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Thu Hoài currently works in information technology in Hanoi. She often chooses to travel to peaceful places, the countryside on the outskirts of Hanoi, to experience the culture of many Vietnamese craft villages. And Quang Phu Cau incense village is one of the places she recently visited.
Thu Hoài will stand out more if she wears bright white clothing for the photoshoot.
Quang Phu Cau incense village is a beautiful check-in spot on the outskirts of Hanoi, about 35 km from the city center. Located in Cau Bau hamlet, Quang Phu Cau commune, Ung Hoa district, this destination has a history of traditional incense stick making spanning over a century.
A colorful map in the shape of the letter S, appearing in the incense-making village of Quang Phu Cau, Hanoi, has attracted many tourists recently.
Recently, the people of Quang Phu Cau incense village have given their craft a new look by arranging bundles of incense in eye-catching, colorful artistic displays, turning it into a popular check-in spot for many tourists. Visiting Quang Phu Cau incense village, tourists also have the opportunity to learn about the traditional incense making craft and take many unique and colorful photos.
The bundles of incense sticks are arranged by the locals to create eye-catching, colorful images.
Thu Hoai said: "I chose to travel by motorbike to enjoy the spring weather in the suburbs of Hanoi. The route is very easy; just go straight along the main road in southern Hanoi and you'll get there. You can also choose to go by car or bus to get there. To visit, learn about, and take pictures inside the incense production facility, you will have to pay 50,000 VND. I think that cost is normal, because the workers put in a lot of effort every day to arrange the incense sticks into a neat background. They arrange them in the morning and pack them away in the afternoon; they repeat this every day."
To visit, learn about, and take photos inside the incense production facility, you will have to pay a fee of 50,000 VND. For Thu Hoai, that fee is normal, because the people here have to put in the effort every day to arrange the incense sticks into a rather beautiful background; they arrange them in the morning and pack them away in the afternoon, repeating this process every day.
Previously, the incense stick making craft mainly developed in the Phu Luong Thuong hamlet area. Later, the incense making craft spread to the Dao Tu and Cau Bau hamlets, transforming the entire large Quang Phu Cau commune into a large-scale craft village. This place also retains the ancient beauty of a Northern Vietnamese countryside.
The incense sticks are bundled together by the locals in large sizes, with the ends touching and the bases fanning out evenly like blooming flowers. The incense in Quang Phu Cau is mainly yellow and red – the lucky colors of the East – making it very distinctive. This place was even featured by the French news agency AFP in 2019, widely promoting the beauty of this traditional Vietnamese craft village to the international community.
Incense sticks are dyed in many vibrant colors.
"I was quite impressed with the way the incense sticks were arranged to create an S-shaped map and a golden star on a red background, forming the Vietnamese flag. Another thing I really liked here was that the vendors had prepared conical hats for visitors to borrow for photos; they also provided mirrors and combs so people could touch up their appearance before checking in. Besides that, there are steps on all four sides of the incense stick model, giving visitors many options to take photos from above, capturing the entire miniature incense village," she said.
In Quang Phu Cau, many different types of incense are produced. The incense makers must be very skillful, gentle, and firm in the rolling process to ensure the powder adheres evenly to each stick. After rolling, the incense is dried in the sun to prevent mold, which would render it unusable. To create visually appealing, long-lasting, and pleasantly scented incense, the people of Quang Phu Cau also blend in various herbs to produce truly high-quality bundles of incense.
Many people even compare the incense-making village of Quang Phu Cau to the incense-making village of Thuy Xuan in Hue.
Today, when visiting this traditional craft village in Hanoi, tourists can also buy bundles of incense sticks to use. The incense products are made from agarwood, ebony, pine, patchouli, rose, angelica, cinnamon, mugwort, soapberry, etc., each with its own distinctive fragrance.
According to Thu Hoai, the best time to go is in the morning to get the most striking and beautiful photos.
"In my opinion, the best time to go is in the morning, when the sunrise is brilliant, so you can see the people arranging the incense sticks firsthand. You can also go at any time of year, but it's best to go on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Amidst hundreds of bundles of brightly colored incense sticks, you should choose a pristine white ao dai or other white clothing; it will look stunning in photos while still exuding a gentle charm," Thu Hoai shared.
Quang Phu Cau incense village is one of the oldest traditional craft villages in Hanoi that still exists and thrives today. Not only does it preserve the culture of the craft village, but it is also a tourist attraction for visitors to Hanoi.
