Joanna James
The reasons to buy handicrafts in Mui Ne are twofold; taking home an exotic souvenir and giving back to the local people and their businesses. Look out for these items during your trip.
Take back beautifully woven textiles from Mui Ne that will have friends and family at home envious of these goods. The colourful textiles are often made in elegant cham patterns; stylish and graphic patterns originating from the Cham minority in Vietnam. The Patterns are made up of perfectly aligned and minimalistic shapes, and though this tradition is seeped with history and meaning, the designs look modern. As they are handwoven, these textiles are often of very high quality, and are better bought from a handicraft store or centre, rather than from a retail store. An added benefit is that you will likely be giving back to the community, as many of these textiles are woven by those in need. Look out for fair trade handcrafts, to ensure that the products you buy are ethically made.
Sand Art is one of the most unique and interesting types of souvenir to take home, especially if you buy a piece of art depicting a landscape of image that is iconic of Vietnam. This art consists of beautiful images created by colourful sand skilfully put into a glass containers, so create brilliant images. It is difficult to fathom the amount of skill and patience it must take to create these beautiful pieces of art, but some of the fair-trade pieces are actually made by deaf children from destitute circumstances, thus making them even more special. Buying from them rather than from retail stores is a great way to have a positive impact on the local community, and visitors can even watch them at this craft.
Who needs diamonds, when you can take home a unique piece of handmade jewellery, with a beautiful exotic style. Find all kinds of trinkets in varying sizes and colours, for yourself or your friends and family. It is however good to be conscious of what you buy, look to buy fair trade goods, and avoid products that are made from coral, ivory and turtle shell as these have a negative impact on the natural environment. There are numerous souvenir shops from where you can buy these items, including many along the streets, starting from the area near the Anantara Mui Ne Resort.
Traditional cham styled pottery is another great souvenir to take back from Mui Ne, and these handmade items are made with a lot of love and care. While you can buy these at some of the local shops which staff at your resort in Mui Ne will recommend, you can also visit the Bau Truc Cham Pottery Village to see exactly how these items are made. If you do buy local pottery, remember to back them into your suitcase with care so they survive the journey.
Woven bags and baskets are very much in fashion today, and these exotic items are abundantly available for sale in Mui Ne. Made from natural materials, visitors will even find these bags and baskets woven with interesting patterns, some of which have meanings significant to the local people. This is the ideal souvenir to take back for those who enjoy making an eco-friendly fashion statement.
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