Incense village deemed Instaworthy - 9th February 2024

Bringing prosperity to a small corner of Northern Vietnam, craftsmanship and Instagram tourism have landed on the village of Quang Phu Cau - 'the incense village' as it's now popularly known, owing to the plethora of local businesses churning out incense sticks. The spectacular arrangements of vibrant incense bundles have become a magnet for those seeking Instaworthy shots.

For incense maker Dang Thi Hoa, the trade has been passed down through the two previous generations.

Dang Thi Hoa: "I am proud of our family's traditional craft and I love my job. I also feel happy as our village has become more well known."

Although custom dictates that the incense sticks are dyed scarlet red or magenta pink, to satisfy the demands of the Instagram-hungry tourists, the colour range has increased to embrace yellow, blue and green.

This Belgian sightseer Sarah is impressed.

Sarah Vanmalderghim: "It's a perfect combination of the traditional craft that you can see here. And it's nice to take photos with all the colours. So it's wonderful."

The run-up to the Lunar New Year, or 'Tet', is the most hectic period for the incense makers. Worshippers congregate at temples or collect at home-based shrines to commemorate their loved ones by burning incense.

Such is the importance of the visitors, though, that local businesses have a dedicated staff member to tend to their needs, affording them the best angle from which to take their snaps. It's also part of the guide's responsibility to steer them clear of the bundles of incense sticks drying out in the sun, awaiting sale.

A $2 payment entitles wide-eyed travellers to capture as many striking images as they could possibly hope for, while 50 cents is sufficient to procure 20 of the colourful sticks as a memento.

It's a win-win situation for the local economy and for visitors like this Filipino holidaymaker, Catherine.

Catherine Caro: "I have never seen anything like this one. So in terms of experience, I think this is new for us. And then the place is very nice, very colourful, and it's, it's really an Instagram worthy place."