(VOvworld)- Thanh Thuy village in Huong Thuy district is a popular tourist destination near Hue. This peaceful village still retains many characteristics of an ancient village of the central region.

Thanh Thuy village is famous for its 200 year old Thanh Toan tiled roofed bridge, which is 17 m long, 4 m wide and divided into 7 sections. The wooden bridge was built in 1776 and is roofed with tubes. The historic bridge has become a popular tourist attraction. Beside the bridge is a gallery featuring farm tools such as ploughs, shovels and rice fan machines. The life of rural people in the central region and their daily activities such as rice grinding and weaving are recreated in this small gallery. Visitors can practice farming, learn to make rice cakes or row a boat along the river. Duong Thi Cong Ly, Director of the Vietnam Tourism Joint Stock Company in Hue says: "Tourists like this village because it retains typical characteristics of an ancient central region village. Our company offers one-day or half- day tours of the village. Tourists can drive a motorbike around the village. Our tours cost from 15 USD to 40 USD including meals and a homestay".

Leaving the small gallery by the bridge, tourists can visit the Cau Ngoi rural market, which is as not busy as the one in the city. Cau Ngoi market is small but there is a wide range of products on sale such as famous Thuy Duong, Thuy Phu  and Thuy Van rice, sticky rice powder, rice wine from Chuon village, rice paper from Thuy Luong village, green beans, maize, melons and several handicraft products. Visitors can taste local specialties like cakes, jams, sweets, sticky rice and various rice noodles. Ms Tran Thi He, who has been selling red rice porridge in the market for more than 20 years says " As we are rural people, our food is very simple. I sell a bowl of porridge for 5,000 dong. It takes me 3 hours to cook the porridge and I only use red rice. My customers are mainly older people and children. In the market, there are also many other dishes such as rice noodles".

Spending a day strolling around Thanh Thuy village, tourists can learn a lot about the simple life of rural people in the central region.

 

Lan Anh