Bac Hoa Village in Bac Giang is not just a place of historical significance, but also a destination rich in culture and nature.
Located just over an hour's drive from Bac Giang city and bordering Lang Son province, Bac Hoa is often referred to as the place where "a rooster’s crow is heard by two provinces."
This remote village, home to over 160 households, is predominantly inhabited by the Nung ethnic group and is quickly gaining recognition as a rising tourist destination in Bac Giang.
The rustic charm and tranquility of Bac Hoa Village.
Hoang Minh Duc, a photographer from Hanoi, recently visited Bac Hoa during a camping trip with friends. He was struck by the village’s distinctive architecture, describing the earth-walled houses with yin-yang tiled roofs and wide courtyards as truly remarkable.
Bac Hoa is home to 17 earth houses that line the main road into the village. These homes, some of which are decades old, were built entirely from earth, without supporting beams or columns. The roofs, made from traditional yin-yang tiles, have weathered the years, giving them a rustic charm.
The earth-walled houses feature three main rooms, two wings, and roofs designed to keep the homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
An interesting feature of the village is the lack of formal fences. Instead, houses are separated by wildflowers, stone borders, and bamboo or wooden fences, giving the village an open, welcoming feel.
According to locals, Bac Hoa not only boasts cultural heritage in the form of its unique homes, but also offers beautiful landscapes that change with the seasons. In spring, fields of golden mustard flowers and blooming peach and plum trees cover the hillsides.
In summer, the village is surrounded by lush forests and clear, babbling streams. And in the harvest season, the terraced rice fields turn a radiant gold.
In addition to its natural beauty, Bac Hoa offers visitors a chance to experience the rich traditions of the Nung people. This includes learning about the local handicrafts such as weaving traditional scarves and indigo dyeing, as well as enjoying the melodious Soong hao folk songs.
Traditional crafts like weaving and indigo dyeing are a part of life in Bac Hoa.
Photo credit: Hoang Minh Duc
Hoang Minh Duc, the visiting photographer, notes that tourism services in Bac Hoa are still underdeveloped, making it an ideal destination for a day trip. He advises visitors to bring their own food and drinks, as the village’s infrastructure is limited.
Aside from Bac Hoa, visitors to Luc Ngan can explore nearby attractions such as Cam Son Lake, Khuon Than Lake, and the streams of Cam and Ta Cang. There are also opportunities to visit traditional craft villages, including the Chu Noodle Village, the wine-making village of Kien Thanh, and the bonsai village in Thanh Hai.
For food lovers, Bac Hoa and the surrounding area offer a variety of local delicacies, such as khau nhuc (braised pork), banh day gac (sticky rice cakes with gac fruit), sticky rice with ant eggs, and banh vat vai (a local rice cake).
Thao Trinh