Magnificent 7: natural, historic sites get special national status

The recognition, an annual affair since 2009, was signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc Friday. So far, a total of 112 sites have received the recognition. Hanoi dominates the listing with 17 sites.

Mu Cang Chai terraced fields

Home to mountains of gold glittering in the sun when 330 hectares of terraced rice fields in the three communes of La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha and De Xu Phinh ripen for harvest (mid September-early October), Mu Cang Chai in northern Yen Bai Province is already a hot seasonal tourist attraction.

Mu Cang Chai, around seven hours by road to the northwest of Hanoi, is at the foot of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. Photo by Nguyen Tan Tuan.

Xuong Giang relics

Xuong Giang in the northern province of Bac Giang is where King Le Loi (1385-1433) defeated the Chinese army twice. In September 1427, Le Loi’s insurgents called Lam Son won back the then Xuong Giang citadel which was occupied by the Ming Dynasty, forcing the invaders to concede independence to Dai Viet.

The Xuong Giang festival is held on the 6th and 7th of the seventh lunar month every year (August 24-25 this year) to celebrate the historic victory.

Chi Lang relics

The Chi Lang historic relics in the northern province of Lang Son, bordering China, consists of 52 sites that stretch more than 20 km long. The place saw many victories of the Dai Viet, the Vietnamese kingdom, over feudal Chinese dynasties including the Ly Dynasty’s defeat of the Tong army in the 6th century and the Tran Dynasty’s defeat of the Yuan army in the 13th century.

Chi Lang Passage in Lang Son Province used to be a strategic bulwark for Vietnam against Chinese invaders. It now boasts several tourist attractions. Photo by Bui Vinh Thuan.

Non Nuoc Mountain

The Non Nuoc Mountain stands at the conjunction of two beautiful lakes called Day and Van to the northeast of Ninh Binh Town, capital of Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam.

The road to the top of Non Nuoc has 72 stone steps. At the foot of the mountain, there is a famous temple dedicated to Truong Han Sieu (1274-1354) of the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400) who is said to have discovered the mountain. The mountain is home to an eponymous stone church.

Dinh Dai Phung communal house

The Dinh Dai Phung, a communal house in rural district Dan Phuong of Hanoi that dates back to the reign of King Tran Nghe Tong (1321-1394), boasts distinct architectural features and unique traditional carvings that showcase creative talents of yesteryear artisans.

Sam Son Beach

Sam Son Town in Thanh Hoa Province is home to a 6 km-long beach. In 1906, the French referred to Sam Son as the most ideal resort destination in Indochina. The beach is now a popular tourist attraction in central Vietnam.

Sam Son Town boasts long beaches with strong waves and other attractions including the Truong Le Mountain, Trong Mai Islet, and Doc Cuoc Temple. Photo by VnExpress/Le Hoang.

Hai Ba Trung Temple

The Hai Ba Trung Temple in Dong Nhan Commune, Hanoi's Hai Ba Trung District, also known as the Dong Nhan Temple, is dedicated to the worship of two most famous women in Vietnamese history - Trung Trac and Trung Nhi. The two heroines led an army that fought the Chinese invasion in early 1st century.

The statues of the Ba Trung sisters inside the temple are accompanied by 12 female courtier generals. The Hai Ba Trung Temple festival takes place on the fifth of the second lunar month (February 27 this year).