Are you bored with a long vacation of transfer too much from this point to another point, and would like to inhale a new fresh experience, let’s take a short tour to Bat Trang ancient pottery village (just approximately 20 km far from Hanoi center. You can choose to arrive here on car, motorbike or by bus No. 47 departed from Long Bien station. Let’s start our journey to Bat Trang ceramic village to find out some joyful things there.
1. Interesting scene for photographer
Maybe from the first glance on this ancient Bat Trang ceramic village, you will be quite astonished at “mini pottery frames” scattered along the lanes. That’s the products of private pottery workshops and you are welcome to take photos as much as you can without any extra payment.
Mini pottery frames under the sunlight.
Try to manage yourself in narrow alleys discover unique coal walls. The coal wall or other beautiful shops may be good backgrounds for you to take photos. Otherwise, you can experience the daily life of the local villagers, see how they work and make pottery products in their very plain clothes.
Such a beautiful scene of a female villager of Bat Trang who is carrying coal out of the warehouse
Bat Trang ceramic village has also offer experience on “Sigh-seeing Bat Trang on buffalo cart”. Sitting on buffalo cart is very unique, does not like on horse cart because the buffalo walk in slower pace, bring you good relax, better view on the surroundings and more fresh air coming from the Red river.
Discover Bat Trang village on Buffalo cart.
2. Funny hands-on ceramic-making experience
The funniest thing you should try is to go the Ceramic playground or some family store in Bat Trang Village. You will have opportunities to become a real pottery craftsmen in a meanwhile but you will never forget such moment. With a very cheap fee (about 2-2 usd/pax), you can join the ceramic-making experience on the rotating stand, learn to make a pottery in a traditional method under instruction of a craftsman. Many travelers told us that they were very excited in this game. Most of them are failed at their first attempt and made such odd cute things. Do not hesitate to ask the potter to help you manipulate your masterpiece from just a handful of clay.
In case you are not a genius-born craftsman, do not hesitate to ask your instructor to shape a nice ceramic for you and you decorate it in multi-color later with only 1 usd extra. Then you can take your own masterpiece home.
A potter is instructing tourist how to use the ceramic revolving stand.
Despite his failure at making ceramic, this French tourist was still very happy.
3. Bat Trang Pottery Market
Bat Trang Pottery Market is a place where you should not miss while on your trip to Bat Trang. The market is about six thousand square meters, divided into small shops which selling various type of handicrafts products related to pottery. Sellers in the market are also local villagers and very friendly. They offer you various choice of finest ceramic products: from daily household items (cups, dishes, bowls, etc.) to sophisticated design like: worshiping, decorations, bonsai-like miniatures, souvenirs, hand-made ceramic pictures, etc. You can buy this crafts much cheaper than in any shops in Hanoi downtown.
4. Taste “Bánh tẻ” of Bat Trang village.
When you feel a little bit tired, it’s time for you to enjoy the “Bánh tẻ” – a specialty of Bat Trang. It is made from rice with ground meat and black mushroom inside. It is served best when combine with sugar-cane juice.
