Hanoi Craft Villages Tour: Make Conical Hats & Incense

You make the hat; the artisans teach you how

This half-day or full-day small-group tour from Hanoi takes you to two or three traditional craft villages where you work alongside local artisans. In Chuong village you craft and paint your own conical hat to take home; in Quang Phu Cau village you watch century-old incense production and receive free incense sticks after making some yourself. The full-day option adds a lacquer village where you paint a piece. Hotel pickup in the Old Quarter is included; a live guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and eight other languages.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit traditional craft villages near Hanoi

• Pickup from Hanoi Old Quarter
• Visit Quang Phu Cau incense village
• Observe incense-making process
• Take photos of colorful incense bundles
• Meet and interact with local villagers
• Visit Conical Hat Village
• Learn about conical hat craftsmanship
• Create and personalize a conical hat
• Optional drop-off at Hanoi Train Street

The Experience

You have a free afternoon or morning in Hanoi, and you want to step outside the city without spending the day on logistics. This tour picks you up at your hotel in the Old Quarter and takes you to villages where the work itself is the point—not a demonstration you watch from a distance. The half-day runs about six hours; the full-day adds a third village and lunch cooked at a local artisan's home.

Chuong village is where the conical hat (nón lá) gets made. You'll meet the craftspeople who shape and weave them, then sit down and make your own—choosing the design, painting it, and taking it home as a souvenir that you actually built. Next is Quang Phu Cau, famous for incense production that has run for over a century. The work is intricate: you see how the sticks are rolled, bundled, and dried in those bright stacks that fill the village. You make incense yourself and leave with a handful of free sticks. On the full-day option, you also visit a lacquer village where you learn the technique of layering resin and painting, and you paint a piece to keep.

The guide is a live person who speaks your language—English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai or French depending on the option you book. Bottled water is included throughout. On the full-day tour, lunch is home-cooked Vietnamese food at an artisan's house, with vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes both served. The half-day tour does not include a meal. If you book a private option, the guide speaks multiple languages; if you choose the group tour or the incense-village-only guide option, the setup changes—check the option details at checkout to confirm what's included for your choice.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in the Hanoi Old Quarter (except the incense-village-guide-only option).
• professional live guide in your chosen language.
• bottled water throughout.
• one free conical hat for painting and personalizing.
• free incense sticks after you make them.
• lunch with vegetarian and non-vegetarian options on the full-day tour only.
• lacquer piece for painting on the full-day option.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by INCENSE VILLAGE HANOI TOUR

Is this one for you?Book the half-day tour if you have a free morning or afternoon and want to work with artisans without committing a full day. Choose the full-day option if you want to add the lacquer village and sit down for a home-cooked meal—the extra time lets you move at a pace that lets the crafts sink in instead of rushing between stops.

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Top questions

What exactly do I make or do with my hands at each village?

In Chuong village you craft and paint your own conical hat, choosing the design and taking it home as a personalized souvenir. In Quang Phu Cau village you make incense sticks yourself and receive free incense to keep. On the full-day tour, you also paint a lacquer piece at the third village.

How long does the tour take and when do I get picked up?

The half-day tour runs approximately six hours with morning and afternoon departure options. Hotel pickup in the Hanoi Old Quarter is included (except for the incense-village-guide-only option, which does not include car transport). You return to your hotel or can request drop-off at Hanoi Train Street instead.

Is lunch included, and what if I'm vegetarian?

Lunch is included only on the full-day option and is home-cooked authentic Vietnamese food prepared at a local artisan's home. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes are served. The half-day tour does not include a meal.

What languages does the guide speak?

The tour guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai, French and additional languages depending on the option you select. Check your chosen option at checkout to confirm the guide language.

Can I bring young children or someone with mobility needs?

Children from age one are welcome, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller. The tour is wheelchair accessible, with all areas and surfaces accessible and transportation options available for people with mobility needs. Service animals are allowed.

What do I take home from this tour?

You take home the conical hat you painted, free incense sticks you made, and on the full-day option, the lacquer piece you painted. These are your own work, not purchased items.