Updated 2018. Redevelopment has taken place in Kenh Ga Water Village, Vietnam and sadly river trips are no longer available.
Settled for four days in downtown Ninh Binh, we ventured out to Kenh Ga Water Village, 21 km away on the road to Cuc Phuong National Park. We had a little detour on the way as sometimes happens in Vietnam.
When we got into the van arranged by our hotel, we were joined by a well dressed Vietnamese woman with no explanation. I was a little worried as we had declined the option of taking a guide with us.
Not wanting to be hit with an extra charge at the end of the day, I hesitatingly explained this to her. Oh no, she laughed, “I am the owner of the hotel and I am being dropped off at our new hotel on the way to Kenh Ga. It won’t take you out of your way, and when we get there I shall show you around it if you like”.
With that, boxes of vegetables began getting loaded as well. It seemed like they had forgotten to order our van, so their own driver was multi-tasking! On arrival at the very up-market hotel we were dropped off in style and ushered into reception.
Being with the owner we were treated very formally, and true to her word the owner gave us the grand tour of the formal dining room complete with chairs covered in white material tied with red velvet ribbons, and then to the pool leading off from the dining room. Onward we went into the kitchen to make sure the veggies, who had gone in through the back entrance had arrived O.K. We were amazed to find a huge kitchen covered head to toe by shiny stainless steel surfaces.
Yes, there the veggies were, standing in boxes in the hallway and rapidly being unloaded by a bevy of kitchen hands. Back we went through reception with people bowing in our wakes and down the grand staircase to rejoin our mini bus.
Kenh Ga please driver!
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Fantastic Friday – Framed – Castelo dos Mouros Ramparts
Love the photos – the hazy skies really set the mood!
Hi Jan, it’s me again! I’ve just tried clicking on your social media buttons at the bottom of the page to make sure that I was following you everywhere and I’m getting 404 errors on all of them.
Thanks Lisa, I will let Matt know. I knew he did not have some linked up, but not all of them! Jan
Thanks Lisa, I appreciate you telling me when things are wrong with my site. I have asked my son Matt who changed my site for me to at least hook up facebook and twitter. He is doing it today. Does the site load photos quickly for you? Any other things that need attention? Jan
Beautiful shots! I spent an afternoon here a few years ago. It is a beautiful and peaceful area. Did you end up staying or eating the new hotel?
Hi Nancie, No we preferred to stay in the cheaper hotel. The new one was just opened and empty. It was also a very formal place and we prefer informal. But it was nice to be shown around it! We stayed in Ninh Binh itself, which was covered in cement dust from the nearby plant and not very enjoyable. But once we were out in the country it was lovely.
Jan
Great shots! Love the intricate shots of the boats.
Thanks Jade, I did not realize exactly how hazy the skies were there until I looked back on these photos. It is a stark contrast to where we live in North Queensland where the skies are nearly always brilliant blue. I loved seeing the boats – I am a boat person. In fact we are going boating tomorrow – hoping to see some whales. Jan
Wonderful shots! I loved how you captured the locals way of life along the canal. It really does look so peaceful. I don;t think I’ve ever seen a duck farm before – you can’t get any fresher than that.
Hi Mary, The ducks are so fresh that they sit live outside the BBQ duck place! But they do have a pretty good life before they go. The canals were amazing. Jan
Was it hot and muggy too? Lovely photos but it sure looks like a tough life.
Hi Leigh, When the fishermen lived on their boats they were very poor. I think it is a possibility that the boat (with the wife waiting) is still used as a home. The day was hot, but not humid really. We were there in April. I think Ninh Binh would have been better after the rains come – it would wash away all that cement dust. It would be a hard life, I can not imagine they catch many fish. Jan