Explore the rural life of ancient Northern Vietnamese village in Co Vien Lau – Ninh Binh
Co Vien Lau is likened to a miniature Northern countryside village in the middle of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. It is a typical ancient village in Northern Vietnam, with many houses, communal houses and typical ancient objects featuring the distinctiveness of each region.
The imprint of rural life here is like a new wind blowing away all the worries in the ancient space.
Let’s join Hanoi Explore Travel in the following article to find out more about this attraction.
Where is Co Vien Lau?
Situated in Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Co Vien Lau is one of the attractions of the UNESCO-recognized Trang An World Cultural Heritage Complex. Covering 22,000 square meters, it is a component of the Tam Coc – Bich Dong tourism region. The South of Co Vien Lau is close to Tam Coc boat wharf, the North borders the Cua Quen mountain valley, the West borders the Ngo Dong River, and the East borders Thai Vi Street.
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History
In the past, Co Vien Lau was an ancient village called Vung Chua, dating back more than 1,000 years ago during the reign of King Dinh – Le. Due to the impact of bombs and war, the village was gradually destroyed and many things were lost. Until 1990, the village was restored, named Co Vien Lau, meaning an ancient garden house.
With this name, the owner of this village wants to restore this area to preserve the unique cultural values of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. Up to now, Co Vien Lau has been around for more than 30 years, and is a well-liked destination for both domestic and international tourists.
Architecture
Co Vien Lau is a collection of more than 20 ancient houses that feature typical Vietnamese architecture from the 17th to the 20th centuries. After restoration, there are still village’s communal houses, reception halls, resident houses, village roads and alleys. Old houses in Co Vien Lau were constructed in close proximity to one another and were segregated into rich and poor house neighborhoods.
The old peasant class and those who work for the upper class reside in the poor area, whereas the rich area is representative of the nobility’s way of life and is home to people with high positions like village mayor, canton chief, and deputy chief.
The village communal house is located right in the middle of the village. This village owner revealed that this is a communal house that was originally over 150 years old and was moved to Co Vien Lau from the village in Thanh Liem (Ha Nam). The village communal house consists of 7 compartments with many columns and a curving roof.
Entrance Fee Ticket and Opening hours
- Co Vien Lau is open from 7am to 6pm every day, including Saturday and Sunday.
- Currently, the ticket price to visit Co Viet Lau is 50,000 VND/person. However, if you choose to go to the ancient village to take photos or film, tickets will be sold at a different price depending on the quantity and purpose.
How to get to Co Vien Lau
There are different means of transportation to get to Vietnamese ancient village, such as bus, motorbike or car. However, to save money and have the chance to take in the beautiful scenery along the route, visitors should opt to go by public transportation.
From Hanoi
Co Vien Lau is about 100 kilometers from Hanoi city center and takes about 1.5 hours to drive there. If traveling by a private car, head toward Phap Van – Cau Gie and then merge onto the Hanoi – Ninh Binh highway. If you decide to use a bus, you can refer to some popular bus companies like Quang Thang, Dong Chin, and Cuong Hung. After you get to Ninh Binh center, you can rent a motorbike taxi or a taxi to go to Co Vien Lau.
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From Ninh Binh
There are several convenient ways to get around Ninh Binh, including motorbikes, taxis, and buses. Buses are a cost-effective option for travelers, however they require waiting time. Renting a motorbike is the most proactive option because it allows you to freely visit various locations in Ninh Binh based on your preference. You may simply rent a motorbike from the hotels where you stay for just 150,000VND per day.
What are the attractions in Co Vien Lau?
The Vietnamese Ancient Village – Co Vien Lau in Ninh Binh brings together more than 20 houses bearing bold ancient Vietnamese architecture from the 18th – 20th centuries. Coming to the ancient village, you can learn more about ancient Northern culture through attractions with unique ancient house architecture and the rustic, peaceful surroundings.
Luu Phuong ancient house
- Luu Phuong ancient house covers an area of 90 square meters. It was designed following the architecture of a 5-compartment house with 2 annexes, in accordance with a striking handmade red tiled floor. The house is entirely made of cherry wood from the province of Thanh Hoa. The patterns on the walls and columns are skillfully and delicately carved by experienced artisans, making Luu Phuong ancient house a remarkable example of ancient art.
Y Yen ancient house
- The Y Yen ancient house was built in 1883 according to the model of the houses in Y Yen district, Nam Dinh. Y Yen house is the gallery of the collections in the Ly Dynasty from the 12th century to 13th century, which includes plates, bowls, crocks, celadon jars, and so on. By coming here, you will get the chance to see firsthand the items that were utilized in the palaces of the ancient rulers.
Tho Xuan ancient house
- This is the place to display more than 100 unique big jars (choe) in the reign of Emperor Gia Long in 1802. With an area of 111.7 meters square, Tho Xuan ancient house was constructed in a unique architectural style with three compartments, two horizontal dwellings, and two annexes that combine to create a unique house architecture. With an overall floor design in the shape of a Chinese letter “mon”, combined with a special roof architecture, the Tho Xuan ancient house becomes one of the unique architectural styles for ancient houses in the past.
Khanh Hoa ancient house
- This is the only place that still retains the structure of Dai Khoa’s house, the “goose-neck front porch”. With an area of 103.6 meters square, Khanh Hoa ancient house is a place to display a collection of 100-year-old parallel diaphragms, mahogany shelves, and tea cabinets from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Countryside ancient villages
- Countryside ancient village is a distinctive space that represents the architecture of the Vietnamese houses for the peasant class at that time. In the ancient village, the house of the poor peasant class of the early 19th century was restored with the characteristic feature.
- The house is usually divided into 3 three main rooms and two chambers, clay floor, leaf roof, and surrounded by bamboo fences. In the yard are the necessary tools for living: straw heap, water jars, stone mortars,… creating a peaceful, rustic scene in village culture.
Thanh Liem ancient communal house
- Thanh Liem ancient communal house is an ancient communal house originating in Thanh Liem district, Ha Nam province, outstanding with intricate and vivid carved patterns, including a meaningful painting of the four seasons. The current ancient communal house is located right in the center of Co Vien Lau – Ninh Binh with an area of more than 100 meters square.
Additional well-known tourist destinations to see while visiting Co Vien Lau
To make the most of your time and experience, you can easily combine visiting the ancient Vietnamese village with some famous attractions in Ninh Binh:
Tam Coc tourism area – Ninh Binh
When visiting Ninh Binh, Tam Coc is a must-see location because of its distinctive natural sceneries that the Creator has bestowed upon it, as well as its cultural and historical value. It is well-known for having one of Vietnam’s most exquisite rice fields, which span along both banks of the majestic limestone mountains and the romantic Ngo Dong River.
The stunning scenery in Tam Coc is the harmonious natural combination between rocks and water. The limestone mountains here come in various shapes, stretching out one after another to create an undulating mountainous landscape.
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Bich Dong Pagoda
The Bich Dong Pagoda is an ancient pagoda belonging to the Trang An Tam Coc – scenic complex that has been ranked a special national monument and recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
Bich Dong Pagoda is a unique cave temple in Vietnam. Standing at the top of the mountain of the pagoda, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire scenery of the Tam Coc area, as well as the beautiful land of Ninh Binh. The pagoda, well-known for its beautiful and somewhat tranquil surroundings, is the ideal location for people wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of daily metropolitan life.
Thung Nham bird park
The bird garden is located in the famous Thung Nham eco-tourism area in Ninh Binh. This unique nature reserve is home to dozens of rare bird species and almost retains its pristine beauty, tropical forests, and vast rivers. Thung Nham bird park is also the largest natural bird garden in Northern Vietnam.
Mua Cave Ninh Binh
Hang Mua is a tourist destination that cannot be missed when coming to the ancient capital of Ninh Binh. Here you can explore extremely beautiful natural scenery with lush green trees and rolling mountains. The greatest experience is reaching the summit of the Hang Mua, where you can admire the majestic natural surroundings and the vast golden rice fields stretching out in Tam Coc.
>>> Read more about: Mua Cave is worth being visited in Ninh Binh?
Thung Nang
Thung Nang is a popular tourist attraction in Ninh Binh known for its verdant green rivers, gorgeous rice fields, and serene natural surroundings. Sitting on a boat floating on the water, you will see the majesty of the mountains interwoven with the green foliage and jungle. If you come in May, you will have a great chance to take in picturesque scenery of golden ripe rice fields.
Van Lam embroidery craft village
Located in the Tam Coc – Bich Dong Tourism Area, Van Lam Embroidery Craft Village still preserves the traditional craft and develops it with unique hand-embroidered products of high sophistication.
This is one of the places where Vietnam’s best needleworkers congregate. Van Lam embroidery craft village is one of the most well-liked tourist destinations in Ninh Binh and a unique location where locals still earn their living from embroidery.
Thai Vi Temple
Coming Thai Vi Temple, you are not only able to take in the poetic beauty of the lush mountains and enchanted caves, but also marvel at ancient works of art and architecture that have been endowed with a rich cultural identity.
The temple is located in a quiet space, with an extremely noble and refined appearance. This is a sacred temple, worshiping kings and generals of the Tran dynasty such as Tran Thai Tong, Tran Thanh Tong, Tran Nhan Tong, Tran Hung Dao.
Visiting Co Vien Lau in Ninh Binh is an opportunity for you to understand more about housing culture from the architecture, sculpture of the house and the class division in ancient Vietnamese society. A visit to Co Vien Lau is promising to bring an extremely valuable and enjoyable experience for visitors.
