We managed to collect at least 15 beautiful hand-made gifts from this wonderful shop, from notebooks to silk scarves and some stunning silver jewelry, some in the shape of the wonderful lanterns scattered all around this beautiful town. Service was good, not too pushy like many of the other shope here, friendly and helpful with lots of happy smiling faces.... More

A must visit on your trip to Hoi An. Lifestart is an initiative that gives artisans the chance to train, sell their goods and make a living. Going further than most non-profit organisations Lifestart actually teaches their artisans business skills enabling them to effectively run their own businesses, selling their goods through the Lifestart shop. Choose from a great selection... More

Hi, I did the Lifesatrt workshop tour today, it was great. Very interesting to meet some of the people who make the beautiful goods for sale in the store, plus I made a lantern then learnt about traditional painting and made my own card. A nice way to spend the afternoon. The staff are lovely, and the philosophy of the... More

What a relief it was to discover the lifestart workshop in the beautiful old town of Hoi An. Shopping for souvenirs in Vietnam can be stressful, with salespeople overwhelming you with pressure to buy. This place is a refuge for the shopper as well as the disadvantaged people it supports! The shop is a peaceful haven full of a huge... More

We loved visiting Life Start. We were scooped up on the street by the marvellous Trisha who invited us in to the lovely shop full of things made by the Lifestart attendees. it is a fantastic grass roots organisation that truly makes a difference. I highly recommend you call in. Maryann, Australia More

Our group of 19 secondary school students and 3 staff visited Lifestart Hoi An in Dec. Karen showed us around and introduced us to the warm and friendly workshop staff. We split into two groups had a traditional painting class whilst the other group made lanterns. After a meal at the nearby Streets Cafe we visited the free school for... More

Lovely, friendly workers and the tour was fun, great way to spend a raining afternoon in Hoi An. Highly recommended! More

Lovely selection, honest information, lots of varied choice and all very creative and beautifully made with good quality materials and an expert artistic eye. A nice visit and nice to feel able to contribute in a positive way More

We passed this shop while we were walking around town and recalled a nice couple telling us about it earlier in the day. The shop consists of handmade items made by disadvantaged Vietnamese people, and their families, to become self-sufficient. we walked out with several stuffed animals and cards. Was very pleased with this experience. More