Duong Lam Ancient Village Hanoi: A place to experience rustic rural life

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As a “hidden old town of Hanoi” with unique architecture, Duong Lam Ancient Village never fails to charm sightseers. Preserving the features of an ancient village in Vietnam, it always brings a calm atmosphere for visitors. This is a highly recommended attraction to be included in your Hanoi travel itinerary.

1. About Duong Lam Ancient Village in Hanoi

Duong Lam Ancient Village is about 45 kilometers away from downtown Hanoi to the west. This ancient village in Hanoi still retains many attractive historical and cultural features. It boasts 956 ancient houses, including those built in the 17th century.

All retrospective attributes of a typical Red River Delta village such as banyan trees, wells, communal houses, and village gates can be found in Duong Lam – one of the oldest cultural relics in Vietnam. This Northern Vietnam village is suitable for a tranquil getaway at weekends.

The entrance fee to Duong Lam Ancient Village is 20,000 VND for adults and 10,000 VND for children. The ticket counter is located next to Mong Phu village gate. You should ask for a map from the ticket seller to easily reach the sites here.

Laterite stone walls and old banyan trees are among typical features of Duong Lam Ancient Village (Source: Collected)

2. Top must-try experiences in Duong Lam Ancient Village

This village in Vietnam is famous for its special architecture, which features laterite stone houses. Below are some popular activities that you should not miss out on when coming to one of the oldest villages in Hanoi:

2.1. Take stunning photos in front of Mong Phu village gate

The first stop in your sightseeing tour of Duong Lam Ancient Village is Mong Phu village gate. This is reported to be the only ancient village gate in Northern Vietnam which remains intact. The gate, built in the 16th century, stands next to a 300-year-old banyan tree, a large lotus pond, and a vast rice paddy. The picturesque sight makes Mong Phu village gate not only an interesting attraction but also a highly-recommended spot for tourists to take pictures.

Mong Phu village gate has a certain rustic charm (Source: @beconpaynak0905)

2.2. Learn about cultural values of Mong Phu communal house

Having been standing in the center of Duong Lam since hundreds of years ago, Mong Phu communal house covers an area of 1,800 square meters. It was built to worship Tan Vien – one of the Four Immortals in the mythology of the Red River Delta region. The structure of the house reflects the traditional architecture of the Northern Delta region in the past. The large yard in front is a spot for the locals to gather for public events, festivities, and meetings.

2.3. Find interesting facts about Duong Lam ancient wells

In addition to old buildings, Duong Lam Ancient Village has many ancient wells. The wells here are located at high places near the communal house, the pagoda, or the center of the village. They provide fresh water all year round. On both sides of Mong Phu communal house, there are two ancient wells that symbolize two eyes of a dragon looking from above.

Ancient wells are quite common in old villages in Hanoi (Source: Collected)

2.4. Explore some well-known ancient houses

Duong Lam Ancient Village has 956 Hanoi ancient houses aged from 300 to 400 years old. Some outstanding ancient houses of the village are:

• House of Mr. Ha Nguyen Huyen

The green space with lots of trees and beautiful flowers of Mr. Huyen’s ancient house attracts a large number of tourists. Here, you can see a yard filled with huge brown jars containing traditional soya sauce.

• House of Mr. Nguyen Van Hung

This is the oldest ancient house in the village, built in 1649. In the yard, there is a typical garden with flowers and wine jars which create a very peaceful beauty.

• House of Ms. Duong Lan

The ancient house of Ms. Duong Lan features horn-shaped ornaments and very high doorsteps. These details aim to remind everyone to show respect for those who used to live here.

2.5. Visit some famous cultural and sacred sites

• The temple of Phung Hung

Phung Hung ruled Vietnam in the 8th century. Though many temples were built throughout the nation to worship this figure, the one in Duong Lam Ancient Village is even more special because it is located in his hometown.

The temple underwent a major restoration in 1889, so now it has bold imprints of the architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty. In the temple, there is a stele showing a lot of information about Phung Hung’s life and merits. On the 8th day of the first lunar month, villagers and tourists come here to pay homage to him.

• The mausoleum and temple of Ngo Quyen

Duong Lam Ancient Village is the birthplace of not only King Phung Hung but also King Ngo Quyen. The complex of Ngo Quyen temple and mausoleum is located on Cam hill, which is 2.2 kilometers away from Mong Phu communal house to the east. In front of the temple, there is a vast paddy field and a source of water called Hum basin which flows into the Tich river. The temple was built in a higher position, which is about 100 meters away from the mausoleum.

• Giang Van Minh worship house

Giang Van Minh worship house was constructed to worship Giang Van Minh, an envoy sent to the Chinese Ming court who bravely upheld the honor of Vietnam against the insults of the Chinese King. The worship house is becoming a popular destination for many domestic and foreign visitors. It is also a place to educate the patriotic tradition for Vietnamese younger generations.

2.6. Enjoy delicious specialties of Duong Lam Village

While visiting these ancient houses, you can try some local specialities, such as:

• Tuong (a salty paste made from fermented soybean, used as a dipping sauce)
• Vietnamese crispy roast pork
• Local chicken
• Banh te (steamed rice cake)
• Keo doi (peanut candy)
• Che lam (Vietnamese nutty ginger sticky rice bars)

3. The full guide for your sightseeing to Duong Lam Ancient Village

3.1. The ideal time to visit

Duong Lam Ancient Village can be visited at any time of the year. However, if you want to see all the charm of the Vietnamese countryside, you should come in the festive season or the harvest season:

• The festive season

If you come in the festival season (around or right after the Lunar New Year), you can enjoy the unique folk vibe of an ancient village in Northern Vietnam. Traditional games such as human chess, blind man’s buff, cockfight, tug of war, etc., and the bustling festive atmosphere will make you tingle with joy and cheer.

• The harvest season

Traveling to Duong Lam Ancient Village in the harvest season, you can not only contemplate the ancient and rustic charm of a Vietnamese village but also see the tranquil and poetic countryside with golden fields, straw heaps, farmers harvesting their crops, etc.

Duong Lam Ancient Village in the harvest season (Source: Collected)

3.2. The best way to get there

From central Hanoi, it often takes around one hour to reach Duong Lam Ancient Village.

• By bus

There are several bus routes to get here, depending on where you begin the journey. Some suggested bus routes are 20A, 70, 71, or 77. They all stop at Son Tay bus station, where you can take a taxi car or motorbike to reach Duong Lam Ancient Village.

• By motorbike

If you travel by motorbike, there are 2 ways for you to take:

• • Follow Thang Long Avenue and turn right at Hoa Lac junction into National Road 21. Keep going straight through Son Loc to the junction of National Road 32 and follow the signboard to Duong Lam Ancient Village;
  • Follow National Road 32 to Son Tay town. Go along National Road 21 and take the left turn at the intersection to get to the village.

You can park your bike at Mong Phu village gate, then explore the village on foot or by renting a bicycle at 80,000 – 100,000 VND/day.

3.3. Useful tips for the most comfortable trip

• Walking and cycling are strongly suggested as the means to get around Duong Lam Ancient Village, as you can easily explore every corner here.
• At some sites, there are staff who will introduce the place to you. They are willing to explain to you about the attractions and provide useful advice on your trip.
• Visiting Hanoi ancient houses, remember to say hello to the family members and politely ask for permission if you want to get in their houses or take photos. You can buy gifts right from these families instead of going to the market.
• If you want to use services such as homestay lunch or dinner, you should find the contact to make bookings in advance.

In addition to Duong Lam Ancient Village, there are numerous other tourist attractions in the city that you should visit during your Hanoi tour, such as Hoan Kiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square, West Lake, One Pillar Pagoda, Presidential Palace, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, and especially VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium if you travel with children.

Situated within Vincom Mega Mall Times City, Vinpearl Aquarium covers approximately 4,000 square meters and houses over 30,000 sea creatures from around the world, making it one of Vietnam’s largest aquariums. Meanwhile, VinKE offers a play-and-learn environment that helps children experience their dream careers through many job simulation games.

VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium

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Among numerous places to visit in Hanoi Vietnam, Duong Lam Ancient Village is the ideal choice if you are looking for a quiet place to relax. The ancient houses here will give you a chance to explore the architecture of a typical Vietnamese traditional village. Hopefully, this article will help you make a more detailed plan for the things to do in Hanoi.

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