Many of our travelers use their last day in Hanoi for shopping. But it can be difficult to know what to buy.
Would you like to bring back local handicrafts (from Hanoi and the surrounding villages)? Are you looking for fun souvenirs to give to your friends? Or perhaps you are more interested in eco-friendly products? You might also want to support an NGO or a social enterprise through your purchases.
Here is a small guide with our tips and all the practical information you need to plan your shopping day in the Vietnamese capital!
And if you need help organizing your trip to Vietnam, feel free to contact us.
The best souvenir shops in Hanoi
Souvenir shops can be a great option if you don’t want to spend too much time shopping. The Old Quarter of Hanoi has countless small stores selling souvenirs—most of them the same. Here, we’ll introduce two stores offering original and high-quality items.
Collective Memory
Adress2: 12 Nha Chung (a few meters from the Cathedral)
Opening hours: 9:30 am – 7:00 pm, every day
Website: https://collectivememory.vn/
This small boutique, located in one of our favorite neighborhoods near Saint Joseph Cathedral, is a real gem.
For us, Collective Memory is the most interesting shop. The owners, Nga and Lien, do not buy mass-produced goods from China. On the contrary, each product is carefully selected and made in Vietnam. Most of these souvenirs are handmade, using natural and/or ethical materials. More than twenty different brands are represented in the store. Nga and Lien, both artists themselves, also highlight the talent of Vietnamese and foreign designers living in Vietnam. By purchasing one of their products, you are also supporting an artist.
You’ll find pillowcases, posters, postcards, clothes, and all sorts of accessories. You can even buy a giant Vietnam map to stick on your wall! Some food products are also available, such as coconut oil from the Mekong Delta or local spices (for example, sea salt from Hoi An).
A small boutique full of original… and unique treasures!
Collective Memory in Hanoi
Tired City
Tired City is a contemporary art and gift shop much loved by travelers seeking original, modern, and artistic souvenirs. It showcases the works of young Vietnamese creators through stylishly reimagined everyday objects.
You’ll find:
- Unisex clothing: T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies with creative urban designs.
- Stationery & art prints: posters, postcards, notebooks, stickers.
- Accessories: tote bags, mugs, keychains, decorative items.
The designs are often exclusive, created in collaboration with local artists. 10% of the sale price usually goes directly to the artist. There are several stores in Hanoi, including one at 37 Hàng Hành, Hoàn Kiếm.
Local Handicraft Products
The souvenir shops above offer modern-style items. But maybe you would prefer to buy traditional Vietnamese handicrafts, renowned for generations? Historically, the Old Quarter’s 36 streets hosted traders from the specialized craft villages of the Red River Delta.
Here are some suggestions for items and the best places to buy them.
Silk
Silk weaving dates back to 3,000 BC in China and later spread across Asia.
In Vietnam, the craft began around the 9th century under Chinese rule. According to legend, Madame Lã Thị Nga, the wife of Mandarin Cao Biền, introduced silk weaving to Van Phuc village, about 10 km southwest of Hanoi. The villagers developed this craft, which still brings fame to Van Phuc today.
If you want to buy silk clothing, we strongly recommend visiting this village, where more than 1,000 looms are still active.
If you are short on time, head to Hang Gai Street (“Silk Street”) in the Old Quarter, where you’ll find scarves, dresses, ties, and of course the traditional ao dai.
Recommended stores:
- Silky Vietnam (known for eco-friendly materials): 43 Hang Hom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Website: http://silkyvietnam.com/
- Hadong silk: 102 Hang Gai (Tripadvisor)
Ceramics
Ceramics are one of the core crafts of the Red River Delta. In fact, in 2010, to celebrate the millennium of Hanoi, the government — supported by local businesses and international partners — created the world’s longest mosaic, stretching over four kilometers. All the tiles used to build this monumental artwork were made in the village of Bat Trang.
This is the place we recommend visiting — first, to understand the complex ceramic-making process, and then to do some shopping. The village has a large market that is open year-round, and you can also explore several shops. Here are the ones we recommend:
- Pi Gom: 253 Giang Cao. specializes in beautiful, modern kitchenware.
- Gom su Tuan Lam: Thon 4, Bat Trang, Hanoi
- Gom su Minh Quang: 300 Giang Cao, Bat Trang
If you can’t make it to Bat Trang (about 30 minutes from the Old Quarter), you can visit Hien Van Ceramics, located at 8 Chan Cam Street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
Lacquerware
Lacquer is a resin applied to bamboo or wooden objects. Originally from China, this craft was meant to protect materials from humidity and insects.
The most famous village specializing in this craft is Ha Thai, now located in the suburbs of Hanoi. The quality of the lacquerware produced there was renowned not only in Vietnam but also abroad. Artisans sometimes spent more than six months completing a single piece made with natural lacquer!
The craftsmen continually refine their techniques, now incorporating inlays of mother-of-pearl, shells, and other decorative elements.
Here are two shops we recommend for purchasing high-quality lacquerware:
- Marena Hanoi: 28 Nha Chung
- Minh Tam: 2 Hang Bong
Paper and prints
Traditional Vietnamese paper and woodblock prints are a vital part of the country’s cultural heritage, often depicting rural life, rice farming, or traditional festivals.
The prints are made using traditional “do” paper (from the bark of the rhamnoneuron plant). The sheets are coated with white seashell powder to create a shiny surface, then dyed with natural pigments. The most famous prints come from Dong Ho village in Bac Ninh Province.
Production was once threatened by lack of demand, until the social enterprise Do Project revitalized it with the help of Vietnamese designers. Profits now support the Dong Ho artisans. You can find many beautiful items (stationery, décor, etc.) at their shop near the train tracks:
Address: 10 Dien Bien Phu Street.
By purchasing here, you support a wonderful initiative!
Embroidery
Northern Vietnam is known for its fine cotton and linen embroidery. In Hanoi, you’ll find beautifully made pillows, tablecloths, dresses, towels, and embroidered paintings.
Products that are 100% handmade can be found in these two shops located in Hanoi’s Old Quarter:
- Mai: 7 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem
- Chi Vang: 17 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem
Fair trade and eco-friendly products
Let’s move on to meaningful gift ideas. Here are a few shops that offer ethical products, made by vulnerable communities such as poor ethnic minorities or people with disabilities. By purchasing an item from one of these stores, you contribute to building a more inclusive, fair, and eco-friendly society.
Here are some of the best places to check out.
Mékong Quilts
Adress: 13 Hang Bac
Website: https://mekongquilts.com/
One of our favorite stores!
Mekong Quilts is a social enterprise founded in the early 2000s by the NGO Mekong Plus, which has been led since its inception by a Frenchman, Bernard Kervyn. The NGO now has nearly 200 collaborators and implements four development programs in Vietnam and Cambodia. It receives funding from foundations, public organizations, and, most importantly today, from its own social enterprise, Mekong Quilts.
Mekong Quilts employs only women who have faced extremely difficult life circumstances. The NGO trains them to produce high-quality, eco-friendly products made from materials such as water hyacinth and papier-mâché. This allows them to work from home and remain close to their families, particularly their children.
All profits generated by the enterprise are reinvested into the NGO, funding training, microcredit programs, sponsorship initiatives, and hygiene awareness campaigns, among others.
It is a truly inspiring project that has, for over 20 years, helped lift hundreds of women and their families out of poverty.
What can you find in Mekong Quilts stores (located in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap)? First and foremost, the company’s specialty: quilts (bedspreads) — but you’ll also find cushions, bags, clothing, and a variety of accessories. And if you’re feeling inspired (and have the budget for it), you can even purchase a bamboo bicycle!
Prices are slightly higher than in the souvenir shops mentioned earlier in this article, but remember that your purchase directly supports social projects.
Craft Link
Adress: 43 Van Mieu
Website: http://www.craftlink.com.vn/
Craft Link is a non-profit organization that supports ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and traditional craft villages.
Its goal is to help small artisans earn a living from their craft by developing their production and finding markets for their creations. Today, Craft Link supports 63 artisan groups, and all profits from sales are reinvested into community projects, including training programs.
Craft Link proudly operates independently, relying solely on the sales of its products. By purchasing one of their creations, you directly support local artisan communities.
Don’t hesitate to visit their store at 43 Van Mieu, right next to the Temple of Literature.
Indigo Store
Adress: 33A Van Mieu
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IndigoStoreHanoi/
Opening Hours: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Indigo Store is a small boutique also located near the Temple of Literature. It specializes in ethnic clothing made from blue indigo-dyed fabrics.
Indigo plants are cultivated in the mountains, especially by the Hmong people. After a 3- to 4-day dyeing process, the fabric is soaked in a mixture of water, salt, lemon, and local plant leaves, then dried and embroidered.
In this store, you’ll find beautiful items such as bags, clothing, and scarves, all made eco-friendly. Purchasing these products ensures fair wages for the workers living in northern Vietnam
Here’s a customer review from Tripadvisor:
“Indigo Store is my favorite store in Vietnam. Everything is handmade ( including the patterns on the clothes )and they use a special flower to dye their clothes. If you like something and want it in a different size or pattern, they will hand make it for you . I simply love this store. Be prepared to spend money.”.
You now know all our favorite (and responsible!) shopping addresses in Hanoi!
