The Mekong Delta is a region of the Mekong River delta. According to the statistics of the General Statistics Office of Vietnam in 2011, the total area of the provinces in the Mekong Delta is 40,548.2km², with a total population of 17,330,900 people. It is located adjacent to the Southeast region, bordering Cambodia to the north, the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest, and the East Sea to the southeast.
When participating in tourism tours and researching craft villages, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the technical process of traditional crafts, immerse themselves in the community life with customs, practices, and rituals of traditional craft villages.
In the Southwest region, as of the end of 2009, there were about 164 craft villages, including: 38 bamboo and rattan craft villages; 16 weaving villages; 8 pastry-making villages; 7 flour-making villages; 7 brick and pottery villages; 5 coconut product-making villages; 4 core tile-making villages; 3 broom-making villages; 2 wine-making villages; and other products such as forging, drums, ancestral altars, ornamental flowers, and boats, with only 01 craft village.
Below, I will briefly introduce some famous crafts and craft villages that can contribute to the development of tourism:
AN GIANG:
The entire province of An Giang currently has 82 traditional handicraft villages associated with tourism development services (including 24 villages recognized by the provincial People’s Committee, 14 traditional craft villages that have existed for over 50 years):
- Tan Chau silk craft village
- Van Giao and Chau Giang brocade weaving villages.
- fishing net-making village; household wooden furniture-making villages like Long Giang, Long Dien, My Luong, and Cho Thu (Cho Moi).
- bamboo and rattan weaving village Long Giang.
- strawberry farming, silkworm breeding, and silk weaving in Tan Chau.
- ironwork in Phu My (Phu Tan)
- weaving in Cu Lao Gieng (Cho Moi)
- brick and tile making in Chau Thanh and Chau Phu
- glass painting in Long Dien B and My Luong (Cho Moi)
- fish cage farming in Chau Doc and My Hoa Hung (Long Xuyen)
- brocade weaving in My A (Tan Chau town)
- Champa silk weaving in Chau Phong
- Uzu weaving village
- bamboo silk art
- palm leaf paintings
- bamboo basket weaving
- rice paper-making in My Khanh
- incense-making in Binh Duc (Long Xuyen)
- sugar-making in An Phu (Tinh Bien)
- bamboo-weaving in My An, Long Giang
- crab-shell craft in My Duc
- crab trap making in My An (Thanh Phu);…
Tan Chau silk craft village – Click on the link to see map of the village
BAC LIEU:
Bac Lieu province has 6 famous and traditional craft villages.
In Hong Dan and Phuoc Long districts, there are villages specializing in:
- weaving mats, bamboo and rattan weaving (Ninh Thanh Loi)
- makeshift village, blacksmithing, mat weaving, rice paper-making village (Ngan Dua township)
- woodworking village (Ninh Hoa) mat-making, knife-making, woodworking,
- Dong hai salt-making villages;
- leaf-rolling craft.
The profession of salt making is known for its challenges, yet the resilient people of Bac Lieu are determined to persevere, with a strong desire to preserve the traditional craft. Photo credit: Phuong Nghi.
- There are also fishing net-making villages in Gia Rai, leaf-rolling craft in Vinh Loc, fishing net-making, fish sauce-making villages,…
BEN TRE:
Currently, the entire province of Ben Tre has 45 recognized craft villages, including 27 agricultural craft villages and 18 small-scale industrial craft villages. Among them are 19 traditional craft villages; 07 groups of 63 rural occupations with 30,552 establishments. Some craft villages include:
- Chợ Lách Flower Village.
- Nhon Thanh mat-weaving village
- coconut candy-making village (Ben Tre city)
- An Hiep mat-weaving village (Chau Thanh)
- An Thanh coconut fiber production village
- Khanh Tan coconut fiber production village
- Thanh Thoi B mat-weaving village (Mo Cay)
- Phu Le small-scale industrial craft village
- Phuoc Tuy bamboo weaving village
- Phu Ngai coconut candy-making village
- An Thuy dried fish-making village (Ba Tri)
- Son Doc rice cake-making village
- My Long rice paper-making village
- Phuoc Long small-scale industrial craft village
- My Thanh scissor-making village
- Hung Phong coconut leaf basket-weaving village (Giong Trom)
- Binh Thang dried fish-making village (Binh Dai)
- Hoa Loi bell-making village
- My An broom-making village (Thanh Phu),…
CAN THO:
- Ditho bamboo basket-making village; basket-weaving village
- Thom Rom bamboo basket-making village (Thot Not district, Can Tho city)
- Ba Rui clay oven-making village
- Thuan Hung rice paper-making village
- Thoi Nhut flower village (An Binh)
- Nga Bay boat-making village
- riverside basket-making village; rice wine-making village in Thot Not
- Thoi Long bamboo basket-making village (O Mon)
- palm leaf hat-making craft (Thoi Tan A),…
DONG THAP:
- Sa Dec flour-making village
- Sa Giang shrimp cracker-making village
- Dinh Yen mat-weaving village
- Lai Vung nem-making village
- Sa Dec ornamental flower village
- fishing tool-making villages like net, trap, and woven basket (Lai Vung, Lap Vo)
- mephitis-making in Cao Lanh
- pottery-making (Chau Thanh)
- Ba Dai boat-making village,…
HAU GIANG:
- Chau Thanh, Phung Hiep, Long My, and Vi Thanh bamboo and palm leaf hat-making craft villages
- boat-making (Phung Hiep and Chau Thanh)
- bamboo fishing rod-making (Nga Bay town);
- charcoal-making; Cai Chanh mat-making village
- broom-making village
- chopstick-making village
- palm leaf hat-making village
- wood carving; bamboo basket-making (Vi Thuy),…
KIEN GIANG:
- Tan Chau silk village
- Long Giang bamboo and rattan village
- Cho Thu woodworking village
- Long Giang household wooden furniture-making village
- clay pottery village (Hon Dat)
- mat-weaving (Chau Thanh)
- leaf hat-making (Phu My and Giang Thanh)
- fish sauce-making, pepper-growing (Phu Quoc)
- mat-weaving (Rach Gia city),…
SOC TRANG:
Banh Pia is a type of sweet pastry that combines multiple high-quality ingredients. The pastry filling is made from mung beans, durian, duck salted eggs, while the outer crust is created from layered thin dough that can be easily peeled off one by one, earning it the nickname “Peeling Skin Pastry” among many.
- Pia cake and lap xuong sausage-making village (Chau Thanh)
- bamboo and rattan weaving village (Chau Thanh)
- lotus stem craft village (Chau Thanh)
- My Tu bamboo craft village
- charcoal-making (Ke Sach),…
TIEN GIANG:
- Go Cat and My Tho noodle village
- traditional bamboo weaving village (Thuan Cuu Nghia, Tan Li Dong)
- Long Dinh mat-weaving village
- Dong Hoa Hiep mi cake-making village
- traditional wooden altar-making village (Ong Non Go Cong Dong); small-scale industrial craft villages,…
TRÀ VINH:
Known for its traditional craft villages, Trà Vinh boasts a wide range of specialized professions, including the famous rượi fish sauce village in Duyên Hải
- Ba So clean rice paper village
- Trà Vi rice paper-making industry
- Ba Động watermelon plantation profession
- Long Bình boat-building village
- Trà Cuôn rice cake village in Cầu Ngang
- traditional salt village in Cồn Cù.
- Other crafts include weaving mats, making dried shrimp, producing wine and rice paper, and creating various handicrafts like bamboo beds
- coconut fiber carpets in Giồng Đình (Trà Cú) and boat-building in Trà Vinh City.
VĨNH LONG
According to incomplete statistics, Vĩnh Long province currently has 23 recognized craft villages meeting the criteria set by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In addition to its abundant fruit orchards and unique ecotourism destinations, Vinh Long is also renowned for the Red Kingdom nestled along picturesque riverside settings. Each kiln, each row of bricks, and each shimmering image of the distinctive waterway landscapes in the pottery village create an unparalleled beauty that epitomizes the natural charm of the region.
Separated from the main branch of the Mekong River, the two tributaries of the Tiền River and the Hậu River annually bring millions of cubic meters of fertile alluvial soil to this vast delta region. This sediment not only serves as a vital source of nutrients for rice paddies and seasonal fruit orchards, but also gives rise to valuable deposits of pristine clay soil.
These natural clay deposits are the perfect raw material for creating construction and decorative products such as fired bricks and pottery. The raw earth transformed through the skilled hands of artisans becomes invaluable commodities for the local community.
- Minh Thít pottery village
- Cổ Chiên pottery village, Phước Định roofing village
- various other villages specializing in basket weaving, coconut leaf processing, coconut fiber production, paper rice paper making, and fruit preserves, among others.
LONG AN:
Long An province has identified and planned 15 traditional craft villages and clusters. These villages specialize in making traditional conical hats, bamboo basket weaving, mattress stitching, and agriculture tool forging, among others. Each village contributes to the rich cultural and economic diversity of the region, offering opportunities for tourism centered around traditional craft villages all year round.
The aforementioned crafts and villages in the Mekong Delta region showcase the immense potential for cultural tourism. Although not exhaustive, they highlight the diverse and vibrant craft traditions in the area, making it an ideal destination for year-round craft village tours.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you have gained valuable insights into the list of traditional craft villages in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam.
In addition to these traditional craft villages, there are also unique cultural aspects such as music and dance that reflect the blend of border regions with Cambodia and Thailand. Therefore, please stay tuned for the next article to learn more about these distinctive features.
