Van Phuc Silk Village in Hanoi

During their stay in Hanoi, most tourists insist on a trip to Van Phuc Silk Village, the famous silk village of Hanoi to contemplate the genuine traditional silk-making industry.

Van Phuc Silk Village is on the banks of Nhue Thi River, Nguyen Trai Road, near Ha Dong city, 8 km southwest of Hanoi. It takes you only 30 minutes by motorbike to go there from the centre of Hanoi. The village is well known for its traditional sericulture, weaving, and silk products.

Tourists coming here to explore various beautiful shirts, crafts, ties, dresses and many other things made of silk available in the village. What is special is that the silk is made by very simple looms, which is the genuinely traditional Vietnamese way of making silk.

The Cradle of Vietnamese Silk

For centuries, silk has always been considered an extreme luxury, on par with rhinoceros horn, ivory and precious handworks in Vietnam. It has long been a universal by word of luxury, often worn by the richest, most powerful citizens.

Most visitors somehow have heard about the significant role of this kind of material in Vietnam, yet might wonder where the cradle of Viet silk is. The mentioned Van Phuc Silk Village is the origin of best silk and silk-making industry of Vietnam, which has a long-lasting history of more than two thousand years.

Though passing by lots of ups and downs, during the recent years, the village’s craft has enjoyed revival due to a surging demand for silk in both the domestic and foreign markets.

Today, the fine and lustrous cloth that originates from the cocoon of the silkworm is more affordable for “ordinary” folk. Furthermore, silk is currently enjoying a fashion renaissance, particularly since its many varieties can be made into a wide range of designs suitable for all facets of modern life.

Should you intend to have a silk pair of formal clothes made, just come here and select your suitable materials, and professional tailors here will bring you satisfaction!

Silk Products & Souvenirs in Van Phuc Silk Village

Visitors to Van Phuc can visit ‘silk shop town’, where nearly every house along the paths has become a silk shop. The village consists of 1,280 households, with 90% involved in silk production and business, producing over 2 million meters of silk annually. Beyond shopping, visitors can explore Vietnam’s traditional silk-making industry.

Products available include:

• Raw silk materials
• Silk garments
• Various silk accessories

Van Phuc silk is special by its:

• Smooth, lightweight texture
• Superior dyeing qualities
• Ability to complement various skin tones

To meet modern market demands, Van Phuc silk producers have expanded their range to include:

• Traditional glossy silk
• Embroidered silks
• Double-layer fabrics
• Wrinkled silks
• New colors and weights

The producers have developed innovative techniques in dying and thermo-processing threads to achieve these variations. For those seeking authentic Vietnamese souvenirs, Van Phuc offers numerous silk products. With 2000 years of history behind them, the silk weavers of Van Phuc Silk village are still busy, weaving dreams.

How to Get to Van Phuc Silk Village? 

With a view to reaching Van Phuc village, tourists should travel south west out of Ha Noi on Nguyen Trai Street until they reach the border of Ha Dong District. Then turn right and dive for about 3km. The village is on the left, some 8 km from central Hanoi. Motorbike, bus, or taxis are all of good use.

Tips for Visiting Van Phuc Silk Village

• Tourists normally take 2 to 3 hours visiting Van Phuc Silk Village. On the other hand, if you want to have a piece of silk clothing tailored, you will need more time.
• What to Bring: Sneakers because most of time you will walk. You also should bring a camera to capture close details of the process of producing silk products and the products themselves.
• Bargaining: It’s fine to try to haggle if you are purchasing about more than one product. Fellow buyers should know that most shopkeepers are ready to negotiate the prices downwards, especially if you are buying their products in large quantities.
• Guided Tours: Van Phuc can also be visited in a day trip from Hanoi and is combined by most local tour operators with tours to other handicraft villages around the area.

Or, tourists can book a day tours visiting handicraft villages around Hanoi to visit this village. Almost every handicraft or culture tours in Hanoi include Van Phuc silk village. As these tours offered are usually just one day tour from Hanoi, it is easy for tourists to arrange their time.