Western Street in Ninh Binh

Van Lam village, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, is famous in Ninh Binh. This village, over 700 years old, is located within the Tam Coc - Bich Dong tourist area, in the core and buffer zones of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex - a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site.

In the past, Van Lam village was famous for its lace embroidery craft. This traditional craft was taught to the villagers by Mrs. Tran Thi Dung (wife of Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do) when she accompanied the Tran dynasty court to the Vu Lam Royal Palace.

Before the Trang An heritage site was recognized by UNESCO, the people of Van Lam village mainly lived by rice farming and lace embroidery. Since the Tam Coc tourist area became famous, the villagers have shifted to tourism services to make a living and prosper.

Mr. Dinh Anh Toi, Vice Chairman of the Ninh Hai Commune People's Committee, shared that Van Lam is a village with a high population density and the highest number of households engaged in tourism services in the commune, ranking first in Hoa Lu district.

“The entire village has 1,350 households with about 4,200 inhabitants, accounting for 60% of Ninh Hai commune's population. Van Lam village also has the largest area, occupying one-third of the entire commune. The villagers mainly earn their living by rowing boats to transport tourists, running accommodation services, and providing food and beverage services,” Mr. Toi said.

Despite being a rural village, Van Lam boasts a dense concentration of high-rise buildings, resembling a city. A notable feature of Van Lam is its tourism industry, with foreign tourists frequently seen everywhere, making the village as bustling as a Western-style street.

Every afternoon, tourists from Ninh Binh 's tourist areas and attractions flock to "Van Lam Western Street" for dinner, entertainment, and recreation. Restaurants, hotels, massage parlors, bars, etc., spring up everywhere. Visiting Van Lam on a weekend, the village is as bustling as a famous tourist district abroad.

According to the Vice Chairman of the Ninh Hai Commune People's Committee, approximately 1,000 international tourists visit the Tam Coc tourist area every day. Van Lam village is located entirely within the tourist area, resulting in a high concentration of foreign visitors. The number of households providing accommodation services in Van Lam is dense, and it's common for Western tourists to live alongside the villagers.

Thanks to the development of tourism, the people of Van Lam village have one of the highest per capita incomes in Ninh Binh.

Mr. Dinh Anh Toi revealed that the people of Van Lam village engage in various occupations such as hotels, homestays, boat rowing, souvenir sales, restaurants, and beverage shops… with an average per capita income of 80-85 million VND/year (the average for Ninh Hai commune is 75 million VND/person/year).

The shops and restaurants in Van Lam village mainly cater to foreign tourists. Therefore, not only restaurants, bars, and guesthouses display signs in English, but even the roadside beverage stalls along the beach advertise in English.

Van Lam village in particular, and Ninh Hai commune in general, have been selected by Ninh Binh province as a shining example of civilization, culture, and safety for tourism development. With improved material living standards, the spiritual lives of the people in this small, densely populated village, often referred to as the "Western Quarter" of Ninh Binh, are also steadily improving.

Van Lan village, viewed from above, lies beside the picturesque Ngo Dong River. This is also the Tam Coc boat dock area, the center of the famous Tam Coc tourist area within the Trang An World Heritage site.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/pho-tay-o-ninh-binh-20240709151252685.htm