Hanoi Craft Villages Tour Incense Conical Hat and Lacquer
Overview
Leave the city for the countryside south of Hanoi and watch traditional crafts being made by hand. This shared tour visits the incense village and the conical hat village, and the full-day option adds the lacquer village and a family-style lunch. Comfortable bus pickup from the Old Quarter, an English-speaking guide, entrance fees, a conical hat and a bottle of water are included. It suits families, photographers and anyone who wants a slower, more local day than the usual sights.
Highlights
- See the incense village, where colourful sticks are dried in the sun in patterns
- Watch conical hats being stitched by hand in the hat village and keep one as a souvenir
- Full-day option: visit a lacquer village and enjoy a family-style lunch
- Half-day option: morning or afternoon departure, with optional Train Street drop-off
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in the Old Quarter by comfortable bus
- English-speaking guide and all entrance fees included
Full Description
The incense village near Hanoi
The incense village of Quang Phu Cau in Ung Hoa district, south of Hanoi, has made incense sticks for generations, and it is one of the most photogenic craft villages near the city. Bundles of thin sticks are spread out in the sun to dry, and depending on the season the lanes are lined with fans of red, yellow and other colours. A Hanoi incense village tour is popular with photographers.
Your guide explains how the sticks are made from bamboo, powdered aromatic wood and fragrant herbs, and you can watch residents roll and dry them. Quality is highest when the weather is dry and sunny, so the best time to visit is spring and autumn. Allow about an hour. Incense is on sale if you want to buy some.
The conical hat village
The conical hat is the classic symbol of Vietnam, and Chuong village in Thanh Oai district is one of the best-known places where it is made. Craftspeople bend bamboo into thin frames, layer them with palm leaves and stitch each hat together by hand, often sitting in the shade in front of their houses. A Hanoi conical hat village tour lets you see each step.
You can watch a hat being shaped and even try the stitching yourself. Each guest receives a conical hat to keep, and it also works as a rain hat in a shower. The whole process takes days, so you soon see why a good hat is valued. Allow about an hour for the visit.
The lacquer village on the full-day tour
Ha Thai in Thuong Tin district is a well-known Vietnamese lacquer village. Artisans coat wood in many thin layers of lacquer made from tree sap, drying and polishing each one before the next. The work can take weeks, and the finished trays, vases and panels shine with a deep colour, sometimes inlaid with mother-of-pearl or eggshell.
This stop is included only in the full-day option. The guide shows the workshops, you can watch the polishing and painting, and there is time to buy pieces directly from the makers if you like. It rounds out a day of three crafts, and the full-day option ends with a family-style lunch.
Which option should you choose?
The half-day tour visits two villages, the incense and the hat village, and lasts about five hours, with a morning or afternoon departure and an optional drop-off at Train Street. Lunch is not included, which makes it easy to fit around other plans.
The full-day tour lasts about eight hours, adds the lacquer village and includes a traditional family-style lunch. If you want to see all three crafts and eat in the countryside, choose the full-day option. If you have only a morning or afternoon free, choose the half-day option.
Itinerary
- Hotel pickup in the Old QuarterThe bus collects you at around 7:20 AM (full-day) or 7:20 AM or 12:45 PM (half-day), with the exact time confirmed after booking.
- Incense villageAbout an hour watching how incense sticks are made and dried in the sun.
- Conical hat villageAbout an hour watching the hats being stitched, and you receive your own hat.
- Lacquer village (full-day option)About an hour in the lacquer workshops of Ha Thai.
- Family-style lunch (full-day option)A traditional lunch is included in the full-day option; the half-day option has no lunch.
- Return to HanoiReturn by bus and drop-off in the Old Quarter, or at Train Street on the half-day option if you ask for it.
What's included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in the Hanoi Old Quarter by comfortable bus
- English-speaking tour guide
- 1 conical hat per person
- 1 bottle of water per person
- All entrance fees
- Visits to the incense village and the hat village
Not included
- Lunch
- Other drinks and personal expenses
- Tips for the guide and driver
Not suitable for
- Wheelchair users, since the village lanes are uneven
- Guests who dislike the smell of incense or have serious breathing difficulties
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in the Hanoi Old Quarter. The full-day tour picks up between about 7:20 and 7:40 AM. The half-day tour departs at about 7:20 AM in the morning or about 12:45 PM in the afternoon, depending on the departure you choose, and we confirm the exact time after booking.
Important information
- Wear light, comfortable clothes and closed shoes for uneven village lanes.
- Bring a camera, sunscreen and a little cash for souvenirs and tips.
- Ask your guide before photographing people at work.
- Lunch is included only in the full-day option; other drinks are not included.
- Tips for the guide and driver are not included.
- Some large buses cannot pick up in parts of the Old Quarter at peak times, so you may be asked to walk to a nearby meeting point.
- Craft work depends on weather and the village calendar, so some workshops may be quieter on holidays.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
How much does the Hanoi craft villages tour cost?
The price depends on the option (half-day or full-day) and on the age of each traveller. The booking panel on this page shows the current price for each option, adult and child.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup and drop-off in the Hanoi Old Quarter by comfortable bus are included in both options.
How long is the tour?
The half-day option takes about five hours and the full-day option about eight hours.
What is the difference between the options?
The half-day option visits the incense and hat villages without lunch and can end with a drop-off at Train Street. The full-day option adds the lacquer village and includes a traditional family-style lunch.
Is lunch included?
Only on the full-day option. The half-day option has no lunch.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Yes, children usually enjoy the hat village and trying the crafts. Child rates depend on age and are shown in the booking panel.
What should I wear and bring?
Light, comfortable clothes, closed shoes, sunscreen, a camera and a little cash.
Can I book for today or tomorrow?
Often yes if seats are available, and we confirm the pickup time after booking.
Do I keep the conical hat?
Yes, each guest receives one conical hat to keep.
When is the best time to visit the incense village?
Dry, sunny days in spring and autumn, when the sticks dry outdoors and the colours are brightest.
