Wood Carving Class in Hoi An: Carve Your Own Souvenir
Carve a wooden keepsake under a master craftsman's hands-on guidance
A three-hour wood carving class in Gonoi village near Hoi An where you learn chiseling techniques from a master artisan and design your own wooden souvenir (animals, flowers, or anime characters) to take home. The workshop sits in a former war zone transformed into an art hub, and the route passes through rice fields and countryside on the way from town. All skill levels welcome. Tools, wood, and refreshments included.
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The experience
Three hours is enough to move past the basics. You'll start by learning how to hold and control chisels from a master carver who has spent decades on the craft, then move into designing what you want to cut, whether that's a simple animal shape, a flower, or a character from comics and anime. The wood and all carving tools are there waiting. You bring only your focus and willingness to make mistakes and fix them. By the end, you walk out with a piece you actually made, not something you watched someone else finish.
Gonoi village itself is the setting. It was heavily damaged during the war and has since become a working artist community. The workshop sits inside a museum space filled with large traditional Vietnamese carvings made by the master's father, alongside contemporary wooden pieces: comic and anime figures carved by the son. You're not in a tourist workshop. You're in a family studio that happens to teach. On the way there from Hoi An, the minibus route takes you through rice fields and past winding rivers, so you see the rural landscape before you arrive at the carving benches.
Four departure times run daily (9am, 10am, 1pm, or 2pm), so you can fit the class around the rest of your itinerary. Water, tea, and coffee are provided. The experience is designed for anyone, regardless of fitness or prior carving experience.
What’s included
- Carving tools and wood material.
- water, tea, or coffee.
- instruction from a master carver.
- access to the workshop and village museum.
Before you book
Prices and times updated 9 days ago
Operated by Woodart Vietnam
Is this one for you?Three hours leaves the rest of your day open: morning departures fit before lunch, afternoon ones after. If you want to spend a full day in the countryside, pair this with a separate meal or market visit in the area. If you're moving through Hoi An quickly, pick a time slot that sits between your other plans.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
What exactly do I carve during the three hours?
You design and carve a personalized wooden souvenir based on what interests you: animals, flowers, or characters from comics and anime. The master guides your technique with chisels, but the design and the carving are yours.
Is Gonoi village actually worth seeing, or is it just a workshop location?
Gonoi village is a former war-damaged area that has transformed into an art community. The workshop sits inside a museum displaying large traditional Vietnamese carvings by the master's father and contemporary wooden pieces by his son, so you're surrounded by the work before and after you start your own.
How do I get from Hoi An to the workshop?
A minibus picks you up and drives through rice fields and past rivers on the way to Gonoi village. The route itself is part of the experience. You see rural Vietnam before you arrive at the carving benches.
Do I need any carving experience to join?
No. The class is suitable for all physical fitness levels and all skill levels. The master teaches you how to use the chisels from the start.
What do I take home?
The wooden piece you carve during the three hours. All materials and tools are included, so you leave with a finished souvenir you made yourself.
Wood Carving Class in Hoi An: Carve Your Own Souvenir
3h · EN
from US$ 24 per person
4.8918 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider