Located around 25 kilometers from central Hanoi, Chàng Sơn still retains distinctly northern traits like an ancient village entrance, banyan trees, and raucous street markets. Tiny lanes run along walls of worn-down bricks in between the shadows of tall heritage trees. The gentle lilac flowers of bằng lăng trees stand out amongst the many shades…
Author: Phuong Le
Thổ Hà – a rustic village on the Cau riverside
Located in Van Ha commune, Viet Yen district, Thổ Hà village is approximately 45 kilometers away from the capital city of Hanoi. Thổ Hà preserves a typical Northern Vietnamese countryside atmosphere, still maintaining distinctive features such as the village gate, communal house, banyan trees, and wells. Despite being situated in the delta, the land of…
Mèo Vạc Sunday market
Every Sunday morning, people from all over the Ha Giang rocky plateau wake up early, on winding roads snaking around the mountain slopes, heading to the central market of Meo Vac for the weekly market gathering. People from various ethnic groups like H’Mong, Dao, Lô Lô… all dressed vibrantly, carrying local products, from livestock, fabrics,…
“Reviving” discarded bamboo roots into works of art for 20 years
Over the past two decades, countless dry, rough bamboo stems have been resurrected into artistic sculptures under the skilled hands of the artist Huynh Phuong Do. Traveling along the coastline of Cua Dai (Hoi An, Quang Nam), I ventured into a small village in Thinh My ward, Cam An commune. The wind carried a salty…
Top 10 places to visit on a Vietnam Photography Tour
If you’re planning a Vietnam photography tour, you’re in for a visual journey unlike any other. From misty mountains to colorful craft villages, Vietnam offers some of Southeast Asia’s most photogenic scenes. Whether you’re a professional photographer, an avid traveler with a camera, or a content creator looking to capture authentic cultural moments, this list…
Hoi An memories in 70-year-old Thiểu’s black sesame sweet soup vendor
For 70 years now, Thiểu’s sweet soup stand has become an enduring part of Hoi An locals’ memories. Along Nguyen Truong To Street in Hoi An, where red leaves of the banyan trees dance in the chilly breeze, the aroma of Thi’s sweet soup stand wafts through the air. Modestly situated on the sidewalk, it…
The mysterious fire jumping ritual of Pa Then community
Barefoot men leap into a burning fire without getting burned or singeing their clothes. This perplexing fire jumping ritual is a unique cultural aspect of the Pà Thẻn people. Every year, from the 16th of the lunar October until the full moon of the first lunar month, the Pà Thẻn people in Hồng Quang commune,…
Visiting the H’Mong six-generation family crafting traditional silver jewelry
In Lao Xa, Hà Giang, there’s a lineage that spans six generations, meticulously crafting silver jewelry—a distinctive cultural trait of the H’Mong people. The winding paths on the mountain slopes leading to Lao Xa, Sủng Là commune, Đồng Văn district, Hà Giang province, weave their way back to this secluded village. Lao Xa, a quaint…
Tra Que – a 300-year-old fragrant herbs village
In Hoi An, there exists a village called Tra Que, which for centuries has infused the traditional cuisine of Hoi with fragrant aromas and vibrant greens, bestowing a unique character upon the city’s culinary delights. Green vegetables are an indispensable component of Hoi An’s traditional dishes in Quang Nam province. Lettuce, basil, fish mint, blending…
Ngẩn ngơ mùa thu vàng Trùng Khánh, Cao Bằng
Cuối tháng 9 đầu tháng 10, khi mùa thu vẫn chậm rãi bước những bước chân trên núi rừng Đông – Tây Bắc, thời tiết dịu mát. Đây cũng là thời điểm những cánh đồng ở Trùng Khánh, Cao Bằng phủ sắc vàng ươm của lúa. Không quá tấp nập khách thập phương như những…
Na Hang – viên ngọc xanh giữa đại ngàn
Khi lựa chọn một điểm đến vùng núi phía Bắc, người ta thường nghĩ đến những địa danh như Hà Giang, Cao Bằng, Sa Pa. Còn Tuyên Quang dường như chỉ là điểm dừng chân trên hành trình. Vốn hiểu biết ít ỏi của mình về du lịch Tuyên Quang càng khiến mình tò mò,…
Lên Putaleng nghe hơi thở của rừng
Vì những lần đầu tiên thì không dễ quên. Và những lần đầu tiên cũng là cách F5 cuộc sống. Vậy nên, mình thỉnh thoảng cứ bảo bản thân là: “Đi đến nơi mới đi, làm điều chưa làm đi!”. Và đây là lần đầu lên đỉnh Putaleng – 3.049m, đỉnh núi cao thứ 3 Việt Nam nằm trên dãy Hoàng Liên Sơn.
XUAN PHUONG 