The Hanoi suburban village of Le Mat, well-known nationwide for its snake farms and restaurants, has officially become a tourist destination of the capital city.
The municipal People's Committee last week signed a decision to recognize the village, located in Viet Hung ward, Long Bien district, as a tourist site.
According to Secretary of the ward’s Party Committee Dinh Quang Luan, the recognition is an opportunity for the locality to perform well the preservation and promotion of the cultural values of the village’s thousand-year history.
The officer said that the ward will apply an action plan to attract more tourists to develop sustainable and cultural tourism based on distinctive features of the village.
Located about 7 km northeast of the city center, Le Mat village is famous for snake catching and raising, as well as delicious dishes prepared from snakes raised by locals.
The local villagers were told that their traditional occupation is associated with an ancient legend that a local young man named Hoang conquered a giant snake-shaped sea monster.
In the old days, the village’s snake raising was for medical purposes and to make snake wine. Later, the village has used snakes to create food delicacies, becoming a well-known culinary address in Hanoi.
Not only famous for snake specialties, Le Mat also has unique historical and cultural heritages that are attractive to tourists. The ancient village is home to numerous of communal houses, pagodas and temples.
Possessing the characteristics of ancient Hanoi, the village is home to several communal houses, pagodas, temples and wells, with beautiful architecture and landscapes. It is an ideal destination for both cultural and culinary tours.
Le Mat village worships Buddha, the village’s temple honours a princess who is daughter of Emperor Ly Thai Tong in the 11th century, and Le Mat communal house glorifies the village saint, who explored and developed the village.
Visiting Le Mat village during its traditional festival that takes place annually from the 19th to the 23rd day of the third lunar month, tourists can enjoy the unique festive atmosphere of the Red River Delta region in general, and of the ancient citadel of Thang Long and present-day Hanoi.
The five-day festival features three major activities, including the Holy Water Procession and the Da Ngu (fishing in the village’s communal well) ritual. The ‘Diet Giao Long’, literally means ‘Killing Snake Devil’, is a performance presenting the tale about the village saint.
The performance, taking place on the yard of communal house, features a giant snake made from bamboo and cloth. The festival will be wrapped up by another procession called Thap Tam Trai.
Every year, the Le Mat Village Traditional Festival draws tens of thousands of tourists to enjoy its unique features.