Pottery village over 500 years old - Thanh Ha, Hoi An

Coming to Hoi An, in addition to visiting the stunningly beautiful ancient town, tourists can also visit many famous traditional craft villages such as Tra Que vegetable village, Kim Bong carpentry village, Hoi An silk village and do not forget to visit Thanh Ha pottery village with a history of more than 500 years. The pottery village was formed in the 15th - 16th century in Thanh Liem village, now Thanh Ha village, about 3 km from Hoi An ancient town. This craft village developed very prosperously in the 17th and 18th centuries. Many products were chosen to offer to kings as precious gifts from this land.

1. Process and technique of creation:

If Tho Ha (Bac Giang) ceramic products are made from green clay, Bat Trang (Hanoi) from white clay, Phu Lang (Bac Ninh) from yellow-brown clay, Thanh Ha ceramic products are made from brown clay along the Thu Bon River, which has high plasticity and adhesion. The ceramic making process in Thanh Ha village still retains its traditional features over many centuries. From the stage of taking the clay, kneading to shaping and firing the product, all are meticulously done by hand.

The artisans will go through the following steps:

●Getting clay from Thu Bon river

●Mix, tamp and compost the soil until it is as smooth as powder.

●Shaping on the turntable

●Dry the product

●Burned in a kiln at high temperature

Ceramic products here are very diverse, from kitchen utensils such as cups and plates to decorative items such as vases, statues, lamp posts, flower pots, etc.

2. Thanh Ha Ceramic Park - Hoi An

When visiting this traditional craft village, you should not miss Thanh Ha Terracotta Park. This is the largest ceramic park and is considered the “unique” ceramic museum in Vietnam. The park covers an area of nearly 6,000m2, including 2 main buildings:

●Left building: Recreates the history of the pottery village and displays ancient artifacts

●Building on the right: Exhibition of Thanh Ha ceramic products and some other craft villages

There are also 9 other areas such as the pottery kiln area, the craft village museum area, the product area, etc., helping visitors have a comprehensive view of the traditional pottery profession.

3. Experience creating your own masterpiece.

Fascinated by the sophistication and artistry of the products, many visitors wish to experience the entire process of the artisans and learn how to create their own works of art. At Thanh Ha ceramic village, artisans are always ready and enthusiastic to guide you to do so if you feel like it.

4. Best time to visit Thanh Ha pottery village

In Hoi An in particular and in central Vietnam in general, the weather is divided into 4 distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. Winter is not too cold but it rains a lot and can cause flooding, so you need to consider the time to come here to have a great experience. The ideal time to visit is from February to April when the weather is cool. For those who go in the summer from May to August, the weather here is quite hot and sunny. Therefore, you should visit the craft village early in the morning or late in the afternoon. From September to December, it often rains and can cause flooding. You need to prepare a raincoat or umbrella.

5. Transportation and fares

About 3km west of Hoi An ancient town, you can travel by bicycle, motorbike or taxi. You can travel in 2 ways:

• Hung Vuong Street – Duy Tan Street: from the center of the old town, follow Hung Vuong Street to Duy Tan Street, go about 500m more to the intersection ⇒ turn left to reach the pottery village.

• Route along the Thu Bon River: starting from the old town, you go along the Thu Bon River towards Highway 1A ⇒ pass Thanh Ha fish market ⇒ continue a bit further, you will reach the craft village.

Entrance fee: Entrance fee to the pottery village is 35,000 VND for adults and 15,000 VND for children. Thanh Ha Terracotta Park has its own entrance fee: 40,000 VND for adults and 29,000 VND for children.