Overview
Van Phuc is a place in Ha Dong district. That is why people also call it Ha Dong silk village. Not many know well about the history of the destination. But it is believed that people founded the village in 865. In the past, Van Phuc was Van Bao, but later it changed its name. Van Phuc gate is the symbol of the village. Its design is full of red bricks and can impress any people crossing by.
1. How to get to Van Phuc silk village
As mentioned, it belongs Ha Dong district, about 10km from the Hanoi city center. Visitors can go from Hanoi to Le Van Luong – Nguyen Trai Street to Ha Dong post office, and then turn right, it’s very easy to realize, the main gate is right on the main street. Visitors can catch taxi, grab, motorbike…or can go by buses: 03, 07, 14, 20c, 25, 26, 31, 32, 36, 50, 55, and 79.
It is not so difficult to find out
2. Van Phuc silk products
This village is famous for its silk. Van Phuc silk has been exported to many countries in the world. In the past, people use silk to make King clothes. Until now, this premium fabric is so famous that it is well-known all over the world. Van Phuc silk was first known in the world at the Marseille fair in 1931. At that time, the French considered this a skillful and premium fabric of the world. From 1958 until now, many countries in Asia and Europe import silk for their clothes.
There are 800 households making silk during their life. Every year, the village can supply2.5 to 3 million square meters of fabric. There are more than 70 kinds of cloth in the Van Phuc for customers to choose from. You can come and buy one as a souvenir for friends. Because Van Phuc is a silk village, it is full of colors. Many products are on sale, from dresses, Ao Dai, shirts, trousers, and carves. All are in different colors such as red, yellow, green, brown, origin, etc. Although there have been many changes in materials these recent years, silk still have a very important part.
Visitors will admire the entire silk production process by skillful hands of artisans
Processing for making silk from A to Z
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Step 1: Raise silkworms
Raising silkworms is the first step but very important to make good fabric. If you take care of the silkworms, the quality of silk will be better, and vice versa. When silkworms grow up, people have to make silkworms release silk and create cocoons. Then, they need to choose qualified cocoons for taking silk.
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Step 2: Taking silk with a machine
The second step will decide the quality of the fabric after all. People have to choose old cocoon nests and pull the silk threads from the cocoon out of the silkworm. In the past, it took a long time for this process. But now, people can use machines instead to save time. After that, they need to straighten the silk.
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Step 3: Prepare to weave silk for 2 to 3 days
Connect the end of the silk thread to the weaving machine. Then the artist needs to monitor all the processes to check if there is any fault. They can not sleep because they need to add more silk thread to the machine. After 2 to 3 days, the process ends, and you will have 50m of silk. The important thing is that the patterns are woven during the process. Fake Van Phuc silk only has embroidered patterns. It is a good point to remember when buying silk.
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Step 4: Dyeing fabric and finish
Before dying silk, people need to cook it well to remove impurities. In this step, people have to care much for the dyeing stage. It requires an exact rate to make a good color. Then, they have to make the silk dry and wait for the dyed color to be displayed well.
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3. What to do and see at Van Phuc Silk Village
Is Van Phuc a wonderful place? What to do in Van Phuc? Are there any destinations to discover? Let’s go to know more about the village. These things are among the must-do list for all travelers.
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Walking on the umbrella street with colorful moments
Van Phuc has many colorful and impressive shops for clothes. It also has a beautiful street for people to walk. Umbrella street is a romantic destination for all people to come. You can walk around the village and see the umbrella above your bed. It is amazing even on hot days or rainy days. There are hundreds of umbrellas hanging high above to make a great shadow for all the shops. This is a wonderful place to check in, take photos, and post on your Facebook.
The Umbrella Street with colorful
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Taking photos of the wall in the village
On the way to the inside village, you can also see many pictures of students, countries, and peaceful moments in life. Many teachers draw on the wall for a long time to bring the best environment for their students. It is so meaningful for all people to see. Even not taking photos, just standing/sitting to see the picture is enough for the afternoon inside a noisy capital.
Beautiful painting on the wall
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Adventuring Van Phuc Pagoda with Northen architecture
Van Phuc Pagoda is a famous pagoda in Ha Dong. It has features of Northern design with the banyan tree, a lotus well, and a small bridge. Not all people come for the design of the pagoda but for the peaceful environment that it brings.
Inside the pagoda
Van Phuc pagoda also has ancient architecture such as communal roofs, wooden bridges, and waterfalls. The pagoda is famous because it is on the left of the village gate. Whenever travelers come across the brick gate, they will see the pagoda nearby. The sophisticatedly carved architecture will impress any people coming. Although it is not as good as in the past, the Van Phuc pagoda is still a great place to come.
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Try to buy as much as possible
Last but not least is to buy much good silk quality at a reasonable price.
4. It's worth visiting Van Phuc Silk village
Van Phuc Silk has become a famous place for visitors and shopping. In the past nearly 800 households engaged in silk weaving, accounting for nearly 60% of the total number of households living here. Every year the village can produce about 2.5 to 3 million square meters of fabric. Nowadays due to the influence of the market economy, few families still keep their traditional handmade making, However, tourists can still find a lot of silk products with good quality and affordable prices. If you want to buy some good souvenirs with good quality, Here is still a good choice.
5. Some tips for visitors
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Should not going or comeback in rush hours ( Morning from 7:00 to 8:30 am - Afternoon from 16:00 to 18:00) Because the traffic to the village is very busy
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Should bring some cash (VND) it is easier for shopping
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Visitors can go by Grab or taxi
We have shared with you details about Van Phuc silk village. It is a peaceful and colorful place to come. Do not forget to bring a fully-charged camera with you when visiting the destination! We hope you have the best time ever!
>>>All interesting information about Hanoi tourism is available at: Hanoi Travel guide
Go Viet Trip hope this article will help you understand more about Hanoi if you need any more help. Please feel free to contact us: Email: Goviettrip@gmail.com or hotline +84968667589. We are guarantee about quality and prices. Get a full refund if you do not feel happy with our services.
Author Hoan Nguyen
He has over 10 years of experience working in the tourism sector and operator. He has traveled to many places in Vietnam and around the world.
Photos: Go Viet Trip & internet.
