Half-Day Chuyen My Village Walk & Two-Piece Lacquer Workshop (4 Hours)
Walk through Chuyen My village to see how wood, shell, and lacquer are prepared, then spend an extended studio session making a pair of pieces (1 Wooden Fish + 1 Round Plaque).
Quick Facts
- Duration
- DURATION: 4 HOURS
- Published Price
- 300,000 VND per person
- Group Size per Session
- MAX 8 GUESTS PER SESSION
- Location
- Chuyen My mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquer village, Chuyen My Commune, Hanoi
- Travel Time from Central Hanoi
- 45–50 min drive south (via Highway 1A or Phap Van – Cau Gie Expressway)
- What You Take Home
- Take home both finished pieces (1 Wooden Fish + 1 Round Plaque) in a double gift box the same day.
- Opening Hours
- 08:00 – 18:00 daily (Monday – Sunday)
01. CHUYEN MY CRAFT VILLAGE
45–50 minutes south of central Hanoi via Highway 1A or Phap Van – Cau Gie, recognised by the World Crafts Council in 2026.
02. GUIDED BY A 40-YEAR MASTER ARTISAN
Every studio session is guided step by step by master artisan Nguyễn An Định (40 years' experience) and Art Director Trần Công Dũng.
03. TAKE YOUR PIECE HOME THE SAME DAY
Complete all 5 stages—from shell and crackled eggshell inlay to wet-polishing—and leave with your finished piece in a gift box.
MINUTE-BY-MINUTE ITINERARY • DURATION: 4 HOURS
Step-by-step studio schedule
Each session includes a prepared Wooden Fish or Round Plaque base board and direct guidance from master artisan Nguyễn An Định (40 years' experience)
Walk through Chuyen My village lanes
Explore how local households season wood boards, cut river and marine shells, and cure traditional lacquer.
Piece 01: Wooden Lacquer Fish
Inlay sea snail shell scales, press crackled eggshell, and apply mineral pigments on a carved wooden fish.
Piece 02: Round Lacquer Plaque (Lotus / Butterfly / 12 Zodiac Animals)
Create a matching round plaque with mother-of-pearl butterfly wings, vermilion eggshell lotus, or silver-leaf zodiac motif.
Wet-polishing both pieces & tea with the founders
Wet-polish both artworks to reveal the inlaid lustre and enjoy tea and local pastries before returning to Hanoi.
Natural materials, tools & what is included
- 01.Guided walk in Chuyen My mother-of-pearl inlay and lacquer village to see wood preparation, shell cutting, and traditional lacquer curing.
- 02.Extended studio session with master artisan Nguyễn An Định & Art Director Trần Công Dũng to make 2 pieces: 1 Wooden Fish + 1 Round Plaque.
- 03.Traditional tea and local pastries with the studio founders.
Meet the founders and master artisan who guide your session
Meet our founders & master artisan →Master Artisan Nguyễn An Định
40 years' experience in Vietnamese lacquer & mother-of-pearl inlay — Direct hands-on instructor at the studio
“After forty years with the chisel and brush, my greatest joy is showing visitors how to feel the crispness of eggshell and wet-polish their own piece to take home.”
Artist Trần Công Dũng (T.C. DUNG)
Co-Founder & Art Director — Over 20 years in Vietnamese lacquer painting
“In lacquer art, the size of the panel is not what matters most—it is the honesty of the materials when they enter everyday life.”
Co-Founder Nguyễn Thị Thu Trang
Co-Founder & Cultural Tourism Host in Chuyen My village
“Even the smallest broken piece of eggshell, when placed with care on a wooden board and sealed in lacquer, becomes part of a lasting picture.”
Practical information before your visit or DIY Kit order
FAQ →01.Where can I do a lacquer workshop near Hanoi?
You can join a hands-on Vietnamese lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay workshop at Trang Studio – Lacquer Village in Chuyen My Commune, Hanoi, 45–50 minutes south of central Hanoi. The studio is open daily from 08:00 to 18:00 (Monday to Sunday) with four standard workshop sessions starting at 08:00, 10:30, 13:30, and 15:30.
02.What will I make and can I take it home the same day?
Yes, you take your finished piece home the same day in a gift box. In the 150-minute workshop (300,000 VND), you choose 1 natural wood base board — either a Wooden Fish or a Round Plaque (Tree of Life, Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly, or 12 Zodiac Animals) — and complete all 5 inlay and wet-polishing stages.
03.What is inside the DIY Lacquer Inlay Kit and how much does it cost?
Every DIY Lacquer Inlay Kit contains a prepared natural wood base board with pre-traced outlines, pre-cut mother-of-pearl and sea snail shell, cleaned eggshell, mineral lacquer colours and adhesive, full tools (brushes, tweezers, wooden stylus, 3-grit wet sandpaper), and a bilingual VI–EN manual with QR video. Each kit costs 300,000 VND.
