2.5-Hour Hands-on Wooden Fish or Round Plaque Lacquer & Inlay Workshop
Choose 1 natural wood base board (Wooden Fish or Round Plaque: Lotus, Butterfly, Tree of Life, or 12 Zodiac Animals) and work through all 5 inlay and wet-polishing steps with master artisan Nguyễn An Định.
Quick Facts
- Duration
- DURATION: 150 MINS (2.5 HRS)
- 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 your finished piece home the same day in a wooden/kraft gift box.
- 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: 150 MINS (2.5 HRS)
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)
Step 01: Choose your base board & transfer the motif
Pick a Wooden Fish or Round Plaque (Lotus, Butterfly, Tree of Life, or your Zodiac sign) and transfer the outline onto the prepared lacquer base board.
Step 02: Mother-of-pearl & sea snail shell inlay
Trim and place iridescent river shell and sea snail shell pieces onto fish scales, butterfly wings, or leaves.
Step 03: Crackled eggshell inlay
Set eggshell over wet adhesive and press gently to form a natural crackle mosaic.
Step 04: Mineral lacquer colours & outlines
Brush mineral lacquer colours around the inlaid motifs and paint crisp border lines.
Step 05: Wet-polishing & gift-box packaging
Wet-polish your piece under water with master artisan Nguyễn An Định until the shell and eggshell shine through, then pack it to take home.
Natural materials, tools & what is included
- 01.Welcome herbal tea and introduction to Chuyen My's 1,000-year inlay and lacquer heritage.
- 02.1 prepared natural wood base board: Wooden Fish or Round Plaque (Lotus, Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly, Tree of Life, or 12 Zodiac Animals).
- 03.All natural materials and tools: river mother-of-pearl, sea snail shell, prepared eggshell, mineral pigments, wet-polishing paper, and studio apron.
- 04.Step-by-step guidance from master artisan Nguyễn An Định (40 years' experience).
- 05.Take your finished piece home the same day in a gift box.
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.
