What to buy as souvenirs in Hanoi?

Even though a visit to Hanoi is in itself unforgettable, every traveler still wants to bring home pretty keepsakes to commemorate the trip and keep all beautiful memories alive or to give as presents for friends and family. The Old Quarter, a treasure trove of perfect themed-Hanoi antiques, is the ideal place with ubiquitous to pick up a meaningful gift. If you are wondering which souvenirs to buy in Hanoi, below are our considerable suggestions for you. 

1. Silk
2. Lacquer ware
3. Bamboo products
4. Ethnic Minority Products
5. “Do” paper
6. Hand - embroidery products
7. The Ao dai - Vietnamese traditional dress
8. Conical hat (Non la)
9. Paintings
10. Ceramics

1. Silk
Made from natural fibers, this luxurious fabric is one of the most favorite materials for its softness, lightness as well as ability to keep you cool in summer and warm you up in winter. Vietnamese silk, made in traditional handlooms, enjoys a good reputation for its unbleached and natural quality with its own distinctive charm so if you are a fan of silk, pick up some without hesitation. Don't forget to search for appropriate methods to identify the pure and genuine silk.

Boundless types and colors of high quality silk

♦Typical items: Fabric, scarves, the Ao dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress), ready-to-wear clothes, suits, ties, paintings, pillowcases, blankets, bedspreads, table runners, plate mats, paper fans, etc…
♦ Average price: From 150,000 to 250,000 VND ($6.5 - $12) for a silk scarf, 250,000 – 300,000 ($6 - $7) per silk tie, and 350,000 - 800,000 VND ($16 - $38) per silk shirt or dress. If the quality is the keyword for your products, you can find high-end ones in some big and luxury store. Of course, some of them cost an arm and a leg. 
♦ Where to buy 
Van Phuc silk village
Just 15km from the center, with a thousand years of tradition, Van Phuc silk village is an indispensable stop for silk - lovers. Every type of silk in every color and pattern are available by the meter and some readymade clothes. 
Hang Gai Street 
Known as Silk Street, there is no shortage of boutiques and tailor shops wall-to-wall selling gorgeous silk goods and souvenirs with all sorts of fashionable silk materials, traditional Vietnamese apparels, and home furnishings at any budgets. 

2. Lacquer ware
Lacquer ware (son mai) is one of the most typical types of Vietnamese traditional handicrafts. Lacquer ware is made by applying multiple layers of special paints mixed with resin onto prepared substrates such as wood, metal, bamboo and coconut and polishing off for a smooth finish. Using shiny and bright coloured lacquer items as decors to adorn your home or as a gift will be a great idea.

 
These nice boxes may help you impress your ladies
 
Lacquer household items surely add in inspiration to your kitchen 

♦ Typical items: Boxes, bowls, photograph albums, vases, trays, tables, paintings, mosaics, etc… 
♦ Average price: From 120,000 VND for small stuffs like bowls to 400,000 VND per photograph, or more expensive to million with lacquer paintings, tables and chairs.
♦ Where to buy: The greatest concentration of shops that sell the most exquisite lacquer ware products are in Hang Trong, Hang Hom and Hang Manh Streets. 

3. Bamboo products
Bamboo is an often-used material to make attractive interiors and craft products in Vietnam. With diverse designs, distinctive, durable and eco-friendly bamboo home furnishings and handicrafts created by consummate Vietnamese artisans will spoil you many choices. 

 
These colorful accessories give you a different and interesting look

♦ Typical items: Bowls, trays, baskets, toys, hats, decorative items, beautiful dragonflies and etc...
♦ Average price: From 350,000 - 850,000 VND per bag, and just 15,000 VND for a nice dragonfly.
♦ Where to buy: Quang Trung street, Hang Hanh street, Xuan Dieu street, etc...

4. Ethnic Minority Products
Vietnamese brocade handicrafts made by skilful and meticulous ethnic craftsmen serve as meaningful presents and souvenirs for visitors coming to Vietnam. It is the quintessence culture-rich of minority groups. All of the hand-made products are eye-catching with numerous bright colours and diverse patterns. 

 
Handmade brocade stuffed animals will bring along a happy smile to any receivers 

Typical items:  Bags, scarves, purses, skirts, backpacks, coats, cushions, shoes, hats and so on…
Average price: Real brocade products is quite expensive because they are handicrafts. About 250,000 VND per brocade cushion. Other products cost around 150,000 - 350,000 VND.
Where to buy: Hang Gai street, Hang Trong street

5. “Do” paper
"Do” paper is widely known as the material of Dong Ho folk paintings, an essential element in every Vietnamese family during the Tet holiday in the past. With its durable and resilient characteristics, this traditional material, nowadays, is used to make not only paintings but also many other beautiful things. 

A vintage look with “do paper” – a precise special material

♦ Typical items: Greeting cards, vintage cards, notebooks, postcards, folk paintings, and even home decorations like lamps, vases, and so on…
♦ Average price: From 160,000 - 230,000 VND per notebook and 150,000 VND per postcard.
♦ Where to buy: Hang Gai street, Hang Bac street

6. Hand - embroidery products
Vietnamese hand embroidery art has created a brand in the international market for ages. With sophisticated and technical skills, clever hands fabricate unique products with meticulous stitches and a wide range of designs, from new and modern to classic and traditional, motley or elegant. Hanoi offers you many embroidered stuffs at various prices for perfect presents to your love ones. The prices depend on the quality of materials, threads and the patterns.

 
Table runner with image of lotus, Vietnamese national flower, a nice gift for family

Typical items: Pillowcases, curtains, tablecloths, clothes, scarves, bags, purses, bed sheets, quilts, bed throws, napkins, place mats, table runners, lingerie, night dresses and many more.
Average price: A table runner costs from 300,000 – 800,000 VND. About 150,000 VND per embroidery handkerchief. Embroidery paintings for souvenirs with a normal material are just 150,000 VND but a pretty good one might cost millions VND. Prices are high, but it makes sense for the high quality.
Where to buy: Hang Gai, Hang Trong, Hang Da market. 

7. The Ao dai - Vietnamese traditional dress
The Ao dai or so called Long dress, is considered to be the cultural symbol of Vietnam and the pride of Vietnamese. By its flattering, elegant and intriguing appearance, The Ao dai is not only a familiar costume of Vietnamese women but also has graced the World's catwalks. Sewing material is abundant and diverse (chiffon, silk, satin and so on) which are incorporated from the fabric samples and often decorated with lines, hand embroidery patterns. Ready-to-wear and tailor-made Ao dai for both adults and children are available in many shops. 

 
The collection "Golden Lotus" of Vietnamese designer at the Couture Fashion Week in New York, USA
 
Modern version of The Ao dai

Typical items: Traditional or modern designs.
Average price: There are many kinds of The Ao dai. The average price for a plain one is about 500,000 VND. With adornments like flowers, sequins, and hand-embroidery details, it can be from 1.5 – 2 million VND for each. Its price also depends on clothing material. Those above prices are for local people, so do not worry about whether it’s expensive or not. To get a high quality ao dai with unique design from a famous Vietnamese brand, it costs up to 15-30 million VND. 
Where to buy: Hang Gai street, Hang Da market, Hang Trong street, Trang Tien street

8. Conical hat (Non la)
Like Ao dai, conial hat is also a feature of Vietnamese woman. It is not used in cities but it is still popular in villages. Rural women use it to avoid sun and rain when working on farms and rice paddies. Nevertheless, its image is attached to wet rice civilization of Vietnam, many foreign visitors take it home as a specific souvenir.

 
The image of a young lady wearing Non la and Ao dai is a beautiful symbol of Vietnam

 
 Animals with little conical hats 

Typical items: You can buy conical hat to wear or just find the little ones as homing furniture.
Average price: If you want to get a traditional conical hat to wear, you just have to pay 90,000 VND for each. A decorative souvenir with little conical hats costs just 50,000 VND.
Where to buy: You can buy it from street vendors or souvenir shops.

9. Paintings
It gets you by when you don't know what to give people as a gift, paintings can be pretty good choice. It is easy to find paintings, which show the beauty of Vietnamese landscapes, people, the charm of Hanoi Old Quarter or even copy paintings of famous fine artworks in the world or from millions of available designs at affordable prices. 

The beauty of  the Old Quarter are exceptionally displayed in an oil painting 

Typical items: There is no lack of types of paintings with many styles and materials. However, oil painting seems to appeal visitors the most.
Average price: The price depends on size, quality in colour, drawing technique, and frame. They are often from 300,000 to 2 million VND for normal medium ones. 
Where to buy: Hang Gai street, Luong Van Can street, Dinh Liet street, Hang Trong street and some in other streets.

10. Ceramics
Ceramics is also a traditional craft of Vietnam. The most famous brand is Bat Trang, called after the name of the village which has specialized for centuries in the production of ceramics with a good quality. Worth a visit for contemplating how creating clay unique pieces with their traditional techniques potters, but if you can't get out of Hanoi, you are easy to find those things in the heart of the city. It is used for daily household use or decoration purposes. 

Bat Trang ceramic and pottery products are famous for the high quality and diversification in design 

Typical items: vases, tea sets, mugs, plates, lamps, crockery, bowls, pots, and so on
Average price: From 300,000 - 500,000 VND for a set of ceramic teapot and cups. 
Where to buy: Ham Long street, Hang Da market, Ly Quoc Su street, Ngo Bao Khanh street.

NOTE: 
- One thing have to be mentioned that you should intelligently bargain before settle the payment.
- Hanoi Night Market opening on weekend's nights is also an ideal emporium with miscellaneous goods at low price to drop.
Hanoi is really a shopper's paradise with stacks of stunning things in ubiquitous shops. Above are our top choices for the perfect Vietnam mementos and giving gifts. Hope that this article will be useful for you.

Thank you for reading. Read more about How to spend a day in Ha Noi.