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24/03/2023
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Visit this silk village in Hanoi to see how the traditional silk is made (Source: Collected)
On your upcoming Hanoi travel journey, don’t forget to come to Van Phuc Silk Village, the oldest silk village in Vietnam. After a long history, it still retains the tradition of weaving silk and preserves significant cultural and historical values. It is also a tourist attraction and the most visited craft village in Hanoi.
1. About Van Phuc Silk Village Vietnam
- Van Phuc Silk Village address
Van Phuc Silk has been known for its smooth, light weight, and elegant appearance. Especially, a prominent kind of silk called Van Silk, which is made in this village, can make the wearers feel cool in summer and warm in winter.
Van Phuc Silk Village is about 10 kilometers away from the center of Hanoi, situated on the banks of Nhue River. You can go to this destination from Hanoi’s city center by following Nguyen Trai street to Am Bridge. The whole journey often takes about 30 minutes by motorbike.
There are no entrance fees to the village. Note that the parking fees will be 5,000 and 30,000 VND for motorbike and car respectively.
- Van Phuc Silk Village history
About 1,200 years ago, a woman named A La Thi Nuong from Cao Bang passed her talented skills of weaving silk to the villagers. She then became the tutelary deity of the village after death. At that time, silk was considered an exquisite and luxury handicraft that was only used by the Royal family and aristocrats.
It was first introduced internationally at the Marseille fair in France in 1931. After that, it was recognized to be a high-quality product of French Indochina and then widely exported all over the world. In the period between 1958 to 1988, Van Phuc Silk was mainly exported to Eastern Europe. It has been reaching a great number of foreign customers since 1990.
Van Phuc Silk is preferred by many people thanks to its durability, smoothness, and lustrous appearance (Source: Collected)
2. What is Van Phuc Silk Village Hanoi famous for?
- The village
The location of Van Phuc Silk Village has always made it the top place for trading silk. A large number of households in the village have been working in weaving. They continue their work of creating silk and affirming the prestige and quality of Van Phuc Silk through generations. Annually, it is estimated that Van Phuc Silk Village produces about 2.5 to 3 million square meters of fabric, which accounts for 63% of the village’s total revenue.
- Van Phuc Silk
It was the patterns of the silk that gained the reputation and uniqueness for Van Phuc Silk Village. The artisans put their heart and soul in designing their silk. Thus, Van Phuc Silk was always chosen to be used for court outfits, especially under the Nguyen Dynasty.
Van Phuc Silk has about 70 types of patterns with different names, such as floral ribbon, dragon and phoenix, flying cloud, cinnamon flower, etc. Among which, the traditional kind of silk called Van Silk is the most famous one.
What sets Van Silk apart from other silks is probably the comfort provided for the wearers. Donning a costume made of Van Silk, customers will feel warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
The eye-catching colors and patterns of Van Phuc Silk (Source: Collected)
3. The top fantastic experiences in Van Phuc Silk Village
Van Phuc Silk Village is not only the land that provides the best quality silk, but also a place that has the typical features of a Northern Vietnam’s village. Check out the information below to see what intriguing activities are waiting for you at Van Phuc Silk Village.
3.1. Learn about the quintessence of silk weaving tradition
It takes the artisans lots of time and meticulous work to produce smooth and high-quality silk, as the process is rather long and complicated. It includes 4 steps:
- Step 1: Raise silkworms
- Step 2: Extract silk using machines
- Step 3: Weave the silk
- Step 4: Dye the silk and add any finishing touch
Despite the recent modern weaving technology, there is still a lot of manual work that needs to be done by the meticulous hands of the artisans.
The old looms at an artisan’s house in Van Phuc Silk Village (Source: Collected)
3.2. Visit Uncle Ho’s Memorial House
Uncle Ho’s Memorial House is the home of President Ho Chi Minh in 1946 before he moved to the northern mountainous region to build a resistance base.
The Memorial House honors President Ho Chi Minh and the people of Van Phuc Village who fought against invaders (Source: Collected)
3.3. Take great photos at some brilliant places
- The gate of Van Phuc Silk Village
The gate of Van Phuc Silk Village is made of red bricks, which is a traditional design of Vietnamese villages.
The gate welcomes tourists to explore the traditional values inside (Source: Collected)
- The umbrella road
In Van Phuc Silk Village, there is a road full of hanging umbrellas, which represent the colorful silk products at the village.
Umbrellas are arranged aesthetically to bring a unique look to Van Phuc Silk Village (Source: Collected)
- The silk road
Renowned for high-quality silk, many families in Van Phuc Village open their own gifting shops which turn the main road into a lively silk road selling eye-catching various types of silk products.
- The large frescoed wall
A large wall painted with all kinds of pictures will definitely attract visitors on their way around the village. This wall was painted by the local teachers to become a highlight of the village.
The large painted wall has become a good spot to take photos (Source: Collected)
- The wooden bridge
The wooden bridge in Van Phuc Silk Village is quite similar to Cau Pagoda in Hoi An. On one side of the bridge is a modern road with a hustling and bustling vibe, while on the other is a tranquil vibe of the countryside.
The wooden bridge is a favorite spot of tourists in Van Phuc Silk Village (Source: Collected)
3.4. Buy silk products as gifts for your loved ones
There are a bunch of silk gifting shops in Van Phuc Silk Village with a wide selection of products such as dresses, shirts, scarves, etc,.. at a very reasonable price. Tourists can choose to buy ready-to-wear or customized products.
4. When is the best time to take a Van Phuc Silk Village tour?
Tourists are recommended to visit Van Phuc Silk Village in November. This is when the Van Phuc Silk Village Festival takes place, with many silk-making and displaying activities. The festival often lasts for a week. Tourists would have a chance to explore various culture-rich activities, such as watching water puppet shows, seeing the bonsai competition, contemplating art shows, playing folk games, and enjoying local specialties.
While you are in Hanoi, don’t forget to visit other tourist attractions, such as Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, Presidential Palace, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, and especially VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium Times City.
Vinpearl Aquarium is ideal for those who want to explore the fantastic ocean world in one of the most modern aquarium systems in Vietnam. The aquarium has more than 30,000 freshwater and saltwater specimens for you to contemplate.
Capture amazing photos of the underwater world at Vinpearl Aquarium
On the other hand, VinKE is a large playground that provides educational career guidance and a wide selection of indoor games. Here, your children have a chance to explore their future job interests.
VinKE is a suitable destination for kids to relax and learn at the same time
Book tickets of VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium here
Van Phuc Silk Village is a must-see attraction for any culture lover who wants to immerse themselves in a tranquil land full of historical and cultural values. With the information above, hopefully, you will have the best preparations for a trip to the birthplace of the genuine silk-making tradition of Vietnam.
