Bat Trang Pottery is one of Vietnam’s most famous traditional handicrafts, originating from Bat Trang Village, about 13 km southeast of Hanoi along the Red River. With a history of over 700 years, the village has been a thriving hub for ceramic production since the Ly Dynasty (11th century). Thanks to its location near abundant clay deposits, skilled artisans, and convenient river trade routes, Bat Trang became renowned for producing high-quality ceramics that were traded both domestically and internationally.
The pottery here is known for its durability, intricate hand-painted designs, and diverse glazes—from deep cobalt blues to earthy browns and jade greens. Artisans craft everything from household wares like bowls, teapots, and vases to decorative pieces and large architectural ceramics. Traditional motifs often depict dragons, phoenixes, lotuses, and rural life, while modern designs blend Vietnamese heritage with contemporary aesthetics.
Today, Bat Trang is not only a production center but also a cultural tourism destination. Visitors can explore family-run workshops, ceramic markets, and pottery museums, as well as try their hand at shaping and painting clay. The village continues to adapt, merging ancient techniques with modern designs, keeping this centuries-old art alive in the heart of Vietnam’s cultural heritage.
My Introduction to Bat Trang Pottery Village Vietnam
On my trip to Vietnam, I did a half day trip from the capital city of Hanoi to Bat Trang Pottery Village. Which is the origin place of the famous and exclusive Bat Trang Pottery of Vietnam. And I was blown away by the variety, exclusive designs as well as the low prices of these ceramic pieces. As if each one of these was a masterpiece of art. Let me take you with me on an armchair tour through the Bat Trang Pottery Village. Do include it in your list when you set to explore North Vietnam.
How to reach Bat Trang Pottery Village
Bat Trang Pottery Village is located very close to Hanoi. We took a grab taxi from Hanoi to Bat Trang Pottery Village. And it took us around 35 minutes to reach here. The one way ride cost from Hanoi to Bat Trang Pottery Village was around INR 1000.
Once we reached the Bat Trang Pottery Village, the taxi dropped us right in front of the Bat Trang Pottery Museum. There is a ticket counter in front of the Bat Trang Pottery Museum. From here you can take a ticket to visit the exhibits of the museum inside. But, we were short of time. So we decided to skip visiting the Bat Trang Pottery museum. Although I am sure it will be very interesting to visit here. Going through the Bat Trang Pottery making process which is a unique art.
We rather took a buggy ticket to the Bat Trang Pottery Market. It took around 5 minutes of buggy ride. And the buggy dropped us to the entrance of the Bat Trang Pottery Market.
The Bat Trang Pottery Market
The Bat Trang Pottery Market is a local style market with maze like lanes. And numerous shops selling all kind of pottery items. These pottery items included –
- Ceramic kitchenware like spoons, forks, bowls, plates, tea pots etc.
- Small ceramic and stoneware items like miniature animal figurines
- Kids toys made of ceramic
- Large vases and other decor items for home and commercial space decoration
- Chinese tea sets which are so small they look like miniature or toy tea sets.
How to do shopping at Bat Trang Pottery Village
Language is definitely a barrier at the Bat Trang Pottery Village. As the local shop owners here don’t understand a single word of English. So, the way you need to do shopping here becomes a unique experience in itself. You need to point to the item you are interested in, and ask for money by hand gesture. The shop owner will put the price on a calculator and show you. If you agree with the price you can nod your head and give them the money. And they will hand over the item to you. But, most of the time, the price quoted is very high. So you need to bargain. Thus, when the shopkeeper shows you a price, you show them your own quote by typing on your phone. And if they agree, the deal is done.
I found many items to be overpriced. Or, rather, maybe there’s a lot of bargaining to be done. But on some wholesale kind of shops, I found the price to be really cheap. Like, in one shop where I entered, the prices for coffee mugs were as low as INR 5/- !! Do note that most of the time, these shops don’t have any means to bubble wrap or pack your items safely for air travel. So, you will have to do your own packing arrangement if you buy something from here.
What else can I do at Bat Trang Pottery Village
Apart from browsing through the beautiful art collection at Bat Trang Pottery Village there are a few other interesting things that you can do at Bat Trang Pottery Village. Some of these include –
- Taking a mosaic class at Bat Trang Pottery Village.
- Walking through and understanding the process and history of Bat Trang Pottery.
- Take a guided tour to the Bat Trang Pottery Village from Hanoi with pottery class.
Can I find Bat Trang Pottery anywhere else in Vietnam
Yes, ofcourse. From the Bat Trang Pottery Village, pottery is exported all over Vietnam. For example, in several shops of Hanoi, you will find the Bat Trang Pottery being sold. And the price difference is not much compared to the Bat Trang Pottery Village. In fact, I found a better deal on some of the items in the shop compared to the Bat Trang Pottery Village !! And the best deal was a couple of large mugs that I grabbed from one of the stalls at the Hanoi Night Market. (Which is setup in Hanoi old quarters every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings).
Also, “Authentic Bat Trang” shop in Han Gai (Old Quarters of Hanoi) is a famous shop for buying Bat Trang Pottery. The items here are definitely superior to those found in other nearby shops at cheaper prices. They rather looked as special hand-picked items. So, highly recommend buying from here.
PS: There is a hallmark for Bat Trang Pottery that you should look for. And don’t just go by the name Bat Trang pottery if someone claims it to be original.
What did I buy from the Bat Trang Pottery Village
While exploring the Bat Trang Pottery Village, I didn’t buy much. The main reason being lack of proper packing so that I could carry items safely in a flight back home. At the same time, I couldn’t resist buying a few things that were on a complete bargain. For instance – I bought this matching set of a mini tea pot, a pickle holder with spoon and a tray – which all collectively came for INR 300/- only.
Apart from this, I bought couple of ceramic spoons.
Then, I picked a few Bat Trang Pottery items from Hanoi itself. That included this tray and a matching set of 6 mini bowl – plates. I picked these from a Hanoi Old Quarters shop at around INR 700/- total.
And then these two large cups which I bought from Hanoi Night Market for INR 300/- each.
How did I carry the Bat Trang Pottery back home safely
Most of the Bat Trang Pottery that I bought from Hanoi and Bat Trang Pottery Village were wrapped in only a piece of newspaper or paper. Except for the 2 mugs which were bubble wrapped. However, I didn’t want to take any risks with my unique souvenir finds. So, I carried them in a small cabin luggage with me. And for additional safety, I wrapped each of the pieces in a layer of soft clothing – towels, jackets, kid’s soft cloths etc. And finally all of them arrived back home in India safely 🙂
Overall, I will say, you will find Bat Trang Pottery at a lot of places in Vietnam. But, do make time to visit the Bat Trang Pottery Village in Vietnam to get the actual feel of the whole authentic process and story behind this art.
Other useful resources from our Vietnam Trip
The trip to Bat Trang Pottery Village was a part of our trip to Hanoi. Which was in turn part of our three weeks trip to Vietnam. During this trip we covered several places across north, central and south Vietnam. Some of the other useful posts which will help you plan your trip to Vietnam include –
Spending a couple of days in Ho Chi Minh in South Vietnam
A self-planned trip to Chu Chi Tunnel from Ho Chi Minh
Spending a couple of days exploring Dalat – the cute charming hill town of south-central Vietnam
Exploring Nha Trang – the most beautiful coastal town of Vietnam
A day trip to Hoi An – the most romantic town of Vietnam
To the top of mountains – spending a day at Ba Na Hills in Vietnam
One of the most beautiful road trips of Vietnam from Da Nang to Hue
Exploring Hanoi – the heart of North Vietnam
A 3 days trip to Sapa from Hanoi