Bac Ninh Province is well-known as the home of Quan ho Bac Ninh (Bac Ninh love duet) which has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible world cultural heritage.

But now, coming to Bac Ninh, apart from listening to sweet melodies of love duets, tourists also have the option of visiting Dong Xuyen bird yard.

The bird yard, which was recognized as a national ecological area in 2009, covers about five hectares and has existed for a number of years. In 1994, when Dong Xuyen Communal House was built, herds of storks gathered at the house and made nests on peaks of bamboo clusters.

From a small number of herds, there are now thousands of egrets and locals have grown more bamboo trees for them to live in.

Recognizing the tourism potential of the park, authorities in Bac Ninh Province started a project to develop the bird yard, located in Dong Tien Commune, Yen Phong District, as an eco-tourist destination with investment of over VND3 billion.

The project aims to bolster the province’s tourism as well as to protect the storks.

Bac Ninh is an ancient town and was the trade center of Vietnam from the second to the 10th century when Buddhism penetrated there early and flourished during the Ly Dynasty. So many pagodas and temples were built such as Phat Tich, Dau, But Thap pagodas, Dinh Bang Communal House, and some tradition handicraft villages such as Dong Ky Wood, Dong Ho Pain, Dai Bai Bronze, and Phu Lang Pottery. However, the most famous site is Do Temple.

Located in Dinh Bang Village in Tu Son District, 20 kilometers from Hanoi, Do Temple which honors the eight kings of the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225) has an important role in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people with its richness in Vietnamese culture. The kings are Ly Thai To, Ly Thai Tong, Ly Thanh Tong, Ly Nhan Tong, Ly Than Tong, Ly Anh Tong, Ly Cao Tong and Ly Hue Tong.

It was built on an area of 31,250 square meters and is surrounded by high walls and more than 20 architectural works and is divided into two parts: inner and outer city.

In the outer city is a half–moon shaped lake with a floating pavilion and Van chi and Vo chi houses. The lake and the floating pavilion, on an area of 9,500 square meters, served as a place for the mandarins to watch water puppetry.

Under the Ly dynasty, there were nine reigns, but the last sovereign Ly Chieu Hoang was a woman, so she did not receive recognition at the temple but there is a nearby temple for worshipping her.

Each year on March 15 on the lunar calendar, people flock to Do Temple to celebrate a longstanding festival that coincides with the crowning day of the first Ly dynasty ruler, King Ly Cong Uan in the 11th century. (Source: SGT)