A place that preserves the "soul of the Northern Vietnamese countryside".

In Yen Truong commune, Yen Trung Tourist Village emerges as a tranquil haven amidst the rapidly transforming countryside of Thanh Hoa province. Without the hustle and bustle, the village captivates visitors with its rustic, intimate beauty, reminiscent of the traditional villages of Northern Vietnam.

Traditional Northern Vietnamese houses in Yen Trung Tourist Village.

Visiting Yen Trung Tourist Village is like stepping back into the childhood memories of many generations of Vietnamese people. The houses, reconstructed in the traditional architectural style, with red brick courtyards, bamboo screens to protect from rain and sun, rainwater jars under old betel nut trees, straw stoves... not only recreate the daily life of a Northern Vietnamese village but also tell the story of a cultural space that has endured through countless historical ups and downs. Every small corner of the village is carefully and intentionally arranged, preserving its ancient essence while creating a familiar and warm feeling for visitors.

Beyond simply recreating the atmosphere, Yen Trung Tourist Village aims to organize diverse activities that allow visitors to experience the traditional rural life of Northern Vietnam. Visitors can participate in familiar farming activities such as irrigating fields to catch fish, milling rice, pounding rice, cooking rice over a wood fire, making traditional cakes, and tending vegetable gardens and fish ponds. These seemingly simple experiences become a highlight, helping visitors, especially the younger generation, understand and appreciate the value of labor and the traditional way of life in the countryside.

If you've ever stayed here, you'll see that the appeal of Yen Trung Tourist Village also stems from its preserved and promoted community cultural space. Folk activities, traditional games, and outdoor film screenings are organized regularly, creating a vibrant atmosphere that connects people. This is also a way for the intangible cultural values ​​of the Northern Vietnamese countryside to be passed on naturally and without coercion.

Sharing her feelings about her experience here, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh, a tourist from Hanoi , said: “Yen Trung gives a very different feeling. The space and everything here are familiar and authentic. Just sitting on the porch, listening to the wind, smelling the straw, I felt like I was back in my childhood at my maternal grandparents' village.”

In its development strategy, Yen Trung Tourist Village does not prioritize the number of tourists but focuses on improving the quality of the experience, ensuring a harmonious balance between conservation and exploitation. According to Nguyen Chien Thang, CEO of Yen Trung Tourist Village: “Tourism here isn't about building large, modern structures, but about preserving traditional values, allowing visitors to experience them in a tranquil and unhurried manner. Therefore, for the upcoming Lunar New Year, Yen Trung Tourist Village will implement many experiential activities related to the traditional Tet holiday. Along with folk games, on the 26th day of the 12th lunar month, the village will organize the making of banh chung (traditional rice cakes), gio (pork sausage), nem (spring rolls)... both to serve the food needs of guests staying at the village and to meet the experiential needs of tourists; from the 2nd to the 4th day of the Lunar New Year, a "Rural Market" will be held. In addition, the atmosphere of Tet in the old days will be recreated with the Tet pole, the five-fruit tray, red couplets, green banh chung... These activities are not only experiential but also contribute to educating and passing on the beautiful customs and traditions of the nation.”

In fact, amidst the rise of experiential tourism and the increasing popularity of rural tourism, the Yen Trung Tourist Village model has been winning the hearts of many visitors. Not only does it contribute to diversifying the local tourism products, but this destination also opens opportunities for local people to directly participate in tourism activities, increasing their income and simultaneously enhancing their awareness of preserving traditional culture. This is also a direction consistent with the goal of sustainable tourism development, linked to the construction of advanced new rural areas.

However, for Yen Trung Tourist Village to truly become an attractive and sustainable destination, preserving its unique identity is crucial. This requires the joint efforts of local authorities, management units, and the local community in protecting the landscape and environment, maintaining the cultural lifestyle of the village, and avoiding excessive commercialization. Only when the "spirit of the countryside" is fully preserved can the tourist village truly connect with the emotions of visitors.

Text and photos: Le Anh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/noi-luu-giu-nbsp-manh-hon-que-bac-bo-277838.htm