| Thanks
to the dexterity and creativity of its people, Vietnam is a country rich in handicrafts.
This has long been a source of cultural pride and income for local people for
centuries, with the skills being handed down through countless generations. It
should be noted that the export of Vietnamese antiques is forbidden. Hanoi
  Dong
Xuan Market - Hanoi's biggest market, was destroyed by fire and reconstructed
in 1996. Now a 3-storey structure, Dong Xuan has a very interesting ambience and
employs several thousand people. Ho
Chi Minh City
Ben
Thanh Market - A large indoor market spilling out into the surrounding streets.
It was built in 1914, originally called the Halles Centrales, and occupies an
area of 11 square km. Best Buys
Ceramic
and porcelain items - Produced in Vietnam for centuries and still glazed in
the traditional method, ceramic and porcelain products are well known in Bat Trang
(Hanoi), Quang Ninh, and Hai Phong.
Copperware
- Fabricated by the skillful hands of coppersmiths in Nam Ha, Ngu Xa (Hanoi),
Dong Son (Thanh Hoa), and Long Tho.
Embroidered
articles and silk products - The most famous are from the regions of Ha Dong,
Nam Ha, Thai Binh and Hué.
Jewellery
& Metalwork - Can be found in Hanoi, Thai Binh and Hai Hung, while stonework
is produced mainly in Da Nang
 Lacquerware
- With 2,000 years of history, Vietnamese lacquerware has established an enviable
reputation for quality and detail - functional, decorative, and as the highest
forms of artistic expression. A wide variety of attractive items are available,
including vases, trays, furniture, boxes, decorative items, jewellery, and office
products.
Wool
tapestries - Available in Hanoi and Hai Phong. Jute tapestries from Hung Yen,
Hai Phong, Hanoi and Thai Binh, are much sought after.
Wood
products & Carvings - The best can be found in Phu Xuyen, Hai Phong, and Hué.
Woven
tapestries and "tho cam" handbags are fabricated by
the dexterous fingers of ethnic ladies living in the Northwest regions such as
Cao Bang. |
