Balancing Bamboo: Craft Workshop

• A handicraft workshop
• A translator
• A friendly and knowledgeable guide
• Transport
• Free parking on the premises
• Your own bamboo dragonfly souvenir to take home

Take a step back in time when you visit the village of Thach Xa where you will get to learn all about the art of balancing bamboo dragonfly making. Once a popular toy for children, these bamboo dragonflies can balance perfectly on the tip of your finger, and are sadly no longer produced as widely as they once were.

Learn how these gorgeous toys are made in an ancient handicraft village, and then get a hands-on lesson with a knowledgeable local craftsman who has been making these toys for decades. After making your own dragonfly, tour this incredible and serene village, and then sit down for a delicious local meal served by a welcoming host family.

Itinerary

This tour will start in Hanoi where you will take a motorbike to the neighbouring Thach Xa Village which is known for its balancing bamboo dragonfly toy production. During the drive you will get to see the gorgeous countryside around Hanoi, before arriving at this serene and picturesque location.

Most of the families in this village used to make the balancing bamboo dragonfly toys, but as traditional toys have become less popular with local children, the demand has declined and only four families here still produce the dragonflies.

You will learn how the toys are made first, and how they need to be measured exactly in order for them to be able to balance perfectly on the tip of a finger. You will also get to see how the dragonflies are laid out to dry in the sun on poles, and will be taken through the ten steps that are needed in order to complete just one of these exquisite toys.

Once you have received a demonstration you will then be ready to make your own dragonfly, and a master craftsman will be on hand to help you throughout the process. You will get to learn how to cut the bamboo from which the dragonfly is made, as well as measure it to size, stick it together using glue, and then paint it in whatever motif or design you want. You will also learn the secret to testing your dragonfly, which is to balance it on a chopstick.

When the workshop is finished you will have time to enjoy the rest of the village of Thach Xa, and will visit the Tay Phuong Pagoda which is one of the most ancient and sacred spots in the entire town. You will then get the chance to have dinner with a local family before heading back to Hanoi.

Meeting Point

Hanoi

What to Bring

Participants are encouraged to bring water or any snacks they may want during the day

Departs
Monday-Sunday

Time
The tour lasts for 6 hours and starts at 8 am or 9 am