Old soul in Nha Trang’s ancient village

 Of the 50 ancient houses left in the central province of Khanh Hoa, Phu Vinh village has six houses of over one hundred years old, which are still almost intact along the Cai River in Nha Trang City.

 

The old houses in Phu Vinh have existed for over a hundred of years. Photo: chudu The house and its furniture are almost intact after nearly 200 years. Photo: nhatrangtoday

The house attracts many visitors for its Vietnamese characteristics. Photo: nhatrangtoday.

 

The village of Phu Vinh in Vinh Thanh commune is about 7 km from the Nha Trang city center. You can come here by land and river. If the path to the village is winding, with green trees and rice fields along two sides; sitting on a boat on the Cai River to Phu Vinh makes you feel like you are floating in the southwestern region.

The village is close to the city center but Phu Vinh ancient village remains its peaceful beauty as a country girl. Just setting the first foot on the village road, you will see rows of arecas running throughout the village and ancient houses roofed with yin-yang tiles.

Phu Vinh has experienced more than 200 years with many ups and downs but the village still remains six intact old houses and its communal house in ancient architecture.

Walking on the winding country road you will come go to the 200 year-old ancient house of Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hai. It is home to six generations of the family and this is also a destination for many domestic and foreign tourists.

The house is built in the traditional style of the central region of Vietnam with 36 wooden pillars, a big ancestral altar amid the house, horizontal lacquerer boards and old-styled furniture. With timeless beauty, the space in the ancient house depicts the life of people of 200 years ago.

The roof is low but the house is always airy and cool because it is surrounded by a large orchard.

Leaving the worries and bustle of life in the city, sitting in the garden of the old house to sip a cup of tea and listen to the birds singing, you will fee the peace of life.

Visiting this ancient house, you can buy a ladle or a tea port made of coconut shells by the house owner as a way to preserve the old soul.

Also, you can enjoy the fresh fruits in the garden. Just giving the landlord VND30,000 ($1.5), you can taste enough of seasonal fruits such as banana, coconut, jackfruit, mango, custard apple, rambutan…

The trip to the ancient village of Phu Vinh cannot stop here if you do not try a horse ride around the neighborhood.

The old carriages will take you to a traditional sedge mat making enterprise and a traditional incense making household.

You will see mossy wells and unsteady wooden bridges over the water and kids playing on the road. But everywhere is covered by the green of trees. The pay for each horse ride is only VND20,000-VND30,000/person.

Not too expensive and time consuming, going to Phu Vinh ancient village you will have the new perspective of the coastal city of Nha Trang.

Old soul in Nha Trang’s ancient village