If you are a northerner born in the first generation 90s or earlier, you are very familiar with the image of the ancient houses with three apartments and two private rooms, banyan tree, wells, yard … of the villages in the north of Vietnam in the past. Nowadays, Hanoi gradually covered with houses with modern architecture and skyscrapers, representing a booming development in the economy. But behind it, there are still peaceful space in Hanoi – the capital of the country, in a small village outside the city, called Duong Lam.
Located completely separated from the busy center of Hanoi, the ancient village of Duong Lam is far more than 40km away, in Son Tay district – formerly Son Tay city later merged into Hanoi. The road to Duong Lam is easy to go, visitors on Hanoi local food tours just run a straight direction to Thang Long Highway or National Road 32, so choosing a motorcycle or self-driving cars are okay. If not, visitors can catch a bus of number 71 from My Dinh bus station to Son Tay, and then take a taxi or xe om (motorbike taxi) about 5 or 10 minutes to reach Duong Lam.
If Duong Lam is compared with other destinations in the whole country about the landscape as well as architecture, Duong Lam does not have more special things. It is not picky as imperial Hue Citadel, not stunning as the sea resort, not majestic as mountains in the west north, Duong Lam only has the peace of a rare little village left in the North.
If you are visitors on the Hanoi food tour in another country, you will find many new things, different from the noisy streets you often see when coming to the capital Hanoi. Leave the asphalt road on the highway, you will enter the peaceful scenery of the village with two sides which are rice fields, high trees shady. Duong Lam welcomes you through the small village gate typical of the North.
In the village, you are like entering another world. Let’s stop for a moment at the tea shop in the village common house of Mong Phu, take a sip of green tea, eat candy, peanut candy, enjoy the rural smell. Here, the hostess will carefully guide the way you walk in the village, beautiful places, historical relics, etc.
Walking around Duong Lam with places such as Mong Phu common house, ancient houses, churches, temple Giang Van Minh, Mia pagoda, temples 2 King … also take you nearly a day. Leisurely visit and explore the culture of the countryside!
The characteristics are not really in the points of visit, but Duong Lam makes people feel peaceful in small alley paved brick, brownstone walls, the roads that are full of straw.
In addition, Duong Lam also has Va Temple, the ancient city of Son Tay which are very interesting to visit more in the area of Son Tay, help your trip more complete. Visitors on food tour in Hanoi should also enjoy the specialties of Son Tay such as Phu Nhi rice cake, Ba Vi milk cake, green tea, crispy roast meat, chicken … The food is wild but impregnated with countryside smell.
For more information/details: Hanoi traditional food, Vietnam food tours, food walking tour, Hanoi cooking class
A short trip to see the different colors of Duong Lam is a memorable experience. You just have to take a day off, pick up the bus or drive yourself, very cheap cost suitable for all objects. Quite close but still far enough to “escape the city” with relatives, friends or loved ones enjoy the moment is not dusty, not crowded, not bustle as in the metropolis. Only here, you will find the rustic beauty of the people of the countryside, the quiet in every little house.