The best things to buy in Duong Lam are edible: che lam, peanut candy, banh gai and, if you have room, a bottle of home-made soy sauce. Families sell them from their houses, usually for a few tens of thousands of dong a packet.
There is no souvenir street, and mass-produced trinkets on a few stalls are the same as anywhere in Hanoi. Nobody on our tours will take you to a shop.
Buy from the family who made it
Our guide takes you to kitchens, not showrooms.
★Duong Lam Half-Day Private TourThe laterite lanes, a 400-year-old house and a che lam kitchen, with your own guide · About 5.5 hoursSee the tour →Duong Lam & Thay Pagoda Day TourDuong Lam in depth, lunch cooked in an old house, then the pagoda where water puppetry began · About 9 hoursSee the tour →Worth buying
| Item | Why | Travels well? |
|---|---|---|
| Che lam | The village speciality, made by hand | About a week |
| Peanut candy | Crunchy and cheap | Yes |
| Banh gai | Traditional leaf-wrapped cake | Two to three days |
| Soy sauce | Made in family jars | Only if well sealed |
Probably leave it
Plastic trinkets, printed T-shirts and generic lacquer boxes are not from Duong Lam and cost less in Hanoi. Ask where something was made; families are proud to say when it is theirs.
Read more about che lam before you buy.
No shop stops, in writing
Our tours visit kitchens and houses only.
Duong Lam Half-Day Private TourAbout 5.5 hoursSee the tour →Duong Lam & Thay Pagoda Day TourAbout 9 hoursSee the tour →Questions people ask
Is there a market in Duong Lam?
There is a small local market for daily food, not a tourist market.
Can I take che lam on a plane?
Yes, it is a dry sweet; keep it sealed.
Do families expect me to buy?
No. Buying is welcome, never expected.
Taste first, buy if you like it
Guide, car and every ticket in one price, free to cancel until 3 days before.
★Duong Lam Half-Day Private TourThe laterite lanes, a 400-year-old house and a che lam kitchen, with your own guide · About 5.5 hoursfrom$45/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$165BOOK →2 guests$170BOOK →3 guests$175BOOK →4 guests$180BOOK →See the full tour page →Duong Lam & Thay Pagoda Day TourDuong Lam in depth, lunch cooked in an old house, then the pagoda where water puppetry began · About 9 hoursfrom$93/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$275BOOK →2 guests$305BOOK →3 guests$340BOOK →4 guests$370BOOK →See the full tour page →Items and typical prices checked in September 2026.