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Vietnam is renowned for its rich heritage, and the North Central region stands out as one of the densest concentrations of heritage sites in the country.
All six UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the Central region boast stunning natural landscapes and a rich cultural heritage.
Stretching from the Ho Dynasty Citadel in Thanh Hoa to the ancient town of Hoi An in Quang Nam, these six world heritage sites are essential stops for every traveler, both domestic and international. They also form the backbone of the most outstanding tourism product in the North Central region: the Heritage Trail or the Central Heritage Road.
The journey begins at the Ho Dynasty Citadel, located in Vinh Loc district, approximately 50 km from Thanh Hoa city. This citadel served as Vietnam's capital from 1398 to 1407. Renowned for its magnificent architecture, it showcases unique building traditions unmatched in Vietnam and Southeast Asia during the late 14th and early 15th centuries. While exploring the Ho Dynasty Citadel, don't miss the chance to indulge in Phu Quang's lam tea – recognized as one of the top 50 Vietnamese specialty gifts by the Vietnam Record Organization.
From Thanh Hoa, travelers pass through Nghe An to Quang Binh to marvel at and explore Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, spanning the districts of Quang Ninh, Bo Trach, Tuyen Hoa, and Minh Hoa.
Phong Nha – Ke Bang is located 50 km northwest of Dong Hoi city. Besides its geological and topographical significance, this national park is blessed by nature with mysterious, majestic landscapes, and hidden wonders of caves resembling magnificent castles within the limestone mountains sculpted over millions of years.
“The Phong Nha – Ke Bang area is perhaps one of the most unique and beautiful examples of complex karst landscapes in Southeast Asia. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site for geological and geomorphological values in 2003, and re-acknowledged as a World Natural Heritage Site for biodiversity and ecological criteria on July 3, 2015” – excerpt from Wikipedia.
Recently, Son Doong Cave, one of the caves in the Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng cave system, has been recognized by the world as the largest cave in the world. The awe-inspiring beauty of Son Doong has been featured in a documentary by ABC (USA) and broadcast worldwide.
From Quang Binh, passing through Quang Tri, you reach the complex of Hue Imperial City relics. Situated on the northern bank of the Perfume River, the most important architectural ensemble of the Nguyen Dynasty consists of three citadels: the Imperial City, the Royal City, and the Forbidden Purple City, intricately arranged along a north-south axis. Associated with the Imperial City are palaces, tombs, including the Nam Giao Esplanade, Xa Tac Platform, Hon Chen Palace, Linh Mu Pagoda, Tu Hieu Pagoda... This is a sophisticated architectural form, with structures blending harmoniously with the picturesque river and mountain scenery, adorned with exquisite carvings and decorations.
After exploring, visitors can indulge in Hue's rich cuisine with signature dishes such as Hue beef noodle soup, grilled pork rolls, rice cakes, and clear dumplings, all exquisitely delicious.
In addition to the Imperial City relics, Thua Thien Hue also contributes another World Heritage Site to the Central Heritage Road, which is Hue court music. Recognized by UNESCO as a masterpiece of oral heritage and intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2003, Hue court music was performed on various ceremonial occasions during the Nguyen dynasty. Hue court music symbolizes the prosperity and continuity of the dynasty, including genres such as ceremonial and court ritual music, court dance, chamber music, and opera.
When in Hue, tourists can enjoy royal court music at Duyet Thi Duong, Minh Khiem Duong, or on boats along the Perfume River in the evening.
As a familiar and beloved destination on travel forums and websites like TripAdvisor, Hoi An Ancient Town (Quang Nam) is the most revisited and talked-about tourist spot in Vietnam.
From a traditional trading port, Hoi An has preserved nearly 1,000 architectural relics such as streets, houses, assembly halls, communal houses, pagodas, temples, clan houses, and ancient wells... These structures not only exhibit the traditional nuances of Vietnam but also demonstrate cultural exchanges with Eastern and Western countries. The streets in the old town are short, narrow, winding, running crisscross like a chessboard. Visitors to Hoi An can easily recognize the traces of time not only in the architectural style of each building but also everywhere: on the moss-covered yin-yang tile roofs and on the old, moldy walls...
Quang Nam also boasts a heritage highly favored by Western tourists, which is My Son Sanctuary. Located in a valley with a diameter of about 2 km, surrounded by hills and mountains, My Son Sanctuary is considered one of the main temple centers of Hinduism in Southeast Asia and is the only heritage of this kind in Vietnam.
Although time has turned many towers into ruins, the remaining sculptures and architecture still reflect the artistic styles of Cham ethnic history, marking a period of cultural and architectural splendor of Cham Pa culture as well as Southeast Asia.
Assessing the Central Heritage Road, Nguyen Van Tuan, General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said: “We have a very different, diverse, and outstanding heritage journey. If we connect from the Ho Dynasty Citadel in Thanh Hoa to Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng (Quang Binh), to the heritage associated with our national defense war in Quang Tri, to the Imperial City of Hue, Quang Nam, Da Nang. It brings us very rich and special experiences. With such a dense heritage area, I believe that the tourism potential of the North Central region is enormous.”
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized the 2015 National Tourism Year in Thanh Hoa with the theme of Connecting World Heritage Sites, aiming to connect the 6 heritages along the North Central region to develop and expand the Central Heritage Trail product.
According to the Government Newspaper
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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
MytourOctober 20, 2015
