Ho Dynasty Citadel: Experience riding an ox cart and admire the lush green rice fields.
A 30-45 minute tour organized by locals takes visitors around the stone city walls in Tay Do commune, Thanh Hoa province; stopping for a photo opportunity at the city gate amidst green rice fields, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Sitting on an ox cart, listening to the creaking of the wheels and the rhythmic hooves of the oxen, tourists stroll through the tranquil countryside at the foot of Ho Citadel – a UNESCO World Heritage site – in Tay Do commune (Thanh Hoa province). The ox cart service, organized by local households, is becoming increasingly popular, with a journey of about 30-45 minutes around the stone citadel walls, winding through rice paddies and paths, stopping at ideal spots to gaze at the citadel gates and take photos.
Explore: stroll around the city walls, slowly through the rice fields.
The ox cart route takes visitors along a slow pace around the outer stone city walls, then turns into small paths winding through the fields. The highlight of the journey is the moment when you stop at a vantage point to look directly at the city gate, set against the backdrop of lush green rice paddies inside the city walls – a rural landscape that is both expansive and tranquil.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Duong (a tourist from Hanoi) shared his feeling of returning to his rural hometown: “Sitting on the ox cart, it felt like being back in the countryside with the creaking of the wheels, the steady sound of the oxen's hooves, the wind blowing through the bamboo groves, the chirping of children calling to each other in the distance… All of this created a special experience that tourists would be hard to find at other tourist destinations.”
Culture and community: a tranquil life alongside heritage.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Deputy Director of the Ho Citadel Heritage Conservation Center, tourists can choose from various sightseeing options such as bicycles and electric vehicles, but ox cart rides are the most popular experience and are organized by the local households living around the heritage site. The combination of heritage tourism and community tourism allows visitors not only to admire the scenery but also to experience the daily life of the people living around the citadel.
Mr. Long stated: “Besides providing income for the people, the ox cart service also contributes to promoting the image of Ho Citadel in a familiar, everyday way. While previously tourists mainly visited the heritage site and then left, now they stay longer, exploring rural life and enjoying local specialties such as rice cakes, sticky rice cakes, and bamboo-cooked rice… The combination of heritage tourism and community tourism is opening up a sustainable development direction for the locality.”
Cuisine near heritage sites
- harrow gear
- Che Lam
- Rice cooked in bamboo tubes
Fact-checking information
- Location: Tay Do commune (Thanh Hoa province).
- The buffalo cart ride lasts approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Other sightseeing options: bicycles, electric vehicles.
- Highlighting viewpoint: an ideal spot to enjoy the view of the city gate and take photos.
Suggestions for the itinerary
- Choose the ox cart ride experience to fully appreciate the sounds of the countryside: the creaking of the wheels, the steady footsteps of the oxen, the wind rustling through the bamboo groves, the children calling to each other – as shared by tourist Nguyen Huu Duong.
- Spend extra time after visiting the heritage site to explore rural life and enjoy local specialties, as suggested by the Ho Citadel Heritage Conservation Center.
