Photo: Ha Giang Tre

Long known as an off-the-beaten-path getaway for tourists, Ha Giang is among the must-visit stops to experience Vietnam’s northern mountainous region distinctions and its indigenous minor ethnic lifestyle.

Let this article show you around Sao Ha Village, or “Inferno” Village in Ha Giang destination, which has become a recent Internet sensation by featuring in a Vietnamese Netflix horror series “Hellbound Village”.

Tucked away in Van Chai Commune, Dong Van District, the name of the village Sao Ha means “high valley” in the Hmong language. At an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level in the karst plateau terrain, the village is where most Hmong people inhabit and their mystique has gripped more and more nature enthusiasts to cross the craggy roads, through the small mountain passes, with no phone signals and cellular hotspots but shrouded in fog, firmly heading to witness the natural and cultural richness first-hand.

Coming to Sao Ha Village, visitors will fall in love with the pristine beauty mixed with the peaceful life of its residents, transporting them to a realm of otherworldly experience with primeval ancient forest, strange architecture, sturdy stone fences, and yin and yang roof tiles. Even when arriving at locals’ houses, foreigners seem to turn back time with the disconnection of such basic amenities as electricity, water, and a Wifi network. During wintertime in these tip areas, what is better than warming ourselves by steaming hot au tau porridge (Aconitum fortunei porridge) and corn wine in the white highland market, creating satisfaction with the most fulfilling trip! 

  The unique architecture with yin and yang roof tiles in Sao Ha Village (Source: Ha Giang Tre)

The ever-increasing popularity of this destination, especially among young demographics, is mostly attributed to its appearance as a backdrop in the period horror series “Hellbound Village”. With the main character was haunted by incessant nightmares, the show is about he and other descendants of a notorious bandit clan trace the dark history and its relation to a series of merciless killings in their village. After the film premiered, its production has garnered much domestic and international acclaim, securing the highest spot in top 10 most popular TV shows on Netflix in Vietnam. 

Sao Ha Village stands as a testament to the abundance of Vietnamese folk cultural materials, a perfect canvas for adventure lovers to delve into! So what are you waiting for? Grab a backpack and travel to Sao Ha Village in Ha Giang now!

Photo: Collected

Each year, Hanoi welcomes more than millions of inbound tourism flock to experience Vietnamese traditional culture, along with its cosmopolitan atmosphere. Along with other famous ancient cultural sites such as the Old Quarter and Bat Trang Pottery Village, Van Phuc or Ha Dong Silk Village - one of the most long-standing and well-known silk weaving villages in Vietnam has gradually become a tourist attraction for international visitors in recent years.

1. How to get to Van Phuc Silk Village?

Located on the riverside of Nhue River in Van Phuc Ward, Ha Dong District, Hanoi, more than 10 kilometers away from the Hanoi Old Quarter, the gentle and steady flow has nurtured generations of artisans and their unique creations here. If you are a fan of local craft villages, remember to follow an easy route of Nguyen Trai - Le Van Luong - To Huu by any transportation or catch Bus 02 or 21 to visit Van Phuc Silk Village. 

Entering Van Phuc Silk Village, this old place will captivate you immediately by the ancient typical features of northern villages, which are still preserved and honored after thousands of years with banyan trees, wells, communal houses, and so on. Therefore, a journey to Van Phuc Silk Village is considered one of the most must-have experiences for foreigners when traveling to Vietnam.

Photo: UBND Phuong Van Phuc

2. What is the history of Van Phuc Silk Village?

Van Phuc Silk Village can be dated back more than 1.000 years ago. At that time, Van Phuc silk was highly valued for a significant duration and sophisticated process, being seen as a top-notch craft for creating garments for members of the Royal family and the upper class in the Nguyen Dynasty. On a global scale, it was brought at international expositions for the first time in Marseille (1931) and later in Paris (1932). French people highly praised the aesthetic and top quality of this textile and between 1958 and 1988, the primary destination for Van Phuc silk exports was the Eastern European market. In 1990, it gained global recognition and became popular in various countries worldwide. 

Photo: toluavietnam.net

After many ups and downs in history, Van Phuc silk is still a pride of Vietnam’s textile industry with the same values as before: soft yet durable, unique and stunningly elegant. Nowadays, artisans in Van Phuc Village have also updated themselves with modern patterns and styles to satisfy the diverse demand.  

3. How to produce premium quality silk in Van Phuc Silk Village?

Van Phuc Silk Village is home to more than 800 Vietnamese households who have established their own stores along the primary road of the village, resulting in the development of a "silk town" where attractive and superior silk items are sold.

The most prominent kind of silk in Van Phuc is Van silk, especially known for its unique ability to keep individuals cool during warmer months and warm during colder months. Additionally, this fabric entails glimmering silk threads that make Van silk perfect for crafting “ao dai” (Vietnamese traditional garment). 

Photo: tuoitrethudo.com.vn

Most craft families now use mechanical weaving for increased efficiency, but foreigners can still appreciate the authentic Vietnamese method of producing silk with manual looms in some village homes.

Traditional production

Step 1: Sericulture (Silk farming)

People in the village plant “delicious” mulberry leaves to raise the silkworms, their secret is “the more you take care of the silkworms, the better quality of silk will be”. Then, silkworms will spin their cocoons when they are due, and only qualified cocoons are collected to make silk.

Step 2: Thread extraction

The chosen cocoons are immersed in hot water to break down and loosen the adhesive substance binding them together. Afterwards, every thread is meticulously extracted from the cocoon as separate and people will mostly take advantage of machines in this step to save time. The thread then will be straightened by a spinning wheel. 

Step 3: Weaving

The straightened silk threads are attached to the weaving machine and the artist must remain alert and cannot rest until additional silk thread is added to the machine. After 2-3 days, the process will be complete and result in 50m of silk. The most frequently used weaves for silk are satin, plain, and open weaves, and the final appearance of the silk will be determined by the chosen weave pattern.

Step 4: Dyeing

Before dyeing, silks need to be bleached and boiled to remove impurities entirely. The amount and exact rate of dye colors are also a secret of artists in Van Phuc Silk Village to create vibrant and unique final products. 

4. What to do in Van Phuc Silk Village?

4.1. Walking under the colorful umbrella road

First introduced in 2019, this 100-meter street filled with colorful silk shops along two sides and a hundred hanging umbrellas above has become a signature of Van Phuc Silk Village. During the culture week taking place in November annually, the umbrella road will be featured with lights and lanterns to create an even more magical atmosphere in the village.

Photo: Collected

4.2. Buying silk from stores

What a miss if you don’t bring home a piece of Ha Dong silk when paying a visit here. The shelves here are neatly arranged with a variety of colors and designs of Van Phuc silk, which is visually appealing. The price of the silk fabric ranges from 100.000 VND to 250.000 VND per square meter, making it accessible to a wide range of customers.

Photo: UBND Phuong Van Phuc

4.3. Check-in the mural village walls

The mural wall located in Van Phuc Village is a well-known location for tourists to take photos. The one-of-a-kind pictures displayed on the wall were created by instructors at Van Phuc Preschool and showcase the daily routines of the silk-weaving community through hand-painted artwork.

Photo: toquoc.vn

Photo: Ivivu

If you ever have a chance to visit Vietnamese households in the Northern Delta, you probably catch yourself looking at a pigmented colorful mouse wedding or pigs with Yin & Yang circles on their bodies as decoration in their house. They are called Dong Ho folk paintings, one of the most long history and cherished art forms in Vietnamese cultural beauty.

1. What is Dong Ho painting? Where is its origin?

Dong Ho painting's name came from its origin: Dong Ho Village in Song Ho commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province, which is located in the north of Vietnam. 

In more than 400 years of history, Dong Ho art has retained a fine combination of traditional rustic lifestyle, artistic values, and Vietnamese ideology. Unlike other abstract art forms, Dong Ho paintings are quite explicit in delivering their messages, most of them featuring folk tales, historical figures, wishes for prosperity and achievements, and social activities. 

Photo: Eva.vn

When our lives in the past were difficult and lacking, purchasing a piece of vibrant Dong Ho painting to decorate in Tet Holidays was considered a treat, not only making the house look more vivid but also hoping for the better in the upcoming year. As time has passed, Dong Ho painting remains a significant aspect of Vietnamese traditional culture, especially as Vietnam is making strides in submitting Dong Ho folk paintings to UNESCO for consideration as intangible cultural heritage in 2020.

Some famous paintings from Dong Ho Village can be named such as “Yin & Yang Pigs” demonstrating a balanced and prosperous life, “catching coconuts” and “scene of jealousy” representing Vietnamese social commentaries, and “Mouse wedding” satirizing the old backward feudal regime. 

Photo: Collected

2. How to produce Dong Ho paintings?

Artists from Dong Ho Village in the process of making unique and iconic paintings have distinguished themselves with three well-blended elements: painting paper, traditional colors, and woodcut techniques.

First, a method and natural materials to ensure the paper’s quality are interesting. “Dó” tree barks need to be soaked for two to three days and cooked until fragrance, then they will be pounded into a sticky consistency. Next, people in the village use a special tool called “liềm seo” (bamboo frame) to put in water consisting of “dó” result, and such additions as seashells and glutinous rice flour repetitively and wait for them to dry a few days after. Seashells provide a bright white base, while glutinous rice adds flexibility to the paper and helps preserve colors for an extended period.

Therefore, the printing papers in Dong Ho art form are so soft, thin yet durable, and capable of taking in colors without smearing or smudging. 

Photo: Laodongthudo.vn

Second, the base colors in every Dong Ho painting are utterly deprived of natural sources, which are more common in far-flung Northern provinces of Vietnam. For example, red is from gravel or stone, black is from burnt leaves or ashes of firewood, lily flowers for yellow, and cajuput leaves for green. Because these colors are solely sourced from nature without artificial chemicals, the painting's basic pigments possess unique durability and retain the scent of their natural components, contributing to the long-lasting trait of Dong Ho paintings.

Four base colors in Dong Ho Paintings: Red, Black, Green, and Yellow (Photo: Collected)

Last but not least, Dong Ho paintings have another name which is Dong Ho folk woodcut painting by its unique traditional techniques. Even though the process is called “printing”, it is definitely not as easy as you may think. One painting requires at least five different woodblocks with slight changes to be complete, and because each pattern frame will be put in use through generations, craftsmen must outline and crave every little detail by hand meticulously. 

Photo: Collected

Next, with everything ready for the final stage: papers, colors, and woodcuts, experienced artisans in Dong Ho Village apply natural colors neatly to the first woodblock and press it hard onto the paper. They will continue to repeat the step with another color and carvings until the result encapsulates the layout and hues of their satisfaction. Then, the dried painting needs to be protected by a layer of sticky rice paste or “hồ nếp” in Vietnamese to retain its hard-earned colors for a long time.

3. How to get to Dong Ho Village?

Dong Ho Village is only 35 kilometers away from the capital city of Hanoi, travelers can hop in a motorbike or any private transport through the National Highway 5 (head to Hai Phong City) or catch Bus 204 to Thuan Thanh, Bac Ninh with less than $2.

When tourists arrive in Dong Ho Village, this place is so Instagram-worthy that you can capture colorful handmade paintings and the unique process behind them everywhere. Dong Ho Painting Center is where you learn how to make legitimate Dong Ho art forms from artisans, their experienced hands keep working while telling you about the traced-back history and the meaning of each distinctive piece. International visitors can also immerse themselves in the authentic and lively atmosphere of the Dong Ho Folk Painting Festival, which takes place in March (based on the lunar calendar) from the 14th to the 16th.

Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

Across the country from the North to the South, Vietnam is home to many world-renowned natural wonders, and its waterfalls are no exception. If you are an adventurer or simply enjoy the natural beauty, a trip to one of these waterfalls should definitely be on your Vietnam travel plan. 

1. Ban Gioc Waterfall, Cao Bang

Located in Cao Bang the Northern province, Ban Gioc Waterfall has made it to the top 6 most beautiful waterfalls in the world and currently is the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia with 300 meters wide and 30 meters high. Looking at it, the fall has three distinct levels with a variety of rocks and botanical habitats different in size and angles. The white blocks of water pouring down the waterfall look like white silk strips fluttering in the middle of the majestic green landscape, which enchants visitors from all over the world to see first-hand the one-of-a-kind creation of Mother Nature. 

Photo: Vietnam Tourism

Ban Gioc Waterfall shares its border with the eastern side claimed by China, thus tourists who come to visit this natural wonder in Vietnam are promised to experience the indigenous culture of ethnic minorities. 

2. Yang Bay Waterfall, Khanh Hoa

Who knows there’s a place beside Nha Trang where you can fully immerse yourself in the pristine nature and tranquil atmosphere, welcome to Yang Bay Waterfall. Yang Bay means “Fall from Heaven” in the Raglai ethnic language, legend has it that this dreamlike destination was once given the first spring and nurtured by the fairies.

Photo: Collected

Unlike other waterfalls, Yang Bay is safe enough for tourists to climb its stair-like layers and swim, or to go on a full trekking and rock climbing while surrounded by lush green forests and white foam water. And don’t leave until boarding a boat to steadily sightsee the whole wonder of nature here such as cherry blossoms, orchids, and interesting tropical insects.

3. Elephant Waterfall, Lam Dong

When traveling to Dalat, the alluring city located in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, you cannot miss the chance to see one of the most beautiful waterfalls of Vietnam: Elephant Waterfall. The name came from the elephant-back resemblance if you look at it from afar and the bottom, very iconic to the region famous for its elephants.

Photo: Flickr

With a total height of 30 meters, adventure seekers have to pay attention to slippery stones to reach the top, standing along with extremely majestic rushing water flow. Bats also inhabit a cave called “Bat Cave” under this waterfall where visitors have the opportunity to explore the mysterious and awe-struck natural beauty.

4. Pongour Falls, Lam Dong

Another enchanting waterfall from Lam Dong and it only takes a 40-minute car ride from Dalat to this magnificent Pongour Falls. The size is impressive with a height of 40 meters and a width of 100 meters, and the white foam water cascading down seven tiers of rock formations can definitely leave an unforgettable mark on your journey to Vietnam.

Photo: Collected

According to the local people, if Elephant Falls appears to be more of a powerful, raw, dominant side, then Pongour Falls depicts the beauty of placid, soft, and peaceful. You should go here around June and November because the amount of water flowing in during this time is strangely abundant, and the scenery is majestic and outstanding.

5. Dray Nur Waterfall, Dak Lak

More than a tourist site, Dray Nur Waterfall has become the pride of many people from Dak Lak by representing well the liberal soul and characteristics of locals here. To discover this destination fully, you have to cross over three layers which is quite challenging for some but absolutely not for adventurers. However, make sure to be careful as the water here can be 10 meters deep and the rocks are pretty sharp. 

Photo: Collected

After achieving the rock band of the third layer, you can enter a 3.000 square meters cave behind, which is also a part of Dray Nur Waterfall. This cave attracts tourists by many fun activities offered such as going on expeditions or admiring bats appearing themselves at sunset.

6. Giang Dien Waterfall, Dong Nai

Compared to other natural wonders in Vietnam, Giang Dien Waterfall is probably not the most popular one to international visitors, but this hidden gem is a whole package of multiple tiers of falls, hills, and a valley with tranquil surroundings and lush greenery, especially the crystal-clear water can easily make you drop your jaw right upon arrival.

Photo: Collected

Only 50 kilometers away from Saigon, this place is perfect as a gateway from the hustle and bustle of life to the diverse environment that offers plenty of shade, creating an ideal setting for a relaxed day with friends or family. Make sure to bring your camera to capture every moment at this stunning destination.

7. May Waterfall, Thanh Hoa

Situated adjacent to Cuc Phuong National Park, May Waterfall is reachable through a challenging route as it spans over 100 meters and features nine cascading levels. However, once you arrive, the enchanting and picturesque landscapes are sure to captivate you. The waterfall offers visitors the opportunity to appreciate the untamed natural beauty and cultural heritage of the Muong ethnic minority group residing in the area.

Photo: Collected

It is recommended to plan your visit between June and August, when the weather is warm and sunny, allowing you to fully enjoy the refreshing waters and outdoor activities.