Hanoi Villages: Incense & Conical Hat Tour with Local Artisans

Summary

Vietnamese craft villages, incense colors and hat-making stories near Hanoi

You’ll wander through Hanoi’s Quang Phu Cau incense village with a local guide, try your hand at making colorful incense sticks, then weave a traditional conical hat alongside artisans in Chuong village. Share a home-cooked lunch with locals and leave with your own painted hat as a keepsake—plus all those little moments you can’t plan for.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the smell—sweet, smoky, almost like cinnamon but sharper. We’d barely stepped out of the van in Quang Phu Cau when the air changed. Our guide, Linh, grinned and waved us over to where bundles of red incense sticks were drying in the sun. The color was so bright it almost hurt my eyes. I tried to ask one of the women how long she’d been making incense (Li laughed when I tried to say it in Mandarin—probably butchered it), and she just smiled and pointed at her hands, stained pink from years of work. There was something comforting about the rhythm: dip, roll, tap. It felt like watching someone knit but with a different kind of patience.

We moved on after that—my fingers still smelled faintly spicy—to Chuong village for the conical hat part. The workshop was small and warm; fans buzzed overhead and old radio music played somewhere out back. The woman showing us how to weave the palm leaves had this easy way of chatting while her hands worked faster than I could follow. She let me try threading one side (I definitely messed up the pattern), but she just fixed it quietly and patted my shoulder. Everyone laughed when I put my half-finished hat on—it flopped over my eyes—and honestly, I kind of loved that moment more than any photo.

Lunch happened at someone’s house—a real meal, not tourist stuff. Rice, pork with lemongrass, some vegetable soup that tasted way better than it looked. We sat on low stools and Linh translated stories about growing up in these villages. I didn’t expect to feel so welcome or so full by midday. On the drive back to Hanoi (the traffic always feels a bit wild), I kept turning my new conical hat over in my hands, thinking about how many people here make things you can actually hold—like memories you get to keep.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Visit Incense and Conical Hat Villages

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

Top questions

How long is the incense & conical hat tour from Hanoi?

The tour lasts about 6 hours, with both morning and afternoon options available.

Is hotel pickup included for this Hanoi craft village tour?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included if you’re staying in Hanoi Old Quarter.

Can I make my own conical hat during the tour?

Yes, you’ll have a hands-on experience crafting your own conical hat in Chuong village.

Is lunch provided on this day trip from Hanoi?

A home-cooked Vietnamese lunch is included only on the full-day option; not for half-day tours.

Are English-speaking guides available?

Yes, guides speak English (and other languages for private tours).

Is this tour suitable for families or people with limited mobility?

The tour is wheelchair accessible and suitable for all fitness levels; infants can join too.

Do we visit more than two villages on this tour?

The standard half-day tour visits two villages; full-day includes lacquer art village as well.

Can I keep what I make during the tour?

You can take home your painted conical hat as a personalized souvenir.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup and drop-off at hotels in Hanoi Old Quarter (unless otherwise noted), bottled water throughout the trip, an English or multilingual local guide who’ll introduce you to artisans in each village, all materials for making incense sticks and painting your own conical hat—which you get to keep—and if you choose the full-day option, an authentic home-cooked Vietnamese lunch shared at an artisan’s house before heading back to town.