Hoi An Souvenirs, Gifts & Touristy Things

Was ever the name of a gallery more apt? Situated a short drive  from Hoi An Ancient Town, ‘Exquisite – Cultural Gallery’ with its garden coffee shop and breath-taking artifacts, is in fact: exquisite. Situated inside an original Vietnamese stilt house is a  a vast array of Vietnamese art that includes pottery, wooden sculptures, traditional Vietnamese dress and textiles.  Almost everything on sale here is made by minority groups from all over Vietnam.  Seeing many of their country’s artistic traditions slowly slipping away, owners Giang and Kiet, have provided a creative platform for Vietnam’s ethnic minorities to tell their rapidly disappearing tales.  And the owners are keen to tell you about it.  Purchase any piece here and you’ll be regaled about its background.  Prices vary.  You can buy bona fide Vietnamese pottery, such as M’Nong ceramics for around 4 USD or a wooden owl candle holder for around 210 USD.  In a sea of touristy Hoi An souvenir shops, An Nhan Exquisite – Cultural Gallery offers genuine Vietnamese artifacts.  Take home anything from this establishment and you are taking home some of the most authentic artifacts Vietnam has to offer.  Into to collecting art pieces? This is the affordable price, outlet for you.

In our ever-changing world of modernity, so many countries’ cultures are under threat.  Vietnam is no exception.  So, it is wonderful to come across artisans like Huynh Phuong Do.  Passionate about preserving the Vietnamese craft of sculpting art from bamboo roots and stumps, you’ll find him busy at work outside his shop on Bach Dang street carving his next masterpiece.   With roots for their whiskers and joy in their chiseled faces, one of these bamboo heads is an essential buy if you want to take home a little bit of Hoi An. Inspired by historical Vietnamese figures, each piece is totally unique.  They are also ridiculously cheap.  Pick up a small carving for 4 USD or go for one of the larger ones with its roots for arms and legs at 40 USD.  These figures make a great Hoi An souvenirs or gift and are extremely popular with tourists.  For that little bit of extra memory, bring along your camera and photograph the master at work.  I’m sure you can tell: Phuong Do is one of our favorite shops.

Sunday in Hoi An with its modern, spacious layout, oozing pastel hues,  tasteful decoration and Meet Me In Hoi An Instagram photo op corner, is your quintessential upmarket Hoi An souvenir and gift outlet.  Here, colorful ceramics, statement earrings, scarves and straw baskets reign supreme. You’ll also find beautifully presented, gift-box sets like the black, red and white pepper set from Phu Quoc for around 18 USD.  If pepper isn’t your souvenir thing, no worries.  There’s gift-box sets of face cream and tea and if you feel like sprucing up your home, head up stairs to see the cushions and homeware.  While prices are higher in Sunday in Hoi An, it’s worth it for the quality and hassle-free experience. So for all you fashion-forward shoppers out there, looking to take home a statement souvenir, look no further than Sunday.

Reaching Out Gift Shop, is one of Hoi An’s most special places.  It offers beautifully crafted, high-quality gifts for the discerning and social conscious shopper. At this mission-driven shop, differently-abled, hearing impaired, artisans are given an opportunity to showcase their talents, working alongside their abled-bodied colleagues to create a host of fine housewares. Exquisite ceramic tea sets, rattan basket ware, pottery, lanterns and silver jewelry are just some of the things on sale. For Hoi An gift ideas, this is a great place to spend your money.  Prices are higher than the average Hoi An specialty store, but you’re paying for quality. If you have some time to spare post-shopping, we recommend taking a peek at their workshop out the back to see how your gifts are made.  We also recommend you wind down with a cup of their exquisite tea or coffee in the monastic, quietude of the teahouse out front.   The elegant presentation  of Reaching Out’s teas is an experience not to be missed as is the hushed, tranquil and truly uplifting atmosphere that presides inside these walls.  A visit to Reaching Out Teahouse will do your soul good.

Since its introduction by the French in the 19th Century coffee has not only been embraced throughout Vietnam, it has made the country very rich (they are now the second largest exporter of coffee in the world).  So, if you are looking for an authentic souvenir of Vietnam to take back home venture in to one of the many coffee gift shops exploding all over the Old Town.

We particularly like Hoa Champa which doubles as a gift and specialty store.  Inside this small and very pretty rustic setting you will find many possibilities for souvenirs to take back home.  Ceramic dishes, ornate tea sets, old-style coffee grinders, Vietnamese pottery, Agarwood jewellery as well as all manner of coffee and teas.    They also have an extensive coffee menu which includes Vietnamese drip coffee, Americano, Lattes and even Yoghurt coffee.  We recommend the coconut coffee, it’s delicious.

Weasel Coffee (Kopi Luwak): Is an expensive and very popular novelty coffee made from the droppings of weasels. It is a popular Hoi An souvenir that all sounds very cute in the literature:  “This little guy eats the coffee beans, out comes the poop, we have special coffee.”   However, there’s a dark side.

In the sea of Hoi An specialty shops, this shop stands apart.  On sale are incredible model replicas of famous ships such as the USS Constitution, Titanic and Cutty Sark. Apart from well-known ships, there’s yachts, speed boats, tall ships, new ships, cruise ships, ships in a bottle – they even sell ships in a lightbulb!  The craftsmanship and incredible detail involved in Hoi An Handicraft Wooden Ships is amazing, in fact it is hard to relay.  You simply have to see it.  Another lovely touch of detail is the information cards that accompany each of the larger models.  This provides a brief background history on the ship.  Did you know, the Black Pearl was formerly known as the Wicked Wench before Jack Sparrow christened her Black Pearl?

There’s no pressure to buy at Hoi An Handicraft Wooden Ship Shop. But, if you do make a purchase, the ships can easily be broken down and shipped to your final destination at an additional charge. For an interesting Hoi An souvenir or gift, put this place on your list.

A one meter- (3.3 foot-) length Titanic sells for around 36 USD (very reasonable considering the craftsmanship); they also take visa and package with a guarantee.

There are copious souvenir, gift and specialty shops in Hoi An but some are impossible to pass by without entering. Artbook is one of them.  Housed within a traditional Hoi An yellow house, Artbook’s colorful collection of souvenir posters, notebooks, children’s toys and much more certainly catches the eye.  You can find some of the best memorabilia from Vietnam here: Vietnamese pottery, candles, fashion accessories, tea, ceramics and coasters, your souvenir choices are endless.  But it’s the books that make it unique.  You’ll find quintessential English classics, best sellers, travel books, fiction, non-fiction and more.  They also stock a good number of interesting titles from Vietnamese authors to help shed light on the country’s tumultuous decades-long war. If you completely forgot to pack your next travel read, Artbook has you covered.  There are several Artbook stores in Hoi An.  For the largest selection head to 166 Tran Phu which is situated under The Chef restaurant. Renowned for its wonderful rooftop balcony with great views over Hoi An, The Chef serves good food and some pretty nice Sundowners too.  Highly recommended as a perfect resting stop in-between your souvenir shopping spree.

Okay, who doesn’t like a chocolate shop?  The smell of chocolate is a glorious experience and let’s face it, the bad name chocolate has accrued is just not fair.  Chocolate is good for you.  Well, the one that’s not quite edible is anyway.  So if you’re looking for an easy to carry Hoi An souvenir that everyone will like, head along to Alluvia Chocolate. Founded by a father-daughter pair, looking to bring chocolate from the Mekong Delta of Vietnam to the masses, you’ll find chocolate of all varieties here.  Whilst the chocolate comes from the Mekong the ingredients come from all over Vietnam. There’s Chile chocolate, cashew chocolate, blueberry, ginger, green tea and more. Sample from their mini sample trays to find the one you like (and pretend you can’t decide and sample them again) – why not!  Small bars start around 90,000 VND (3.8 USD). Whilst it’s not cheap, when was anything nice in life cheap?  Alluvia Chocolate make  great gift ideas (just don’t eat them before you get home).

Souvenir:  ‘An object that you buy or keep to remind yourself of a special occasion or a place you have visited; a memento, keepsake or token of remembrance.’

As mementos or gifts go there are few to rival making your own souvenir mask from Vietnam.  This is exactly what you can do at Hoi An’s, The Timing Masks Workshops. This visually stunning workshop is operated by a family run business, headed by patriarch Phong Bui.  Their aim is to preserve one of Vietnam’s oldest cultural activities: the art of mask making.  You can find the Timing Mask Workshop down a lane just off 58 Le Loi Street.  Book into one of the workshops below to make your own mask.  If you don’t have the time – no problem – there are many colourful masks on sale at very fair prices (medium size, around 200,000 VND)

1 hour Mask Painting Class – 300,000 VND

2 hour Mask Painting Class – 450,000 VND

Whilst many of the souvenirs on sale in Viet A can be found in other parts of Hoi An, the shop’s more spacious and organized layout (not to mention the mesmerizing myriad of hanging lanterns) make for a better buying experience.

It’s the type of shop to visit if you’re not sure what souvenirs or gifts to buy in Hoi An and need some ideas for your shopping list.   They have everything here and at a reasonable price.

North Face bags, leather bags, banana shirts, clothes and T shirts hang overhead as you enter.  Further in, under a cover of dangling lanterns, are rows and rows of eye-catching Vietnam souvenirs.  Classic Vietnamese coffee sets, colorful bamboo bowls, leather items, rattan baskets, ceramic plates, miniature statues, ornamental trays, tea sets – you name it, they’ve got it.

And for those with a hat fetish – you’ll have a hard time leaving this venue.  They have shelf upon shelf of hats. Hats of all different shapes and sizes. ‘Panama’ hats, felt hats, cute trilby style hats – well hats, lots of them.

But for the quintessentially Hoi An memento and one that is always a gift hit, you cannot go past buying some of the beautiful light-weight lanterns on sale.  In fact, it will be hard to leave this shop without purchasing at least one Hoi An lantern.

Tiem Dat Nung Pottery is a photographers dream and a potter’s delight.  It is also a Hoi An souvenir and gift shop where you can buy a little bit of Vietnam’s history and traditions. Inside, you’ll find rows and rows of authentic terracotta pottery by Quang Nam-based artist, Le Duc Ha; a man passionate about preserving this ancient art form.

The history of terracotta pottery dates back to the Cham people, the original inhabitants of what is now central and southern Vietnam. Celebrated for their skill in pottery making they used this form to make both functional and decorative items.

When you visit Tiem Dat Nung Pottery, you’ll be able to choose from a wide selection of beautiful, hand-crafted terracotta pieces from miniature replicas of Hoi An Old Town, plant holders and statues to ornate vases and  incredibly life-like, busts of famous Vietnamese figures. This is a beautiful shop with very reasonable prices (a statue is around 100,000 – 180,000 VND).  So, whether you’re looking for a unique souvenir or a special gift, Tiem Dat Nung Pottery is the perfect place to find it.

Seriously, who can walk past a shop full of magical, souvenir lanterns hanging from the ceiling? Who isn’t mesmerized and bedazzled by an horizon of flickering colourful lanterns of all shapes and sizes? Or hand bags.  Okay, maybe that’s what lured me in.  Maybe the shelves and shelves of very cute, tantalizing wicker bags on sale beguiled and hypnotized and pulled me in? Hobo bags, bucket bags, leather bags, bowler, shopper, clutch bags – if you’ve got a bag fetish, oh my, Long Vy Souvenir Shop will scratch and satiate it.

But it’s not just souvenir lanterns and hand bags that makes this souvenir shop stand apart.  In a sea of similar cheap and cheerful Hoi An souvenir and gift shops, this one has a little bit more ‘class’.

Prices at Long Vy Souvenir Shop are set so there’s no haggling and feeling bitter and cheated over the price.  The staff are very nice too!  As for prices; a small lantern will knock you back 350,000 VND and a rattan plate with ceramic inlay will cost around 170,000 VND.