Driven by social media posts, both locals and foreigners are flocking to Ho Chi Minh City's Tan Dinh Market to design and customize their own wooden clogs on the spot.
The trend blew up on social media around two months ago, and viral tourist videos have since driven a surge in foreign visitors, according to workshop owners.
Tan Dinh Market in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City was built in 1926. The 7,000-square-meter market houses around 400 vendors who sell everything from clothing to food and dried goods.
Two clog workshops operate inside the market, tucked among the footwear stalls near the Nguyen Huu Cau Street entrance. Both open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Vendors say the area was home to dozens of clog workshops until about five years ago, but the craft faded away as customers decreased and shopping habits shifted. Now, viral tourist videos are reviving the surviving stalls, making them a popular spot for both young locals and foreign travelers.
At the entrance to the footwear section, customers line up outside Thanh Mai's clog stall.
Mai (yellow t-shirt), who has been in business for 27 years, says her customer count jumped 30% last month, driven mostly by tourists from China, Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan.
"Each person buys one or two pairs to wear and two or three more as gifts."
Veronica (L) and Kiwa, tourists from Japan, learned about Tan Dinh Market through TikTok and were brought there by a local to try making clogs. Each bought a pair to wear during their stay in Ho Chi Minh City, pairing them with Vietnam's traditional ao dai dress for photos.
Kiwa picks out a strap style for her clogs to be made and says she is impressed by the variety of designs.
"VND250,000 (US$9.50) for a handmade product that's fitted to your feet on the spot feels like a fair price."
At the far end of the footwear section is the stall of Hong Ha, who has run her business here for 37 years. She says the number of foreign customers visiting her stall has doubled over the past month. On busy days, she makes around 30 pairs of clogs for customers, she adds.
Kara and Anya, visitors from the Philippines, used their last day in Ho Chi Minh City to try the clog-making experience after hearing about the trend. Both filmed the process to share on their personal accounts.
Making a pair of clogs starts with choosing a wooden base, measuring the foot, and checking the fit. Next, the customer selects a strap, which is nailed into place. Finally, a non-slip rubber sole is glued to the bottom.
It takes about 15 minutes to make a pair.
The clogs cost VND150,000 - VND300,000 ($5.70 - $11.40) depending on the sole style and strap material, while children's sizes cost VND80,000-100,000 ($3 - $3.80).
Kara and Anya bought three pairs of handmade clogs for VND250,000 each. Kara said the clogs are practical and easy to walk in every day, and that she would recommend this experience to friends visiting Vietnam.
Hong Ha shows Kara how to nail down and secure the clog strap.
"I love handmade products with a local identity, and I wanted to take part in finishing the product myself," Kara added.
