Joanna James
No visit to a top travel destination such as Vietnam is complete without taking the time to immerse oneself into the daily lives of the locals to understand the traditional values of this country. One of the best ways to do this is by paying a visit to a traditional village in Hoi An. Here are the top five!
Located on Cam Kim Island, Kim Bong Carpentry Village is renowned for its rich history in arts and crafts dating back well over 500 years when the island was once a bustling trading port. Today, the village is home to talented artists who create beautiful statues and wooden kitchenware that are highly sought out by visiting tourists. The best part is that entry to this village is free, and you are bound to find many a local student at hand, who will be happy to show you around and act as an interpreter for you.
In Phuoc Kieu Bronze Casting Villages, one will be able to find everything from bronze feng shui objects, to bronze statues, bronze bells, and musical instruments. Tracing its origins back more than 400 years, this particular village happens to be one of the oldest traditional villages in Vietnam. Currently, Phuoc Kieu Bronze Casting Village is home to more than 100 artisans. Apart from shopping for fantastic bronze souvenirs, you can also take part in workshops where you can learn how to make bronze items. Most hotels in Hoi An such as Anantara Hoi An Resort will be more than happy to arrange for a visit upon the requests of their guests.
One of the eye-catching features of Hoi An is its colourful lanterns hung everywhere indiscriminately. All these lanterns come from a bustling village called Xa Duong Lantern Village. Locals believe that hanging lanterns will bring them wealth, luck, and happiness. If you are planning on visiting this popular handicraft village, consider paying a visit on the 14th day of each lunar month, when the villages celebrate the monthly lantern festival without fail. A top activity to do during your visit includes joining a lantern-making class, after which you can take your beautiful hand-made lanterns home.
Spanning just two kilometres, Thanh Ha Pottery Village can be reached either via a boat or bus from Hoi An. Upon a visit to this rather less-known tourist attraction, one will get to learn about its fascinating history, and observe how the village artisans produce their pottery utilising traditional techniques passed down from generation to generation spanning well over six centuries. During your visit to this village do make it a point to visit the newly built open-air Thanh Ha Pottery Museum. Inside you will also come across a terracotta market, a lovely gift shop, expansive workshops, and galleries.
A popular handicraft traditional village, the Tra Que Herb Village is famed for its organic fresh produce such as turmeric, water spinach and winter melon. The farmers use special harvesting techniques to produce these top-quality vegetables.
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