Tucked inside a narrow alley just over two metres wide in Ha My Village, Duy Nghia Commune, the workshop run by the Vo Thi An family has become a popular stop, welcoming hundreds of international visitors each day.
Despite space for only about 20 people, the facility hosts five to seven tour groups daily, mainly from the United States and Europe, eager to explore local customs and everyday life.
Travellers often express surprise and delight as they watch the painstaking process of making mi Quang, from grinding and mixing rice flour to steaming thin sheets by hand from raw rice grains.
According to An, many visitors are particularly impressed by the use of rice husks as fuel for the stove. The ash is later reused as organic fertiliser, creating a closed, sustainable cycle that fascinates guests.
The workshop has officially received foreign visitors for more than a decade. Before taking up noodle-making at the age of 40 with her husband, An worked various jobs but struggled to make ends meet.
“I both supply noodles to local eateries and host visitors for hands-on experiences. Winter is the busiest season, with around 70 guests a day, sometimes up to 100,” she said.
Tourists are invited to pour, steam and lift the noodle sheets themselves, with each stage offering a sense of excitement and discovery.
Oliver, a visitor from the United States, said learning the process and making the noodles himself was thrilling, adding that he also tried traditional crafts such as mat weaving and rice wine brewing with local residents.
What began as a way to support her family has become a source of pride and improved income for An, who now plans to expand the workshop to accommodate more visitors.
Her model linking traditional family noodle-making with experiential tourism won third prize in a start-up innovation competition organised by the Duy Xuyen District Women’s Union in former Quang Nam province in 2019, underscoring its value and growth potential.
