Handicrafts of Hue

Handicrafts of Hue

To discover the crafts and professions of Hue is to enter a universe where each gesture tells a story, where materials come to life in the hands of passionate artisans, and where traditions are perpetuated with authentic elegance. Just a few steps from the historic center, artisanal villages reveal an intimate atmosphere, warm, steeped in a living heritage that crosses centuries.

As soon as you enter a workshop, your senses awaken: the woody scent of freshly cut bamboo, the sweet smoke of colorful incense sticks, the steady sound of the tools that shape the material, the bright pigments of prints drying in the sun... Here, time seems to slow down to make way for patience, precision, and the beauty of manual work.

In these discreet villages nestled between hills, rivers and rice fields, each craft reveals a fabulous know-how: the conical hat light as a breath, fine ceramics with delicate patterns, bright embroideries, or the bamboo creations that testify to a humble but dazzling creativity. The artisans, smiling and generous, willingly share their techniques, their stories and the pride in preserving a precious heritage.

Exploring the crats of Hue is living a true encounter: an immersion in the daily lives of families who still shape the cultural identity of central Vietnam. It is leaving with much more than a memory - an emotion, a connection, a trace of an art transmitted with passion and respect.

Program of the visit ò the crafts and trades (1 day)

Our English-speaking tour guide meets you at your hotel in the city center around 8 a.m. and you go to discover some handicrafts of Hue.

Start by discovering the homemade production of rice noodles typical of Hue that you can enjoy in the Bun Bo and other dishes of the region.

Continue your discovery with a bamboo workshop before admiring the work of weaving the reed to make the famous conical hat and bags.

Late morning discover a local pottery workshop and explore a timeless village with its traditional houses.

Finally enjoy a lunch on the seaside and relax on the beach before returning to Hue around 4.30 p.m.

Price 2025 - 2026:

2 pax: 2.100.000 VND / pax

3 pax: 1.850.000 VND / pax

4 pax: 1.600.000 VND / pax

History of the conical hat of Hue - Nón Là

Timeless symbol of Vietnam, the conical hat, or nón là, crosses centuries with a grace that seems to defy time. Much more than just an accessory, it is the reflection of an identity, a way of life and a know-how transmitted with passion throughout the country - and more particularly in the region of Hué, where some of the most beautiful ones are still made by hand.

The first traces of the conical hat date back more than 3,000 years, as evidenced by the engraved drawings on the bronze drums of the Dong Son civilization. We see silhouettes wearing these elegant hats, proof that this object was already part of the daily life of ancient populations, whether they were farmers, fishermen or travelers.

In the imperial era, under the dynasties that shaped the history of Hue, the nón là was a social marker. The forms, materials and ornaments indicated status: peasants wore simple palm-leaf nons, while women of the court used more refined versions, enhanced with silk or embroidery. It is also in Hué that the famous nón bài thơ, the hat-poem is born: by raising it to the light, verses, motifs of pagodas or silhouettes of lotuses delicately appear - a subtle, poetic art, unique in Vietnam.

Its conical shape meets a need as simple as great: to protect from the hot sun, tropical rain, wind, while being light, ventilated and comfortable to wear. Traditionally made from dried latanier or palm leaves and then polished, the hat requires considerable patience. Each piece requires hours of work: selection of leaves, shaping bamboo circles, meticulous sewing with nylon thread, final polishing... A precise, slow, meticulous process, passed on from generation to generation in the artisan villages.

Even today, in the heart of the villages of Hué, artisans perpetuate this extraordinary heritage. We often see them sitting in the shade of a porch, their hands dancing with dexterity between leaves, needles and bamboo, transforming simple materials into a dazzling object, universal symbol of softness and Vietnamese elegance.

The nón là is therefore not just a hat: it is a fragment of history that one wears on their head, a gesture of love for tradition, a silent poetry that connects yesterday’s Vietnam to today’s.