On your free day, you can change the wind by making scented candles, making pottery, embroidering bags or making cakes as you like.
In the inner city of Ho Chi Minh City, there are many destinations that specialize in organizing DIY workshops for you to relax on the weekend. You don’t have to be a “skillful person” to try your hand at creative craft activities. When you come here, you will be guided and provided with all the necessary tools.
The finished product may not be perfect, but it certainly bears your mark, making it perfect for a special gift or personal use.
Haru Craft Studio
17th Street, District 7
Ceramic . 600-700k
Photo: Haru Craft Studio
Haru Craft is a Korean-style illustration and pottery studio located on 17th Street, District 7. Although the space is relatively small, the shop is loved for its ceramic products and workshops for both adults and children.
At Haru Craft, you can choose to join one of two forms: a regular class (a 1-month class for those who want to learn more about ceramic shaping and decoration) and a one-day class (2-hour class). . Class schedule is updated on the shop’s homepage.
I once attended a class at Haru Craft and was shown how to mold and draw a cute bear-shaped ceramic plate. Most classes are not very crowded, about 3-5 students at a time, so you are completely free to be creative or ask the instructor for more details if needed.
The cost from 600,000 VND to 700,000 VND is not small, but for me, it is well worth it to spend some money every now and then to learn something new. On special occasions like the coming Christmas, Haru Craft also has its own themed workshop.
Heny Garden
Hoa Hao, District 10
Scented candles . 500k
Photo: Candlefish
There are many workshops for making handmade scented candles in Ho Chi Minh City. However, I am still quite impressed with Heny Garden. The shop is located in an alley in District 10, not too far from the center. Workshops take place regularly every Saturday.
The reason I favor Heny Garden is that here, the process of learning how to make candles is introduced from a to z. Participants will know each ingredient to make a cup of scented candles, how to mix essential oils to create the desired notes, and try cooking wax and pouring wax.
You can wrap the final product, decorate it with an attached card (available at the workshop) and send it to friends and relatives.
After the epidemic, Heny Garden only opened classes in the morning, so it was somewhat inconvenient for people who were free at other time frames. You should prepare at least 2 hours of distraction-free and some scent idea before coming. During the experience, I was quite struggling with the list of available scents of the shop.
Toong Teng Ceramic
Ly Van Phuc, District 1
Ceramic – Mosaic. 350-800k
Photo: Tong Teng Ceramic
Toong Teng Ceramic’s studio is actually just a modest room hidden in an old apartment complex in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Customers visiting the shop can choose to make cups, ceramic cups or mosaics according to their preferences and personality.
My favorite point here is that the space is quite poetic with a design to catch the afternoon sun and a balcony with many trees. In addition to the products from the workshop, you can also bring home some “virtual live” photos.
A friend of mine went to the shop and chose to make a small mosaic, about 600,000 VND. Keeping the spirit of DIY, the staff of Toong Teng Ceramic hardly ever get involved in the process, but only suggest and introduce the next step.
My friend took more than 3 hours to complete the painting, some people had to wait another day to continue. Personally, I’m not that patient. But for those who want to take the time to relax a bit, such a skillful practice session is also a good idea.
The Open Space
Hoa Lan, Phu Nhuan District
Cake . 400-800k
Photo : The Open Space
The Open Space is a coffee and cake shop that combines daily baking classes. Depending on the recipe, difficulty, materials, the cost and time of the workshop will be different.
In addition to cakes, workshops also revolve around cookies, tiramisu, mousse, cheesecake, etc. With such diversity, The Open Space’s class is chosen by many people.
You may not become a “super chef” right after a session, but you will definitely have a cake to take home as a gift and a meaningful experience. I used to go to The Open Space to make a batch of cupcakes for my birthday even though I’m clumsy and not good at cooking. The shop also has content workshops for each certain holiday.
Currently, to ensure safety, The Open Space only opens 1-on-1 classes. Attendees must register 2-3 days in advance. Personally, I still like large classes to learn from each other and chat.
The Greenery Art
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1
Soap – Lip balm – Embroidered tote bag. 350k
Photo: The Greenery Art
If you don’t know what specific activities you enjoy, The Greenery Art might be right for you. This is one of the few addresses that gathers many types of workshops, including handmade soap making, lipstick or candle making, bag embroidery, watercolor painting, wreath making,…
Compared to many DIY places, the price of The Greenery Art is cheaper, currently, the shop is priced at 350,000 VND for all workshops. Of course, that goes hand in hand with having smaller and lesser finished products.
I’ve only tried cookie decorating at The Greenery Art once. Interestingly, instead of decorating with sugar, as usual, I was instructed to decorate the cake with grass and dried flowers. The shop prepares a number of colorful flowers, and the participants will decide for themselves which type to “stick” on their cake.
The cake smells like eggs and milk, but the taste is not outstanding. Anyway, this little gift helped me feel better after a week of work.
Photo: Internet