I have listed the best villages in Vietnam that you should put on your list when planning a trip to Vietnam.
Traditional villages of northern Vietnam
1- Bat Trang Village, Ha Noi
Located just 15 km from the center of Hanoi, Bat Trang Village is a well-known attraction for tourists and locals who love both traditional culture and new experiences.
Bat Trang village is an important historical location for the Asian ceramics industry. The village has a long history since the Le Dynasty. The village was home to local artisans, who create beautiful porcelain works of art combining traditional and modern techniques. Indeed, it is the oldest and most famous ceramic village in Vietnam, which is reflected in its tourist development today.
The village specializes in producing a variety of pottery types and shapes. Visitors can explore numerous ceramic shops and workshops to browse a huge selection of vases, bowls, cups and plates, all handcrafted in a beautiful and artistic way.
You can not only walk around the artists’ workplace, but also try the handmade pottery yourself with their help. First of all, you will only have to pay from $1 to directly use their turntable and their ceramics or clays to start creating your own pottery. After modeling, your pottery will be burned for the final masterpiece. A little gift of your adventure truly created by your hands seems like a good deal for your loved ones, doesn’t it?
2- Duong Lam Village, Hanoi
Far from the center of Hanoi, about 50 km, the ancient village of Duong Lam is located in Son Tay Town, Hanoi. The entire village is considered a unique laterite museum with ancient houses dating back over 400 years. Duong Lam was the home of 2 Vietnamese kings, Ngo Quyen And Phung Hung. Their mausoleum is still located here. The village was recognized as a national historical and cultural monument on May 19, 2006. It is the first ancient village in Vietnam to be recognized.
Different from the ancient town of Hoi An or the vibrant ambience of the urban lifestyle of old quarter of Hanoi In previous centuries, this ancient village resembles more of a rural area, heavily affected by the agricultural way of life.
Strongly inspired by traditional Vietnamese culture, it has a wooden main door with a curved porticoed roof (which is typical in the Northern region). Around the village is the system of ponds creating a charming landscape, which helps reduce the summer heat during the extremely hot days in the North.
A large number of old houses built with laterite and ironwood pillars give the village a very special ancient beauty. Most old houses maintained fences, gates, courtyard, gardens, main house, outbuildings, kitchens, ranches, …, which are familiar specifically to the image of Thang Long – Hanoi.
3- Cua Van Village, Ha Long
Ranked among the 16 most beautiful ancient villages in the world, the floating village of Cua Van is a truly unique wonder for fishermen and is one of the best fishing villages in Halong Bay.
Thanks to its antiquity and maintaining a distinctive traditional culture, Cua Van Floating Village offers a completely local experience tour that attracts hundreds of tourists every day. While Halong Bay is experiencing a significant tourism peak, the Cua Van community remains its dominant culture and way of life, far from fragile despite the rapid development of the bay.
Surrounded by the stone mountain Va Gia – Cua Van, Cua Van is home to 176 dwellings (around 750 people) who make their living mainly from fishing. The village originates from two ancient fishing villages called Giang Vong and Truc Vo, which explains the spectacular culture of Cua Van. However, with the policy of returning the landscape to the world natural heritage of Halong Bay, the village was moved to land in 2014. Cua Van floating village with 12 rafts (including cultural houses, classrooms, etc.) has been preserved for tourism since then.
Arriving in the peaceful village, travelers are easily attracted by the beauty of every detail, from the small boats sitting next to the colorful traditional houses to the fishing nets above the cool green water. The whole view resembles a poetic painting retaining all the primitive features of an ancient fishing village.
4- Ta Van Village, Sapa
Located at the foot of a mountain, Ta Van village is about 7 km from Sapa town. The village is hidden in the misty cloud, with beautiful rice fields and natural ecosystem. Offering spectacular scenery and a cultural experience, Ta Van Village is a neighborhood village not to be missed during your trip to Sapa.
Ta Van Village is home to 110 ethnic families (mainly Black H’Mong), who have lived there for generations. It is one of the villages to see around Sapa
Two large minority groups live in the village: the Giay and the Dao. Just after crossing the wooden bridge across the Muong Hoa stream, which connects Ta Van to the outside world, you will encounter the Giay community. If you come in mid-November or December (October in the lunar calendar), the Giay wedding season with traditional wedding customs will be a fun addition to your experience. On the other hand, the Dao community is located a little higher on the hill. These residents earn their living primarily through agriculture and occasional tourism.
Traditional villages of central Vietnam
5- Thanh Toan Village, Hue
The village of Than Toan is famous for the unique bridge which was built in 1776 by a lady born in this village. It is located in the commune of Thuy Thanh, Huong Thuy district. About 8 km from Hue city. You can go to village of Thanh Toan by bike, motorbike or private car. This is a very beautiful drive to the Hue countryside passing through the rice field and the small lane along the banks of the river and ponds.
Visitors could walk around the village and meet and talk to locals at their work and homes. If you come early you may be able to attend the Thanh Toan morning market where farmers sell and buy farm produce and food for their daily cooking. The local market is also the place of socialization where they update the news, meet friends and relatives…
A half-day excursion to village of Thanh Toan worth the detour.
6- Cam Thanh Village, Hoi An
It was a military base during the wars – the village of Cam Thanh, or the coconut village, about 8 km from Hoi A old townn. The road is quite flat and you can choose to drive there or take a bike or motorbike.
What makes the village Cam Thanh Special is the water coconut known as nipa, or mangrove palms. They are the only members of the palm family that have successfully adapted to mangrove ecosystems. They grow in soft mud and slow tidal areas and in rivers with submerged roots; only the stems and leaves are above the water.
These dense palm trees provide shelter from monsoon storms and floods as well as a refuge for birds and many species of aquatic animals. The palm fruit is a tasty snack or dessert and the palm leaves are used to thatch roofs throughout the village.
A half-day trip to this village is worth the detour. I recommend you Hoi An Discovery who takes a bike ride to Cam Thanh and Tra Que
7- Thanh Ha Village, Hoi An
THE Thanh Ha pottery village is located in Thanh Ha district of Quang Nam province, right next to the Thu Bon River.
The village opens daily at 8:00 a.m. and welcomes its last visitors around 5:30 p.m., although it doesn’t officially close until 6:00 p.m. Weekdays are best, and to avoid the heat, mornings are best.
The pottery found at Thanh Ha pottery village is particularly unique. Everything is made manually from terracotta clay collected from nearby river beds and shipped around the world.
HAS a few minutes drive from Hoi An Old Town , the village is a great activity for those looking for a more authentic, hands-on experience in Vietnam or those simply looking to get away from the crowded markets of Hoi An.
8- Tra Que Village, Hoi An
If you are visiting Hoi An and looking for an experience tour of locals’ agricultural gardens, then coming to Tra Que Village will be a good choice for you.
Located between the De Vong River and the Tra Que Algae Pond, the village has become a famous tourist attraction thanks to the unique experience that Tra Que brings.
Tra Que Village gets its name from a kind of fragrant herb that is used to spice up the dishes of many Hoi An locals. Located just 3 km north of Hoi An ancient town, Tra Que has since long famous for its variety of home-grown vegetables such as lettuce, salad, basil, cilantro, etc.
Even Hoi An itself has gained some of their fame thanks to the traditional specialties made from these vegetables. Thanks to the richness of the soil and water, the inhabitants live mainly from agriculture.
Traditional villages in South Vietnam
9- Phong Dien Village, Can Tho
When you visit the floating village of Can Tho, Mekong Delta. If your time permits, you should visit the village of Phong Dien . You will love the orchard and taste lots of tropical fruits.
Can Tho is considered the capital of the Mekong Delta, it is the fruit basket of the region and Phong Dien is the right stop. It is just 16 km from your hotel in Can Tho, about a 30-minute drive.
You can choose to stop at the farm My Khanh Or Vam Xam Or Chin Hong.
10- An Binh Village, Vinh Long
It is an island in the middle of Mekong River that most visitors stop when they visit the Mekong Delta.
Only 2 hours drive from HCM City. You can go to Cai Be then get on the boat to visit the candy factory And the floating market. Visitors can watch the traditional music show and taste the fresh tropical fruits, experience the rowing boat and have lunch in the garden.
It’s a good stop when you combine a trip to Can Tho or a day trip from HCM town.
