Việt Nam
English
The Pottery from Bat Trang indeed is different and worth a visit. I've checked the classic streets and places where you can buy cheap and more expensive, low and high quality things from Vietnam. The majority of the stores are around the Old Ha Noi Center. However, the Bat Trang Pottery is available only at the Bat Trang Shop on the street Hang Hom 62.
The store itself is not big, but truly has some very nice products. And its even open till 11pm for late night shoppers. Packaging is, as promised, indeed very thoroughly and good.
The Pottery products itself can't be found in any other store except in a very expensive café and a few items at a Souvenirs store at Ha Noi Airport right past the security check. This makes the products a more unique souvenir.
Collections include mainly Vases, bowls, Coffee/Tea cups, plates, and pots. All come in various sizes and colors and all pieces are unique. Especially the Indigo Blue collection got my attention and its really gorgeous.
The quality itself makes a very good impression. It's not a thin or light clay that might break easily. The color as well as the shiny finish or patterns are applied well.
In general, this is a Souvenir with a higher price but also a higher value and quality. I got me an indigo blue Vase (25 cm, about 20-25 USD). A smaller cup (Capouchino size) from the same blue edition goes for about 5 - 6 USD. Vases from other collections (e.g. White or gray, matte, 20-25 cm tall) have a price tag for like 12-15 USD... But I think the vases are about as high as it gets. For a comparison: at the airport, a Tea pot with about 500ml costs 49 USD.
