Moss-covered villages in Northern Vietnam

Village culture is the soul, the "root of national culture." It's uncertain when villages were formed, but even the name itself affirms that "village" is a purely Vietnamese social entity, unmixed and unbreakable throughout thousands of years.

No matter how times change or how much society develops, there is an undercurrent that always permeates the general flow of the times: the cultural undercurrent of the countryside. Despite the massive migrations to cities every day, some villages in Northern Vietnam remain peaceful after years of transformation.

1. Dong Ngac – A village within the city

Dong Ngac, also known colloquially as Ve Village or Ke Ve, is one of the oldest villages in Hanoi. The old saying goes, "The land of Ke Gian, the officials of Ke Ve," expressing pride in the village where every clan had members who passed the imperial examinations.

CNN once wrote about Dong Ngac: a thousand-year-old scholarly village nestled outside Hanoi's 20-year urbanization. Stone gates marking the village's boundaries, street vendors wearing conical hats, children playing outside the 17th-century Tu Khanh pagoda – all contribute to the original, rustic charm of this ancient village on the outskirts of the city.

The village has nearly 100 ancient houses, the oldest of which dates back to 1600. These moss-covered houses, nestled in narrow alleys, were once symbols of modern East-West architectural fusion.

Address:Dong Ngac Ward, Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi City.

2. Duong Lam – A forgotten ancient town

Duong Lam is known as the land of two kings, the birthplace of Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen. It is also one of the rare villages in Hanoi that still retains the characteristic rural landscape of the Red River Delta: banyan trees, riverside docks, village communal houses, and winding narrow alleys forming a herringbone pattern.

In terms of architectural scale, Duong Lam is second only to Hoi An Ancient Town and Hanoi Old Quarter. The symbol of Duong Lam village is the nearly 400-year-old Mong Phu communal house, bearing the mark of Vietnamese-Muong architecture; the village gate is built in the "upper house, lower gate" style; and there are more than 900 ancient laterite stone houses clustered together.

Many people return to Duong Lam sometimes simply to enjoy a traditional Northern Vietnamese meal, with simple dishes served in a bowl of rich, sticky rice sauce. The aroma of the sauce wafts up, awakening a sense of "a bygone era."

Known as the "Forgotten Ancient Town," the village, located just 50 km from Hanoi, is a popular tourist destination for both domestic and international visitors and has been recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Monument since 2006.

Address:Son Tay town, Hanoi city.

Note: When visiting Duong Lam, tourists can contact the villagers in advance and register to have a meal with them.

3. Tho Ha – An island in the middle of the Cau River

The name "Thổ Hà" (meaning "Earth River") likely comes from the village's unique location, bordered on three sides by the Cầu River and on one side by hills and mountains. People entering and leaving the village must cross by ferry, separated by a river, effectively isolating it from the noisy outside world. Therefore, houses in Thổ Hà must be built high with many interconnected steps to adapt to the rising water levels of the river each season.

Tho Ha is the cradle of pottery. Before disappearing, the traditional Tho Ha pottery craft flourished for 600 years, becoming the main livelihood for all the villagers. Traces of this golden age of pottery still remain in every small alley, with unplastered walls made only of fired bricks and tiles, and piles of broken earthenware and pottery creating a vivid, reddish-brown oil painting.

Besides pottery, Tho Ha is also famous for its rice paper making. Visiting the village on a clear day, you will see neatly stacked sheets of rice paper drying in the courtyards and along the riverbanks.

Address:Van Ha commune, Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province.

4. Nom Village – a century-old treasure

Nom Village is where visitors can find the authentic charm of a traditional Vietnamese rural market. Previously, Nom Market was the busiest market in the Van Lam region. After 200 years, the market remains simple and unspoiled, without concrete or steel structures.

Nom Village boasts two unique architectural structures not found in any other Northern Vietnamese village: the village gate and the Nom Bridge. The Nom Village Gate is built in the eight-pillar style, a type of gate formerly reserved only for royalty. No one in the village, not even the elders, knows the gate's history. They only estimate that it is over 200 years old. The second structure is the nine-span Nom Bridge, connecting the village road to Nom Market. On either side of the bridge are protruding rock formations shaped like dragon heads, intricately carved; hence, the bridge is also known as the Nine-Headed Dragon Bridge. From the remaining architectural features, it's evident that trade in Nom Village was extremely prosperous in the past, leading to a life far more flourishing than many other Northern Vietnamese villages, truly deserving the title "Trang An of the North."

Nom Village is peaceful, even to the point of being boring for those unfamiliar with or who don't understand the orderly pace of life and family traditions of this unique ancient village, the only remaining part of Pho Hien.

Address:Dai Dong commune, Van Lam district, Hung Yen province

5. Thu Sy - The weaving craft still exists.

These bamboo fishing baskets were once traditional fishing tools used by people in Northern Vietnam to catch fish and shrimp. As rice paddies gave way to roads, the craft gradually faded away. Only by visiting Thu Sy craft village in Hung Yen province can one truly see a part of rural life and labor in its entirety from the 20th century.

Along the winding village roads, past golden haystacks, ancient tiled houses, or vast fields of mustard greens, visitors can see bundles of baskets and traps being dried in the sun. In Thu Sy, old and young alike weave baskets. Children busily drying the bamboo strips and braiding the baskets is a part of their daily lives.

Woven baskets contribute to the income of the people of Thu Sy. Villagers used to carry them on their backs, but now they cycle to deliver them to low-lying areas in Hai Duong and Hai Phong. A finished white basket sells for about 20,000 - 25,000 VND, while smoked baskets, with their reddish-brown color, sell for about 30,000 - 40,000 VND.

Address:Thu Sy commune, Tien Lu district, Hung Yen province.

If one day you need a moment of quiet, and want to return to the most peaceful and simple values, then "go back to the village." Stepping through the imposing village gate is like stepping into a different time: slow and pristine.

Beautiful bottle.

Jiang Song