Cửa Hàng Lồng Đèn Thạch Dung

A lantern shop that doubles as a photo booth spot, right in the old town. Pay 10,000 VND to pose in front of the display, or actually buy lanterns to take home. The photo setup has proper lighting, which puts it ahead of just standing in front of any random shop doorway.

The buying side is the stronger reason to come. The owners will make custom sizes, colors, and shapes on request – useful if you want something specific rather than whatever’s on the shelf that day. Austrian friends apparently rate them highly, which is a reasonable endorsement for durability in transit.

Be aware this is three adjacent stalls, not one shop. Quality of interaction varies significantly depending on which stall you’re dealing with (the reviews make this fairly clear). Keep your phone in your pocket until you’ve got a read on the mood.