Located on the gentle Thu Bon River, about 2 km from the center of Hoi An ancient town, Thanh Ha pottery village (Hoi An Tay ward, Da Nang) has long been known as a special destination for those who love culture, history and sophisticated handicrafts.
According to artist Nguyen Thi Van, who was born and raised in a family of 4-5 generations in the pottery industry, and won the Second Prize in the Ceramic Scrap competition at the Thanh Ha Ward Ceramics Group death anniversary in 2018, Thanh Ha pottery village is over 500 years old. This small village not only contributes to the reputation of the ancient Hoi An port but is also a place to preserve the soul of a traditional Vietnamese profession.
Unlike the famous Bat Trang pottery in the North, Thanh Ha pottery has its own unique characteristics. If Bat Trang uses white soil to produce sophisticated products with high techniques, Thanh Ha pottery uses local red soil, creating a rustic, close color.
Artisan Nguyen Thi Van frankly said: In terms of technique, Bat Trang ceramics are definitely more beautiful and sophisticated. But Thanh Ha pottery has a rustic, simple look, associated with the daily life of the people".
Coming to the craft village, visitors will admire the pottery craftsman on the leg rotation table - a stage that requires skill, rhythm between hands and a delicate feel for the soil.
Although many places have now switched to using rotary tables to save energy, in Thanh Ha, craftsmen still persevere with traditional leg rotation tables, preserving the old features.
Many tourists are excited to directly experience, creating small vases, bowl of sweet soup or simple bowls of bowls by hand. Although the work is still clumsy, it brings joy and unforgettable memories.
In addition to visiting the pottery making process, Thanh Ha village also has a Terracotta Park - a "living museum" of 6,000 m2, displaying thousands of pottery artifacts and miniature world-famous architectural models. This is a highlight to help visitors better understand the value of pottery in Vietnamese life and culture.
However, according to artist Nguyen Thi Van, the number of visitors to the pottery village is still quite modest. In the summer, there are few visitors, mainly Vietnamese. Foreign visitors rarely visit because the village is far from the center of the old town. The busiest time is usually from September to April of the following year, when tourists from cold countries come to Hoi An and experience craft villages.
Currently, tickets to visit Thanh Ha pottery village cost 35,000 VND/adult, including visiting the craft group relic, watching pottery workers and experiencing pottery making by hand. In addition, customers are also given a gift of a bowl of fried earthworm when participating in exchanging tickets for gifts at gift exchange points in the village.
Despite many difficulties in terms of number of visitors and product output, Thanh Ha pottery village is a bright spot on the Hoi An tourism map. With a long history of diligent craftsmen and sophisticated rustic products, the pottery village deserves to be a place for every tourist to stop, listen to the sounds of the land and feel the enduring vitality of a traditional Vietnamese craft village.
On September 27, 2025, within the framework of the 2025 Vietnam Tourism Awards Ceremony, Thanh Ha pottery village (Hoi An Tay ward, Da Nang city) was named in the category of "Best community tourism destination".
This is a great honor, affirming the continuous efforts of local authorities and people in preserving and promoting the value of a traditional craft village over half a millennium old.
