Vietnam is brimming with charming places, from modern beauties of large city like Hanoi and Saigon to rustic charms. If you are not a fan of hustle and bustle travel, and want to strip away the cars or scooters, sky scrapers and fast food corner to experience something more authentic, escape from big city to find yourself in some tranquil villages near by Hanoi. Here are the lists of 4 picturesque villages that you should plan to spend time to visit.
1. Co Loa citadel
Situated at Dong Anh district, outskirt of Ha Noi, around 16km far from city center, Co Loa citadel was built along the hill side before BC. This citadel was constructed in a spiral – shaped type (hence called Loa citadel – a speaker shape citadel). Various relics of the Dong Son culture of the Bronze Age were the originated from this place. Besides, this destination also is known as the capital of An Duong Vuong dynasty and Ngo Quyen dynasty. According to the historical recording, the citadel included 3 Walls complex with deep channel; the central of this citadel covered up to 2 km.
There is a famous legends related to this place, which is mainly about the process of building citadel and the tragic love between My Chau Princess, the daughter of Thuc Phan King and Trong Thuy Prince, the son of Trieu Da King who was the enemy of Thuc Phan King. Today’s relic of this citadel that could be seen is the construction built under the Le So dynasty and Nguyen Dynasty.
This complex relic contains Co Loa communal house, My Chau princess temple, Pearl Wet and An Duong Vuong temple; and all of them is covered by moss, the signal of long time and ancient feature. Besides, there is an annual festival held in 6th January, lunar calendar with the aims to remember An Duong Vuong king and to celebrate traditional entertainment activities.
2. Duong Lam old village, Son Tay district
Duong Lam, the first – recognized ancient village in Viet Nam, is located in Son Tay district, far from Ha Noi about 36 km. This village has age about over thousand years and contain 956 from several decades to hundred- years- old houses. This ancient village has all signal of traditional countryside in Viet Nam: village gate, Banyan tree, courtyard, temples, well, water fields, almost of houses were built by wood, walls and ways were made by Laterite and Red brick, especially most the ways in this village are dead-end. In spring, drizzles that can’t make everything be soaked, color a bass tone in the country’s picture and make us feel quiet and empty. Arriving to Duong Lam, you could experience cultivating rice with local people on the vast rice paddy fields beside many familiar places: Mong Phu village gate, temples of Phung Hung king and Ngo Quyen king, Mia pagoda. Moreover, visitors can see and discover the Northern countryside house’s architecture, have daily meal with locals to know more the history and culture of Viet Nam in the past.
3. Nom ancient Village, Van Lam district, Hung Yen province
Having the age reach at 200 years, Nom village has founded from the flourishing period of Hien Street in trading of Northern area under Le So dynasty. Until this time, Vietnamese have still remembered the bustling and crowded scene in many pictures and antonyms.
Nom Village is located in Dai Dong commune, Hung Yen and far from Ha Noi 20 km. Like other ancient villages in the Northern, Nom has still maintained almost its beauty even though going through a long time. Setting foot in front of this place, visitors can catch an image of open old gate under green trees that let them feeling nostalgic and peaceful. The hundred-year- banyan tree, fresh – water well, curved roof of temple, red-bricked-house of market, the special rock bridge always welcome visitors and this scenery give them feeling as they back to their hometown. One landscape that you must travel if arriving this village is Nom pagoda, which owns lots of characteristics of a traditional Buddhism architecture in Viet Nam. It also worships over 100 pretty thousand-year-old terracotta statues.
4. Yen Truong Village, Chuong My district
It’s a pity if we skip one of beautiful ancient village near the central of Ha Noi, Yen Truong, one of many thousand – year villages in Viet Nam. People say that this village has been existed from these first years BC, maybe from the period of Hai Ba Trung rebellion against invaders, Han dynasty from the north. Visitors can have a trip to this place for a day and know more about culture and history a place located in the midland area. This village is famous for the house architecture and strange shape wells. Most part of one complete house inside this village were set up with the main material is Laterite. Because of harsh weather and a long time abrasion, walls, yard, gate of these house were covered by colors: dark- green from moss, symbiotic plants and tawny from Laterite. These colors combined together and make an abstract painting. Moreover, Yen Truong village has lots of different shape wells that existed for hundred years; each well has its story with many mysteries. If visitors want to travel to this place in spring, you should go to traditional families to experience the daily life in agriculture family and to feeling the fresh atmosphere that the green garden with many flowers and green trees bring to.
