Vietnamese village brings incense stick tradition to social media

In the quaint Incense Village of Quang Phu Cau, nestled in the northern part of Vietnam, a vibrant transformation is underway.

Dang Thi Hoa, a seasoned artisan with three decades of incense stick craftsmanship, finds herself not just steeped in tradition but riding the wave of Instagram fervour. Lunar New Year, locally known as Tet, has taken on a whole new hue as this ancient village adapts to the whims of modern tourism.

The sacred art of dyeing incense sticks in scarlet red and magenta pink, a tradition passed down through three generations, now shares the spotlight with an explosion of colours — yellow, blue, and green, designed to lure the Instagram-savvy travellers eager to capture the essence of Tet.

Hoa proudly observes the evolving landscape, as bundles of multi-coloured sticks bask in the sun, forming an impressive Vietnamese map in…