Leave Hanoi travelling south to Duyen Thai lacquer village where the whole process of lacquer production can be seen from start to finish. Alternatively visit Dong Ho traditional paper village, where ‘giay do’ paper is produced and painted with traditional designs. All the paper is made by hand and some still in the traditional method using only natural products. Van Phuc silk village is a great place to see silk cloth being produced in the traditional way on the loom. The families here have been producing fabrics for centuries and there is a showroom where silk is sold by the metre. Return to Hanoi for lunch and in the afternoon continue to Dong Ky wood Village. Here furniture inlaid with mother of pearl and finished off with a layer of clear lacquer is made. Inlaying the mother of pearl is highly labour intensive as it is carefully sawn into fine fish-bone slivers and painstakingly set into wood. Return to Hanoi in the late afternoon.

* Services included: Transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle; English speaking guide; entrance fees to indicated sights; lunch at restaurant.