This shop states they are the oldest store in Hanoi. History claims aside, it stocks some of the finest threads in this overcrowded shopping district. Come here to buy beautiful cotton or linen pieces with subtle or quirky embroidery. I love their simple white pieces marked with a single flower in a corner, and their adorable children's wear are perfect pint-sized gifts. You can also bring in photos or a design you fancy and the shop can reproduce them into a woven picture or a motif for tablecloths and accompanying dinner napkins ($25-$40/£14-£22). There are several locations of Tan My shops around town, but the best selection is at their flagship on Han Gai street.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Vietnam, 2nd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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