Vietnam Travel Guide Backpacking and Individual Travel Blog
The ancient villages near Hanoi are several, but Cu Da Village Hanoi is usually on top in the list of the musts to see. This site is proud of preserving the hundred-year-old French-style houses that remain as are, regardless of the harsh test of the time. Also, vermicelli making is a traditional trade still practiced by generations of the villagers.
Cu Da Village near Hanoi – view from flycam
The Antique French-style Houses in Cu Da Village Hanoi
Cu Da Village is located in Cu Khe Commune, Thanh Oai District, around 20km from Hanoi. The place is recognizable for the antique houses built during the French colonial period, and with the impressive architecture. Besides, local highlights include the age-old banyan tree, communal house, temple, pagoda, hamlet entrance gate, public wells, etc., which say much about the history of the village. Each detail in Cu Da has the nostalgic look and feel that ensures the enjoyable back-in-time exploration. In particular, look at the old clock on the entrance gate, reflecting the prosperous past time.
Trays of vermicelli are left to dry at Cu Da Village
Walking around the village lets you see the villagers’ daily lifestyle, the moss-covered walls, the red-brick roofs, the trays of vermicelli which are left to dry, and more. Next to the village is the poetic Nhue River, which reflects the Vietnamese traditional belief: the house should be first next to the city and the second next to the river.” This is to bring prosperity to the place. In reality, the most prosperous stages of this village were the last years of the 19th and the 20th centuries.
The ancient French-style houses in Cu Da are all praiseworthy for their impression and antiquity. You can also expect to see the traditional houses of the old Northern Vietnam. What’s more, the place hosts several pagodas and shrines that are ranked as the National Relics. Walking in an alley by alley, you witness the red brick, the broken, and the moss-covered walls that take you back in time and feel the peace.
The Traditional Vermicelli Making in Cu Da Ancient Village
Together with the hundred-year-old constructions, Cu Da Village in Hanoi keeps the traditions of making vermicelli and soya sauce. Trays of the vermicelli left to dry under the sun might be the good landscape for photography. It’s interesting to discover the production of vermicelli (called “Miến”) in the north of Vietnam, right in Cu Da Ancient Village. The locals are so kind-hearted and friendly that welcome you to their workshops to see the process, how the paste is spread onto the big bamboo trays, how to let it dry, how to cut into the thin strips, how to dry the strips before packaging, etc., and mingle with each other.
The vermicelli left to dry under the sun at Cu Da Village
You come to know that the vermicelli noodle can be in two versions of the white and the yellow. This kind of food is the popular ingredient to make the tasty noodle soup and the crunchy spring rolls. Half of the local income is from the production of vermicelli which is the labor-intensive procedure although the spreading and cutting steps can be done by machines.
Cu Da Village is open for packages of the Traditional Village Tour in Hanoi. Only 20km from the city center, it takes minutes to get there and discover the ancient spot. Whether you’re keen on the hundred-year-old houses, the peaceful countryside atmosphere, or the traditional vermicelli making, this village offers the enjoyable journey. If believing that it’s valuable to track the ancient corners away from the modern cityscape, then visit Cu Da Old Village Hanoi, interact with the friendly villagers, and take an exhilarating walking trip around the site so that you can unveil the beauty behind the peaceful, traditional, and antique hideaway.
Video Clip Introduces Cu Da Village
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