Vietnamese Folk Songs known as “Quan Ho Bac Ninh” recognized by UNESCO as Intangible World Cultural Heritage in 2009.
Wallowing in vast rice fields or walking along banks of Duong River. And touring about Dong Ho painting village are the most wonderful experiences if you have only one day in Bac Ninh.
Not only take people’s heart with four-panel traditional dresses and sweet folk songs. But also this land look attractive with ancient ramparts and pagodas. Coming here, travelers have a chance to get back with romantic and peaceful ambiance written on poetries like Cau river, Duong river.
Transportation to experience Vietnamese Folk Songs
Only 30 km far away from Hanoi, you can take a bus, a passenger car or ride a bike. On another way, you can drive a private car to actively uncover this antique and age-old land. Frequently departing from Luong Yen coach station, there are lots of bus routes from Hanoi to Bac Ninh. You can get on a bus No. 54 from Long Bien exchanging point to Bac Ninh city, via Dinh Bang, Den Do temple, Lim town, etc.
Places to stop on the way
You can choose different destinations on the journey of discovering the historical and cultural land of northern Vietnam.
Luy Lau Citadel
Luy Lau Citadel is the foremost ancient structure which existed during the period of domination by northern invaders. The citadel hundreds of hectare wide has attracted visitors to learn about its history. It marked the magnanimous achievement against northern invaders. Also, it is the major and old Buddhist centre comprising a system of relics and tower pagodas.
Do Temple
Den Do (Do Temple), the long-time temple, its location at Dinh Bang Village and built in the reign of King Ly Cong Uan. This temple worship 8 Ly Kings. Coming there, you should visit Dinh Bang communal house which is an originally architectural structure with the highly polished engraving style.
Dau Pagoda
Dau Pagoda, an ancient pagoda filled with green moss, hidden in clumps of trees. It makes tourists feel its peace and get away from troubles of daily life as if they had reached the erstwhile village centuries ago.
Situated on the bank of romantic Cau River, Phu Lang pottery village looks so charming with natural landscapes. After visiting the pottery village, learning about the process of making products like pots, jars, etc. You will be probably sitting on ferry-boats surrounded by emerald water and blue skies.
Dong Ho Painting Village
Lying next to the south riverside of mild Duong river. Dong Ho painting village crowded with a lot of passers-by on the occasion of Lunar New Year. What make Dong Ho paintings special are their natural materials. For example, the printing paper is from the bark of Do trees, red color from half baked bricks, yellow color from Diep yellow flowers, black color from the coal of burned bamboo’s leaves, the glitter white color made of sea shells.
Traditional Festival – Vietnamese Folk Songs
Lim festival
People flock to Lim Festival with Vietnamese Folk Songs to enjoy the sweet melodies of Quan Ho love duet songs during lunar January 12-15. Lim festival often take place on a hill in Lim town, including 2 different sessions of ceremony and rituals.
From 12th Jan of lunar calendar onward. Villages of Noi Due commune, Lien Bao, Lim Town open the gates of communal houses, temples or pagodas. It serves for incense-offering ceremony in accordance with traditional procedures. On the morning of the 13th of the lunar calendar, the procession of four village, including Lo Bao, Dinh Ca, Due Nam and Due Khanh in Noi Due Commune. They comes to the tomb area of Duke Nguyen Dinh Dien on Lim Hill. And then traditional liturgies of incense-offering start at Hong An pagoda and other communal houses, temples, pagodas in Noi Due and Lim Town. The ceremony includes many traditional games such as singing Quan Ho love duet songs, swinging, blind man’s buff, wrestling, etc.
Vietnamese Folk Songs performance in Lim Festival
Food and beverage
Because tourist destinations often are close to town centers, you can stop by restaurants or eateries on the way. You can taste the typical cakes of this land like rice cake of Cho village, glutinous rice cake of Diem village, Phu Tu pyramidal rice dumpling, fried rice of Giau market, and rish and rice gruel, turtle dove, mouse meat of Dinh Bang.
Things to buy
Conjugal Cake
The soft nature of sticky rice, crisp of papaya, tastiness of green beans and lotus seed and richness of copra sweetness of sugar. All are blended to get here to create the cake’s own flavor which can not be found in anywhere else.
Van Wine
Van village’s wine is an indispensable gift when you come to Bac Ninh. The wine is produced from high-quality fragrant glutinous rice. Combination with traditional brewer’s yeast and 35 kinds of rare Chinese medicinal herbs which forms its smooth spirit and strong taste.
Ke Pan Cake
Ke dried pancake is so simple and rustic dish with the shape of yellow saddle on it highlighting the buttery and aromatic taste of peanut, sesame, batata which has become the most preferred home gift among tourists.
