Vietnam central province to tap craft villages for tourism
12:15 04/03/2009

      With a view to boosting the local tourism industry, Quang Nam provincial administration has just unveiled a plan to highlight its traditional craft villages in special tours.

Under the program, set to be implemented in the near future, Kim Bong, Tra Que, Thanh Nam, Phuoc Kieu, and Dong Yen-Thi Lai villages will be developed as appealing tourist destinations, featuring traditional Vietnamese trades.

Since restoration, the craft villages have thrived robustly and drawn visitors in droves with monthly turnouts hitting around 2,000 tourists.

Quang Nam authorities also said they would continue restoring and developing other potential handicraft villages in the province.

Quang Nam has currently 61 traditional craft villages.

Distinguished craft villages

In the past 500 years, a slew of craft villages were shaped in Quang Nam. Though the numbers have dwindled over the years, many villages have endured.

Kim Bong village has been well known for its carpentry, which originated from the 15th century.

Dexterous carpenters from Kim Bong village were brought to Hue city during the Nguyen Dynasty to build the old capital, and their sophisticated designs still bear the hallmarks of antique architecture.

Woodwork includes carvings on beams, rafters, altars, and furniture, maintaining a traditional charm.

Situated around 3km north of Hoi An world heritage town, Tra Que vegetable planting village has emerged in the provincial tourism spotlight with organic produce deemed ‘second to none’ in terms of taste.

No farmer in the village uses fertilizer or chemicals to cultivate the vegetables, leading in the products’ freshness, quality and safety.

Many tourists, including foreign visitors throng to this village just to enjoy the special taste of vegetables grown there.

The Dong Yen-Thi Lai weaving village, located in Duy Xuyen district’s Duy Trinh commune is famous for its handmade silk satin dresses and blankets that have been exported regionally.

During its peak years, silkworms were raised on an area of 160ha, involving a workforce of around 200 households.

The trade has expanded into Ho Chi Minh City, with weaving areas found in Tan Binh and Go Vap districts, offering a wide range of employments for residents of Quang Nam origin.

Tourists have been also keen on visiting the Phuoc Kieu bronze-casting village to see conventional bronze items made by indigenous villagers.

The Thanh Nam fishing village is a place where visitors can enjoy the lifestyle of genuine traditional fishermen, another attractive tourist spot beckoning holidaymakers.

Source: Nguoi Lao Dong – Compiled by An Dien

Source : thanhniennews.com