Vietnam is a developing country changing gradually day by day. It’s no surprise that there are more skyscrapers, supermarkets, modern houses appearing in big cities and towns. On the other hand, a large number of locals are still living on the outskirts and keeping tradition.
If you are interested in exploring old Vietnam villages, there are many options to choose from. Your Vietnam villages tourswill become amazing private tourswith our 8 locations below. Each place features different traditional architecturesreflecting regional customs and cultures.
Let’s take a look and see which ancient villages will be your future destination!
1. Duong Lam ancient village (Ha Noi)
Every tourist all knows Ha Noi is the capital of Vietnam but they might not know that the dynamic city has many ancient villages. Among those, Duong Lam is the oldest village of the North, located in Son Tay (along the Red River) – about 40 km to the west of Hanoi.
The history of Duong Lam ancient villagedates back about 1,200 years. You can find many 17th-century houses there.
Duong Lam ancient village has a closed structure: one main road with branches reaching all corners. Around the area has a system of ponds with lotus. The system works like an air conditioner for the entire village on hot summer days.
All buildings reflect the beautiful past of Northern villages. The main structures of a house are held by columns and spans. Most houses are made of laterite and mud. Moreover, locals also used laterite for building gates, walls, wells and temples. As time passes by, you can easily notice those mossy traces on tiled roofs and walls.
Immerse into a traditional northern Vietnamese village
2. Uoc Le ancient village (Ha Noi)
If you ask Hanoi citizens about the best “gio cha” – Vietnamese pork rollsor Vietnamese pork meatloaf, you might get only one answer: Uoc Le. This is not only the name of the food but also the name of an ancient village, where people produce high quality “gio, cha” in Hanoi.
Uoc Le is one of the old Vietnam villages where locals still live in traditional lifestyles. According to many historical researchers, the village is around 500 years old.
The most outstanding structure there must be the gate. It reflects how Northern locals think about work and life. The gate splits the working place (the field) and living place (the village), the deceased outside and the living inside, individually.
The spectacular gate in Uoc Le village[/caption]
Because of the importance of the gate, locals put a lot of effort into building and maintaining it. As a result, we have an imposing one right in Uoc Le village. Beholding the gate, you will be amazed at the size and the exploit artwork on it.
The fame of Uoc Le “gio cha” is so resounding that it’s remained on top until now. Therefore, you should never forget to try and take part in some steps of making “gio cha”. People said that only villagers there know the secret which is passed from generation to generation. Although there aren’t many craftsmen left, they are trying to prevent the Vietnamese traditional craft from disappearance.
3. Kin Chu Phin ancient village (Lao Cai)
Have you ever thought about discovering old Vietnam villages in mountainous areas? Well, we are sure that the journey will be full of amazing experiences promisingly.
Kin Chu Phin is a small village in the highest and the most remote area of Lao Cai. Red Dao and Ha Nhi are two ethnic minorities living there. From a far distance, you might see the village look like a dreamy landscape in many fairy tales.
But that’s not the most interesting part!
All houses in Kin Chu Phin ancient villageare made by hand with a simple design. They have thick walls (around 40 – 50 cm) made from mountain clay and pitched thatched roofs. The house creates a nice living condition for locals: warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Those ancient houses have lush green roofs of grass and moss. People there let them grow thrivingly in hot and humid conditions. It creates a wonderful nature-friendly view right on the high mountain.
Ancient houses look like giant mushrooms in the deep forest.
4. Phuoc Tich ancient village (Hue)
Phuoc Tich is considered a living museum of old Vietnam villages since it has remained in the structure for hundreds of years. This village’s located in the basin of the O Lau River, about 40 km from Hue city.
People visit Phuoc Tich ancient village to discover the peculiar structure of “Nha ruong” which is a hand-made traditional wooden house. The house will give you the bird’s eye view of the traditional typical house of Central locals.
“Nha ruong” features 48 columns for the cult of ancestors and Buddha. Each house has numerous beams and pillars, joined with mortise and tenon. The building techniques made the unique trait of the village since the common way is using nails instead. The wealthier the owner was, the more sophisticated in structures and details of the house.
Thanks to precious and solid wood, all “nha ruong” houses in Phuoc Tich village have remained in good preservation until now. There are more than 100 “nha ruong” in total: 37 houses with intact temples are over 100 years, and 12 extremely rare houses are 150-200 years old.
“Nha ruong” – the typical traditional house in central Vietnam.
5. Tuy Loan ancient village (Da Nang)
Just about 15 km to the southwest of Da Nang, you can find a peaceful ancient village called Tuy Loan. Locals are so proud because it features the unique characteristics of Vietnam village.
Tuy Loan ancient village takes visitors back to over 500 years ago. It bears the marks of history and tradition of the country. In addition, this Vietnam village is considered a National historical-cultural vestige.
In the Vietnamese spirit, three elements made of a village are banyan tree, water well, and commune house. You’ll see all three in Tuy Loan ancient village. There are many old rustic houses that have been through over five centuries.
Don’t forget to visit the village communal house in Tuy Loan. The house was built in 1889 and still remains its inherent majesty. In light of the traditional structure, it has a pantile roof and brick wall. People put numerous decorations in the house like the picture of two dragons flanking the moon or pottery.
Tuy Loan village is considered a National historical-cultural vestige
6. Phong Nam ancient village (Da Nang)
Another old Vietnam village in Danang is Phong Nam (about 700 years old), around 10 km to the southwest. Through rain or shine, the village still remains unique characteristics like rice fields, bamboo forests, pathways, and simple houses.
Walking in Phong Nam village, you have a chance to discover the ancient architecture from pagodas, temples, communal houses, houses of worship to holy places. In total, there are 17 rustic houses in the village which are cozy wooden structures surrounded by lush green rice fields and bamboo. Everywhere you go, you all notice the scent of rice fusing into the cool breeze.
Exploring Phong Nam village will give you a peek in the authentic Vietnamese lifestyle and houses. Plus, it’s a good chance to witness the longstanding tradition followed by locals.
Peaceful moments in Phong Nam help you ease your mind
7. Loc Yen ancient village (Quang Nam)
If you are looking for a peaceful journey to the past in Quang Nam, the best idea is to visit Loc Yen ancient village. It’s famous for the heavenly landscape with spectacular mountain ranges, endless rice fieldsand human-made facilities.
Old villagers told that Loc Yen was established in the late half of the 18th century. Until now, people have been cultivating and settling happily on the land. In a small village, there are more than 10 old houses. They’re all made from jackwood with the unique design: the back leaning against the mountain and the deep stone valley in the front. That makes the ancient house look like a modern villa at the present.
This Vietnam village is also renowned for peculiar stone-paved lanes. You can find nowhere in the country that has the same characteristic. Each house in the village has a unique stone valley covered with green moss. Sometimes, you can see some skillfully pruned tea trees growing along the path, that makes the whole landscape become more picturesque.
Old-age houses and stone-paved lanes make Loc Yen village become one-of-a-kind.
8. Long Tuyen ancient village (Can Tho)
In Can Tho, you can fulfill your passion in Long Tuyen ancient village. This destination is such a good place as an off-the-beaten-track journey. You can’t miss Long Tuyen unique architecture since it is a special combination of several cultures from Western to Eastern: French, American, Japanese, Cham, Chinese.
Visiting this Vietnam village, you will be surely impressed at the charming beauty of old-age houses, six national relics, and fruitful orchards. It is a good illustration of the unique combination of architectural diversification.
Through the ups and downs of history, most buildings in the area still retain their great appearance. We highly recommend you to visit Binh Thuy Temple, Binh Thuy Old House, and Nam Nha Pagoda.
The architectural diversification in Long Tuyen is unique.
Conclusion
Most Vietnam villages still retain historical architectural features and lifestyles. They are the best choice for tourists to go back in time and understand the life of locals in the past.
Moreover, it is also a great trip to stay away from those noisy, stressful things in big cities. You will find your mind in peace just right the time you step into the village, take a full breath of fresh air.
Finding it difficult to build a perfect plan to visit Vietnam? Contact Us right now! We are here to give the best customized tour to villages that meets your expectations. Our pleasure is to be local ambassadors and to create meaningful moments in Vietnam for foreign friends.