Excursion morning: The story of tofu (visit to Xuân Canh village, Đông Anh) with Ngọc’s tofu tours

TOFU TOURS FOR SEPTEMBER (FVH SUPPORTING NGOC WITH HER TOFU TOURS)

Meet our friend and local guide Ngọc, who lives in Xuân Canh village (Đông Anh, Hà Nội on the other side of the Đuống River). This is also home to a charming couple and the only place in her hometown where the traditional method of making tofu is still strictly followed step by step.

PLEASE RSVP DIRECT TO NGOC FOR THESE TOURS

Tours are run on the following dates but also Ngọc can run them on different mornings too.

1. Sunday 7 Sept 2025 – notes for 7 September the same info for all the other dates 
2. Saturday 13 Sept
3. Sunday 14 Sept
4. Saturday 20 Sept
5. Sunday 21 Sept
6. Saturday 27 Sept
7. Sunday 28 Sept

Some background on tofu
Some scholars believe tofu arrived in Vietnam during the 10th and 11th centuries. It spread to other parts of Southeast Asia as well. This probably coincided with the spread of Buddhism as it is an important source of protein in the vegetarian diet of East Asian Buddhism. Today, many Vietnamese families continue to make tofu and maintain their professions. Typically, we hear about well-known tofu villages like Làng Mơ and Làng Chài Võng La, but it is one of the most versatile ingredients in Vietnamese cuisine, and many families in other villages now still keep their traditional job.

The tour
Around 4:00 a.m, the husband and wife team begin working long hours, producing tofu firstly for  the 6am morning market and then a few hours later for the afternoon market. The visit to their home will see them making one of the batches of tofu (super early or at 8am) depending which time you would like to sign up for. They are a truly delightful couple, very lovely, and this is a chance to chat with them about their lives and about tofu in more detail.

Catch the ferry to make a short crossing over the Đuống River (between Long Bien and Đông Anh) – tofu making is an early morning trade and one needs to arrive in time to see one of the tofu making sessions. Please liaise with Ngoc for logistics and timing.

Timing: Ngoc runs the tours depending how early you want to arrive at the village. starting at 5am, 6am or 7am from the ferry point in Long Bien;  travel on the cute local ferry over the short stretch of the river to Dong Anh.  You can take your own cycle or motorbike on the ferry, or Ngọc can call a taxi after disembarking. The tour ends with breakfast or an early lunch of tofu and bun noodles  at the tofu couple’s house or at Ngọc’s house.

Language: The couple only speak VN  – Ngọc will translate to ENG

Numbers:  from 1 to very max 5 per tour. Attendance is restricted to a small group to ensure enough time for quality experience and making process, plus there is not enough space for more

RSVP:  Please state which date and time you are interested in and contact Ngọc at  bamboolife2@gmail.com  or scan the QR code in the below.

Mob 0986124213 (zalo/whatsapp)

Bamboo Life

• Tre tự nhiên, cây xanh tự trồng, ủ phân từ rác thải. Trạm nạp Di động thân thiện & trải nghiệm nghề Việt.
• Natural bamboo, homegrown plants, compost from waste. Friendly Bamboo Life Mobile Refill Station & Vietnamese craft experiences.

Price. 300,000 VND pp (same price for everyone)  includes one generous piece of tofu to bring home, ferry fee (1 way) and a light (vegetarian) lunch with tofu and bún at Ngọc’s house.  Excludes: return transport to Hanoi depending on preference, additional tofu and/or soya milk you may want to buy from the tofu-making couple (this is so delicious you may be very tempted – 5,000 VND per generous size chunk of tofu), hire of bikes (VND 50,000 bike hire) or xe om fee

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING RE TRANSPORT 

(1) The aim is for everyone coming to travel together on the local ferry.  Its a cute short little ferry trip (which is taken by the locals)

(2) You are welcome to bring your own motorbikes or cycles on board the ferry (NB however if you want to skip the ferry then please make your way straight to the village)

(3) Those coming on foot without own transport – Ngoc can call a taxi to pick you up

(4) Return back to Hanoi – by own motorbike or cycle by road, or by grab, taxi, xe om, public bus if you came on foot. There may be a chance to take the ferry crossing back to Hanoi but this is an additonal cost (to be paid for at the time VND 50,000)

Ngọc is passionate about sustainability and she has many projects relating to bamboo products, growing plants in her allotment and caring for the environment. We hope to partner with her on a few other interesting ideas she has.

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