Duong Lam Ancient Village – The soul of Vietnamese villages

Duong Lam is compared to a living museum of rural life in northern Vietnam.

Duong Lam Ancient Village is a special attraction for a Hanoi tour. It is the ideal choice if you are looking to explore the architecture of Vietnamese traditional houses and see the way of life of the rural people in Hanoi.

>>> Apply Visa to Vietnam <<<

Duong Lam Ancient Village is an old village that still retains the architectural and artistic features of an ancient Vietnamese village. This place is not only favored by tourists who love culture and history but also well-liked by many young people who are fond of exploration. Do not miss out on this location if you are interested in Hanoi travel and things to do in Hanoi.

1. Where is Duong Lam Ancient Village?

Duong Lam Ancient Village is located in Son Tay Ward, Hanoi, only 44 kilometers away from the city center. It is right next to the intersection between Ho Chi Minh Road and National Road 32, which makes it very convenient for tourists to visit.

Currently, the ticket price to visit Duong Lam Ancient Village is only VND20,000 for adults and VND10,000 for children. The fee for motorbike parking is VND10,000/vehicle.

Visiting this village in Vietnam, you will notice that it has most of the features of an old village, with banyan trees, wells, communal courtyards, pagodas and temples, winding village roads, old wooden houses, red-brick walls, etc. Duong Lam Ancient Village appeared as an ancient town full of nostalgia and peace.

The village has nearly 1,000 old houses built more than 370 years ago. They are all built with traditional materials: laterite, bamboo, oak, terracotta bricks, tiles, etc. A traditional house of Duong Lam typically includes a gate, fence, yard, garden, main building, kitchen, and poultry barn. Some large houses also have wells, and even ponds. The old houses in Duong Lam often face the south and southeast, making them cool in summer and warm in winter.

2. The best time to visit Duong Lam Ancient Village in Hanoi

You can go to Duong Lam Ancient Village at any time of the year. However, the festive season and the harvest season are the most suitable times for your trip.

2.1. On the festive season

Coming to Duong Lam Ancient Village during the festive season, which is the first lunar month of the year, you will enjoy the bustling festive atmosphere and special dishes that are only available at the festival.

The festival is held at the village’s communal house, with palankeens, offerings, folk games, etc. The joyful atmosphere and the sound of cheering drums will definitely leave you with an unforgettable impression.

2.2. On the harvest season

May and June, when the rice fields are fully ripe, are also when tourists flock to this place. The roads in Duong Lam are covered with rice and dry straws, creating a peaceful scenery that is rarely found anywhere else.

3. What to explore on your trip to Duong Lam Ancient Village?

3.1. Mong Phu village gate

Mong Phu village gate is the oldest architectural feature of Duong Lam Ancient Village. This gate was built in the Le Dynasty, with laterite pillars and ironwood gate. To the right of the gate is a large lake and to the left is an ancient tree of thousands of years old. Thanks to its peaceful beauty, Mong Phu village gate is not only an interesting sightseeing spot but also an ideal place for tourists to take pictures when coming to Duong Lam Ancient Village.

3.2. Mong Phu communal house

Mong Phu communal house is a typical work of the Northern countryside, built nearly 380 years ago in the center of the village. It is about 1800 square meters in size. The communal house has bold ethnic architecture, resembling a house on stilts with wooden floors separated from the ground. Inside the communal house, there are many hanging ancient parallel sentences dating back hundreds of years ago. It can be said that the communal house is the quintessence of Vietnamese architecture, attracting many tourists to contemplate.

3.3. Giang Van Minh worship house

Giang Van Minh worship house is a relic built during the reign of King Tu Duc to commemorate the merits of Giang Van Minh, who was sent by King Le Than Tong to China to respond to the Ming court and protect the honor of the nation. Today, the church is a popular tourist attraction for those interested in learning about history and culture, as well as a place to educate patriotic traditions for the next generation.

3.4. Duong Lam ancient well

Like the communal house, the well is considered the soul of many villages in Hanoi. Walking around Duong Lam, you will come across many ancient wells. In the past, these wells were where people got their water every day. The wells here are located in high places near the communal house, the pagoda, or the center of the village.

3.5. Phung Hung Temple

Phung Hung was the leader in the uprising against the harsh domination of the Tang Dynasty during the Chinese colonial period in Vietnam. After the successful uprising, Phung Hung built an autonomous government and ruled for 7 years.

To commemorate this king, many temples were built in many places. However, Phung Hung Temple in Duong Lam Ancient Village is the largest and most sacred one, as the village was where this national hero was born and raised.

3.6. The mausoleum and temple of Ngo Quyen

The complex of Ngo Quyen mausoleum and temple is situated on Cam Hill, which is about 500 meters away from Phung Hung Temple. In front of the temple, there is a large rice field and the Lom Valley, where Phung Hung defeated a tiger to protect the people in the past. Ngo Quyen mausoleum is about 100 meters away from the temple to the south.

Besides, do not forget to enjoy several specialties in Duong Lam Ancient Village in Hanoi, such as:

Ga mia (a famous local chicken)

Tuong (a salty dipping sauce produced from fermented soybean paste)

Banh te (a small steamed rice cake)

Keo doi (a combination of vanilla powder, peanuts, and sugar)

Che lam (sticky rice ginger peanut bars)

4. How to get to Duong Lam Ancient Village?

Duong Lam Ancient Village is about 44 kilometers away from the center of Hanoi. You can get here by:

Motorbike

Traveling by motorbike will give you the freedom to adjust your itinerary and explore around. If you choose this means, you can follow one of the two routes:

• Go to Thang Long Boulevard, turn right at Hoa Lac Junction, follow National Road 21 through Son Loc to the intersection with National Road 32. There, you will see a signpost pointing you in the direction of Duong Lam.
• Take National Road 32 to Son Tay Town. At the intersection with National Road 21, turn left to reach the village.

By bus

Buses number 20A, 70, 71, and 77 all pass by Duong Lam Ancient Village. After getting off at Son Tay bus stop, you can take a motorbike taxi or taxi to reach the village.

Sources: Collected.

Photos: Collected.