Imperial Craft Bia Brewpub

My first stop was at the Imperial Craft Bia Brewpub. They have been serving craft beer on tap since 2019 and expanded to have their own brewery in 2021. So I could already have visited during my week in Hue in 2022. Alas, back then I didn’t know they existed.

I arrived there during a tropical downpour and was the only guest in the pub for a while. Which lead to interesting conversations with the employees and a mini tour of the brewery room you can look into from the main pub room. We talked about beer (since I am from Germany it is kinda expected I know stuff about it) and their current flavours.

Vietnamese Craft Beer tasting flight

Some back and forth between the bartender and me later I ended up ordering their “Beer Flight” and got these four of their craft beers:

1. Strawberry Fields Hard Soda – 5%
2. Pink Clouds Hibiscus Wheat – 4.3%
3. Đi Lính Rice Lager – 4.5%
4. Dragon Baby Micro Hazy – 3.2%

Strawberry Soda was very sweet, to the point where you almost couldn’t taste the beer. (Not the worst, especially if you are not a beer fan, although then what are you doing here?). It was the strongest of the beers I tried that evening!

Pink Clouds was tart and heavily hibiscus leaning. But not like hibiscus sweet tea, but hibiscus flower. The most flowery beer I’ve ever had. I was quite impressed that the flowery taste was able to overwrite the mash taste.

Đi Lính Rice Lager evoked a strong reminiscence of rice wine. As if I was drinking a beer flavoured rice wine and not a rice wine flavoured beer.

The Dragon craft beer is described on the menu as having “notes of citrus”, but honestly it’s more like a lemon peel punch in the face. With beer. Delicious! It also had the most foam out of the four beers I tried, although I am not sure if that is due to composition or pouring.

All in all it felt like those four were amazing choices in a Vietnamese craft beer flight, all distinctly different from one another and all a new take on a classic “beer” flavour.

Together with the beers I had one of their pizzas, the “Bánh Mì”. I was curious how they made a banh mi into a pizza. The pizza dough was topped with pulled pork, red onion, fresh cilantro, pickled shredded carrot (lots of it), mozzarella and honey ginger banh mi sauce. It had an interesting taste. To me it ended up neither a pizza nor a banh mi, but somewhere in the realm between both of them.

The Chàm Craft Beer and Whisky

At The Chàm Craft Beer and Whisky they also have local beers on tap (7Bridges, Xứ Huế, Heart of Darkness), as well as an extensive menu of local, international and craft beers.

I wasn’t in the mood for second flight of beers in as many days. After perusing the menu for a while I settled on an East West Rosé – 4,2%: a wheat ale with the flavours of raspberry, mulberry, and strawberry.

Although it has Rosé in the name I would compare the taste less to a Rosé wine and more to a berry liqueur or berry cordial. German beer purists would cry if they drank it, but I thought it was delightful.

Huế = party city?

There is a lot more nightlife in Huế than I though, even back in 2022 – right after Covid. Hue Walking Street and the surrounding area turn into a hotspot for all different kinds of nightlife. Though both the density and the amount of cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs and streetvendors has more than doubled since then. It’s not for everyone and certainly not for me, but walking past or through this area was still a lot more tolerable than the beer street/s in Hanoi.

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Location of the paper Lotus Flower Workshop

At the Hue Traditional Craft Space you can make a conical hat, paint a conical hat, make a kite or craft a paper lotus flower. Since I had already made a conical hat keychain in Ho Chi Minh City and worried the kite would not make it home in one piece I went for the paper flower.

Next to the workshops the space also has a sales floor where you can buy handcrafted items from the Hue province, mass produced items from Vietnam, as well as teas, soaps, incense and essential oils. Right next to the door they also display a collection of the traditional Vietnamese Áo dài with many beautiful designs.

Crafting Paper Lotus Flowers

The lotus symbolizes purity. It emerges from muddy waters as a pure and delicate flower that emits a sweet floral smell and tastes sweet. The philosophy behind the lotus resonates strongly with both Buddhism and Vietnamese traditions.

Thanh Tien crafting village, located on the perfume river, is well known for its paper flowers. Paper Lotus Flowers are often used for decoration during Tet (Vietnamese New Year) and other festivals. The paper lotus flower is among the most expensive paper flower produced in the village. At the workshop you learn how to make these flowers the Thanh Tien way.

First the paper is dyed. Then you create the length-wise folds by wrapping the sheet of paper around a wooden rod, wrapping twine around it and hammering it into a tube! Afterwards you fix the ends together to shape them into petals. Once the glue is dried you assemble the flower bud with a hot glue gun. To make transportation easier the stem of the flower can remain separate. I took the flower and stem home and connected them there with super glue and a bit of green tape.

Since I was by myself and nobody else had signed up for the workshop I was told that I had to book and pay for two people. Which I did, but only since I could also make two flowers.

The Lotus flower carries much more significance than just being used in decoration. Hue is also well known for Lotus Flower tea. Vietnamese tea is stuffed into a fresh white lotus and left to ferment inside the flower. There are several ways to drink Lotus Tea. During the Nguyen Dynasty, lotus flowers from Tinh Tam Lake (located in a historic royal garden in Hue) were selected for royal ceremonies. At the Imperial Court lotus tea became a refined drink to enjoy.

Today you don’t need to be an emperor or part of the court to enjoy Lotus Tea!

Der Beitrag Crafting Paper Lotus Flowers in Hue erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

In each of these you are directly involved and go home with either a full stomach or a unique and self-made souvenir. If you are looking for tours instead, read this article: 10 tours in and from Hoi An for your bucket list

This post contains affiliate links to things like tours and hotels. These help me earn a small commission at no additional charge to you. Every affiliate link is marked with a *.

10 must try Workshops in Hoi An Overview

• Lantern Making Class
• Woodcarving Workshop
• Calligraphy Class
• Jewellery Workshop
• Leather Workshop
• Embroidery Workshop
• Bamboo Workshop
• Coffee Making Workshop
• Cooking Class
• Pottery Workshop

I put the prices in the same currency I was quoted. Most days it will change slightly based on the current exchange rate. Take the price as a guide rather than a fact. That said: All of these “10 must try workshops in Hoi An” are worth their money, even if the price increased somewhat.

Lantern Making Class

Internationally Hoi An is probably best known for three things: The yellow buildings of the old town, its tailors and the hundreds if not thousands of colourful lanterns all over the city. You can’t walk down even one street without seeing several of them. Buying one as a souvenir is the first thing that will come to your mind, but why not make your own in a Hoi An Lantern Workshop?

Making the lantern is a great experience and you leave with a unique souvenir (because you made it!) and with a new appreciation for all the colourful lanterns all over the city and the people who make them. If you are worried about how to fit a lantern into your luggage: IT FOLDS!

Where: The Lantern Lady
Cẩm Châu, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan: around 8€ p.P. depending on the size of the lantern

More details on the lantern making class here: Hoi An Lantern Workshop

Woodcarving Workshop

If you are interested in handicrafts, as well as experiencing the culture of a country through their art and artforms a woodcarving workshop is something you should consider doing while you’re in Hoi An. You don’t only get to see stunning traditional and modern works of art (Hulk vs. Wolverine) made by Woodcarving, you also get to make your very own piece.

Woodcarving is a centuries old craft, but has been adapted by the young generation to appeal to modern interests.

Where: Woodart Vietnam
Điện Phong, Điện Bàn, Quảng Nam 560000, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan: 550.000 VND p.P.

More details on the woodcarving workshop here: Woodcarving Workshop in Hoi An with Woodart Vietnam

Calligraphy Class

Nothing is as important for and as closely intertwined with culture as writing, since language is the primary tool for expression and writing is the lasting form of it. Writing and culture influence each other constantly and it is often the clearest record of every part of life over thousands of years. Writing connects us directly to the cultural heritage of a country and its people since speaking, writing and reading are integral to everyday life.

At the museum of Folk Culture in Hoi An you can take a Vietnamese Calligraphy Class.

After the class you get to take your attempts home and a small calligraphy art by the teacher as a gift as well.

Where: Museum of Folk Culture
33 Nguyễn Thái Học, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan: 500.000 VND p.P.

More details on the calligraphy class here: Vietnamese Calligraphy Class in Hoi An

Jewellery Workshop

While there are many jewellery shops in Hoi An it feels more special, to me, to be directly involved in the process of creating a unique piece of jewellery for yourself. At Lotus Leaf Fine Art & Jewellery you can take part in a jewellery workshop in Hoi An and learn from a master who has worked on this craft from a young age, with a focus on local materials, traditional methods and inclusion of people with disabilities.

They work mainly with silver and local gemstones and materials. I made a ring here.

Where: Lotus Leaf Fine Arts & Jewellery
395 Cửa Đại, Cẩm Châu, Hội An, Quảng Nam 51314, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan: starting from 1.000.000 VND p.P. depending on the size of the jewellery you’re making

More details on the jewellery workshop here: Jewellery Workshop in Hoi An

Leather Workshop

At Blue Lotus Leather you can get unique leather goods, from wallets over purses to travel bags and even guitar cases.

They also offer different types of workshops with different time frames, depending on what you want to make. I choose the “express” one, because I didn’t have time for a longer one. During my workshop (where I was all by myself!) I made a leather wallet for cards and paper money.

Where: Blue Lotus Leather
69/3 Đ. Phan Chu Trinh, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam 51300, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan: 26$ p.P. for the express class (2 hours)
The basic, intermediate and advanced workshops range from 45 – 196 $

More details on the leather workshop here: Leather Workshop in Hoi An

Embroidery Workshop

Handcraft in Vietnam is still a very popular branch of work and artisans spend years mastering their craft. While some stay close to traditional designs, others have modernised. Embroidery is still done the same way today as it was done hundreds of years ago: With a needle and a thread, stitching a design into a cloth that is held in hand or clamped into an embroidery hoop.

At Hop Handi you can take part in an embroidery workshop in Hoi An you can try your hand at this ancient craft, with a design of your choice. As modern or traditional as you want it to be.

Where: Hợp Handi
16 Trần Quý Cáp, Cẩm Châu, Hội An, Quảng Nam 51000, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan: 500.000 VND p.P.

More details on the embroidery workshop here: Embroidery Workshop in Hoi An

Bamboo Workshop

The Taboo Bamboo Studio is located in Cam Thanh village, roughly 6km from the Old Town of Hoi An. If you rent a scooter or a bicycle you’ll be there in no time, while travelling through the rice fields and less busy streets of Hoi An.

Tan and his family have been in the bamboo business for three generations. Tan, the current owner, made it his mission to maintain this traditional craft by combining modern design with new technologies and opening up the workshop for tourists and groups as well, teaching the next generation about these age-old techniques.

Where: Taboo Bamboo Workshop
Thanh Tam Dong – Cam Thanh – Hoi An, Trần Nhân Tông, Cẩm Thanh, Hội An, Quảng Nam 51000, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan: 33€ p.P.

More details on the bamboo workshop here: Bamboo Workshop in Hoi An – Crafting a bamboo lamp

Coffee Making Workshop

In Vietnam, one drink stands out above all others: Coffee. At this coffee workshop in Hoi An you learn more about the countries coffee growing industry, the coffee roasting process and how to make three of the most famous Vietnamese coffees:

1.  Phin Coffee
2. Egg Coffee
3. Coconut Coffee

Where: Coffee Making Class*
10C Bà Triệu, Phường Cẩm Phổ, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

Sữa Cafe
108 Ly Thuong Kiet, Son Phong, Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan:13,50 € p.P.

More details on the coffee workshop here: Coffee Workshop in Hoi An at the Sữa Cafe

Cooking Class

Cooking classes are a great way to connect with local culture and people and will be in my must try workshops anywhere . First we visited a local market, then made Central Vietnamese dishes such as Banh Xeo, fried spring rolls, fried chicken, omelette and fried morning glory. The food was delicious and it was a great way to meet like-minded people.

Where: Villa Hoa Vừng
Thôn Võng Nhị, Xã Cẩm Thanh, Hội An

How much Budget to plan: 19€ p.P.

I had booked this cooking class here here*.

More details on the cooking class here: Basketboat Tour and Cooking Class in Hoi An

Pottery Workshop

At the Thanh Ha Pottery Village the ancient craft of pottery is still practiced today as it was centuries ago: with terracotta clay taken from the nearby riverbeds and small kilns to bake the pottery in the backyards of small village houses.

You can take a boat from the Old Town to the pottery village, it takes about half an hour and costs about 150,000 VND for one person (depending on haggling skills more or less).

Where: Thanh Ha Pottery Village – V7GX+VM8, Phạm Phán, Thanh Hà, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam

How much Budget to plan: 70.000 VND admission fee p.P. + 50.000 VND to buy something from one of the craftsmen and women to do some pottery with them

Map of 10 must try Workshops in Hoi An

Tours in and from Hoi An for your bucket list

In each of these you are directly involved and go home with either a full stomach or a unique and self-made souvenir. If you are looking for tours instead, read this article: 10 tours in and from Hoi An for your bucket list

Der Beitrag 10 must try Workshops in Hoi An erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

When I booked my accommodation in Hoi An on AirBnB I was recommended things to do in the city. One of them was a bamboo workshop in Hoi An at a bamboo workshop. (You will read bamboo workshop a lot in this article, I apologise in advance.)

At first, I didn’t book it, mainly because I didn’t know how much time I would have in Hoi An, but also because I wasn’t sure how I would ever get anything home I made. It seems like that is a common problem because some people who completed the workshop left what they crafted. To be upfront: I did end up buying a big suitcase for the journey back home. Not only because of this workshop, but it did play a part in the decision.

I am really glad I decided to book the workshop though because it turned out to be a great experience.

The Taboo Bamboo Studio

The Taboo Bamboo Studio is located in Cam Thanh village, roughly 6km from the Old Town of Hoi An. If you rent a scooter or a bicycle (some places offer free bicycles) you’ll be there in no time, while travelling through the rice fields and less busy streets of Hoi An. I would advise against going there with a Grab Taxi, since it won’t be a problem to get there, but you will most likely not be able to get a Grab to take you back to the city.

When you step through the wooden… – excuse me, the bamboo archway of the taboo studio it feels like stepping into a different world, or a different time. While the streets around the workshop are full of concrete and stone the houses (made from bamboo) are surrounded by plants (mainly bamboo) and the main colours are green and brown instead of grey.

I was welcomed with an understanding smile and the reassurance that it wasn’t an issue that I was late. Then I was invited to visit their house(s) and see all kinds of furniture, decorations and a lot of different household facilities they have created out of bamboo: toys, boxes, chairs, tables and even a sink!

Oh and of course the house is built from bamboo as well. I felt like a kid in a toy shop!

When I asked if everyone else was already in the workshop area I was met with confusion. That’s when I found out I was the only tourist there. A recurring theme during this trip.

The workshop itself looks very basic and quite cluttered at first, but when you take a closer look you notice that everything has its place and that the tools they have are perfect for their purpose.

My teacher told me about Tan and his family, the founders of this workshop. They have been in the bamboo business for three generations. Tan, the current owner, made it his mission to maintain this traditional craft by combining modern design with new technologies and opening up the workshop for tourists and groups as well, teaching the next generation about these age-old techniques.

As for the tourist side of things: The bamboo workshop certainly is a unique thing to do. That doesn’t mean that the craft itself isn’t traditional.

Crafting a lamp in the bamboo workshop in Hoi An

You can see the crafting process from left to right in the gallery below.

Step 1: Choose a design.

Step 3: Drawing the design on the bamboo with a pencil.

Step 2: Cut a piece of bamboo off a long bamboo tube with a hand saw.

Step 4: Drill holes of different sizes into the bamboo using the industrial standing drill (bamboo doesn’t splinter as wood does, so the drilled holes are very clean)… I did accidentally break the thinnest drillbit… luckily that was just after Tan had arrived and they replaced it, reassuring me that they wear out over time.

Step 5: Use a jigsaw to cut out the lotus flower design. I needed a lot of help with the one because I just couldn’t hold the saw steady.

Step 6: Sand down the outer layer of the bamboo with a sanding machine. I did try but again needed help as I was barely able to hold the sanding machine while it was going.

Step 7: Flame the design. This is done to make the design stand out in colour.

Step 8: Sand down the bamboo by hand.

Step 9: Spray the bamboo with varnish.

Then you repeat the 8th and 9th steps.

Step 10: Insert a base with a lightbulb into the bamboo tube which turns it into a lamp.

Step 11: Use a soldering pin to burn your name / date / anything-you-want-to-write into the bamboo

While sanding down the bamboo my teacher and Tan sat down at the table with me. My teacher was working on a bamboo bird, telling me how the bamboo animals are his sons’ favourite toys. Tan was working on electric parts, setting up lightbulbs on bases and connecting said bases to wires.

Knowing all the steps, the drawing talent, the precision and the sheer strength that is needed to complete just one lamp makes me appreciate the work that goes into creating things from bamboo even more.

Knowing all the steps, the drawing talent, the precision and the sheer strength that is needed to complete just one lamp makes me appreciate the work that goes into creating things from bamboo even more.

My thoughts on the Bamboo Workshop:

If you want to learn more about a traditional handicraft of Central Vietnam, while also creating a truly unique souvenir, this is the thing to do. Sure, some people will prefer to sit at the beach and drink a mimosa, but you can do that anywhere. To connect to a place and its people you have to immerse yourself in the local culture. You don’t have to have any woodworking skills to take this workshop!

Bamboo Workshop in Hoi An – Booking Details

All materials and tools you need are included in the price of the workshop. People of all skill levels in handiwork are welcome and they help you finish a project of your choice.

Starting times: 9 AM and 2 PM, but they also offer varied times upon request.

Address: Thanh Tam Dong – Cam Thanh – Hoi An, Trần Nhân Tông, Cẩm Thanh, Hội An, Quảng Nam 51000, Vietnam

Booking: You can book here on TripAdvisor* or here on Viator*

Greet them from me if you do!

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Lotus Leaf Fine Art & Jewellery

This small jewellery store outside of the old town in Hoi An is run by Hoa Luu Van and his wife Trâm since 1998. They sell creations from different metals and include many different materials, ranging from gemstones over stones to seashells.

They focus not only on the local sourcing of their raw materials but also on the impact their business has on the lives of people. They teach and employ people with disabilities in order for them to live normal lives.

Handicrafts are uniquely qualified as an employment field for people with different disabilities, as it is a very hands on job. Hoa, who had Polio at a young age is a great example for this and a great role model for young people.

Even if you are not interested in a workshop (although then I am confused why you are reading this) you can find some great jewellery here.

Jewellery Workshop

I came to the Jewellery Workshop in Hoi An with a clear idea: To make a ring that matches with the necklace pendant I had made at the silver smith workshop in Hanoi two months prior.

Before deciding on a ring design I looked through the jewellery they had on display, then went through several of their rings with Trâm to choose the best width for my design choice. I airdropped her a picture of the geometric shape I wanted to do and she printed several of them in different sizes.

Then I went to work on a piece of silver with Hoa. First I torched it until it started glowing and we hammered it until it was straight. Then I used a small saw to cut out a strip of silver that would eventually turn into a ring. Hoa measured my ring finger and marked on the silver how long it would have to be to wrap around it. Afterwards the smaller strip of silver was pressed into a bed of tree resin to fixate it and I carved “Hoi An 2024” into it as an inscription.

Carving / hammering the sign into the silver was the most important, but also the most nerve wrecking step, as it is very specific, very small and I had also never done it before. I was very thankful for the help from Hoa, who is a master at his craft.

Once the carving was done we bent the ring into ring-shape and welded the ends together. Afterwards I filed the sides of the ring down with a metal file, then Hoa finished the sides with a small angle grinder. Once the sides were smooth the ring got a bath in a boiling chemical solution to get rid of the matting coat on the outside.

After the bath I used a glass file to make the outside of the ring even more shiny. As the last step the ring was thrown into a tumbling machine to turn every millimetre of it super shiny.

While the ring was tumbling I looked around the shop at the other jewellery and homeware they sell.

My thoughts on the jewellery workshop in Hoi An

While there are many jewellery shops in Hoi An it feels more special to be directly involved in the process of creating a unique piece of jewellery for yourself. It would also be a great couples or friends activity where you make something for each other.

Hoa and Trâm are lovely people and you feel well taken care of during the workshop. From giving you advice about how to realize your design on a piece of jewellery to setting up a fan and providing iced coffee or lemonade for hydration during the workshop.

The price depends on the piece of jewellery you want to create. To make my ring it cost me about 37€ which is a very good price considering you don’t only pay for the time of a master artisan, but also the material you are using, in this case real silver.

You can inquire about the workshop via phone number +84 905 484 068 (from a VN number or with an E-Sim for Vietnam*, this won’t cost you extra and it’s the most direct way) or via @lotus_leaf_jewelry_ on Instagram or @lotusleafgiftstore on Facebook, book with them, then pay cash the day of.

Der Beitrag Jewellery Workshop in Hoi An erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

Hoi An Hidden Gems for Early Risers

I was picked up at 4:30 AM and even though I had informed the family I was staying with about that the front door and front gate were both locked. Not wanting to wake up the families grandfather sleeping in the front room I had to find a way to sneak out of the house.

When my driver and I arrived at the meeting point we weren’t the last ones, as two other travellers had had to climb over the fence of their hostel to get out at this time in the morning. Once everyone was there Ha introduced himself as our guide for the morning. Then we went on our way through empty streets, each on the back of a motorbike.

Noodle Factory

The first stop on the tour, at about 4:45 AM, was a Cao Lầu noodle factory. Well “factory”…

This over 200 year old workshop and only a hand full other workshops make all the noodles for the famous and well loved dish of Hoi An. Everyone who has been to Hoi An knows Cao Lầu, but almost nobody knows how the noodles of this famous dish are made.

I have a video up on Instagram where you can see that every step is done by hand and only small batches of noodles get steamed at a time, despite these few places supplying the noodles for the entire city every day!

This is a part of Hoi A most people don’t get to see (around the time we visited they were half way done already), but I’m grateful I did. So much hard work and dedication goes into keeping the spirit of Hoi An alive.

Hopefully they can either find a successor or these families manage to industrialize the process, as the younger generations don’t show much interest in the craft at the moment. Which is understandable, since it’s hard work and earns barely enough to live off. But without these workshops and the knowledge passed on through generations a part of Hoi Ans identity will be lost forever.

Fish Market

As the sun began to rise we drove a ways out of the main city of Hoi An, towards Duy Hải. Since the journey took about 25 minutes the main run of the fish market was already over, but some fishers were still coming in with their catch. All around the market the fresh fish and seafood is sold right off the boats.

Before we went to the next stop we stopped for a Banh Mi on the side of the road.

Fish Sauce Factory – Hidden Hoi An

Not far from the fish market we visited a fish sauce factory. Fish sauce or “Nước mắm” is very popular in Vietnamese cuisine. During the production the fish is first left to ferment with lots of salt (roughly a 1:3 ratio) in concrete tubs, covered with roof tiles. These tubs cover the entire front yard. Once the fish is fermented (between 4 and 6 months) it’s transferred into large wooden barrels in their warehouses. The weight of the fish presses down and the fish sauce is naturally extracted over months by a small hollow stick at the bottom of the barrel.

After the extraction is completed the sauce is boiled and filtered, before it gets filled into different sized bottles. This entire process, from fish to fish sauce, can take up to 12 months.

Coffee Roastery and Repair

At around 7 am we arrived at Cavalry Coffee. Now, Cavalry Coffee isn’t the only coffee roastery in Quang Nam, by far, but they are the ones everyone calls when they need repairs done on their roasting machines. The owner and founder Lê Văn Lương (in the picture on the bottom left) build his coffee roasting machines by himself (because ordering them from abroad is incredibly expensive).

After learning about the roasting process we got an explanation about the favorite Vietnamese coffee “Cà phê phin”, tried it by itself, then got to choose what kind of speciality coffee we would like to drink. I went for salt coffee.

Our group caused amusement, because one of the Australians was so tall that he could load the roasting machine without any aids.

Fish farms

As a more sustainable option compared to excessive fishing some people have started fish farms. They focus mainly on the most popular fishes people like to eat in Hoi An and around to supply them to bigger hotels, restaurants and resorts. The families owning these fish farms live on the river, right next to their farm (picture bottom left).

Straw Mat Weaving

After the coffee our guide took us to the house of two sisters who do traditional straw mat weaving. These two sisters work and live together, weaving mats from coloured straw. They will be the last generation in their family doing so since only one sister has had a child and they moved to the city.

Straw mats take a long time to weave and don’t sell for much, especially since most people have turned towards modern mattresses to sleep on instead.

Straw mats were often used by people in flooding areas since they dry and can be replaced relatively easily compared to a thick, stuffed mattress. As these two women live close to the river their house floods regularly, up to the height of the tiles.

Rice Wine Distillery

The last stop on the tour was a local rice wine distillery. This family operates a small workshop style distillery where they produce rice wine. The owner also has an extensive collection of rare rice wine, which he offered us to try after explaining the process of rice wine making.

First the rice is cooked and mixed with yeast powder, then heated in an industrial oven. Afterwards it gets stored in buckets to let it ferment for a few months. Once fermented the now alcoholic rice water mixture is distilled in a pot-still-like contraption, then filled into jars with various additions to give it flavour.

Some of the additions (like seahorse, scorpion and cobra) are also believed to have medicinal properties: Usually connected with strength, fertility and stamina. We got to try shots of over 15! different rice wine varieties. My favourites were honey, Vietnamese ginseng and coconut.

Of course when you drink with locals you inevitably learn their version of “Cheers!”, which is “Một, Hai, Ba, Dzô!” in Vietnam (literally: “one, two three, drink”).

After about five hours exploring the hidden Hoi An that most people don’t get to see, we were dropped off at our hotel or homestay again. Ha makes sure to support local crafts people and artisans with his tours and shows his passion for his country and its culture. This tour really gave a unique insight into the rural life in Hoi An, the people behind the city, so to speak.

Hidden Hoi An – Tour Details

You can book the experience on AirBnB and see all available dates: Hoi An Hidden Gems for Early Risers (no *, because it’s not an affiliate link).

Or, if you don’t want to give AirBnB the 30% commission, you can book directly with Ha Nguyen on WhatsApp under +84 707 886335. Greet him from me if you do!

Der Beitrag The hidden Hoi An most people don’t get to see erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

I honestly didn’t even know that you can get (custom) leather goods in Hoi An. In my head it was all tailors. Even once I got there, I didn’t really realize it until the bag I brought from Germany literally fell apart while I was using it and I had to get a new one.

Equipped with my new bag I looked up leather artisans in Hoi An and found the Blue Lotus Leather Workshop, who offer workshops for different skill levels and time scopes.

Making a leather wallet

After the stitching is done the ends of the waxed thread are melted to stop the thread from unravelling. Then glue gets applied to the sides to seal the edges of the leather. Finally you add a button to it, I went for a press stud / push button.

After the workshop we spend some more time talking and I got to try her favorite snack: Young Mango with chili salt, while finishing my tea. My teacher told me that recently she had had an accident, had to go to the hospital and now can’t do most of the crafting anymore. Thats why she teaches now. Which brought us to the subject of “you make plans for your life – but then life happens”. But that’s a topic for another day.

Details of the Leather Workshop in Hoi An

All materials and tools you need are included in the price of the workshop. People of all skill levels in handiwork are welcome and they help you finish a project of your choice.

There are different types of workshops with different time frames, depending on what you want to make. I choose the two hour one, because I didn’t have time for a longer one. During my workshop (where I was all by myself!) I made a leather wallet for cards and paper money.

Starting times: Depend on your choice of Workshop. The two hour one is flexible!

Address: 69/3 Phan Chu Trinh, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam 51300, Vietnam

Booking: You can book the two houe one here on Viator*. You can also follow @bluelotusleather.workshop on Instagram to see more of their work!

Der Beitrag Leather Workshop in Hoi An erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

La.kao Teahouse

From an inner courtyard at the end of an alley you enter La.kao teahouse through grand wooden doors with many windows. The ground floor offers a few seats and a bar area (as well as the establishments toilets) where the tea tasting takes place and the very occasional tour stops by. On the second floor is a seating area with several armchairs and place mats around low lying tables (see the post picture). It opens up onto a balcony overlooking the courtyard and invites to linger.

I spend a long time here (more than once), reading and drinking tea (specifically Aged Oolong from the southern Lam Dong Province) by the pot, while snacking on mung bean cubes.

Vietnams identitiy as a “tea country” is often news to foreigners, being known best for it’s coffee, food or recent history in Europe and Northern America. When you mention tea most people in the Western countries will think of China and Japan, not knowing that the tea culture in Vietnam has ancient tradition.

It started with ethnic (now) minority tribes taking care of more or less wild tea trees and had to overcome many challenges. The decades long French colonialisation, the following revolution and communist-socialist republic, as well as the US-Vietnam war have left their mark on the country and it’s tea.

Tea tasting in Hoi An

I was recommended the the tea tasting at La.kao teahouse by a fellow female solo traveller from Europe whom I met on the train from Sapa to Hanoi. Since La.kao had opened it’s door right after I had left Hoi An in 2023 it became a new stop on my list.

On my first evening back in Hoi An I stopped by the tea house around 5:30 pm, with the plan of asking about the tea tasting, at which times and on which days I could take part, if there was a sign-up sheet, etc. As it turned out (as is so often the case) I could do the tea tasting right then and there!

It started by making a choice if I wanted to try three or five trees. Since I was by myself and had no idea how much tea I would get I picked three. Then I got to look through a small booklet with all the different teas they had on offer. I picked two and got recommended a third one by Mr. An Dang, owner and tea master at La.kao. All three teas were grown in provinces of north-western Vietnam.

The tea brewing and pouring is done by an expert so you can focus on the flavour and experience. Several pours are done for each tea to fully appreciate the development and changes in flavour and appearance.

First came the Green Snail Spring tea. It’s a green tea where only the bud and the first leaf that grow from the branch are used. It’s grown in the Ha Giang Province at the Chinese border and harvested from tea trees that are up to 600 old or even more ancient. It’s harvested in spring and the taste is reminiscent of that.

The first pour was almost translucent in colour, sweet in flavour and reminds of the first flowers of spring. The second brought out the teas bright green colour and even more of it’s aroma.

Second was the Dragon Tail white tea. The taste was slightly similar to the previous green tea, but also decidedly different, with more herbal notes – and while still sweet it was a different kind of sweet (I know, super descriptive, great adjectives).

The Dragon Tail tea is also grown and harvested in Ha Giang, only from trees growing wild in the mountains, at an altitude between 2.500 m and 2.800 m. The prevalent climate conditions (cold, windy) at these heights are the reason the tree leaves look more like scales than traditional leaves. The buds are harvested before they unfurl, then spread out to dry in the sun and finally dried in a kiln, before being packaged for tea. You can see the care that is taken with this special tea in the shape of the dried material that is used for brewing.

Third and last tea was a black tea: Putaleng Red Snow Shan. This tea from the Lai Chau Province (PuTaLeng is the name of the third highest mountain in Vietnam where the Shan Trees grow). The tea leaves are rolled into thin, pointed needles and keep this shape during the drying and roasting process. Once brewed the leaves unfurl back into their original form. The tea has a rich, reddish-brown colour and an intense smell and aroma. I would say it tastes fruity-bitter and like wood in the way a whiskey does.

In between the teas I got water to cleanse the palette and a sweet (but not too sweet) snack in the form of mung bean cubes. They taste similar to Halva (a sesame based oriental sweet treat), but are less chewy and melt on your tongue.

My thoughts on the tea tasting in Hoi An

I like tea. A lot. So of course a tea tasting was right up my alley. Being able to choose which teas you want to try – and getting great recommendations when needed, I can only recommend this tea tasting in Hoi An to anyone visiting the city. It doesn’t matter if you are a tea expert yourself, or have no clue and want to broaden your horizon, you’ll find something here.

You not only get to try the teas, several times each, because each brew changes the taste, but also get to know the origins of the tea and stories connected to it, which are deeply ingrained in culture, tradition or personal experiences. I hope I remembered everything correctly ^^

Hoi An has many cafes where you can indulge in Vietnamese Coffee, but only three tea houses and both have a very different focus. At La.kao it’s all about the tea. During a tasting or with a whole pot on the second floor, you can explore or take your time with the tea.

Things to know about the tea tasting at La.kao

Der Beitrag Tea tasting in Hoi An – La.kao Teahouse erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

These tours explore towns and the countryside, you will see many things and meet some awesome people. If you are looking for workshops to be directly involved in, read this article: 10 must try Workshops in Hoi An

This post contains affiliate links to things like tours and hotels. These help me earn a small commission at no additional charge to you. Every affiliate link is marked with a *.

Tours in and from Hoi An Overview

• Hidden Hoi An
• Tam Thanh Mural Village
• My Son Sanctuary
• Hoi An Memories
• Cham Islands
• Hai Van Pass
• Visit Huế
• Ho Chi Minh Trail
• Visit Đà Nẵng
• Ba Na Hills

I put the prices in the same currency I was quoted. Most days it will change slightly based on the current exchange rate. Take the price as a guide rather than a fact.

Hidden Hoi An Tour

To see what people usually don’t see you have to get up at a time most people aren’t awake yet. To learn about the hidden Hoi An, about the people who keep the city running and the places tourists, travellers and even most locals don’t ever get see you have to find a local who knows these places and people and is passionate to share the “behind the scenes” of his culture and community with you.

Visit a noodle factory, a fish market, a fish sauce factory, have breakfast on the way, visit two sisters who are weaving straw mats, a local coffee roastery and a rice wine distillery.

Where: You will be picked up from your accommodation

How long is the tour: 5 hours

How much Budget to plan: 48€ p.P.

More details on the Hidden Hoi An Tour here: The hidden Hoi An most people don’t get to see

Tam Thanh Mural Village Tour

Tam Thanh is a fishing village close to Tam Kỳ, the capital of the province Quang Nam. Hoi An is also in this province and it is the main focus of most tourists and travellers.

The Vietnamese People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province and the Korean Community Art Exchange created the mural village to entice people to visit other parts of the province as well.

The village is 11km away from Tam Ky and 45km from Hoi An, so if you are staying in either city you can rent a scooter or motorbike and drive to Tam Thanh yourself. I don’t recommend taking a grab, or if you want to, hire a driver instead of booking a one way trip, since you’ll most likely be unable to find a ride back.

How long is the tour: You need about 4 hours minimum

More details on the Tam Thanh Tour here: Tam Thanh Mural Village – The first of its kind in Vietnam

My Son Sanctuary Tour

Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary is a former temple city of the Cham people. These ancient ruins are UNESCO World Heritage Site, located about 40km from Hoi An in the province Quang Nam. Both Indian and Hindu aspects are found in their architecture, religious statues and frescoes. Visiting this site is a popular half-day tour to take from Hoi An.

You can DIY the tour, or book it as a complete experience.

My recommendation to visit My Son Sanctuary is taking a tour, preferably at sunrise or in the early morning like this one*. Around sunset the area is packed and mid day is almost unbearable in the sun, but at sunrise you get the most beautiful view almost to yourself.

Where: You will be picked up from your accommodation

How long is the tour: 5,5 hours

How much Budget to plan: 25€ p.P.

More details on the My Son Sanctuary Tour here: My Son Sunrise Tour from Hoi An

Hoi An Memories Show

The Hoi An Memories Show is probably the most advertised experience in Hoi An. This stage play covers the history of the town and its people over the centuries, with over 500 actors and dancers bringing centuries of Hoianese history to life.

With the entire venue built for this specific show, I promise you you have never seen anything like it before.

Where: You can walk from the old town or take a Grab taxi to the theme park

How long is the tour: The show itself is hour long, for the mini shows and the theme-park you need 2 to 3,5 hours

How much Budget to plan: 650.000 VND p.P. for an ECO seat

More details on the Hoi An Memories Show here: Hoi An Memories Show

Cham Islands Tour

Taking a Cham Islands Snorkeling Tour from Hoi An is one of the more popular day tours in the city.

The Cham Islands are a group of 8 islands about 20 kilometres off the coast of Hoi An. They are part of the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, which was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2009. Roughly 3000 people are estimated to live on the islands, with most of them living on the main island Hòn Lao (Pearl Island).

They are very popular for snorkeling, diving and “sea walks”.

Where: You will be picked up from your accommodation

How long is the tour: 6,5 hours

How much Budget to plan: 31 € p.P.

More details on the Cham Islands Tour here: Cham Islands Snorkeling Tour from Hoi An

Hai Van Pass Tour

When you reach the Hai Van Pass from Hoi An it doesn’t look like much at first, until you turn a corner and get a breathtaking view of Da Nang Bay. The bay is beautiful, nearly untouched, with only a handful of fishing boats on it.

Further up the serpentine road, the world becomes foggy. The Hải Vân Pass is called the “ocean cloud pass” for a reason. You can see the clouds floating over the street and down the mountain towards the ocean in the picture.

On a clear day, the views are spectacular!

Where: You will be picked up from your accommodation

How long is the tour: 6 hours

How much Budget to plan: 57€ p.P.

More details on the Hai Van Pass Tour here: Da Nang to Hue via Hai Van Pass

Visit Huế

If you don’t want to miss out on seeing one of Vietnams former capitals, but don’t have time to include a longer stay in your itinerary you can take a day tour from Hoi An to Hue.

Two of the sights you have to include on your itinerary here are the Imperial City (main gate pictured) and one of the Emperors of the Nguyen Dynasties Mausoleums. Good examples are the Tomb of Gia Long (the first emperor), the Tomb of Tu Duc (the fourth) and the Tomb of Khai Dinh (the last).

While in Hue make sure to try Salt Coffee!

Where: You will be picked up from your accommodation

How long is the tour: 10 hours

How much Budget to plan: 44€ p.P.

The linked blogpost below is a general travel itinerary for Hue. If you want an example for a day tour from Hoi An you can look here*.

More details on Huế here: Hue – City of emperors. Food capital of Vietnam?

Ho Chi Minh Trail Tour

For the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Central Vietnam you should plan at least 2 days and 1 night.

From Hoi An to Hue the motorbike tour will take you past My Son Sanctuary, to mountain village Prao (where you will spend a night), through Sao La Nature Reserve, to several minority villages and runs along the Laotian border. Near Hue you will stop at one of the many mountain springs and near Lap An Lagoon.

Make sure to pick a reliable driver you feel comfortable being alone with. During our drive through this area (apart from the mountain villages and mountain spring) we saw 10 people. For the entire drive.

Where: You will be picked up from your accommodation

How long is the tour: 2D / 1N

How much Budget to plan: 290$ p.P.

More details on the Ho Chi Minh Trail Tour here: Ho Chi Minh Trail – Motorbike Tour along the Laotian border

Visit Đà Nẵng

Da Nang is the biggest city in Central Vietnam and one of the most modern cities in the country, with a high human development index and has been voted Vietnams most livable city. Since it mixes traditional food and architecture with modern technology and education I was excited to visit.

Da Nang has the Marble Mountains and museums for culture lovers and sprawling beaches for nature enthusiasts.

You shouldn’t book a tour to Da Nang from Hoi An, but rather just book transportation and then enjoy the city by yourself. I linked an itinerary below with things to do, places to eat and cafés to try.

How much Budget to plan: 16€ p.P. for transportation to Da Nang* and back to Hoi An* plus 15€ for museum admission tickets, food and coffee.

More details on Đà Nẵng here: The two sides of Da Nang – Where to go

Ba Na Hills Tour

Ba Na Hills is a theme park in the hills near Da Nang that is most famous for the “Golden Hands Bridge”, a golden bridge held up by two giant concrete hands, frequently used for Instagram pictures.

It also boasts the world’s longest three wire cable car ride, a huge area with gardens, seemingly old buildings and fun games and rides for the whole family.

Where: You will be picked up from your accommodation

How long is the tour: ~6 hours

How much Budget to plan: 43 € p.P.

More details on the Ba Na Hills Tour here: Ba Na Hills – Is the Instagram famous location really worth it?

Map of Tours in and from Hoi An

Must try Workshops in Hoi An

These tours explore towns and the countryside, you will see many things and meet some awesome people. If you are looking for workshops to be directly involved in, read this article: 10 must try Workshops in Hoi An

Der Beitrag 10 tours in and from Hoi An for your bucket list erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.

Hop Handi

Hop Handi is a small shop right at the edge of Hoi An Market, with everything embroidery. They sell hair-bows, notebooks, pocket-mirrors and many more things with beautiful embroidered designs. You can even order a custom design from them. The have another location in Da Nang.

Their most popular motives are flowers and leaves, but you can also order anime or a logo or anything else really that has a reasonable outline and colouring and you can bring a picture of. You can pick the cover colour, as well as the inside of the notebook (lines or blank) and which way you’d like the cover to face (left to right or right to left).

The cost of the notebook depends on your design, but is generally from 500k upwards, as hours of work go into it.

Embroidery Workshop in Hoi An

We started the workshop by drawing the outline of the motive, an adorable design by @nagarnia_art onto my chosen cloth. Afterwards I got to chose the threads I would be working with, seven different ones, even for a small and relatively simple picture like this. I completed the first outline with a backwards-split-stitch, then filled in the rhinophores of the blue dragon with a satin stitch, followed by the fins.

Somewhere in between every workshop member got a large bottle of water and they set up more fans to try and combat the heat of the day.

Afterwards I repeated the same process on the brown dragon, with the outline coming first, followed by the back spikes, the horns, then the tail fluff. Both their eyes were the last part I embroidered, going in an inwards circle.

Did it look how I had intended to in the end? No, but this was also my first time doing embroidery at all so I was still quite happy with the result.

Once the motif was finished they showed me how to apply it to the back of a notebook I had chosen before (big size, blank pages). There was a lot of glue involved and a specific folding technique and by the end I was holding my own embroidered notebook. One of a kind!

Where to book the embroidery workshop in Hoi An?

You can book the embroidery workshop via their Instagram account @hop.handi, or just walk in and ask about it, but if you do that there might not be availability on that day, so I recommend messaging them first.

Der Beitrag Embroidery Workshop in Hoi An erschien zuerst auf Kaya Wanderlust.