Friends of Viet Nam Heritage (FVH) – an informal group of foreign residents living in Ha Noi working voluntarily to promote and preserve Vietnamese cultural and historical heritage – will host an excursion this Saturday to the mother-of-pearl inlay village Thon Trung in Ha Noi's suburban Phu Xuyen District.

The trip will offer attendees a chance to see craftsmen inlaying mother-of-pearl and eggshell into a variety of wooden products, including religious objects such as crucifixes and altars. After walking around the atmospheric village and watching artisans at work outside their homes, the group will enjoy lunch in the grounds of the village's Catholic Church.

The expedition will conclude with a visit to another inlay workshop in nearby Boi Khe Village

The English-speaking tour is from 8am to 3pm.

The group will gather outside the Sofitel Plaza Hotel on Yen Phu Road, at the corner of Thanh Nien Road. The cost is VND350,000 (including transportation). The group is limited to 20 people. To register, contact helenshuntley@yahoo.com.-VNS