Coming to Van Phuc silk village, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about high-quality silk products; explore the silk weaving process; and how the people of Van Phuc have maintained and developed the craft village for more than 1200 years now.
Here is some useful information that tourists who want to learn and experience when visiting Van Phuc traditional craft village.
The gate of Van Phuc Silk Village
Van Phuc silk village, also known as Ha Dong silk village, is one of the most beautiful virtual living paradises in Hanoi. This place is the cradle of brocade silk weaving, an ancient and peaceful village in the heart of a crowded and busy city.
Van Phuc silk together with Hoi An silk, Bao Loc silk, and Tan Chau silk, … has brought Vietnamese silk to the world, loved by many people because of its thin, cool, and lightweight. Van Phuc silk first attended the Marseille fair in 1931, and so far it still retains many of its inherent beauty without being caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city.
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Where is Van Phuc Silk Village
This famous silk weaving village belongs to Van Phuc ward, Ha Dong district, Hanoi; It is about 10km from the center of Hanoi.
How to get to Van Phuc Silk Village
You can choose one of the following modes of transportation:
Private vehicle
You can easily move to Van Phuc silk village by bicycle or motorbike.
Suggested route: Ton Duc Thang street → Nguyen Luong Bang street → Tay Son street → Nguyen Trai street → Tran Phu street → turn right to Chu Van An → continue about 2km to the destination of tourists located on the right side of the road.
Or you can use Google Maps.
A few meters from the gate of Van Phuc village, there is a parking spot, visitors can park their vehicles here for 5,000 VND / motorbike and 30,000 VND / car.
Bus
Visitors can choose bus number 19, number 22C, number 33, number 57, or number 89 to come here; ticket price: 7,000 VND/person/time; travel time: 45 – 60p/trip; stop: Van Phuc Ha Dong pagoda gate, then walk about 190m.
What is special about Van Phuc silk products?
With a long history of development, silk products of the traditional craft village of Van Phuc have been used to dress up the court since the Nguyen Dynasty (1802 – 1945).
In 1931, when participating in the Marseille International Fair, Van Phuc silk was also evaluated as a “sophisticated product of Indochina”. Since 1990, the silk products of Van Phuc silk village have been officially exported and sold in many countries around the world.
The whole silk weaving process here is extremely complicated and is done entirely by hand.
Thanks to that, the silk text is clear and beautiful without being old or easy to wrinkle, and the thickness is also moderate.
When placed in the sun, you can see thousands of small rays of light through like a paper fan, but it is durable and hard to tear, which not all silk products have.
With a history of nearly 1,200 years since its establishment and development, Van Phuc silk has always been a product of good quality and a firm foothold in the hearts of consumers, worthy of being an internationally famous Vietnamese brand.
What’s so beautiful about Van Phuc silk village?
For visitors, Ha Dong silk village is not only famous for its quality silk products but also attracted by the beautiful scenery, like the world of a real-life fairy tale.
Located right next to Chu Van An street, the village gate appears towering, solid with simple architecture. But it stands out by the bright red color of the bricks and the typical three-way gate architecture of the village gate in the Northern region.
The two sides of the gate are two parallel sentences, the left of the gate is a stone stele engraved with the stylized word “Van Phuc silk village”. Since ancient times, the village gate has always been important work, focused on building with the goal of protecting the peaceful life of the villagers.
Umbrella Street is beautiful
Stepping through the village gate is the color space of colorful umbrellas on the 200m long road.
This stretch of road has become a favorite photography spot for many tourists, and this is also the highlight of creating a special space for this ancient village, like a modern touch in the middle of ancient space.
In particular, the image of Van Phuc silk village in the evening light adorned by multi-colored umbrellas is even more brilliant and shimmering, becoming one of the most beautiful photography locations in Hanoi.
This place is the “magnet” that attracts many tourists, especially young people.
In the middle of the silk village is a wall of colorful murals, which recreates many dear images of old Vietnamese villages such as bridges, ponds, village gates, banyan roots, rice fields, etc.
The old people in the silk village Van Phuc often sits on the benches enjoying a peaceful afternoon and confiding stories about daily life.
The image of such love and peace makes many tourists feel nostalgic for their homeland.
Stretching across Silk Street are large and small shops specializing in selling silk and Van Phuc silk products with different colors, types, and prices.
Visitors can choose to buy from ao dai, silk cloth, silk scarf to silk handicrafts such as silk paintings, silk handbags, etc.
At the same time, they also have the opportunity to learn about the silk production process in the village. ; From raising silkworms, spinning, dyeing to weaving, etc.
Each colorful silk strip here is full of love for the profession, attachment to the craft, and enthusiasm of the people of Van Phuc silk village in Ha Dong.
Not only in the ancient craft village of Van Phuc but there are also many corners that preserve the image of the old Vietnamese village that many tourists enjoy: water wells made from laterite, banyan tree, communal yard – village communal house roof, bamboo groves.
Green village, ancient bamboo tea table, quaint alley,… All blend together with a quiet space completely different from the noisy streets outside, making visitors feel like stepping into the world in a Vietnamese fairy tale, close but strangely familiar.
Interesting experience when visiting Van Phuc silk village
In the middle of the ancient space of that Vietnamese village, an Ao Dai and a conical hat will give visitors a beautiful set of photos.
There is also a rental service for ao dai taking photos for about 100,000-250,000 VND/set. This is also an ideal ao dai photography location because visitors can combine craft village tourism and art photography.
Visitors also have the opportunity to learn about the machines that serve the weaving process of Van Phuc villagers.
The seemingly simple design is extremely complex and requires the operator to be skillful, quick-witted, and persistent, perhaps because of that, Van Phuc silk products are always of good quality; Silk fabric is soft and smooth, and has high durability.
The stage of spinning, weaving, and dyeing, all are vividly reproduced to help visitors have the most authentic view of the crafting process.
In particular, do not forget to “check-in” with the looms and spinning machines that have been here for decades.
Van Phuc silk village in Ha Dong also attracts visitors to the delicious dishes of the countryside with prices from 5,000 – 10,000 VND such as coconut jelly, black bean tea, and donuts, …
Shop for silk products with prices from 200,000 VND and feel the super quality with your own hands.
Silk products here are quite diverse but “suitable” for most visitors, such as scarves, handkerchiefs, ao dai, etc.
Tips
Buy silk
– Method 1: Wrapping silk – pure silk will return to its original appearance, whereas mixed silk may be wrinkled or crumpled, unsightly.
– Method 2: Observe – silk is handmade, so there will be some minor errors, otherwise mixed silk will be more eye-catching and brilliant.
– Method 3: Fire test – Pure silk has a burning smell when burned, lightly crushed coal will foam, whereas mixed silk has a burning smell like burning nylon, black smoke, and lumps will not dissolve.
At the end of the journey to visit and explore Van Phuc Ha Dong silk village – the oldest and most famous silk weaving village in Vietnam, many tourists cannot help but be surprised by interesting experiences: the process of silk incubation – weaving. silk, the peaceful Vietnamese village scene, etc.
If you have the opportunity, visit Van Phuc silk village and choose for yourself some suitable products. Don’t forget to follow us for the latest travel updates.
