What are the famous traditional Vietnamese craft villages?

Why does a mother-of-pearl inlay painting from Chuon Ngo cost 200 million VND, or why does Bat Trang pottery export billions each year?

Behind these impressive numbers lies the vibrant spirit of Vietnam's traditional craft villages - 20 unique regions across the S-shaped country, each with its own fascinating story. Every product crafted by skilled artisans becomes a cultural symbol and gift carrying the essence of Vietnamese heritage.

The most amazing part? 99% of people don't realize what incredible cultural treasures Vietnam possesses...

Let's join CHUS in exploring 20 distinctive craft villages from North to South and discover the stories behind each handmade product.

A panoramic view of 20 traditional Vietnamese craft villages from North to South

Northern Vietnam - The Cradle of Traditional Vietnamese Craft Villages

Bat Trang Pottery - The Essence of Ceramic Arts

Located on the left bank of the Red River, about 15km from Hanoi, Bat Trang pottery village has over 500 years of history. Established in 1700, it was originally called Bach Tho Ward (White Earth Ward).

Bat Trang pottery became a famous ceramic center chosen by the royal court to supply tribute items to the Ming Dynasty. The village's inherited wisdom is "First bone, second skin, third kiln firing."

From ash glaze, Bat Trang craftsmen create 5 distinctive glaze types: brown, blue, crackle, jade, and white glazes. Today the village has over 100 artisans, 200 enterprises, and 1,000 production households with a production value exceeding 2,000 billion VND.

Artisan hands creating exquisite ceramic masterpieces through the years (source: Internet)

Chuon Ngo Mother-of-Pearl Inlay - The Art of Perfection

Chuon Ngo village in Chuyen My commune, Phu Xuyen district, Hanoi has practiced mother-of-pearl inlay since the Ly Dynasty (1010-1225). The craft's founder was Truong Cong Thanh, a talented general under King Ly Nhan Tong.

Notably, Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl products feature unbroken pearl pieces that remain perfectly flat and are carved and fitted onto wood very tightly, creating intricate patterns. The decorative details on the inlay work are vivid, distinctive, and soulful.

Product values range from 15 million to 200 million VND depending on materials. Today, artisans also create inlay portraits of historical figures, especially portraits of President Ho Chi Minh.

Shimmering mother-of-pearl pieces telling thousand-year stories through delicate inlay work (source: Internet)

Dong Ho Folk Paintings - Cultural Icons of Traditional Vietnamese Craft Villages

Dong Ho painting village in Song Ho commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh has history dating from the 16th century. This is a National Intangible Cultural Heritage recognized in 2013 for its unique folk woodblock printing art.

The distinctive feature of Dong Ho paintings is printing on handmade Do paper, using natural materials for colors like blue from copper rust, indigo from indigo plants, and yellow from hoe flowers.

The painting themes come from daily life activities, bearing strong cultural imprints of the Vietnamese people. Dong Ho paintings are sold most during Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays.

Dong Ho paintings - Folk beauty on each colorful handmade Do paper sheet (source: Internet)

Chuong Conical Hats - Cultural Symbols

Chuong village in Phuong Trung commune, Thanh Oai district, Hanoi is famous for making conical hats since the 8th century. Originally, the village was called Trang Thi Trung, specializing in making hats for all social classes.

An old folk song goes "Chuong hats, silk scarves, straps from Do village." Artisan Ta Thu Huong has introduced Chuong hats to international tourists and exported to many countries.

To complete a perfect hat, makers must go through many meticulous steps from selecting leaves, drying to sewing the hat. Hat leaves are dried on village dikes - the sunnier it is, the whiter and more durable the leaves become.

Chuong conical hats - Elegant symbols of Vietnamese women through generations (source: Internet)

Chang Son Fans - The Essence of Artistry

Chang Son fan village in Thach That district, Hanoi is famous for making exquisite handmade fans. Products range from paper fans and bamboo rib fans to high-end silk fans.

Basic materials include bamboo, paper, fabric, and rice paste. Particularly, the paintings on fans all depict scenic landscapes or historical legends, carrying deep cultural meanings.

Artisans must carefully calculate so that folding the fan doesn't affect the painting. Chang Son fans are not only for cooling but also artistic decorative items.

Chang Son fans carry poetry in every brushstroke, giving wings to distant dreams (source: Internet)

Phu Vinh Rattan and Bamboo - The Famous Rattan Land

The rattan and bamboo weaving craft in Phu Vinh, Phu Nghia commune, Chuong My district has over 400 years of history. The village was formed from 1700 with the original name Phu Hoa Trang (Heaven blessed people with silk hands).

Phu Vinh is the only traditional Vietnamese craft village with the piercing technique using rattan fibers - the pinnacle of weaving art. Products range from rattan baskets and flower baskets to portrait paintings and furniture.

Export products account for 60% of total output to China, Japan, and European countries. Domestic products make up 40% with many designs suitable for modern trends.

Rattan fibers flowing with artisan heartbeats, weaving colorful dreams (source: Internet)

Van Phuc Silk - The Essence of Silkworm Silk

Van Phuc silk village in Van Phuc ward, Ha Dong district has 1000 years of history. Originally named Van Bao, later changed to Van Phuc to avoid taboo names of Nguyen kings.

According to legend, Mrs. La Thi Nga - wife of Governor Cao Bien taught silk weaving to the village. Van Phuc silk was once a premium product for the royal court; Emperor Khai Dinh and Bao Dai's clothing were all made from silk here.

In 1931-1932, Van Phuc silk was introduced at Marseille and Paris exhibitions, praised by the French as the finest woven fabric in Indochina.

Van Phuc silk shimmers like moonlight, soft as a mother's lullaby (source: Internet)

Quat Dong Embroidery - The Art of Thread and Needle

Quat Dong embroidery village in Thuong Tin district, Hanoi has practiced embroidery since the 17th century. This is the origin of embroidery throughout Vietnam with special techniques only villagers know.

Initially only embroidering for the royal court and nobility with 5 basic thread colors: gold, green, red, purple, and blue. Now it has diversified from embroidered paintings and pillow covers to exported clothing to over 20 countries.

Embroidery requires patience and skill with sharp eyes and good aesthetics to combine colors and harmonious patterns in this traditional Vietnamese craft village.

Each embroidery stitch tells love stories, weaving hope into the sky (source: Internet)

Northwest Brocade - Highland Colors

The Northwest region with famous weaving villages like Lung Tam (Ha Giang) and Cat Cat (Sapa) has preserved brocade weaving through generations of Hmong, Dao, and Tay ethnic groups.

Indigo dyeing techniques and forest leaf and herb ash dyeing create multi-colored products. The process includes harvesting hemp plants, spinning hemp, drawing patterns with beeswax, then weaving fabric.

Products from traditional costumes to modern bags and backpacks all carry unique patterns expressing the life and beliefs of ethnic minorities in these traditional Vietnamese craft villages.

Highland brocades bright as festivals, bringing mountain forest souls to cities (source: Internet)

Ngu Xa Bronze Casting - Metal Arts

Ngu Xa bronze casting village in Bac Ninh has bronze casting from the Ly-Tran period. Specializes in producing bronze bells, incense burners, and bronze worship items.

Traditional bronze casting techniques include creating clay molds, melting metal, and casting finished products. Products have high durability and clear sound.

This traditional Vietnamese craft village has produced many famous works like the Bronze Bell of But Thap Pagoda, considered cultural treasures of the nation.

Ngu Xa bronze bell sounds echoing through millennia, like lullabies of the Ancestral Land (source: Internet)

Central Vietnam - Where Multi-ethnic Cultures Converge

Non Nuoc Stone Carving - The Art of Sculpture

Non Nuoc stone village in Hoa Hai ward, Ngu Hanh Son district, Da Nang has over 300 years of history. It was established by artisan Huynh Ba Quat from Thanh Hoa.

Currently has 384 production facilities, 1,500 workers with revenue of 800-1,000 billion VND/year. Products range from small bracelets to 10m tall statues, priced from hundreds of thousands to billions.

Notably, this traditional Vietnamese craft village has applied blockchain 4.0 technology with chips embedded in products worth over 500 million to protect copyrights and prevent counterfeiting.

Non Nuoc stone transforms into art, carving dreams in every line (source: Internet)

Thanh Ha Pottery - National Local Products

Thanh Ha pottery village in Hoi An has over 500 years of history. The 16th-17th centuries were golden periods when products were called "national local products" and used as royal tributes.

Now has a 6,000m2 clay park for tourist experiences. Products carry strong Hoi An cultural features with warm color tones and traditional patterns.

Visitors can participate in pottery-making processes from kneading clay, shaping to firing finished products, creating unique experiences about traditional Vietnamese craft village culture.

Thanh Ha pottery warm as Hoi An smiles, preserving ancient flavors (source: Internet)

Bau Truc Pottery - Ancient Cham Soul

Bau Truc pottery village in Ninh Phuoc district, Ninh Thuan is one of the remaining Cham craft villages. It has over 200 years of history with most households being Cham people.

The craft was initiated by Poklong Chan and passed down through generations. Unlike other villages, Bau Truc pottery doesn't use pottery wheels but is completely hand-molded.

Products carry strong Cham lifestyle characteristics, decorated with available materials like flowers and shells. Simple beauty but very soulful and distinctive.

Bau Truc pottery simple yet soulful, breathing Cham spirit into every product (source: Internet)

Hue Conical Hats - Royal Court Refinement

Tay Ho - Phu Vang conical hat village in Thua Thien Hue is famous for its renowned poem hats. These are special hats with poems attached between leaf layers.

When wearing the hat in sunlight, light shining through reveals beautiful poems like "That's Hue citadel, that street by the river." Hue poem hats have become cultural symbols of the ancient capital.

Hat-making here also involves meticulous processes from selecting old dong leaves, sun-drying, dampening to sewing hats with silk thread.

Hue poem hats - When sunlight becomes poetry, when dong leaves tell old stories (source: Internet)

My Nghiep Brocade Handicrafts - Refined Cham Style

My Nghiep weaving village in Phuoc Dan town, Ninh Thuan is a traditional Vietnamese craft village of Cham people preserving ancient weaving methods. Brocade products have refined, elegant colors.

According to legend, weaving was passed from generation to generation by Cham people. Main materials are cotton fiber, silk, and natural dyes.

The production process includes material preparation, fiber dyeing, fabric weaving, and product finishing. Each work reflects the talent and dedication of craftspeople.

My Nghiep brocade refined as Cham beauty, graceful through the years (source: Internet)

Southern Vietnam - Where Tradition Meets Modernity

Lai Thieu Pottery - Southern Essence

Lai Thieu pottery village in Lai Thieu ward, Thuan An city, Binh Duong developed from the 20th century when Saigon pottery faced difficulties. Specializes in producing household pottery combining utility and aesthetics.

With diverse varieties, rich shapes, and eye-catching colors, Lai Thieu pottery has established a firm position in the Southern market and become distinctive souvenirs.

Products have high utility, suitable for modern needs while maintaining traditional elements in design and crafting techniques.

Lai Thieu pottery modern yet keeping ancient soul, bridging tradition and future (source: Internet)

Trang Bang Rice Paper - Tay Ninh Specialty

Trang Bang rice paper village in Trang Bang town, Tay Ninh is famous for dew-dried rice paper and various snack rice papers. Artisans here have decades of experience with the craft.

To create the brand, artisans perform 4 main stages: selecting materials, choosing firewood, drying paper, and removing finished paper. Each stage is very elaborate and meticulous.

Trang Bang rice paper has distinctive flavor, rolled with boiled pork belly, fresh vegetables, or various salads are all delicious. This is a specialty gift many tourists seek to buy.

Trang Bang rice paper crispy as smiles, carrying hometown flavors everywhere (source: Internet)

Tuong Binh Hiep Lacquer Paintings - The Cradle of Lacquer

Tuong Binh Hiep lacquer painting village in Binh Duong is not only the cradle of lacquer craft but also attracts tourism enthusiasts. Works have high artistic value.

Lacquer products are diverse with many different themes, mainly praising the beauty of homeland and country. From natural materials like lacquer, wood, eggshells made by skilled craftsmen.

Lacquer paintings show refinement and skill, carrying strong Vietnamese cultural identity with traditional techniques combined with modern creativity.

Tuong Binh Hiep lacquer paintings shimmer like dreams, brilliant as love (source: Internet)

Chau Giang Brocade Weaving - Khmer Beauty

Chau Giang brocade weaving village in Phum Xoai hamlet, Chau Phong commune, Tan Chau district, An Giang is a traditional craft village of Cham people. Brocade weaving is a long-standing traditional craft in Malaysian style.

Cham girls make beautiful products like icat (dowry scarves), shimmering colorful fabric pieces. More than half the villagers live by weaving with many skilled workers becoming artisans from a young age.

Products include floral sarongs, brocade silk, brocade shirts, purses, embroidered scarves expressing the distinctive culture of Cham people in the Mekong Delta.

Chau Giang brocade bright as dawn, weaving stories of beloved Khmer land (source: Internet)

Kim Son Sedge Mats - Delta Essence

Kim Son sedge village in Ninh Binh has over 100 years of sedge mat making. It has become a cultural mark and employment solution for most workers in the district.

Main products are various mats, carpets, bags from sedge with exquisite weaving techniques. Kim Son mats are famous for durability and beauty, with diverse patterns and vibrant unfading colors.

Sedge crafting not only brings economic value but also preserves the cultural identity of the Northern Delta through generations.

Kim Son sedge mats cool as field winds, bringing countryside fragrance to cities (source: Internet)

Cultural Significance and Sustainable Development

Preserving Identity in Integration

These traditional Vietnamese craft villages not only produce handmade products but also preserve national cultural identity. Each product carries artisan stories, meticulous craftsmanship in every line, and love for traditional crafts.

In the context of international integration, craft villages have learned to combine preserving traditional values with innovation and creativity. From simple household products, artisans have developed into exquisite art pieces suitable for modern tastes.

Cultural Tourism and Experiences

Many traditional craft villages have developed community tourism models, inviting visitors to directly experience production processes. This both promotes products and creates additional income for local people.

Tourists not only buy products but also understand cultural values, history, and effort put into each item. This is an effective way to preserve and promote craft village values.

Green and Sustainable Development Direction

Craft villages are moving toward environmentally friendly production, using natural materials and clean production processes. This not only protects the environment but also increases product value in international markets.

Applying modern technology like blockchain to protect intellectual property and e-commerce to expand markets are new development trends for craft villages.

Green future of craft villages - When tradition harmonizes with modern technology

Challenges and Opportunities

Teaching Crafts to Young Generations

One of the biggest challenges is teaching crafts to young generations. Many crafts require long learning periods with initially low income, making young people less interested.

Craft villages are finding ways to attract young people by modernizing products, improving working conditions, and increasing income for craftspeople.

Competing with Industrial Products

Handmade products must compete with cheap industrial goods. However, uniqueness, cultural value, and handmade quality have helped these products find their place in premium markets.

Expanding International Markets

With e-commerce development, traditional Vietnamese craft villages have opportunities to reach global markets. Many products have successfully exported to countries with high demand for handmade crafts.

Journey of Vietnamese gifts reaching the world, carrying homeland love to five continents

Read more related articles

>> Where to Visit in Vietnam: Traditional Villages Beyond the Tourist Path

>> Vietnamese Handicrafts On Chus: A Living Treasure Of Culture

>> The Ultimate Guide To Authentic Vietnamese Ceramics: Bat Trang vs Mass-Produced

Vietnamese Gift Journey - Continuing the Story of Cultural Identity

From thousand-year-old craft villages, the sound of hammers echoing on Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl trays, warm breath from Bat Trang pottery kilns, or herbal scents wafting from Dong Ho paintings... Each handmade product contains an entire story about love for homeland, about talented hands that have dedicated their lives to traditional crafts.

Experience the Vietnamese gift journey through regional collections on CHUS - where every gift is imbued with love and dedication of Vietnamese artisans. Join CHUS in preserving the most beautiful moments of traditional culture through meaningful gifts!

Zen Lotus, Personalized Paper Flower Painting, 25 x 25cm, Message Of Peace, Handmade Decorative Painting, Tet Decoration Painting, Vietnamese Tet Gift

610,000 ₫

Hand-Woven Rattan Fan (Random Color), Embodies Folk Culture, Home Decor Accessory, Used For Creating Cool Breeze, Rustic And Simple Beauty

32,000 ₫

Vietnam Silver Jewelry Gift Set With Square Lacquer Box, Exclusive Design, Luxurious Jewelry, Elegant Accessories, Gift for Women

1,376,000 ₫

Bac Ha Brocade Belly Bag TCT229

475,000 ₫

In the era of Industry 4.0, "Made in Vietnam" products with handcrafted souls become more precious than ever. This is how we say "I love Vietnam" through actions, how traditional Vietnamese craft villages continue to shine bright.

FAQs

• Why do Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl inlaid paintings cost up to 200 million VND?
  These paintings are handmade using rare, high-quality shells that are carefully inlaid into wood. The process requires skilled hands and lots of time. Each piece is detailed, vivid, and often tells a story - like portraits of historical figures. That’s why they are highly valuable and considered collector’s items.
• What makes Bat Trang pottery worth over 2,000 billion VND in annual production?
  Bat Trang pottery is famous for its unique glazes, handmade process, and over 500 years of tradition. Artisans keep improving their designs to match modern needs while preserving heritage. The village also welcomes tourists to try making pottery, which helps promote the brand and boost its economic value.
• How are Vietnamese craft villages adapting to the digital age?
  Many villages are using new tech like blockchain to protect their products and selling through e-commerce. Some offer hands-on travel experiences so visitors can make crafts themselves. This mix of tradition and innovation helps craft villages grow while keeping their cultural identity alive.
• Which Vietnamese craft villages are strong in exports?
  Villages like Phu Vinh (rattan), Quat Dong (embroidery), Chang Son (fans), and Non Nuoc (stone art) are leading exporters. Their handmade products are unique and reflect local culture, which attracts buyers from Europe, Japan, China, and the US. These crafts often serve both as decor and cultural gifts.
• Why are traditional craft villages a cultural treasure of Vietnam?
  Each village preserves more than just a craft - it keeps old techniques, stories of ancestors, and national values alive. The skills are passed down through generations. Supporting these villages means protecting Vietnam’s cultural roots and creating jobs for local people. They’re living museums of Vietnamese heritage.