ancient times of that region.

Agricultural Tourism

Agricultural tourism is based on agricultural production activities. Accordingly, tourists will visit agricultural areas such as farms, orchards, etc., to experience practical activities with local people. These places will develop many corresponding services to meet the needs of tourists according to the community-based tourism model.

Ethnic and Indigenous Tourism

This form of tourism is directly managed and operated by local people or ethnic minority people. Accordingly, the key and most important factor to attract tourists to visit and experience is the unique local cultural features.

Village Tourism

Village tourism is a form of community-based tourism where tourists can visit traditional villages or craft villages in Vietnam to experience rural life. Here, tourists will live together and experience the traditional work of local people.

Arts and Crafts Tourism

Arts and crafts tourism is a form of travel that allows visitors to experience and learn about arts and crafts. This typically involves activities such as visiting cultural heritage sites, arts and crafts centers, handicraft workshops, or participating in hands-on craft workshops. In recent years, both domestic and international tourists have shown a growing interest in community-based tourism experiences at social enterprises, workshops producing handicrafts, and businesses utilizing natural, traditional materials that reflect regional cultural identity. Moreover, tourists participating in this type of tourism can experience a sense of human connection as they immerse themselves in the lives and work of people with disabilities or those who are disadvantaged in society. Kym Việt (a business by and for people with disabilities) is a prime example of such a model that has attracted significant interest and experiences from both domestic and international tourists.

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• Rich in Cultural identity : Each handcrafted piece is a miniature work of art, deeply rooted in a nation's cultural heritage. From intricate ceramic patterns to traditional woven textiles and delicately crafted conical hats, they tell stories of a place's history, people, and customs.

• One-of-a-Kind: Handcrafted items, with their artisanal touch, are truly unique. Purchasing one means acquiring not just a novel creation but also a piece of that country's soul.
• Enduring Value: Compared to mass-produced souvenirs, handcrafted gifts often boast superior quality and longevity. Many even appreciate in value over time, becoming treasured heirlooms.
• A Meaningful Gesture: Giving a handcrafted souvenir is like sharing a piece of your cultural experience. It conveys deep appreciation and affection.
• Supporting Local Communities: By purchasing handcrafted items, you contribute to the livelihood of local artisans and help preserve valuable cultural traditions.

Popular Handcrafted Gifts Around the World

• Vietnam: Bát Tràng ceramics, Kymviet Handcraft products, Đông Hồ paintings, bamboo and rattan crafts, conical hats, Áo dài.
• Japan: Ceramics, woodwork, kimonos, traditional toys.
• Thailand: Silverware, lacquerware, teak wood crafts, silk.
• India: Carpets, gemstone jewelry, brassware.

Choosing the Perfect Handcrafted Gift

To select the ideal handcrafted souvenir, consider these tips:

• Learn About the Local Culture: Research the destination's history and customs to choose the most appropriate gift.
• Prioritize Natural Materials: Opt for items made from traditional, natural materials that are both sustainable and beautiful.
• Inspect Thoroughly: Carefully examine each piece to ensure quality.
• Shop at Authentic Stores: Visit dedicated handicraft shops, traditional villages, or reputable souvenir stores for genuine products.

Tip: Understanding the symbolism behind each item adds depth to your gift. Don't hesitate to ask the seller for insights.

Conclusion

Handcrafted travel gifts are more than just objects; they are vessels of stories and memories. Choosing and giving these unique pieces not only reflects your taste but also contributes to preserving cultural heritage.

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KYMVIET is a social enterprise specializing in manufacturing and supplying handmade products: ✔️ Stuffed animals, ✔️ Stuffed gifts, ✔️ Mascots, ✔️ Yearbooks, ✔️ Symbols are made of cotton fabric created by disabled artisans containing meticulousness, sophistication, and traditional Vietnamese cultural identity.