At "B/S Art Studio," near Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City, a hands-on workshop painting the traditional conical Vietnamese hat, the non la, is well received by travelers. Incorporating the techniques of Dong Ho folk woodblock printing, which has roughly 600 years of history, you paint your own one-of-a-kind non la under an artisan's guidance. You can take the finished hat home as is. You can also savor tea and traditional sweets while listening to live piano or flute. Prices start at 36 dollars (about 5,700 yen) per person, well suited to those who want to add a cultural experience to their Saigon sightseeing.
Painting a non la with Dong Ho techniques
The heart of the experience is applying the techniques of Vietnam's folk woodblock print "Dong Ho" to the hat. First you learn the history and current state of Dong Ho art, along with the meaning the non la holds. Then, with an artisan's guidance, you paint the non la in B/S's own new Dong Ho style. Since you're taught step by step, it's easy to take on even if you're not confident in painting. You can take the finished hat home on the spot as a one-of-a-kind souvenir.
A full set of tools, live music, and tea and sweets included
Participants are provided with a high-quality set of art supplies. It includes a detailed guidebook, a basic paint set, brushes, and a gold acrylic pen. While waiting for the ink to dry, you can relax over light refreshments of tea and traditional sweets while listening to live piano or flute. The hands-on making and the breaks with music and refreshments combine, making it a setup where you not only create but also spend time at leisure.
Price, location, and hours (data table)
The studio is in central Ho Chi Minh City, near Ben Thanh Market, and is open every day from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Prices start at 36 dollars per person. Here's a summary of the basic information.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Venue name | B/S Art Studio |
| Location | Central Ho Chi Minh City (near Ben Thanh Market) |
| Hours | Daily 9:00–20:00 |
| Fee | From 36 dollars per person (from about 5,700 yen) |
| Details | Non la painting (Dong Ho technique), a full set of art supplies, live music, tea and sweets |
| Bringing it home | One non la you make yourself |
Learning about Vietnamese culture through the hat
The non la is a conical hat rooted in Vietnamese life. In the workshop, you proceed with the painting while touching on the origins and meaning of this hat. Because you reproduce with your own hands—not just watch—the traditional craft of Dong Ho printing, which continues over roughly 600 years, your understanding of the culture stays with you as an experience. Since an artisan guides you in a nearly one-on-one form, you can finish your work while grasping the key points of the technique firsthand.
As a cultural experience to add to Saigon sightseeing
The area around Ben Thanh Market is the center of Ho Chi Minh City sightseeing. Adding one hands-on cultural experience to shopping and food-crawling adds depth to your itinerary. The finished hat makes a photogenic souvenir, and you can take home the memory of making it too. Since it comes with live music and refreshments, it's also well suited for dropping in as a rest after walking around in the hot outdoors. The fact that you can work on it slowly in a small group is another appeal as an experience between legs of the trip.
Summary
Paint a non la with roughly 600-year-old Dong Ho techniques and take home a one-of-a-kind hat. B/S Art Studio's workshop is a Saigon cultural experience you can join casually near Ben Thanh Market. The time spent moving your hands while enjoying live music and refreshments leaves a travel memory different from shopping and food-crawling.
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Source:Seek Sophie / Unexpected adventures in Ho Chi Minh City / B/S Art Studio / Non La painting workshop
