Visit Bat Trang Ceramic Village

Day 4 Hanoi • Visit Bat Trang
ceramic village
• Destination: Hanoi
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Accommodations: Babylon Grand Hotel &
Spa or similar
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Today we’ll travel to Bat Trang, a
small village on the southeastern outskirts
of Hanoi. Since the 14th century, Bat Trang
has been known and celebrated for its
signature ceramic pottery, crafted from rich
white clay with precision and skill. Our small
group size grants us access to a workshop,
where generations of craftspeople have been
perfecting their art for centuries. There, we will
meet with an artist and their family. We’ll learn
about the artist’s daily routine and the ceramics
process, from forming the clay to painting the
distinctive, intricate designs that have been
coveted by customers for centuries. Then, we’ll
have the chance to practice making ceramic
pieces. Afterwards, we’ll walk among the locals
and wander about town, making time to explore
the colorful vases, bowls, flowerpots, and more
within the village market.
During our time in the village, we’ll
also learn about Vietnam’s land reform,
a mid-20th-century movement that
redistributed ownership of land from landlords
to a state-run series of collective farms. As
part of the movement, thousands of landlords
(or those purported to be landlords) were
killed—for those who survived, their places
and roles within villages were forever altered.
We’ll learn about this controversial period of
Vietnamese history through the eyes of two former landlords.
Then, we’ll drive to Hanoi for lunch.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We’ll return to the hotel after
lunch. The rest of the day is free for you
to spend as you please. You may choose to
relax at the hotel, or perhaps you’ll join your
Trip Experience Leader on a journey to Ba
Dinh Square, a pivotal site in 20th-century
Vietnamese history. It was here in September
1945 that Ho Chi Minh read Vietnam’s
Declaration of Independence, and it’s here
today that the national leader’s body rests
within a massive granite mausoleum to
the complex where we’ll view it from its
exterior—taking in the sight of guards, flowers,
and more. We’ll also behold the One Pillar
Pagoda, widely considered one of Vietnam’s
most iconic Buddhist temples. Built of wood
atop a single, four-foot-wide stone pillar
and designed to resemble a lotus flower, the
temple’s origins date back to the year 1049.
Dinner: On your own, with the freedom to
seek out local cuisine or familiar American
standards. In either case, your Trip Experience
Leader will be ready with recommendations.
Evening: You’re free to turn in early for the
night, or make the most of your time in Hanoi
with extra exploration. You may ask your Trip
Experience Leader for their tips.

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