Thuy Xuan Incense Village- Hue Traditional Craft Village

Introduction

The imperial city of Hue is renowned for its rich cultural and historical heritage. The city is also famous for its many shrines, temples, and worship activities. In the spiritual life of Hue’s people, incense plays a significant role. The traditional craft of incense-making has been passed by many generations in a special place called Thuy Xuan Incense Village. 

To discover the incense-making traditional craft, as well as take fabulous pictures in this beautiful and peaceful place, Vietnam Vacation Travel will bring you a lot of helpful information about Thuy Xuan Incense-making Village.

Where And How To Get To Thuy Xuan Village?

Only about 7 kilometers southwest of the city center, the Thuy Xuan Incense Village is located on Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street, Thuy Xuan Ward, Hue City. Together with Vong Canh Hill and the Tu Duc and Dong Khanh Tombs, this centuries-old incense village has created a tourist route to help visitors experience Hue’s traditional culture and heritage.

You can come here from the center of Hue City by bicycle, motorbike, car, or try the Hue City Tour on a Tourism Bus or even the dragon boat along the Perfume River to visit this place.

To have the best experience, you can book some Hue Tours in Vietnam Vacation Travel:

• Hue City Private Tour 1 Day – from 47 USD/pax.
• Hue City Tour Half Day – 31 USD/pax.
• Hue City Group Tour – 43 USD/pax.

You may also interested in our Hue Private Car Transfer to move to other highlight destinations, such as:

• Hue To Ba Na Hill Private Car  – from 90 USD/Sedan.
• Hue To Bach Ma National Park Private Car – from 73 USD/Sedan.
• Hue To Da Nang Private Car – from 60 USD/Sedan.

The History Of Thuy Xuan Incense Village

The craft of making incense in Thuy Xuan dates back hundreds of years during the Nguyen Dynasty.

When you come to this place, you can see beautiful clusters of incense in many colors such as red, green, yellow, and purple, … filling Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street, resembling colorful flowers in full bloom.

Before, Thuy Xuan incense used to be produced only for domestic uses in Thuan Hoa, Phu Xuan, Hue, and the court of the Nguyen Dynasty, however, it is now being exported to foreign countries. Thuy Xuan Hue Incense Village has become a local special cultural tradition passed down and continuously developed.

What To Do In Thuy Xuan Incense Village

Taking Photos With Traditional Costume

For the young generation and visitors, Thuy Xuan Village is one of the best places in Hue where you can take beautiful photos, and hire and try on the Nhat Binh costume at a cheap price. You can support the villagers or the shop where you take photos by buying feature products like cinnamon incense, circular incense, and agarwood incense. Or you can buy souvenir products at a good price. You can explore the beauty of the landscape, culture, and people in Hue.

Visit “The Incense Shop With Special Human Love”

There is one shop that is more famous than others with Hue citizens, Mệ Tuyết Incense Shop. In Vietnamese, “Mệ” means “grandmother” and is a dialect heard only in Thua Thien Hue province. It is not the most beautiful shop here but it is famous for the actions of the person who owns it. Ms Tuyet, now in the age of over 70, with the desire to preserve this traditional craft and help young cancer patients with the earning from selling products.

For each incense bouquet, conical hat, or any souvenir sold for the visitor, there is an additional present or contribution to the hospital fee to help the young cancer patient at the Pediatric Department of Hue Central Hospital. If you come here, you can donate or buy souvenirs to support Ms. Tuyet. Your contribution can help make a positive difference in the lives of these young children.

Join In The Incense-Making Activity

Being a visitor of Thuy Xuan incense village, you can explore every step of the incense-making process, and with the instructions from skilled craftsmen here, you can try some steps to make an incense stick by yourself, from selecting materials for incense powder and bamboo sticks to processing the materials and rolling the incense paste around sticks.

Travel Guide

Best Time To Visit 

This tourist destination is always open and it is free to visit so you can come whenever you want. But I highly recommend you come here from March to July, in the summer.

Summer is when the incense flowers bloom. In the bright light of the sun and beautiful blue sky, villagers will dry the finished bunches of colorful incense along the streets and roads. Then, a picturesque scene appears in your eyes while you take plenty of fascinating pictures, and that unforgettable scenery will be kept in each of the tourist’s minds after they leave this place.

In addition, the Tet holiday, a special holiday in Vietnam, mostly occurs from late January to the middle of February. If you visit Hue at this time, you can explore the greatest traditional holiday of Vietnam, also see the beauty of this place through the decorations and enjoy the Tet atmosphere. 

You should avoid the time from September to early January, although this place is always open but this is the rainy season in Hue. At this time,  people often limit drying incense outdoors. So it is unlucky for someone who comes here in the rainy season.

Notes

There are some small notes when you want to visit Vietnam Incense Village:

• If you come here by bicycle or motorbike, search the way before you go. 
• Bring sunglasses and use sunscreen in the summer. 
• The location of the Incense Village is very convenient to move to other nearby visitor attractions and it does not take too much time to discover Hue Incense Village.
• Last but not least, wearing beautiful and comfortable clothes to take plenty of pictures here.

Attractions Nearby Thuy Xuan Incense Village

On the way to explore the Incense Village of Hue, you can take a look at some nearby tourist attractions, such as:

• Tu Duc Tomb, the most beautiful tomb of the Nguyen Dynasty architectural system. 
• Dong Khanh Tomb, a unique tomb that combines European and Asian architectural features.
• Vong Canh Hill, a beautiful nature landscape where you can see the poetic, romantic, and idyllic scene of Hue and the Perfume River. 
• Tu Hieu Pagoda, the oldest Hue pagoda with over 150 years of history with high spiritual value and a meaningful story explains the name of “The Dutiful Son Pagoda”

Conclusion

If you’re planning a trip to Hue, Thuy Xuan Incense Village is a must-visit destination! In addition to exploring the amazing craft village, soak up the peaceful atmosphere and gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese traditions. By taking a few moments to read this article through, you’ll be well on your way to experiencing the trip of a lifetime. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Vietnam Vacation Travel if you have any questions – we’re here to help make your journey unforgettable.