Craft Village Tourism
Good morning ladies and gentleman With many years of experience in the field of tourism organization and a team of dynamic and creative staff, Six Angles is confident to be a pioneer in organizing various types of tourism in the North of Vietnam. With the participation of product development members Niche tourism focuses on a specific aspect of traveling. Some people just want to view old architecture, some want to eat at Michelin-starred restaurants and others want to tour obscure museums.
So what about those who love the peace of the countryside, who want to discover the customs and traditions of the local people in Vietnam? It’s CRAFT VILLAGE TOURISM For a long time, craft villages have been important for the agricultural development in Vietnam. The first villages where the population at least seasonally pursued a craft were already found in the 11th century, particularly in the area of Hanoi. A wide variety of goods were manufactured ranging from food and everyday products to skilfully designed silk and religious articles. Products were directly sold at local markets or via retailers distributed to the capital or even abroad. From their beginning craft villages were closely interwoven with the economic network.
In the communist era they remained to be a main pillar of the Vietnamese economy. Since the introduction of the economic reform policy workforce and production volume of craft villages are continuously growing. According to statistics of the Vietnam Craft Village Association, there are currently more than 3,000 craft villages in my country. Craft village tourism is a type of tourism in which visitors will learn and discover unique cultural features through traditional crafts of the locals, such as lacquer (Hạ Thái village), embroidery (Quất Động village); fan (Chàng Sơn village) bamboo and rattan (Phú Vinh village), fish traps (Trần Phú Village)... As for the developed tourism villages, traditional handcraft products are the most important and the main attraction factors of the village.
There are 2 different kinds of craft villages: the traditional and the non-traditional or the “new”. Traditional craft village tourism is increasingly attracting tourists and is a direction of tourism development in many countries around the world. Realizing these potentials, my group came up with an idea for a 2-day-1-night craft village tour at Bat Trang pottery village, Van Phuc silk trade village and Chuong conical hat village. Customers in this tour are international tourists, with the number of 8-10 people aged from 18-30 who love the history and traditional culture of Vietnam.
Thanks to this 2-day-1-night craft village tour, tourists will know more about the traditional culture of the Vietnamese people, experience the actual process of making handicrafts and interact with locals. This tour will help craft villages attract tourists, create jobs and income for local people. Besides the economic and social benefits, this form of tourism also contributes to preserving and promoting the unique cultural identities of each region and locality. Developing craft village tourism is a good way to promote the image of Vietnam, its land and people to the world.
I invite Huyen Vu to present the next part about the first day at Bat Trang Pottery Village. On the first day of trip, tourists will visit and experience at Bat Trang Pottery Village. Far away 15 km from Ha Noi city center, away from the noise and bustle of the city. Tourists come to Bat Trang - a traditional porcelain and pottery village with a history of seven centuries. This is the oldest and the most famous pottery village in Viet Nam. The village was formed in the Ly dynasty.
Over the past 700 years of history with the up and down of the same time. But Bat Trang still exists and growing up until now. Bat Trang ceramic products have been highly appreciated for their quality, many designs and types, divided into functional groups, such as household ceramics, worship items, building ceramics and decorative ceramics. As time went by, the villages products have developed and become well known for the best quality, style and glaze both inside and outside the nation. Bat Trang ceramic village is not only a place to make a national product brand, contributing to preserving the cultural values of the capital but also one of the popular tourists destinations in Ha Noi. Visiting Bat Trang, tourists can take a walk for sightseeing, go shopping and especially you can make your own pottery products.
The most amazing activity that visitors must try is to create porcelain items themselves. So, the first place is Bat Trang ceramic yard. Tourists will learn how to make pottery products. You shouldn’t miss out making a handmade ceramic gift. You will be provided a rotating table and a tray of clay. Potter will guide you how to make and shapes like: cup, pot, bowl or plate if you want. After deciding the shape and finish it, you can decorate them with your favorite pattern and ask for the glaze to complete the product Nowadays, Bat Trang is not only famous for its ceramic products but also well known as a tourist attraction in Ha Noi with a history of seven centuries. Visiting the village, tourists can go sightseeing in unspoiled natural.
Coming to Bat Trang tourism, you can visit to explore the old village on a buffalo car. And then enjoy the rustic, Vietnamese ancient village of Bat Trang with unique architecture. Here, you will have the opportunity atmosphere of the past. Next, you will visit Bat Trang Ceramic Village Communal House. It is located towards the Red River. The communal house is the place to worship Thanh Hoang village and organize games, events and festivals in the village.
End of the first morning schedule. You will go to the ceramic market, where displays many ceramic products. This is a place to trade a lot of fine arts and handicraft items from items from pottery to high - end products such as: decorations, small items, worshiping wares and souvenirs. A further plus point is that local people here are very friendly and hospitable. Therefore, tourists can comfortably take photographs besides unique and beautiful items.
Visitors not only explore, admire but also buy products as souvenirs for family and friends. For lunch, you will eat at a restaurant near ceramic market. The menu includes local specialties. Bat Trang is famous for dishes made from squid as: squid bamboo shoot soup, fried squid,... Then you will rest for 30 minutes and continue the trip in the afternoon. The afternoon schedule will be presented by Thuy Dung. Let me tell you what we will learn about the ceramic museum.
Firstly, we should know The birth of Bat Trang Pottery Museum. Nowadays, the traditional ancient villages, such as pottery making; with limited income are gradually being lost and lost. Before that sad truth, Ms. Ha Thi Vinh - director of Quang Vinh Ceramics Co, 15th generation descendants of the longest pottery making family in Bat Trang decided to save close to the family fortune. With an investment of up to 150 billion VND to build the work. It is called "the center of Vietnamese craft village quintessence. To honor the homeland and preserve the cultural quintessence of the pottery village.
Then, where is the Bat Trang Ceramic Museum? It is in Bat Trang commune, Gia Lam district, Hanoi city. Only a few meters from Bat Trang pottery village and about 20km from the center of the capital. As we know the architecture has 1-0-2 of Bat Trang ceramic museum. The first impression that Bat Trang ceramic museum gives visitors is 7 giant spirals. Inspired by ceramic claw turntables, with soft, free curving polyhedral surfaces. And intertwined with each other, forming a unique "masterpiece".
From another perspective, it is like the image of a giant ancient pottery kiln of the ancient Bat Trang people. The museum has three exhibition floors. The first floor is a "Ceramic square"; a place dedicated to artists to display their "precious children". Thereby connecting visitors with artists. Besides, because the open space here is very large; so it is very suitable for programs, big events or traditional cultural festivals... The 2nd and 3rd floors - the central area of Bat Trang ceramic museum are specialized for displaying artistic ceramic products; throughout the process of forming and developing Bat Trang pottery village.
Includes enamel lines from ancient to modern, with color variations. The shape and decorative motifs on the ceramic… help visitors have an overview of the history of the craft village. The top floor – the rooftop is considered the most special area at the Bat Trang ceramics museum. Because it is like an outdoor cafe with a large scale. Every place is placed green pots according to each season;
allowing visitors to comfortably relax under the clouds. Zooming in on the peaceful Bac Hung Hai river ahead. Just pick up the phone and you'll have beautiful pictures right away. After the museum tour, we will have a few hours to rest to prepare dinner and chill with the night view here after the meal. In the evening, visitors will have a rest at the homestay Bat Trang Legend Gia Lam, with the rooms have stylish interiors. Classic still has luxury features, blankets, 3.5-star standard wardrobe with 4 floors as we just mentioned above. Especially on the 4th floor: is an outdoor restaurant and cafe check-in area, this is also the most suitable place in the evening for visitors to freely immerse themselves in the scenery here, sip a cup of hot coffee and relax. Enjoy the quiet, peaceful, ancient space with a bit of nostalgia,
but the shop gives you a feeling of lightness and relaxation, far from the noise, bustle and dust of the city. At the same time, you can't miss the extremely chill virtual living corners in the high floor view in front of the Hong River and the scene of Hanoi at night. The first day tour here comes to an end.
So on the second day, where do we go and what do we do will be presented by Khanh Ly and Ngoc Anh. On the second day, customers start to go to Van Phuc Village. During the way to Van Phuc Silk Village, you stop for breakfast at Banh Cuon Ba Hoanh in Mo Lao Ward, Ha Dong District.
This is one of the famous banh cuon brands in Hanoi that tourists should visit. The price of banh cuon here is quite affordable, only ranging from: 20,000 - 30,000 VND per meal. After having breakfast, tourists continue to travel to Van Phuc village. Sitting on the bank of Nhue River, about 10km southwest of Hanoi Old Quarter. Van Phuc silk village has reputation with silk weaving tradition.
Ha Dong silk as well as traditional crafts of the trade villages in Hanoi, often referred to in ancient poetry. According to legend, about 1.200 years ago, Ms. A La Thi Nuong living in Cao Bang is a famous person with skillful weaving of Van Phuc village.
She brought the secrets of Chinese weaving silk to teach people who live in the village. Van Phuc silk village became famous from the reign of Ly Dynasty. Van Phuc silk was the first introduced at the Marseille International Fair (was organized in 1931) and Paris (in 1938), it was evaluated as the sophisticated products of Indochina. Van Phuc silk is very popular in France, Thailand, and Indonesia… From 1958 to 1988, Van Phuc silk was exported to Eastern Europe countries, from 1990, it was exported to many countries in the world. Visiting the Silk Village, you can experience the silk weaving process: from where to get the silk, followed by the stages of getting, selecting, sizing, then weaving silk.
Such a complex process requires the weaver to be meticulous and ingenious. However, to create a unique product, it also demands a creative way of embroidery. Antique weaving workshops are available for visitors to witness ancient techniques still preserved in the present time.
This offers a rare occasion to learn about the labor-intensive traditional method of making silk, as well as the rich history and the resilience of Vietnamese people. The products of Van Phuc Silk Village are very diverse of colors, rich of styles, strong and beautiful. They give soft, light sensation warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Poet Nguyen Sa wrote: I'm going in SaiGon's sunshine but feel cold Because you're in dress of Ha Dong's silk" In the traditional silk of the village, the most famous is Van silk that seems to have been lost without the recovery of the master craftsman. This is a special kind of silk, with smooth flowers on the silk surface, and sunken flowers that are only visible when exposed to light.. After experiencing the process of making silk Then, you can buy a wide range of souvenirs from gift-shops in the village's center or silk’s market.
You and the whole group alsos take pictures in the village of Van Phuc to make memories too. Van Phuc Village holds an annual festival from November 8th to November 17th when the village is adorned in vibrant colors and celebrating exciting activities. It's make quite a Facebook post! After visiting and shopping at the Hanoi Van Phuc silk village, a group tour goes to the Ga Ngon restaurant for lunch and dinner near there. In the year 2016, Ga Ngon Restaurant was recognized as a gastronomy destination by the travel magazines Triprow. After eating, tourists take a rest about 15 minutes, then get on the car continue to visit Chuong Hat village in the afternoon. Vietnamese conical hat or better known as Non la has come into casual life not just a part of Vietnam national custom but a cultural trait.
For centuries, conical hats or Non la have symbolized Vietnamese women and the Vietnamese countryside, expressing the simple beauty of the country’s femininity and their hard work and love for their family. The hats were worn by women everywhere, not only to protect them from the sun and rain but also to enhance their beauty. The most famous place for conical hat making in northern Vietnam is Chuong Village. The craft of making the Vietnamese traditional hat dates back three centuries in the village.
Nowadays, Chuong Village, where is over 30 kilometers away from Hanoi’s center is frequently visited by local and international tourists not only to buy hats but also to see how the hats are made. Located in Phuong Trung commune, Thanh Oai District. Chuong village is well-known for its iconic product “non”, which was recognised long ago in a saying: “Whoever wants a beautiful conical hat can come to Chuong village”. For centuries, the village has been well-known for its traditional craft – hat-making.
The village has maintained the quality and original characteristics of the headwear. Then, I will introduce the process to make Conical Hats in Chuong Village. First of all, bamboo which was bought from Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa province was split into long and skinny parts.
After soaking in water to defend the breaking of the hat, bamboo splits were dried in the sun. There are 15 rounds of weaving must be shiny to shape the hat. The main material of making conical hats is green palm and they were taken from central provinces such as Quang Binh province. The leaves need to be processed and then dried throughout the dry season. Finally, to complete a nice hat, the handicraft men added red or pink silks into the hat and sometimes, they decorate them by embroidering flowers, birds or others.
The elders need a day to sew a hat, while the younger ones just take 3 hours. Nowadays, people go to Chuong village to not only buy the signature conical hats but also discover how the hats are made. Whether it’s half a day or a day, once you’ve arrived at Chuong Village, don’t forget to visit around the village! Everywhere is beautiful and easy for you to take photos or delight in updating according to your excursions schedule. When you first arrived at the Chuong Village, there were many people lined up on the street with fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and spices.
You were overwhelmed by how much food was there. Motorbikes kept whizzing in and out of the street through the market and kids were running all over the place. Then, strolling around the Chuong village, all the family is doing the traditional conical hat from one generation to the next. Alleys in an afternoon… Old houses built in the early years of the previous century… The walls of the house have fallen over time or rows of confetti have added to the simple beauty. You can try to make conical hats in the village.
You will be taught by craft village artists. After the palm leaves were left outside to dry they then got mixed with sand to get their brown color. This will be an amazing learning experience and make you more aware of all the hard work it takes to construct these hats. The conical hats are a symbol of Vietnamese culture and it was to learn more about the culture here. Thank you! Now i talk about the reasons why we choose the idea of a craft village tourism The beauty of Vietnam's traditional craft villages First, developing craft village tourism is a creative way to enhance not only the image of Vietnam but also its land and people to the world. The image of a peaceful country, imbued with national identity and hospitable people will inculcate in the foreign mind.
Secondly, Vietnam, especially Hanoi, has much potential to develop this idea. Vietnam is one of the most popular and favorite destinations in South East Asia. It is not only because of the beautiful landscape but also the long standing traditional craft villages.
These villages have been well preserved from generations to generations and existed for centuries. Ha Noi with more than 1,300 craft villages is a great resource for tourism development. The municipal Department of Tourism is recommending these villages focus on attracting both foreign and domestic visitors. Besides, foreign tourists are very interested in historical and cultural tours because of the affordable price as well as the interaction with local people and interesting experience throughout the activities. Third, craft village tourism brings a significant number of benefits.
The benefit is that craft village tourism development contributes to introducing craft village trademarks and products to the world. Second, craft village tourism will create a motive force to foster social and economic development of rural areas and the third is to generate social and economic benefits to individuals and organizations in villages. Our group is aware of the disappearances of traditional craft villages as well as the traditional cultural identity of our ancestors. Apparently, the development of this idea will help to protect those traditional values. Finally, it is necessary to build a tour to welcome tourists back after a period of lockdown, to develop the economy after the covid pandemic.
Those are the 4 main reasons why our group chose to exploit the potential of craft village tourism. Orientations for promoting tourism villages is what branch and local managers, particularly the Vietnam’s Craft Village Association has been working on and looking for years. According to Prof. Phan Hong Ly, Director of the Institute of Cultural Studies, an important factor to attract tourists to the village is environmental issue.
Planning should make clear the responsibility of the authorities, especially of the central level, for creating and maintaining a social and natural environment which is suitable to attract tourists. Craft villages are asked to protect, restore, and embellish cultural and historical relics as well as revive and develop folklore. In addition, it’s necessary to diversify products in patterns, designs, and quality and create signature items.
Nowadays, young generation plays an important role in the survival of traditional craft villages. They are the young workers who follow the previous generation and also promote the image of these villages. Therefore, our team wishes that, after learning about traditional craft villages, you will have more love and responsibility to jointly preserve and develop them. So, if you have a chance to visit Vietnam, don’t forget to add one of the traditional craft villages in Vietnam to your list. That brings us to the end of my presentation.
Thank you for listening!
2022-04-04 10:30
