Looking for biking places around Hanoi? Hanoi, the cultural capital of Vietnam, is absolutely a famous travelling city. There are various activities for tourists when travelling to Hanoi and one of the most interesting activities is biking to rural villages, peaceful places around the city so that you can experience the true beauty and the authentic culture of the area instead of staying with the busy chaos of the city center all the time. The biking tour usually starts with cycling along the Red River, then dropping by some traditional rural villages, and ends with a cycling around the West Lake. Following are some popular destinations for a biking tour around Hanoi.
1. Co Loa Citadel
Co Loa Citadel is the first ancient citadel of Vietnam with large beautiful rice paddy fields, old pagodas, temples and rural villages. It is one of the closest biking places from Hanoi because it is only 17 km far from the city center.
2. Bat Trang Ceramic Village
Bat Trang Village is the most famous ceramic village in Vietnam. It is an old and well-established village in Gia Lam District of Hanoi, only 13 km far away from the city center. It is actually famous for producing porcelain, a special style of ceramic and the beautiful ceramic products. Bat Trang Village started their ceramic production in 14th century. The ceramic industry still develops within the village, there are a lot of shops selling the products also. Nowadays, reduce pollution and protect the environment, they replaced coal by using gas. One interesting activity for tourists in Bat Trang Village is that you have a chance to learn how to form a ceramic product from clay.
3. Tho Ha Vermicelli Village
Tho Ha village, which is 35km far away from Hanoi to the south, is located in Van Ha commune, Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province. Tho Ha village was one of the 3 main ceramic villages of Vietnam, it has a long history with over 900 years. However; the ceramic production in this village ended in 1988 due to the plastic conflict. Nowadays most of the villagers are making rice cake and vermicelli, only some of them still stick to the ceramic factory.
4. Dong Ho Traditional Painting Village
Dong Ho Village is located in Song Ho Commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province which is 35km far away from Hanoi to the east. Every Vietnamese people knows Dong Ho Village is famous for traditional painting yet they don’t know exactly when the industry started there, they says at least 21 generations ago. Dong Ho’s paintings are created by 100% natural materials with almost bright colors, so they are really favored in holidays like Tet holiday.
5. Van Phuc Silk Village
Van Phuc is a village of Hanoi, which is only 10 km far away from the city center. Van Phuc is famous for its silk industry which was started over a millennium by Lady A Nha Thi Nuong. The industry luckily still exists and develops at the time being. Their products are loved due the flexibility to wear in any kind of weather. Van Phuc Village has become the main supply for silk within Vietnam and a silk exported as well.
6. Duong Lam Ancient Village
Duong Lam Village is the first ancient village recognized at Vietnam’s national level. It is near Son Tay, around 40 km far away from Hanoi to the south. There are around 800 ancient houses in the village so it is a good idea to cycle along the narrow alleyways to explore the houses’ architecture. There are also other famous places to visit such as Mia Pagoda and Mong Phu Temple.
7. Perfume Pagoda
We can say that Perfume Pagoda is the most famous pagoda in the north of Vietnam. The centre of this site is located in Huong Son Commune, My Duc District, around 60km far away from Hanoi to the south. It is not one pagoda but a spacious complex of shrines and temples which are built into the limestone of Huong Tich Mountain. It was claimed to be discovered over 2,000 years ago by a monk meditating in the area.
8. But Thap Pagoda
But Phap Pagoda actually has several names like Co Chau, Phap Van or Dien Ung Pagoda. It is located in But Thap village, Dinh To commune, Thuan Thanh district, Bac Ninh province, almost 40 km far away from Hanoi. It was built in 13th century. But Thap Pagoda is famous for its long history and a unique Eastern architecture.
Explore more:
