Food & cultureBy Clever Tourists · Published
The best souvenirs from Vietnam are a folding silk lantern from Hoi An, clothes made to measure by a Hoi An tailor, ceramics from Bat Trang and silk from Van Phuc outside Hanoi, and Vietnamese coffee with a metal phin filter. What to avoid are "antiques": the real ones need a Ministry of Culture export permit, and most of the ones in tourist shops are reproductions anyway. We travelled the length of Vietnam, from Hanoi and Ninh Binh through Hue and Hoi An to Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong. These are the 8 souvenirs worth buying, grouped by type, with where to buy them, price tiers ($ small change, $$ a considered buy, $$$ a splurge) and how the airport VAT refund works. The short version for every country we covered is in our hub, best souvenirs to buy in 20 countries.
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• Silk lanterns from Hoi An ($ to $$). The lanterns that hang over every Hoi An street fold flat on their bamboo ribs for packing. Buy from a lantern workshop in the old town rather than the night market, where quality varies, and check that the ribs open and lock smoothly before you pay.
• Bat Trang ceramics ($ to $$$). Bat Trang, a pottery village on the southeast edge of Hanoi, has made ceramics for centuries and is one of the best-known in Vietnam. Workshops sell bowls, cups and vases directly, and you can watch the potters. Buy there rather than at Old Quarter stalls.
• Van Phuc silk ($$ to $$$). Van Phuc, just outside central Hanoi, is often called the oldest silk village in Vietnam. Its shops sell scarves, shirts, fabric by the metre and ao dai. Bat Trang and Van Phuc are often paired on one half-day or day trip from Hanoi, and both joined the World Crafts Cities Network in 2025.
• A conical hat ($). The nón lá is sold at every market. It is cheap and light, but awkward to pack: carry it on, or buy one with a flat-packing frame.
• A tailored suit, dress or shirt ($$ to $$$). Hoi An is known for its tailors, who can make a suit or dress within a few days. Allow time for at least one fitting, and plan to collect the day before you leave rather than the morning of.
• How to get a good result: bring a garment that already fits you well, or a clear photo, and agree the fabric, lining and price in writing before you pay a deposit. A shop that offers two fittings is worth a slightly higher price.
• Coffee and a phin filter ($). Vietnamese dark-roast coffee and the metal phin drip filter are the most useful souvenir from the country. A phin costs very little in a market and takes up no space.
• Fish sauce ($). Vietnam takes the brand seriously, and our Vietnamese market and supermarket guide explains what to look for. Double-bag the bottle and put it in checked luggage.
• Dry goods that travel ($). Rice paper, dried noodles and spice mixes pack flat and cost little in a supermarket.
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• A made-to-measure suit or coat ($$$). Hoi An again. Budget time, not just money.
• A set of Bat Trang tableware ($$ to $$$). Ask the workshop to pack it for checked luggage, or to ship it.
• A length of Van Phuc silk ($$ to $$$). Easier to carry than a finished garment, and a tailor at home can make it up.
Our guides cover the cities: Hoi An, 3 days in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Market prices are open to bargaining; read tourist scams in Vietnam for the common overcharges.
| Where | Best for | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Hoi An old town workshops | Lanterns, tailoring | Buy lanterns in a workshop, not the night market |
| Bat Trang, near Hanoi | Ceramics | Buy from the workshops in the village |
| Van Phuc, near Hanoi | Silk scarves and fabric | Often combined with Bat Trang on one trip |
| Supermarkets anywhere | Coffee, fish sauce, dry goods | Cheaper than any souvenir shop |
Vietnam refunds VAT to foreign visitors who carry goods out through an international airport. Spend at least 2,000,000 dong at one participating shop in one day, ask for the VAT refund form and invoice at the till with your passport, and keep the goods with you. At the airport's VAT refund counter you show the goods and papers, and you get back 85% of the VAT, in dong.
Only shops in the refund scheme can issue the paperwork, so ask before you pay. Sources disagree on how long before departure the purchase has to be, so check the window at the shop.
• "Antiques" without a permit. Genuine antiques and relics cannot leave Vietnam without a Ministry of Culture export permit and can be seized at the airport. Most "antique" ceramics in tourist shops are reproductions; if a dealer claims otherwise, ask for the permit.
• Night-market lanterns at workshop prices. Check the frame and silk before you haggle.
• Fresh food for home. Most countries restrict fresh fruit, meat and plants on arrival; dried and sealed goods are far more likely to be allowed.
More in things to know before visiting Vietnam and tipping in Vietnam.
A folding silk lantern from a Hoi An workshop, clothes from a Hoi An tailor, Bat Trang ceramics or Van Phuc silk from near Hanoi, or Vietnamese coffee with a metal phin filter.
Only with a Ministry of Culture export permit; without one they can be seized at the airport. Most antique-looking ceramics in tourist shops are reproductions.
Yes, on goods from participating shops worth at least 2,000,000 dong at one shop in one day. You claim at the international airport when you leave and get back 85% of the VAT.
Hoi An tailors can make a suit or dress within a few days. Allow time for at least one fitting and plan to collect it the day before you leave.
Bat Trang, a pottery village on the edge of Hanoi, where the workshops sell directly. It is often visited on the same trip as Van Phuc silk village.
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