{"id":4268,"date":"2022-08-05T15:15:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-05T14:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/?p=4268"},"modified":"2026-07-17T13:14:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T12:14:33","slug":"the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam’s Famous Conical Hat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"lady<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The n\u00f3n l\u00e1<\/em> – the true name of the iconic conical hat – is one of the<\/em> images of Asia, but for many it solely represents the glorious country of Vietnam.  This famous headpiece is known by a variety of names – cone hat, conical hat, paddy hat and leaf hat, to name just a few, and has been used by locals as protection from the sun and the rain, as well as a makeshift basket and the occasional rainwater collector for thousands of years. It is also often carried carefully home by many a traveller returning from their holidays to Vietnam<\/a>, the perfect souvenir of their trip. There, hung on a wall or sat on a shelf, a quick glimpse will transport them back to tropical brightness and lush green paddy fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What those hat-buying travellers might not know is the fascinating story that lies behind this nifty piece of headgear. You see, it is believed that the n\u00f3n l\u00e1<\/em> has existed for over 3,000 years and there is an incredible legend attached to its creation. Let us tell you more…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"non<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Once upon a time, a giant woman in the sky watched as a deluge of rain poured down on humankind. The giant took a hat of four round leaves, shaped in a cone, and with it on her head, stood over mankind to protect them from the rain. Many decided to follow her and she taught them how to grow and tend crops, such as rice. One day, when humankind drifted off to sleep, the giant slipped away quietly and did not return. Her followers built a temple to the \u2018Rain-shielding Goddess\u2019 and recreated her hat by stitching together palm leaves, eventually creating the hat that exists today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"lady<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Today, the hat is still handmade from simple materials such as palm leaves, bark or bamboo and is generally associated with fishermen and farmers, such as those who farm the rice terraces of Sapa<\/a> or cast their nets in the bay of Nha Trang\u2013 people who have for centuries been making their living working out under the beating sun or the lashing rain of Asia\u2019s tropical climate. The need for intricacy is essential in the production process, as all the leaves must be sewn onto a frame tightly enough to be waterproof. There are whole villages dedicated to their production \u2013 we visit one close to Hanoi in our Gems of Southeast Asia<\/a> tour – the perfect place to pick up a souvenir or to watch the intricate process up close. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"girls<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But now the n\u00f3n l\u00e1<\/em> is no longer just for those who work outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, it has become so integral to Vietnamese culture that it is now part of the national costume. There are regional variations across the country, each area attempting to make their n\u00f3n l\u00e1 <\/em>more beautiful than the next with colourful stitching and patterns. Hue, the old imperial capital and birthplace of many of Vietnam\u2019s cultural icons, has one of the most intriguing n\u00f3n l\u00e1<\/em> variations – the non bai tho or \u2018poem hat\u2019 which incorporates lyrics into the layers of leaf material when it is made, which only become visible under sunlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has also become an international fashion statement, used in fashion shows by Ralph Lauren, sold in American clothing stores and even seen on famous celebrities. What a long way this simple, elegant headpiece has come!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So now when you go to Vietnam and buy your souvenir n\u00f3n l\u00e1<\/em>, or if you already have one at home, you can now share the story of where it came from. Or use it to catch rainwater…either way.<\/p>\n

\n \n
\n

Angkor to the Bay<\/h3>\n
<\/span>220 Reviews <\/span><\/div>\n

17<\/strong> days from \u00a34190pp<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

Fully Inclusive of Tour & Flights<\/p>\n

Temples of Angkor - Saigon Past and Present - Halong Bay Cruise - Local life on Tonle Sap - Cu Chi Tunnels - Captivating Phnom Penh - Hue's Imperial Citadel - - <\/p>\n <\/div>\n

\n View Tour<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>

Order your brochure today<\/h2><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The n\u00f3n l\u00e1 – the true name of the iconic conical hat – is one of the images of Asia, but for many it solely represents the glorious country of Vietnam.  This famous headpiece is known by a variety of names – cone hat, conical hat, paddy hat and leaf hat, to name just a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[319,318],"tags":[21,20,63,101],"yoast_head":"\nVietnam and the Non La<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The conical hat is an icon of Asia. Reading this blog will tell you all about the legend behind it and its place in Vietnamese culture!\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vietnam and the Non La\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The conical hat is an icon of Asia. Reading this blog will tell you all about the legend behind it and its place in Vietnamese culture!\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Wendy Wu Tours Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/wendywuofficial\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-08-05T14:15:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-17T12:14:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/nonlabanner.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@WendyWuToursUK\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@WendyWuToursUK\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Nicci Kimmel\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Wendy Wu Tours Blog\",\"description\":\"Travel Articles and Inspiration\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/nonlabanner.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/nonlabanner.jpg\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"lady in non la rowing through palms\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/\",\"name\":\"Vietnam and the Non La\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-08-05T14:15:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-17T12:14:33+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/419e1eb6b692b12481e1b6dbc50ea778\"},\"description\":\"The conical hat is an icon of Asia. Reading this blog will tell you all about the legend behind it and its place in Vietnamese culture!\u00a0\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Vietnam’s Famous Conical Hat\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/419e1eb6b692b12481e1b6dbc50ea778\",\"name\":\"Nicci Kimmel\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a9592f6c4799b82ec2b2d4091b202b63?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a9592f6c4799b82ec2b2d4091b202b63?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Nicci Kimmel\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Vietnam and the Non La","description":"The conical hat is an icon of Asia. Reading this blog will tell you all about the legend behind it and its place in Vietnamese culture!\u00a0","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Vietnam and the Non La","og_description":"The conical hat is an icon of Asia. Reading this blog will tell you all about the legend behind it and its place in Vietnamese culture!\u00a0","og_url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/","og_site_name":"Wendy Wu Tours Blog","article_publisher":"http:\/\/wendywuofficial","article_published_time":"2022-08-05T14:15:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-17T12:14:33+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1920,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/nonlabanner.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary","twitter_creator":"@WendyWuToursUK","twitter_site":"@WendyWuToursUK","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Nicci Kimmel","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/","name":"Wendy Wu Tours Blog","description":"Travel Articles and Inspiration","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/nonlabanner.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/nonlabanner.jpg","width":1920,"height":600,"caption":"lady in non la rowing through palms"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/","name":"Vietnam and the Non La","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2022-08-05T14:15:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-17T12:14:33+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/419e1eb6b692b12481e1b6dbc50ea778"},"description":"The conical hat is an icon of Asia. Reading this blog will tell you all about the legend behind it and its place in Vietnamese culture!\u00a0","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/private\/the-story-of-vietnam-and-the-non-la\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Vietnam’s Famous Conical Hat"}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/419e1eb6b692b12481e1b6dbc50ea778","name":"Nicci Kimmel","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a9592f6c4799b82ec2b2d4091b202b63?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a9592f6c4799b82ec2b2d4091b202b63?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Nicci Kimmel"}}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/nonlabanner.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11684,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/vietnam\/the-best-things-to-do-in-vietnam\/","url_meta":{"origin":4268,"position":0},"title":"The Best Things to do in Vietnam","date":"31st January 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Exploring the waterways of the Mekong Delta is a uniquely Vietnam thing to do and the perfect way to explore a fascinating riverine world. Vietnam is a land of numerous enchantments. Too many to resist in fact, which is why it\u2019s so difficult to decide what you want to do\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Vietnam"","img":{"alt_text":"A woman in a conical hat sits in the front of a wooden boat cruising through a palm-lined canal in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Woman-on-boat-in-the-Mekong-Delta.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10394,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/vietnam\/our-top-10-places-in-vietnam-to-experience-vietnamese-culture\/","url_meta":{"origin":4268,"position":1},"title":"Our Top 10 Places in Vietnam to Experience Vietnamese Culture","date":"31st March 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"There are many excellent superlatives that you can use to describe Vietnam \u2013 exotic, compelling, enchanting to name a few \u2013 and they are all true, it is a country that boasts a rare and magical beauty. While its diverse and magnificent landscapes are a big part of that, it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Vietnam"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/shutterstock_457946020.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4085,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/vietnam\/a-taste-of-vietnam\/","url_meta":{"origin":4268,"position":2},"title":"A Taste of Vietnam","date":"5th June 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Travelling means immersing yourself in the culture of a country, and one of the best ways to do that is by diving straight into local and authentic cuisine. Vietnamese food is as colourful as the scenery and the people, with a diverse taste and style in each dish depending on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Vietnam"","img":{"alt_text":"taste of vietnam","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/taste-of-vietnam.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":218,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/vietnam\/unique-vietnam-tour\/","url_meta":{"origin":4268,"position":3},"title":"A Unique Vietnam Tour","date":"26th November 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Tom Cranshaw, our Product Executive, recently returned from a whistle stop Vietnam tour on an educational trip sponsored by Vietnam Airlines. Visiting islands and areas\u00a0which are only just starting to become popular with tourists, read his trip report below to inspire you on your Vietnam tour. Route: Phu Quoc >\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Vietnam"","img":{"alt_text":"junk boat halong bay","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/junk-halong-bay.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10604,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/vietnam\/why-you-should-visit-vietnam-in-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":4268,"position":4},"title":"Why you should visit Vietnam in 2022\u2026","date":"16th May 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Vietnam will always be one of the world\u2019s most beautiful and intriguing destinations; 2022\u2019s reopening offers a window of opportunity like no other. Right now, world-famous destinations like Halong Bay, Sapa and Hoi An are quiet and peaceful, in a state not seen for a decade or more.This gives us\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Vietnam"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/shutterstock_1297045921.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2269,"url":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/vietnam\/visit-vietnam-and-cambodia-on-one-holiday\/","url_meta":{"origin":4268,"position":5},"title":"Why Just Visit Vietnam When You Can Visit Cambodia As Well?","date":"1st February 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Holidays to\u00a0Vietnam are as popular as ever, and it's easy to see why. But what about booking an escorted tour to Vietnam and Cambodia? Wondrous Vietnam Vietnam, located in the western edge of Southeast Asia, is a country of epic beauty and a fascinating heritage. With its troubled past, the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cambodia"","img":{"alt_text":"angkor wat in cambodia","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/angkor-wat-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4268"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4268"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12057,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4268\/revisions\/12057"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendywutours.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}