Buying Agarwood in Southeast Asia: A Guide for Travellers

Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia are among the most significant agarwood source regions in the world, covered across our Origins & Varieties hub, and buying directly in these countries is a genuine draw for travellers interested in oud. It also comes with its own specific risks, and its own rules for bringing what you buy back home.

Buying While Travelling: The Basics

In-person buying lets you test agarwood directly, smelling it warmed, checking whether it sinks, inspecting grain and color, covered in our guide to buying agarwood online vs in person. The trade-off in popular tourist destinations is that some shops specifically target one-time visitors with inflated prices or treated wood passed off as high grade, on the reasonable assumption that a tourist won't be back to complain. Treat any shop near a major tourist circuit with a bit more scrutiny than you would a specialist dealer.

Vietnam

Vietnam, especially around Hanoi's Old Quarter, has numerous agarwood shops, often marked with signs reading "Tram Huong," the Vietnamese term for agarwood. Stock quality varies considerably between shops on the same street, so it's worth browsing several before buying rather than purchasing at the first place you visit. Vietnamese agarwood has its own well-established grading conventions, covered in our guide to Vietnamese agarwood grading, which is worth knowing before you negotiate.

Cambodia

Cambodian agarwood, covered in our regional guide to Cambodian agarwood, is widely regarded among collectors for its distinctive, often described as tranquilizing, scent profile, and specialist dealers operate in the country specifically serving the oud trade rather than general tourists. As with Vietnam, dealers with an established specialist reputation are generally a safer bet than general souvenir shops that happen to stock agarwood alongside other goods.

Indonesia and Malaysia

Indonesia, covered in our guide to Indonesian agarwood, is one of the largest agarwood-producing countries, with significant cultivated supply alongside wild material from regions like Papua. Malaysia, covered in our guide to Malaysian agarwood, has its own grading conventions and is a notable source for Gyrinops species in particular, covered in our guide to Aquilaria vs Gyrinops. Both countries have well-established domestic markets alongside their export trade.

The CITES Personal Allowance for Travellers

Because most Aquilaria species are listed under CITES Appendix II, covered in our guide to agarwood and conservation, cross-border movement of agarwood is regulated. A specific personal effects exemption, set out under CITES Resolution Conf. 13.7, allows travellers to carry limited quantities for personal use without an export permit: commonly cited limits are up to 1 kilogram of wood chips, 24 milliliters of oil, and two sets of beads, prayer beads, or bracelets per person. Quantities beyond that generally require a CITES export permit from the country of origin. Because rules can be updated and import-side restrictions vary by destination country, it's worth checking current requirements with the relevant customs authority before you travel, rather than relying solely on this figure.

Practical Tips for Buying Abroad

Bring the same questions covered in our guide to questions to ask before you buy, ask for a receipt or invoice describing what you bought (useful both for resale value later and for customs if questioned), and keep your total well within the personal allowance unless you've confirmed you have the right export documentation. If you'd rather buy from somewhere already vetted before or after your trip, our supplier directory is a good place to compare options.