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Ha Nam
Area: 859.7 sq. km.
Population: 826.6 thousand habitants (2006)
Capital: Phu Ly Town.
Districts: Duy Tien, Kim Bang, Ly Nhan, Thanh Liem, Binh Luc.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Tay, Muong, Hoa.
Introduction: Geography, Tourism, Transportation.
Attraction:
- Historical & Cultural Vestiges: Ba Danh Pagoda, Ngu Dong Son.
- Cultural Travel: Doi Pagoda Festival, Duong Hoa Festival, Duy Hai Village Festival, Gua Village Festival, Lieu Doi Wrestling Festival, Truc Temple Festival, Vang Village Festival, Vo Giang Communal House Festival.
Geography
 Ha Nam is located on south of Red River Delta, southern gateway of Hanoi. It shares border with Hung Yen, Ha Tay provinces on the north, Hoa Binh Province on the west, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces on the south and south-east.
There are two main rivers: Day and Chau Giang rivers. Most of the land in this area is divided by the dense rivers. Therefore, it has the water area of ponds, lagoons, low fields and rivers which are convenient for aquaculture and water poultry rising.
Ha Nam has tropical climate: rainy season lasts from October to May and dry season lasts from November to April next year. The annual average temperature is 23ºC.
Tourism
Coming to Ha Nam, visitors are interested in natural beauty sights like Truc Temple and Ngu Dong Son (five  grottoes), Thuy Grotto (Luon cave), Tam Chuc lake, Phuc Long Grotto.
Ha Nam now preserves many typical culture sights: Long Doi Son, Ba Danh pagodas, Lanh Giang, Tran Thuong, Truc temples...
The province is proud of Lieu Doi wrestling, kite, Truc temple festivals, traditional trade villages such as Doi Tam drum, Nha Xa silk handicraft, Thanh Ha embroidery, Ngoc Dong rattan and bamboo villages.
Transportation
Phu Ly Town is 60km from Hanoi. Road, rail, water transportation are convenient. The province is located on National Highway No.1A.
Attraction
1) Historical & Cultural Vestiges
-
Ba Danh Pagoda
Location: In Kim Bang District, 10km from Phu Ly Town.
Characteristics: The pagoda is situated on the bank of the Day River in a large peaceful area far from any settlements.
At first, it was just a small temple for worshipping Tu Phap deities. Then, during the reign of King Le Hy Tong (1675 - 1705), it was upgraded to become more beautiful and magnificent. Later, locals tore down the temple and brought a statue of Buddha to the site and built the Ba Danh Pagoda. After offering incense at the pagoda, visitors can continue on to see Ngoc Mountain and its lush green forests.
 Location: In Kim Bang District, 8km from Phu Ly Town.
Characteristics: Ngu Dong Son includes five grottoes situated in the Cam Mountains, the largest of which can shelter approximately 1,000 people.
From Hanoi, go to Phu Ly (50km), and then continue for 8km until reaching Ngu Dong Son in Kim Bang. Ngu Dong Son includes five grottoes situated in the Cam Mountains, the largest of which can shelter approximately 1,000 people. These caves have been a common theme in Vietnamese poetry and music.
Coming to Ngu Dong Son, visitors can contemplate the various forms of stalactites and stalagmites and listen to the symphonies created by the wind blowing through the stones.
2) Cultural Travel
Time: 21th day of the third lunar month.
Place: Doi Pagoda, Doi Son Commune, Duy Tien District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: Buddha.
Characteristics: Worshipping Buddha, puppetry, wrestling, chess playing.
Time: the 24th day of the first lunar month.
Place: Kim Bang District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: General Tran Khanh Du, having merit of fighting Nguyen aggressors.
Characteristics: Grand sacrifices - offering ceremony and the God procession.
Time: 2nd day of the first lunar month.
Place: Duy Hai Commune, Duy Tien District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: Tran Khanh Du – a General of Tran Dynasty.
Characteristics: Worshipping to the God of gisy cake; Running and pulling flags competition, performing a navy battle.
Time: 4th day of the first lunar month.
Place: Gua Village, Liem Thuan Commune, Thanh Liem District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: Truong Nguyen, General of King Dinh Bo Linh.
Characteristics: The game of vieing for ball and wrestling in remembering the soldiers recruitment during the Ðinh Dynasty.
- Lieu Doi Wrestling Festival
Time: 5th to the 10th day of the first lunar month.
Place: Lieu Doi Village, Liem Tuc Commune, Thanh Liem District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: God of Doan family who was a man of extraordinary strength, good at martial art, and having the merit of squashing the rebellion.
Characteristics: Wrestle, tram tu ceremony, vè reading contest all night, contest of cooking regional specialities from eels, snails, frogs, fish.
Time: 6th day of the second lunar month.
Place: Quyen Son Hamlet, Thi Son Commune, Kim Bang District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: Ly Thuong Kiet.
Characteristics: Dam songs (sing while stamping (dam) one's foot like people rowing boat), boi trai dance.
Time: 7th to the 10th day of the first lunar month.
Place: Vang Village, Trinh Xa Commune, Binh Luc District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: The village's tutelary god.
Characteristics: Burst earth cracker for worshipping; contest of earth cracker. Adults take part in game of earth cracker.
- Vo Giang Communal House Festival
Time: The 15th day of the second lunar month.
Place: Thanh Thuy Commune, Thanh Liem District, Ha Nam Province.
Objects of worship: Vu Co - a talented General of Le Loi, who had taken part in fighting Ming aggressors on Day River.
Characteristics: Worshipping genie ceremony, boat racing, javelin throwing, doi singing on boat (alternate singing between women and men), giao duyen singing.
(Source: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism) |
