On July 7th, 2025, the Eviva Tour team conducted a field survey of four traditional craft villages in and around the Hanoi area—Bat Trang Pottery Village, Thu Sy Bamboo Fish Trap Village, Quang Phu Cau Incense Village, and Chuong Conical Hat Village—as part of our ongoing efforts to develop culturally immersive travel experiences.

The visit aimed to assess the practical potential of each site while exploring how these long-standing traditions can be thoughtfully integrated into customized programs for international visitors.

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Bat Trang Pottery Village

Our journey began in Bat Trang, where the ceramic tradition has flourished for generations beside the Red River. Bat Trang Pottery Village is a community with over 500 years of history and stands as one of Vietnam’s most iconic traditional craft villages.

Renowned primarily for its fine ceramics, Bat Trang also preserves many quintessential elements of a historic Vietnamese craft village — including the village’s communal house, narrow alleyways, brick walls, ancestral homes, ancient architecture, and family-run workshops where traditional pottery techniques have been passed down for generations.

During our inspection, our team explored the village’s communal house, observed the ceramic-making process at a local workshop, and wandered through the winding alleyways to gain a deeper understanding of the village’s structure and atmosphere. We also had the opportunity to visit one of Bat Trang’s ancient kilns and meet master artisans who have devoted their lives to preserving this rich craft tradition.

One particularly special highlight was meeting a local culinary artisan who prepared traditional dishes unique to Bat Trang. In fact, while the village is widely known for its ceramics, it is also home to a distinctive food culture and a long-standing tradition of brick-making — lesser-known aspects that deserve greater recognition.

Thu Sy Bamboo Weaving Village

A little farther from Bat Trang, in the neighboring province of Hung Yen, we went to another hidden gem: Thu Sy Village.

In Thu Sy, we visited a small house nestled deep within the village, where bamboo weaving remains very much a part of everyday life. Inside, we met an elderly craftsman affectionately known as Mr. Luong Son Bac, who patiently and enthusiastically demonstrated how each bamboo strip is shaped into a traditional fish trap, explained how these rustic tools were once used in daily farming, and shared insights into rural life in northern Vietnam.

Sitting nearby were two elderly women, chatting and weaving together in a quiet rhythm that seemed unchanged by time. The atmosphere in that humble space was warm and grounded, filled with the sound of gentle laughter, rustling bamboo, and hands that had repeated the same motions for decades. It felt less like a performance and more like being invited into the heart of a living tradition.

Thu Sy is a special destination. While traditional bamboo fish traps are no longer widely used in modern agriculture, and the craft is now mainly preserved by elderly artisans rather than younger generations, what remains is a living connection to a vanishing way of life. The baskets they weave are not just tools—they are quiet storytellers of time, memory, and resilience.
Our team was deeply moved by the encounter. Meeting and speaking with the three artisans—watching their hands work with care and familiarity—felt like a rare and genuine glimpse into the cultural soul of northern Vietnam. These moments reminded us that even the most humble crafts, when carried by dedication and love, hold incredible meaning.

Quang Phu Cau Incense Village

Quang Phu Cau Incense Stick Village was the next destination in Eviva Tour Vietnam’s 2025 field inspection of Hanoi’s traditional craft villages.

Renowned internationally, this village has become a must-visit for travelers to Hanoi thanks to its eye-catching and photogenic courtyards filled with vividly arranged incense sticks. The colorful displays—featuring hues of red, yellow, and magenta—have inspired countless viral Instagram posts and award-winning photography, turning Quang Phu Cau into a visual icon of Vietnam’s traditional craftsmanship.

Our visit to Quang Phu Cau was truly a burst of color and scent. The village courtyards were alive with radiant arrays of incense sticks, creating a setting that felt both artistic and timeless. But beyond its photogenic charm, the experience offered meaningful insight into a long-standing tradition: visitors can witness each step of the incense-making process—from splitting bamboo, dyeing the sticks, and drying them in the sun, to bundling the final products by hand.

Chuong Conical Hat Village

The final stop was Chuong Village, where Vietnam’s iconic conical hats are still made entirely by hand. We followed the process from start to finish – from shaping the bamboo frames to layering and stitching the palm leaves. As part of the visit, the village also organized a hat-decorating activity for visitors. Though our team did not directly take part, it was inspiring to watch guests bring their own creativity to this traditional form, turning each hat into a one-of-a-kind keepsake.

Conclusion

From evaluating local infrastructure to observing how traditional crafts are practiced and shared, every step of the trip aimed to ensure that future travelers would not simply pass through these villages, but truly connect with them. The trip also reaffirmed our commitment to working alongside local communities to co-create sustainable products that honor Vietnam’s heritage, while meeting the evolving expectations of modern-day explorers.

The 2025 Hanoi Craft Village Inspection Trip was a meaningful journey for the Eviva Tour team. It was not only an opportunity to connect with artisans and witness living cultural heritage firsthand, but also a reaffirmation of our deep commitment to bridging travelers with the most authentic and local experiences Vietnam has to offer.

This was not a one-time visit—we plan to return to these villages in the near future to re-evaluate the sites, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that any programs we create are both respectful and enriching. At Eviva Tour Vietnam, we believe that cultural preservation and tourism can go hand in hand. We are dedicated to helping these local traditions continue to shine and be shared beautifully with the world.

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