If you want to get a feel of Saigon, Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City are a great idea. Rather than just seeing the famous attractions, you can spend a few hours making something with your own hands. This makes your trip feel more meaningful as you are not just looking at the city but also participating in a creative local experience.

Another great way to take home a special souvenir from your trip is to participate in Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City. Each workshop provides an opportunity to learn basic techniques, interact with friendly instructors and produce an item that represents your style. The final product can be a perfume, a candle, a painting, a piece of pottery or a small decorative item but what makes it meaningful is the time, emotion and story behind it.

In this article, join Jackfruit to explore 6 interesting types of Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City.

6 Creative Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City for Travelers

Below are six types of Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City that travelers can try, each offering a different creative experience, from working with scents and colors to shaping clay, plants, wax, and mosaic pieces.

1. Perfume Making – A Scented Craft Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City

Among the many Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City, a perfume-making workshop is a great experience for travelers who love scents and want to create a personal souvenir. During the workshop, you will be introduced to basic scent groups such as citrus, floral, woody, fruity, herbal, and sweet scents. The instructor will also explain how a perfume is built in layers, usually including top notes, middle notes, and base notes.

After the introduction, you will start testing different essential oils and fragrance materials to find the scent you like. This is one of the most interesting parts of the workshop, because each person has their own feeling and preference. Some people may like a fresh green scent, some may choose a soft floral note that reminds them of flower stalls on the street, while others may prefer a warm woody scent, like sitting in an old café in Saigon.

When you have chosen the right notes, you will mix them following the recommended ratio. The instructor will help you adjust the scent so it is not too strong, too sweet, or unbalanced. After finishing, the perfume you make will be poured into a small bottle for you to take home.

The value of this workshop is its personalization. Instead of buying a ready-made perfume, you create your own scent based on your taste. It is not a mass-produced souvenir, but your own memory of Saigon kept in a scent.

Where to Join a Perfume Making Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City?

• NOTE – The Scent Lab: 2nd Floor, 42 Nguyen Hue, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
• Maison 21G Saigon: 39 Suong Nguyet Anh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

2. Pottery – Shape It by Hand

Pottery is an easy-to-join craft activity, suitable for travelers who want a slow and hands-on experience in Saigon. In the workshop, you will work directly with clay and learn how to shape simple items such as cups, bowls, small plates, mini vases, or decorative objects. This is a chance to turn a soft piece of clay into something with your own shape and style.

Depending on the studio, the class may teach hand-building or pottery wheel techniques. With hand-building, you will learn basic actions such as pressing, smoothing, rolling, joining, and shaping the surface, which is very suitable for beginners. With the pottery wheel, the experience can be more exciting, but it also requires focus to keep your hands steady and control the clay while it spins.

At this moment, you need to slow down, stay focused, and “listen” to the clay with your hands. The best part of a pottery workshop is that it helps travelers understand the patience, skill, and time behind a handmade product. It is also a gentle way to learn more about Vietnamese pottery culture, even in a modern studio in the city.

At the end, the item you make may not be perfect, but it is yours. A slightly uneven cup may have more character than a perfect cup from a store. It carries your fingerprints, small mistakes, laughter, and memories from your time in Saigon. If your travel schedule is short, you should ask the studio in advance about firing time, pickup options, or products that can be taken home immediately.

Where to Join a Pottery Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City?

• Hay Camel Ceramics: 402/19 Le Van Sy Street, Ward 14, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Atelier de Zeynep: 7th Floor, 60 Nguyen Van Thu Street, Da Kao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

3. Painting – Your Mood in Color

A painting workshop is suitable for travelers who want to join a creative activity that is not too complicated. Most classes are designed for beginners, so you do not need professional painting skills. The studio usually prepares the canvas, paints, brushes, apron, and sample picture so participants can easily follow along.

The painting themes can be quite diverse, from lotus flowers, landscapes, coffee, bicycles, and local markets to familiar symbols of Saigon. Some classes guide you based on a prepared sample, while others allow participants to choose their own topic or paint in a free style. This helps travelers choose a way of expression that matches their interests and artistic ability.

The value of a painting workshop is not only in the finished artwork, but also in the process of observing and expressing things through color. When you paint a street corner, a flower, or a familiar scene, you will pay more attention to light, lines, colors, and the feeling of the space. This makes your trip more meaningful, because you are not only passing through Saigon, but also remembering the city through your own brushstrokes and colors.

Painting is also a very relaxing activity. The simple movement of the brush on the canvas can help travelers rest after busy sightseeing days. Some workshops also include drinks, music, and friendly conversations, making the experience feel more like a warm gathering than a serious class.

At the end of the workshop, you bring home a painting with your own colors and style. The painting will become a special memory of your trip, not because it is perfect, but because it keeps the feeling of your time in Saigon, Vietnam.

Where to Join a Painting Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City? 

• B/S Art Studio: 3rd Floor, 106 Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
• Tho Cam Co: 2nd Floor, 102M Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Phu My, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City

4. Terrarium – A Little Green Escape

A terrarium is a small green plant model placed inside a glass jar or glass container. This workshop is suitable for travelers who love nature, enjoy decoration, and want to join a gentle indoor activity.

During the workshop, the instructor will introduce the basic parts of a terrarium, such as stones, activated charcoal, soil, moss, small plants, decorative rocks, and mini accessories. You will learn how to arrange each layer so it looks beautiful and is also suitable for plant care. After that, you can choose your plants, arrange the landscape, and finish the product in your own style.

The attractive point of a terrarium is that participants can create a “small garden” in a short time. The product does not take up much space and can be used to decorate a desk, bookshelf, or room corner. A terrarium also feels lively. You are not only making a decorative item. You are creating a small ecosystem.

For travelers looking for memorable Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City, a terrarium class can be a lovely choice, but you should ask carefully about bringing plants through the airport or customs. Some countries have strict rules about bringing plants, soil, or organic materials across borders. If you cannot bring the product back to your country, you can still join the workshop as an on-site experience, take photos as memories, or give the terrarium to friends, your hotel, or someone you know in Vietnam.

Where to Join a Terrarium Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City

• Terrafulness: 2nd Floor, 206 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 2, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
• Terrarium Le Jardin: 37 Hoa Mai Street, Ward 2, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City

5. Perfume Making – A Scented Craft Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City

Scented candle making is one of the easiest workshops to join and is suitable for many types of travelers. This activity does not require complicated skills, the practice time is usually short, and the final product is useful.

During the workshop, you will often be introduced to different types of wax, candle wicks, fragrance oils, and scent-mixing methods. After that, you will choose your favorite scent, melt the wax, mix in the fragrance oil, place the wick, and pour the wax. The final step is decorating the candle surface with dried flowers, orange peel, herbs, or other small details.

The interesting thing about scented candles is that they combine fragrance with living space. A scent can make a room feel more pleasant, help you relax after a long day, or remind you of a place you have visited. If you want to keep a memory of Saigon, you can choose scents related to Vietnam, such as lemongrass, coffee, cinnamon, jasmine, green tea, or tropical scents.

A scented candle workshop is also a good choice if you are looking for a handmade gift. The product is usually small, beautiful, and easy to use. However, travelers should check how to pack it for a flight, especially if the candle is in a glass jar. You should also ask the studio how long the candle needs to set before you can take it with you.

Where to Join a Scented Candle Making Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City

• Dipsoul Candle & Workshop: 986/35 Cach Mang Thang 8 Street, Ho Chi Minh City
• Scented Candle Workshop District 3: 3rd Floor, 386/71D Le Van Sy Street, Ward 14, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

6. Mosaic Art – Piece by Piece, Make It Yours

Among the many Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City, mosaic art is a creative activity that uses small pieces such as stone, glass, tiles, ceramic, or colored materials to create a complete picture. This workshop is suitable for travelers who enjoy detail, color, and durable decorative products. At first, the pieces may look separate and random, but when they are placed in the right position, they slowly create a clear and balanced image.

In a mosaic workshop, participants usually begin by choosing a design, such as flowers, animals, patterns, landscapes, or images inspired by Vietnam. Then, you will choose suitable materials, arrange them on a surface, and fix them with glue or special tools. Depending on the product, the final step may be grouting to fill the spaces between the pieces, making the surface stronger and more complete.

The interesting point of mosaic art is that the process is not too difficult, but it requires observation and focus. You need to pay attention to the shape, color, and position of each piece so the overall design does not look messy. This activity helps participants practice patience, understand composition, and enjoy seeing the picture slowly appear through many small details.

For travelers exploring Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City, a mosaic art workshop is a fun way to create a different kind of souvenir, such as a coaster, picture frame, small tray, wall hanging, or mini artwork. Mosaic products are usually durable, colorful, and timeless. If you want to bring one home as a gift, you should choose a small size and ask the studio about drying time, pickup options, and suitable packaging.

Where to Join a Mosaic Art Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City

• Toong Teng Mosaic: 412/10 No Trang Long Street, Ward 13, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Kloud Art – Mosaic Workshop: SH.09, Park 4, Vinhomes Central Park, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City

Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City: A Meaningful Way to Remember Saigon

Craft Workshops in Ho Chi Minh City are a lovely way to make your Saigon trip slower, warmer, and more personal. Each activity gives you a chance to create something by yourself, from a small bottle of perfume and a scented candle to a painting, pottery item, terrarium, or mosaic artwork. The final product may not be perfect, but it carries your time, your feeling, and your own memory of the city.

If you want to explore Saigon more easily, you can also join a Cycling Saigon tour with Jackfruit. During the tour, Jackfruit can guide you through local neighborhoods, help you discover reliable and convenient workshop spots, and make the moving process between different places smoother. This way, you do not only see Saigon from the street, but also experience the city through local creativity, friendly people, and meaningful handmade moments.