Western Street in Ninh Binh

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

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

Before Trang An was recognized by UNESCO, the people of Van Lam village lived mainly on rice cultivation and embroidery. Since Tam Coc tourist area became famous, the villagers have switched to tourism services to earn a living and get rich.

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

“The whole village has 1,350 households with about 4,200 people, accounting for 60% of the population of Ninh Hai commune. Van Lam village is also the largest, accounting for 1/3 of the commune's total area. People in the village mainly make a living by rowing boats to transport tourists, providing accommodation and food services,” said Mr. Toi.

Although it is a rural village, Van Lam has high-rise buildings built close together, just like in a city. The highlight of Van Lam is that the whole village provides tourism services, and foreigners are always present, making the village as bustling as a Western town.

Every afternoon, tourists from tourist areas and spots in Ninh Binh flock to “Van Lam Western Street” for dinner, entertainment, and recreation. Restaurants, hotels, massage parlors, bars… have sprung up side by side. Coming to Van Lam on weekends, the village is as bustling as a famous tourist area abroad.

The Vice Chairman of Ninh Hai Commune People's Committee said that every day, about 1,000 international tourists flock to Tam Coc Tourist Area. Van Lam Village is located entirely within the tourist area, so foreign tourists stay here in large numbers. There are many households providing accommodation services in Van Lam, and Western tourists living with villagers is a daily occurrence here.

Thanks to tourism development, Van Lam villagers have the highest per capita income in Ninh Binh.

Mr. Dinh Anh Toi revealed that people in Van Lam village do all kinds of jobs such as hotels, homestays, boat rowing, souvenir selling, restaurants, beverage shops... with an average income per capita of 80-85 million VND/year (the average of Ninh Hai commune is 75 million VND/person/year).

Shops and restaurants in Van Lam village mainly serve foreign guests. Therefore, not only restaurants, bars, and motels have signs in English, but even the roadside beverage shops also have signs written in English.

Van Lam village in particular, Ninh Hai commune in general, was chosen by Ninh Binh province as a bright spot in terms of civilization, culture and safety for tourism development. Material life has improved, so the spiritual life of people in the small village with high population density, likened to "Western Town" in Ninh Binh, has also been increasingly improved.

Van Lan village seen from above, located on the poetic Ngo Dong river. This is also the Tam Coc boat station area, the center of the famous Tam Coc tourist area of ​​the Trang An world heritage site.

Dantri.com.vn

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