Most traditional craft villages in our country originated from local needs, then continued to be maintained and passed down from generation to generation as family trades.
The Southern region, with its intricate network of rivers and canals, is deeply tied to the river-and-garden civilization. The iconic floating markets with boats and sampans bustling along the waterways are a hallmark of Southern Vietnam.
It is precisely because of this that the craft of building boats and sampans (ghe xuồng) emerged and developed very early. These vessels were not only means of transportation and cargo hauling but also accompanied our soldiers and people during the resistance wars against foreign invaders…
Many people even considered their boat a second home: by placing a thatched mat as a roof, adding a small stove and a few pots, couples who made their living fishing, shrimping, harvesting rice as laborers, or raising free-range ducks could live on the river for weeks or even months…
Bà Lài Boat and Sampan Craft Village
“The sampan of my homeland has existed for a long time, bound to the lives of the people in Đồng Tháp…”
If you have the chance to visit Đồng Tháp on a beautiful day during the flood season, don’t miss Bà Đài Boat and Sampan Craft Village (in Long Hậu Commune, Lai Vung District). The famous “cui” sampan of Bà Đài is forever linked to the name of “Ông Sáu Xuồng Cui” and has endured for over a century. Despite many ups and downs and the challenges of modernization, this craft village has persisted as a distinctive feature of Southern Vietnam.
Along with its signature products, the village preserves unique folk cultural and spiritual traditions related to boat-building, such as ceremonies honoring ancestors, the “ghim lô” ritual, launching ceremonies, eye-opening rituals, and various taboos and customs when traveling by boat or sampan.
