If you're unsure about a Vietnam souvenir, head to silk first. One of the "36 streets" of Hanoi's Old Quarter,Hang Gai Streetis also known as "Silk Street." On a street of just about 250 meters, more than 100 silk specialty shops crowd together, and you can get high-quality silk products from scarves to ao dai to embroidered art pieces. Scarves go for 150,000 to 500,000 VND (about 900 to 3,000 yen), and if you want to buy genuine Vietnamese silk, this is the surest place. Starting from silk, we introduce the streets and markets where you can buy Vietnam souvenirs together.
Hang Gai Street = Hanoi's Silk Street
Hang Gai Street, right north of Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of the Old Quarter, is the most reliable place to buy silk in Hanoi. Hand-embroidered scarves, ao dai, silk ties, embroidered art, high-quality fabric: every one shines with an artisan's handiwork. As a guide, scarves are 150,000 to 500,000 VND (about 900 to 3,000 yen), ao dai are 600,000 to 1.5 million VND (about 3,600 to 9,000 yen), and silk interior small items are 200,000 to 800,000 VND (about 1,200 to 4,800 yen). Go in the afternoon hours and shopkeepers tend to be more willing to discount.
Haggling and how to tell the "real thing"
On Hang Gai Street, price negotiation is a given. The shopkeeper's quoted price is often higher than the going rate, so as a guide, negotiate from half price and the trick is not to pay more than 70% of the going rate. What to watch for is quality. Inferior goods with a fake "Made in Vietnam" label stuck on cheap fabric imported from China are also in circulation. You'll want to choose a shop where the touch is smooth, the sheen has depth, and the origin labeling is clear. The long-established shops on Hang Gai Street have high reliability for handling genuine Vietnamese silk. Hoi An also has a famous silk village, but if you want to complete it in Hanoi, Hang Gai Street is enough.
A shopping place for Vietnam souvenirs, with more than silk
The Old Quarter gathers specialties beyond silk too. For lacquerware (son mai), the Old Quarter and the Ha Tay lacquer village are the home ground, with decorative boxes and trays from around 180,000 VND (about 1,080 yen). For ceramics, nearbyBat Trang village, and conical hats (non la) can be found atDong Xuan Market. Coffee beans of brands such as Trung Nguyen and Highlands are 150,000 to 300,000 VND (about 900 to 1,800 yen) per kg. Choose beans from producing areas such as Da Lat or Buon Ma Thuot and you can bring home a fragrant story to tell too.
Practical information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Street name | Hang Gai Street (Pho Hang Gai / Silk Street) |
| Location | Hanoi Old Quarter, the north side of Hoan Kiem Lake. Within walking distance |
| Main goods | Silk scarves, ao dai, embroidered art / lacquerware, ceramics, conical hats, coffee |
| Price guide | Scarves 150,000 to 500,000 VND (about 900 to 3,000 yen) / ao dai 600,000 to 1.5 million VND (about 3,600 to 9,000 yen) |
| Hours | Many shops open morning to night (afternoon is advantageous for haggling) |
| Worth stopping by together | Dong Xuan Market (conical hats) and Bat Trang village (ceramics) |
Bring home genuine silk
The silk of Hang Gai Street is a standard Vietnam souvenir and a foolproof item. Touring the shops slowly in the afternoon and choosing one piece while checking the feel is itself a travel memory. Starting from silk, if you add lacquerware and coffee, you can bring home Vietnam's handiwork in its entirety.
For choosing Vietnam souvenirs, also seeOrigin story x eco packaging change gifts in 2026. For a Hanoi trip,the never-sleeping food street "Ta Duy Thanh"andthe whisky bar "The Picker" on the shore of Hoan Kiem Lakealso see for how to spend the evening.
Reference:Alike: Feature on what to buy in Vietnam／VinWonders: Hanoi Silk Street
