It takes a craftsman 8 to 10 days to complete a high-quality basket boat. (Photo: VNA)
Bamboo is the primary material used in making basket boats. (Photo: Phan The Huu Toan/ Public Security News)
All stages of crafting a basket boat are done meticulously by hand. (Photo: VNA)
A craftsman in Phu My village manually shapes a basket boat using traditional methods. (Photo: Cong Hoan/Tien Phong Newspaper)
To shape the boat, a round hole is dug into the ground, where the woven bamboo base is placed for further shaping. (Photo: VNA)
Every step of the boat-making process is carefully performed by hand. (Photo: VNA)
A step in the traditional basket boat-making process. (Photo: VNA)
The waterproofing technique uses fresh cow dung mixed with resin from the Dipterocarpaceae tree - a method passed down through generations. This gives the boat its rich color, prevents termite damage, and ensures it lasts 4–5 years in saltwater. (Photo: VNA)
Phu My’s basket boats are the result of years of experience and refined craftsmanship. (Photo: VNA)
Tourists enjoy a ride in basket boats paddled by locals through the water coconut forest in Bay Mau coconut forest, Hoi An (Da Nang city). (Photo: Vietnam+)
Phu My village: Keeping the centuries-old craft of basket boat making alive
While modern fishing boats have become increasingly common, the handcrafted thung chai (basket boat) continues to play a vital role in the daily life of Vietnam’s coastal fishermen. In Phu My Village, Tuy Hoa Bac commune, Dak Lak province, skilled artisans use their hands and traditional techniques to turn strips of bamboo and a special waterproofing resin made from tree sap and cow dung into these iconic round boats - an enduring symbol of coastal culture and livelihood.
