Phu Tho Travel Guide

Phu Tho is located about 90km northwest of Hanoi. When mentioning this place, tourists often immediately think of the Hung Temple Festival, pilgrimages to the ancestral roots, or the vast palm forests and tea hills. However, the locality also has many other diverse tourist attractions such as a vibrant city, a large national park, hot springs, etc.

Which season is the most beautiful in Phu Tho?

As a province located in the midland and mountainous region of Northern Vietnam, it experiences four distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Spring is the season for spiritual tourism, and every year in the third lunar month, hundreds of thousands of visitors come here to make pilgrimages to the Hung Temple historical site.

Mist blankets the Long Cốc tea hills on a November day. Photo: Phạm Hoàng Cương

Move

Located not far from Hanoi and connected by the Hanoi-Lao Cai expressway, Phu Tho is easily accessible. By public transport, travelers can choose to take a bus from My Dinh bus station, costing from 60,000 VND per trip. However, buses are often crowded, so you can consider booking a limousine, costing from 140,000 VND per trip. Many bus companies now operate with fixed pick-up points; travelers can choose from companies like Xuan Cuong and Anh Phat. For private vehicles like cars, the fastest route is via Noi Bai Airport, then onto the Hanoi-Lao Cai expressway. There are several exit points from the expressway. If you arrive at the center of Viet Tri City, you can get off at IC7. Motorbikes and cars can also travel on National Highway 2, through Phuc Yen and Vinh Yen in Vinh Phuc province. Another route is National Highway 32 through Son Tay town. Currently, Phu Tho does not have a civil airport; travelers from more distant locations should fly to Hanoi and then travel to Phu Tho.

What to play

The city center of Viet Tri is the first stop for tourists exploring Phu Tho. The city is bustling but not as crowded as Hanoi. Some suggested spots include Van Lang Park, a prominent gem of a park. With a total area of ​​116 hectares, the park includes a walking path around the lake and a pedestrian bridge illuminated at night. It's also a popular gathering place for locals and tourists to watch fireworks during holidays. Around the park are numerous eateries and drink stalls with affordable prices ranging from 15,000 to 30,000 VND. Additionally, the city has opened Nguyen Du Food Street, offering a variety of delicious dishes such as river fish, diverse hot pot, goat meat, and European cuisine for visitors to enjoy.

The city center of Viet Tri from above. Photo: Tung Vy

The Hung Temple complex is located in Phong Chau, formerly the imperial capital of the Van Lang State. It is the place of worship for the Hung Kings. The Hung Temple area includes four temples, one pagoda, one mausoleum, and several other architectural structures, harmoniously integrated with the majestic natural landscape, a place where the sacred energy of the land converges. The Hung Temple Festival takes place annually on the 10th day of the third lunar month. Currently, a travel company organizes a night tour to explore the Hung Temple complex, with an itinerary including Lang Suong Temple - My Thuan tea plantation - Hung Temple - Tam Giang Temple - Bach Hac Junction. The tour price starts from 1,500,000 VND per person.

The Hung Temple complex from above. Photo: Tung Vy

Hung Lo Temple is located on a plot of land approximately 500 square meters within the ancient village of Hung Lo, about 10km east of Hung Temple. Legend says that Hung Lo Temple is a sacred place where King Hung once rested during a journey. Therefore, the local people established a shrine there. Despite 300 years of historical ups and downs, the temple retains its original architectural, cultural, and historical value. The temple complex includes five sections: the front hall, the side hall, the bell tower, the drum tower, and the main hall. All are constructed from precious woods such as teak, ironwood, rosewood, and ebony. In 1990, Hung Lo Temple was recognized as a national historical monument.

Xoan singing at Hung Lo communal house. Photo: Trong Truong

Long Coc tea hills are located in Tan Son district, Phu Tho province. Tourists and photographers alike consider it one of the most beautiful tea hills in Vietnam, with hundreds, even thousands, of small hills interspersed with each other. In late autumn and early winter, the tea hills are enchanting under a hazy mist, undulating and stretching to the horizon. When visiting the tea hills, don't forget to buy tea produced according to VietGAP standards, such as Dinh Bat Tien tea or Shan Bat Tien tea.

Xuan Son National Park is located in Tan Son district.   Xuan Son National Park is an attractive tourist destination in Phu Tho province every summer. A day in Xuan Son National Park offers all four seasons: a cool spring morning, a summer midday, a breezy autumn afternoon, and a chilly winter evening. It's a suitable destination for ecotourism and relaxation. The local ethnic communities still preserve their unique cultural traditions, allowing visitors to learn about their cultural lives and participate in cultural exchanges with the Dao and Muong people.

Thanh Thuy Hot Spring Tourist Area is located about 40 km from Viet Tri city. The hot spring water source covers an area of ​​about one square kilometer along the Da River. The water here has a temperature of 37-43 degrees Celsius, with the groundwater source at a depth of about 130-160m. The hot spring water is beneficial for beauty, treating skin diseases, and cardiovascular health. Especially, visitors can immerse themselves in nature and enjoy the fresh air.

Hotels, homestays

Tourist attractions in Phu Tho are relatively far apart, so hotels and homestays are concentrated near these destinations. The highest concentration of 4-5 star hotels is in the center of Viet Tri City, such as Muong Thanh Luxury Phu Tho and Garden Viet Tri. Other nice hotels include X2 Vibe Viet Tri Hotel, Saigon Phutho Hotel, and SOJO Viet Tri... Room rates here start from 800,000 VND per night. Some resorts in the Thanh Thuy hot spring area include Thanh Thuy Health Resort and Thanh Lam Resort. In Xuan Son National Park, there are homestays like Xuan Son, Lam, Quynh Nga, and Thuc Nhu, concentrated in Du village, showcasing the architecture and culture of the Dao ethnic group. Here, visitors can breathe fresh air, experience the simple lifestyle of the locals, and enjoy local specialties.

Photo: Duc Minh

What to eat

Viet Tri, also known as the city at the confluence of the Lo, Hong, and Da rivers, boasts diverse and delicious riverine cuisine. Among the must-try dishes is the Da River catfish, known for its firm, sweet, and low-bone meat. Legend has it that this fish was once offered to the emperor. In Viet Tri, catfish is prepared in various ways: grilled with galangal and fermented rice, stir-fried with salt, cooked with sour bamboo shoots, or mixed with shallots. Visitors can even choose their own fish swimming in tanks and request their preparation.

Grilled fish served with vegetable wraps. Photo: Da River Catfish Restaurant.

Suggested places to eat snakehead fish include Ca Lang Song Da restaurant in Happyland area, Gia Cam ward; Hac Tri fish restaurant on Lac Long Quan street; and Long Gia Quan on Hoa Vuong street. Besides snakehead fish, these restaurants also serve a variety of other fish such as Anh Vu fish, salmon, catfish, free-range chicken, and local pork. Another specialty is Thanh Son sour meat, a Muong delicacy made from marinated wild boar meat with spices and roasted rice flour, then naturally fermented. This dish is wrapped in fig leaves and dipped in chili sauce or sweet and sour fish sauce. Additionally, there are the common fruits of the Canarium tree and the Areca palm, usually available at the end of May and beginning of June in the lunar calendar. These two fruits are used to stew fish or simmered with sugar. Banana stew is a specialty of Lam Thao district, usually made from green plantains, pork ribs, galangal, and soy sauce. The dish has a rich, slightly astringent taste.

Besides fish, other delicious dishes in Viet Tri include crab hotpot, duck hotpot, goat meat hotpot, etc., concentrated in the Nguyen Du food street area and Nong Trang Textile Slope. Here are some suggested addresses:

Korean BBQ. Photo: Kimpab House

- River crab hotpot at S99, Nong Trang Textile Slope - Duck platter with 8 dishes at Vinh Hanh restaurant, Nong Trang Textile Slope - Goat meat at Phu Thanh restaurant on Nguyen Du street, Anh Dung goat restaurant on Quang Trung street.

For young travelers who love hot pot and grilled dishes, some good options include Grilled Charcoal Restaurant 277 on Tien Dung Street (Van Lang Park); Gogi House in Viet Lam Building, Hung Vuong Boulevard; Korean food and grilled dishes at Kimpab House on Nguyen Du Street; and Coco Thai Hot Pot on Hung Vuong Boulevard, next to Nguyen Du food street.

Du Hy

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