Bat Trang – a paradise of souvenirs

Tourists in Hanoi City can take an interesting short trip to Bat Trang pottery village to buy elegant souvenirs and become a ceramic artisan for the day.
Reaching the village in the morning after some November rain, we found the village is a quarter full of ceramic shops, offering many household utensils such as bowls, cups, plates and pots for decoration purposes. Visiting some stores, a souvenir lover may find out everything they need, from a sophisticated statue with traditional patterns for worshiping to colorful tea cups and fun ceramic piggy banks.
Foreign travelers should visit the office of Bat Trang Conservation & Tourism Development Joint Stock Company which displays ceramic antiques, products and jewelries as well as ceramic production workshops. English and French speaking staff will help tourists learn about the history of the village and the ceramic production process, and choose suitable products.
We were so excited at the beautiful products and interesting services at the company. We had our images painted on ceramic dishes and watched artisans paint bowls and cups. Visitors were also invited to join artisans in production and bring home products they had made.
It is quite easy to reach the craft village which is around 10 kilometers from the ancient quarter in central Hanoi City.
The cheapest way is to take the Long Bien-Bat Trang bus near Dong Xuan Market with the end terminal in Bat Trang.
The bus runs every 20 minutes. But if you are don’t fancy the crowded bus, you can go there by taxi or motorbike..