TRADITIONAL ART - Tourists learn to create lacquer paintings at Nha Trang Xưa Village, which introduces and promotes 13 traditional crafts of Khánh Hòa Province. Photo courtesy of the village

KHÁNH HÒA – The coastal province of Khánh Hòa has launched a new space in Nam Nha Trang Ward to honour Việt Nam's traditional crafts.

Nha Trang Xưa (Nha Trang in the Past) Village features 13 traditional crafts, such as pottery, mat weaving, incense making, lantern making, calligraphy, lacquer painting and tò he (toy figurines made of rice dough), to preserve and promote Vietnamese heritage and cultural values.

It also highlights the bronze casting of Phú Lộc Tây Village, which has existed for over 200 years and is honoured as one of the few craft villages officially recognised by King Tự Đức of the Nguyễn Dynasty as a traditional craft village with sophisticated quality products.

In addition, Nha Trang Xưa Village set up a culinary heritage zone to introduce traditional dishes such as bánh căn (rice flour cake baked in terracotta moulds), bánh xèo (sizzling rice pancake), bún cá (fish noodle soup), and various kinds of traditional cakes.

Visitors can participate in various workshops with artisans, such as lacquer painting, bamboo dragonfly making, seashell decoration, nón lá (Vietnamese conical hat) decoration, incense making, pottery, and cooking classes to learn more about the refined and unique beauty of Vietnamese traditional craftsmanship. The venue also offers a music and dance show that tells stories of Khánh Hòa's establishment, its development and traditional crafts. The show is held six nights a week and is free of charge. – VNS