Conical bonnet
A true icon of the country, the non la, or conical hat, is the favorite headgear of Vietnamese women. Although motorcycle helmets are much more common these days on the streets of Hanoi, street vendors in the capital still wear them along with their traditional palanches. In rural areas, you'll see the non la just about everywhere, as protection from the sun, when cycling or working in the fields. The conical hat is traditionally made from dried latanier leaves, bleached with sulfur, then smoothed with hot iron. The leaves are then assembled on a bamboo strap and sewn with nylon thread (formerly wicker). You'll find them for sale in every tourist town, in various qualities. Some are painted in the city's colors or with motifs depicting scenes from local life, while others are simpler. If you're looking for a quality non la, don't miss the small village of Chuông, in the Red River delta, which has specialized in conical hats for over 300 years. Every week, this charming village hosts a famous market where locals display and sell their wares. A visit to Chuông also gives you the chance to see how Vietnam's emblematic hat is made.
Vietnamese ceramics
For centuries, the country's craftsmen have honed their traditional skills, and ceramic and porcelain articles are renowned for their quality and finesse: tableware, bowls, plates, vases, funeral urns, statues... Ceramic ware is still produced by hand, even if traditional techniques are giving way to faster and, above all, less costly modern production methods... This is still the case in certain villages in the Red River delta, such as Bat Tràng and Phù Lang, internationally renowned for their porcelain ware, which is exported all over the world. Here, you can observe the elaboration of the articles and the meticulous work of the craftsmen. The economy of these villages is entirely based on ceramics production, which still provides the majority of the inhabitants' income. Of course, it's advisable to buy directly from the source, but you'll also find top-quality porcelain items in Hanoi stores. Ceramic work often blends harmoniously with other craft techniques, such as lacquerware or basketry.
Lacquer
The use of lacquer, believed to date back over 2,000 years, is a distinctive feature of the country's craftsmanship. Lacquered objects come in all shapes and sizes: tableware, furniture, paintings, wooden statues, jewelry boxes... Lacquer is a vegetable substance derived from the lacquer tree(cây son). The resulting liquid is stored for around three months in waterproofed bamboo baskets to form a deposit. This is then mixed with resin and essential oils harvested from softwood trees, and colorants are added to achieve the desired effect. Lacquer not only embellishes and adds value to the object, it also protects it from the ravages of time, humidity and insects... The lacquer technique underwent an evolution in 1932 thanks to the inspiration of a group of painters from the École supérieure des Beaux-Arts d'Indochine in Hanoi. These pioneers were the first to dare coat their works with an opaque varnish(canh gian). The object is then sanded to obtain a unique relief and color. You'll find quality lacquerware in many Hanoi stores, but particularly at the Fine Arts Museum of Vietnam, and on Hang Bac Street in the Old Quarter. The village of Ha Thai, in the Red River delta, is renowned as the lacquer capital of Vietnam. Here, you'll be able to buy objects crafted on site according to the rules of the art, and admire the exceptional skills of the artisans.
Basketry
The art of weaving rattan, bamboo or even water hyacinth into a variety of objects is widespread in the north of the country. You'll find furniture (chairs, tables, etc.), boxes, fans, birdcages... The only drawback is that these are extremely fragile objects, and it's tricky to bring them back safely. Craftsmen in the village of Canh Hoach, near Hanoi, specialize in making fans and birdcages from bamboo stems. The cages, which sometimes incorporate finely carved elements of buffalo bone and porcelain, are of exceptional beauty.
Wooden objects
Numerous wooden objects are available throughout the country: statuettes, jewelry boxes, incense burners... The village of Nhi Khê specializes in woodturning. Craftsmen create objects for religious use and traditional musical instruments, in particular the mo or chun mo, a percussive instrument partially hollowed out and carved, usually in the shape of an animal (frog, fish, etc.). This instrument is central to Vietnamese religious culture (funeral rites, ceremonies), but is also used in traditional arts (water puppets).
Vietnamese silk
Silk weaving is elevated to an art form in Vietnam. It's an activity perpetuated in many villages, and many families even have their own looms. You'll find silk weaving just about everywhere, but be careful about the quality. It's also possible to have an ao dài, the traditional garment of Vietnamese women, tailor-made as a souvenir or special gift. Couturiers also work with silk to make shirts, ties, dresses, suits and scarves, either made-to-measure or from models. Hang Gai Street in Hanoi's Old Quarter, nicknamed "Silk Street" by the locals, is one of the best places in the country to find quality products. Just outside Hanoi, the people of Van Phuc have specialized in silk production for centuries. The village is famous for its fine, transparent silk, the, which despite appearances is also very resistant. The village of Ha Thai also produces superb stoles. Nowadays, silk handicraft production faces competition from artificial silk, made from viscose yarn. However, it is still possible to find pure silk fabrics. Look carefully at the labels, as natural silk is often mixed with an artificial product. Clever tip: if you burn a small piece of silk and it smells like burnt hair, it's natural silk.
Papier-mâché masks and drums
Here's an original idea for a souvenir! The village of Ông Hao, located 36 km from Hanoi in the Liêu Xa commune, perpetuates the tradition of making elaborate toys, masks and drums from cardboard and papier-mâché. These handicrafts are an essential part of the Full Moon Festival, celebrated in mid-autumn. The masks are varied and colorful, depicting characters from local literature and animals. The small red drums have a wooden frame, which is then covered with a buffalo skin membrane. These items are sold throughout northern Vietnam in the weeks leading up to the festival, much to the delight of Vietnamese children.
Embroidery
In Vietnam, you'll find beautiful pieces of handmade embroidery: household linen, clothing... The finely embroidered, highly colorful motifs most often depict scenes from daily life, lotus flowers... In Tam Côc, the village of Van Lam is renowned for its many workshops where you can watch craftsmen at work and buy charming creations. The minorities of the northern mountains also possess interesting traditional skills, notably the embroidery of the Hmông and Dao ethnic groups in Sapa, Bac Ha and Hà Giang. Beware, however, as many unscrupulous stores and vendors offer Chinese-made pieces to tourists... Indigo fabric is another Hmông specialty. Hand-woven from hemp or cotton yarn, it is dyed with this characteristic navy-blue color. The fabric is then embroidered with colors and motifs specific to each ethnic community.
Prints & calligraphy
A true folk art of the country, prints are engraved on wooden boards or paper. This ancestral technique was widely used before the arrival of printing in the 19th century. Today, certain villages perpetuate this tradition, and it's possible to find beautiful prints engraved with scenes of life, flowers, animals, religious motifs, etc. In Hanoi, stores on Hang Trông Street in the Old Quarter offer interesting models. Calligraphy(thu phap) is a discipline that highlights the finesse of Vietnamese writing. This artistic expression has its origins in Chinese culture. Many craftsmen sell their work in the streets during the Tet holiday, and you can also ask them to personalize the calligraphy.
Propaganda posters
Travelers snap up reproductions of old posters from the French and American wars, colonial posters, Ho Chi Minh posters and Communist Party slogans. Original posters are rare and very expensive (between €300 and €2,000!). While the Vietnamese don't take kindly to these reminiscences of a painful past, foreign tourists appreciate the design and shimmering colors of these posters, which are a highly prized decorative object. You'll easily find posters, magnets, T-shirts and other trinkets in the streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Tea, coffee, chocolate and local alcohol
Cultivated for thousands of years in Vietnam, tea (trà) is one of the country's most popular beverages. Served cold with a meal or coffee, it is most often flavored with jasmine. On the other hand, it is drunk hot at the end of meals. Tea is grown in the mountains of the north-east (around Hà Giang) and north-west of the country, in the Lào Cai and Son La regions. You'll find it just about everywhere, but be careful about the quality. Viet Nam is the world's2nd largest producer of coffee (cà phê), a national pride. Vietnamese coffee is renowned for its high caffeine content and robust aroma. It is grown mainly in the Thanh Hoa and Son La regions. It is traditionally prepared using a small individual stainless steel filter. These small filters are also an idea for a utensil to bring back with you from your trip.
Last but not least, chocolate made from cocoa beans grown in the highlands or the Mekong delta has an excellent reputation. Maison Marou 's handmade chocolate is considered one of the best in the world. If you're exploring the north of the country, you'll no doubt be tempted to bring back some of the rice alcohol or corn alcohol produced by craftsmen in the Sapa and Hà Giang regions.
