Buzz
In addition to traditional souvenirs like preserved fruits, green rice flakes, or lotus tea, visitors to Hanoi can also explore silk from Van Phuc village or pottery from Bat Trang to find unique gifts for their loved ones and friends.
Here are some suggestions for travelers when shopping for gifts in Hanoi.
Preserved Fruits
Preserved fruits, with flavors ranging from sour, spicy, salty to sweet, represent the essence of Hanoi cuisine and are a popular choice for many Hanoi tourists as souvenirs.
Crafting delicious and visually appealing preserved fruits requires several intricate and delicate steps such as ingredient selection, processing, marinating, drying, and packaging.
Crispy rice cake
The essence of Vong village's fragrant rice cake has long been a captivating charm for the capital's culinary scene. Although only available in autumn, Hàng Than crispy rice cakes offer a perfect alternative for many Hanoi tourists. Made from fragrant young rice grains swaying in the internal breeze, after roasting, pounding, sieving, and winnowing, the rice is stir-fried with sugar until golden, then wrapped in fresh banana leaves, filled with smooth golden green bean paste.
As a traditional specialty of Hanoi, Hàng Than crispy rice cakes entice diners with their chewy outer layer and creamy coconut and green bean filling, infused with the natural aroma of pomelo. Small, thin, and flat, yet meaningful gifts from the land and people of Hanoi. Not only for gifting, crispy rice cakes are also an essential delicacy for weddings and other celebrations.
Lotus tea
Compared to other gifts, lotus-infused tea comes with a relatively high price tag and is often harder to find. However, once you've selected authentic West Lake lotus tea, it's undoubtedly a precious gift for loved ones and friends after concluding your Hanoi trip. Brewing lotus tea is an art that requires considerable time and effort.
Selecting the finest dried tea leaves, they are steeped 5-7 times with lotus seeds (the white seeds atop the lotus stamen) to absorb the fragrance and flavor. The lotus used must be grown in ponds around West Lake, such as Nhật Tân and Quảng Bá, for their fragrance and abundant seeds. Although only available in the summer months of May and June, thanks to this meticulous brewing process, that distinctive lotus aroma is preserved year-round, accompanying travelers across the country.
Opening a package of lotus tea gifts a gentle, soothing aroma. When brewed, the water takes on a light green color and a rich flavor. A sip reveals the delicate scent of lotus blossoms filling the mouth. Each sip of tea evokes memories of Hanoi's enchanting summer fragrance.
Silk
As the famous song goes, 'The Saigon sun feels cooler because you wear Hà Đông silk…', products from Vạn Phúc silk village (Hà Đông) are a distinct gift from the land of Hanoi. Thanks to its thin, soft, breathable, and colorfast qualities, silk is highly favored by Hanoi tourists. Whether in winter or summer, tourists in Hanoi can find desired silk gifts such as scarves, clothes, dresses, bags…
Not only diverse in style and design, Vạn Phúc silk also captivates with its vibrant colors and exquisite patterns. Thanks to traditional artistic techniques passed down through generations, the lines and motifs on the silk fabric remain sharp, soft, and graceful. Apart from Vạn Phúc silk village (about 10 km from Hanoi city center), you can also purchase silk at stalls on Hang Gai or Đinh Liệt streets.
Ceramics
When visiting Bát Tràng, don't forget to purchase ceramic products from this traditional craft village. With distinctive enamel colors and exquisite craftsmanship, Bát Tràng ceramics possess a unique beauty. In addition to common items like bowls, plates, cups, and teacups, there are also special gift items such as wind chimes, statues… Hanoi tourists visiting the ceramic village can also try their hand at making bowls, vases, jars, cups as gifts, offering both meaningful souvenirs and a fun experience.
According to VnExpress
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourSeptember 10, 2014
