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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.
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