Step 1: Clean and secure the small parts

On a chess or Chinese chess board, the pieces are easily lost and can scratch the board if they knock against it. Never leave the pieces on the board and box it up as it is.

• Collect all the pieces: Put them in a soft cloth bag or a separate zip bag.
• Wrap each piece (for stone or finely carved wooden pieces): Wrap each piece in bubble wrap before putting it in the bag so the pieces don’t knock against each other in transit.
• Secure the piece box: If the set has its own wooden box for the pieces, pad the inside with cotton wool or soft foam so the pieces can’t move.

Step 2: Protect the board against scratches and cracks

The board has the largest surface area and takes the most force.

• Wooden boards: Wrap the board in 2 to 3 layers of PE cling film to prevent mould and protect the lacquer or gloss finish from scratches.
• Stone boards: Stone is heavy and very brittle under bending forces. Cut two pieces of rigid cardboard or flat foam the same size as the board, press them firmly against the front and back, then wrap them tightly in PE film to hold everything in place.
• Bubble wrap: After the PE film, wrap at least 3 to 4 layers of bubble wrap around the whole board. Take extra care with the corners and edges, which chip most easily in a collision.

Step 3: Choose the box and fill the gaps

Choosing the right carton accounts for about half of a handicraft’s safety.

• Choose a sturdy 5-ply or 7-ply carton that is 5 to 7 cm larger than the wrapped board on each side.
• Lay about 3 to 5 cm of foam on the bottom of the box.
• Place the board and the bag of pieces in the middle of the box.
• Fill all the gaps tightly with packing peanuts, foam or compressed paper. Shake the box gently afterwards. If you can still hear or feel anything moving, add more foam. Soleil Transportation’s shipping service to Canada includes basic packing in a carton.
• Special note: For very heavy or large stone boards, an ordinary carton isn’t safe enough. These heavy items need an extra wooden frame or pallet for safe lifting and unloading, which carries a specialist packing surcharge.

Step 4: Declare to customs and prepare documents

When shipping handicrafts to Canada, an accurate customs declaration helps your order clear quickly at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

• Describe the goods in detail: Instead of a vague “gift” or “handicraft”, write “Wooden chess set” or “Stone Chinese chess set”.
• Declare an honest value: Declare the set’s real value. Our flights on the Vietnam–Canada route include all import duties, so you don’t have to worry about tax charges at the destination.
• Note on wood: Canada controls natural wood products very strictly to keep out termites and plant diseases. Wooden chess boards must be made of treated wood and be finished with lacquer or kiln-dried. Avoid sending rare woods on the CITES list without a permit.

Step 5: Choose a shipping service and track your order

Once fully packed, choosing a reliable carrier with insurance options and a transparent route is the last step to shipping with peace of mind.

Soleil Transportation offers professional air shipping from Vietnam to Canada with an average transit time of 7 to 12 business days (7–14 days depending on the delivery province). All-inclusive door-to-door air freight starts at just $16/kg.

After shipping, you’ll receive a tracking number to check online easily. Status updates are also sent by email, SMS or Zalo so you and the recipient in Canada can follow along.

If you aren’t confident packing stone or wooden items yourself, bring the chess set in person or send it by domestic courier to our office, and our staff will reinforce it to flight safety standards. For more advice on size and weight rules and an accurate quote for your chess set, call +1 888-998-5199 or email the details to info@soleiltransportation.com.

Comparing costs and shipping methods for instruments

Depending on the size of the instrument, you can choose the shipping method that keeps costs down. Here is a comparison based on Soleil Transportation’s services:

Average air transit time from Vietnam to Canada is 7–14 days (about 7–12 business days on average). This keeps the instrument’s wood from being exposed to long periods of changing humidity.

How to pack each type of instrument

Traditional Vietnamese instruments are mostly handmade from natural wood and are easily damaged by external forces during airport handling.

How to pack and protect a dan bau

The dan bau has a long box-shaped body, and its most sensitive parts are the neck (made of buffalo horn or bamboo) and the dried gourd (or plastic) resonator.

• Secure the neck: Remove the neck and gourd from the body if the design allows. If they are fixed, wrap the neck tightly in several layers of bubble wrap, then tape it along the body so it can’t snap under downward pressure.
• Protect the tuning peg and string: Loosen the string slightly to reduce tension on the soundboard during the flight, so the top doesn’t crack when the air pressure changes.

How to pack a dan tranh

The dan tranh is large, with many bridges and a complex string system.

• Remove the bridges: Never leave the bridges on the soundboard during shipping. Remove them all, number them or put them together in a small zip bag so none get lost. If left in place, any knock can press them down hard and puncture or scratch the wood.
• Fill the body: Put packing peanuts or soft cotton inside the body (if it has a sound hole) to absorb internal shocks.

Outer packing standards

• Foam box or carton: First, wrap the instrument in 3–4 layers of bubble wrap. Place it in a rigid foam box or a well-fitting carton. Soleil Transportation’s shipping service to Canada includes basic packing in a carton.
• Wooden crate: For expensive, high-value or very bulky instruments such as a 19-string dan tranh, an outer wooden frame (or wooden pallet) around the carton is essential for full impact protection. Note that crating adds a packing surcharge and may increase the parcel’s volumetric weight.

Declaring woods covered by CITES

One of the biggest reasons wooden instruments are held or confiscated at the Canadian border (by CBSA) is a breach of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

How do you know if your instrument needs a CITES declaration?

Many high-end dan bau and dan tranh are made from rosewood or Dalbergia species, or are inlaid with mother-of-pearl or abalone. These materials are listed in CITES Appendix II.

• If the instrument is made from ordinary wood (jackfruit, cherry): You don’t need a CITES permit, but write the type of wood in English on the customs declaration (for example, Jackfruit wood or Peach wood) to avoid suspicion.
• If the instrument is made from a CITES-listed wood: You must obtain a CITES export permit from Vietnam’s CITES Management Authority before shipping.

How to declare safely

• Describe the item honestly: Write “Traditional Musical Instrument – Dan Bau” or “Dan Tranh” with a detailed list of the materials of each part.
• If you bought the instrument from a reputable workshop, ask for an invoice or a certificate of the wood’s origin to attach to the shipping documents.

Important notes when shipping instruments to Canada

• Cargo insurance: Because instruments are fragile and have high sentimental and material value, and insurance is not usually included in the standard rate, customers should ask to buy extra cargo insurance so they are properly compensated if something goes wrong.
• Tracking: After shipping, check your tracking number online regularly to follow the clearance status in Canada. Soleil Transportation’s system sends automatic route updates by email or Zalo.
• Delivery: Goods are delivered door-to-door in Canada. Our rates include all import duties on the Vietnam to Canada route, so the recipient doesn’t have to pay any extra charges on delivery.

For more advice on box sizes for specific instruments and the most accurate quote based on actual weight, call +1 888-998-5199 or email the details of your instrument to info@soleiltransportation.com.