About this tour
When Em from our BugBitten team booked into a calligraphy class in Hoi An's Old Town, we expected a quick tourist tick-box. Instead, we spent two hours in a calm studio with Huynh Dong, a local who's spent decades studying Chinese calligraphy and Vietnamese culture. The class moves at a gentle pace — no rushing through brush strokes — and you'll actually start forming characters that don't look entirely wonky by the end. It's the kind of thing that works equally well if you're a complete beginner or you've dabbled before. The Old Town location means you can wander the lantern-lit streets before or after without much faffing about.
Highlights
- Instructor trained across multiple disciplines — calligraphy, linguistics, arts history
- Small-group setting in authentic studio space within Old Town itself
- You'll actually produce presentable characters, not just squiggles
- Traditional Vietnamese tea served between strokes
- Materials provided — no need to hunt down specialty brushes beforehand
- Takeaway gift lets you remember what you learned
- Two hours feels unhurried without dragging on
What to expect
You'll arrive at a studio tucked into Old Town's quieter corners. Huynh Dong demonstrates the basics first — how to hold the brush, the angle, the pressure needed for each stroke. Then it's your turn. The pace is measured; he watches your hand positioning and corrects without fussing. You'll start with simpler characters and build up. Between attempts, you sip Vietnamese tea and chat — he's genuinely interested in why you're there, not just running through a script.
The two hours disappear faster than you'd think. By the end, you've got several pieces you've actually created, and a sense of why this particular art form matters to Vietnamese culture. Em found it meditative rather than stressful, even though handwriting isn't her strongest suit. The takeaway gift and the finished pieces give you something tangible to bring home.
What travellers say
- Instructor's background brings depth to cultural context
- Two-hour window feels perfectly paced, not rushed
- Takeaway gift and your finished pieces have real sentimental value
- Calm, meditative experience in central Old Town location
- No previous experience or artistic skill required
- Studio can get warm during hot months — bring water
- Two hours limits how far you'll progress in the craft
- Small children may find it hard to stay focused
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
This is genuinely worth doing if you want to slow down and learn something real about Vietnamese arts without a huge time commitment. It suits anyone — no prior artistic skill needed — and works just as well solo as with a group. The Old Town location means it fits neatly into a broader day of wandering.
Two hours isn't long enough to become fluent, so manage your expectations — you're dabbling, not mastering. The studio can feel warm in peak summer, so bring water. Early morning classes may be quieter if crowds bother you. Specialist infant seats are available, so it's technically family-friendly, but very small children might struggle with focus.
All materials and tea are included; just bring yourself and comfortable clothes (no need to dress up). Groups are typically small. Peak tourist season (October to March) books out faster. Ask about class times when you book.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.