Beyond the coastal and island routes, an expanded journey through Khanh Hoa also leads visitors to traditional craft villages—where time seems to stand still and original values are preserved across generations. Most iconic along this heritage trail are the vast white salt fields of Hon Khoi (Khanh Hoa) and the ancient Bau Truc pottery village (Phan Rang)—a pottery village inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Visiting these craft villages evokes deep appreciation for the value of manual labor.
Tasting the salty essence on Hon Khoi salt fields
Hon Khoi salt fields are one of the most stunning landscape photography spots in Central Vietnam. Under the harsh midday sun, square salt beds emerge like giant mirrors reflecting the sky and clouds. To harvest pure white salt grains, salt workers must labor tirelessly from 3:00 AM, raking salt and balancing heavy carrying poles laden with baskets on their shoulders to build towering salt mounds.
When visiting the salt fields, tourists should be mindful that this is an active working environment; never step into the salt beds while workers are laboring, as footprints can contaminate the crystallizing salt batch. Please stay on the surrounding embankments. If you wish to take photos, wait until the workers take a break to ask for permission, avoiding disruptions to their intense labor under the sun.
Touching the raw clay at Bau Truc pottery village
Traveling down to Phan Rang, Bau Truc pottery village welcomes you with spaces filled with open-air fired ceramic jars displaying a distinctive reddish-pink hue. This is the oldest pottery village in Southeast Asia that still preserves the technique of shaping clay entirely by hand without a potter's wheel. Cham artisans (mostly women) walk backwards in circles around the clay mound to shape each piece. Every ceramic jar is a unique masterpiece, bearing the breath and soul of its creator.
When visiting family-run pottery workshops, tread carefully because freshly shaped, unfired pottery is laid out along pathways to dry and can easily break if accidentally bumped. You can sign up for a short hands-on pottery class, touch the clay with your own hands, and purchase a few small souvenirs to support the local economy and encourage artisans to preserve their craft.
Quick checklist:
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Schedule your visit to the salt fields early in the morning (4:30 - 6:00) to catch the sunrise and avoid the scorching sun.
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Never step into the crystallizing salt beds of the salt workers.
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Walk gently and watch your step carefully when entering the drying areas for unfired pottery in Bau Truc village.
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Purchase pottery souvenirs directly from artisan households to support the craft village's economy.
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Always ask for permission before filming or taking close-up photos of the artisans' handcrafting process.
