Quynh Phu District: Temples, Festivals and River Landscapes

Quynh Phu District is shaped by temples, shrines and traditional festivals. Other highlights include rivers and canals, as well as lotus ponds, sunflowers and lychee trees designated as experience and check-in destinations. This lets you choose different focuses for your trip, such as historic monuments and festival customs or the named natural and agricultural attractions. If you are traveling with children, you can weigh these interests against each other when choosing where to stay.

A Rich Heritage of Temples and Monuments

The district has 187 historical and cultural monuments: 77 pagodas, 20 temples, 53 communal houses, 16 shrines and 21 ancestral houses. Of these, 18 are classified as national-level monuments and 98 as provincial-level monuments. There are also 118 traditional festivals, four of which are on the national list of intangible cultural heritage. These figures provide a framework for a trip in which history and living traditions offer different ways to experience the area.

A particularly vivid detail has been preserved at Đình An Bài: it contains a wooden parallel verse couplet from the Nguyễn dynasty, with raised, gilded lettering. Đình An Bài itself is a national historical monument. According to tradition, Miếu Hòe Thị in Đồng Tiến dates back to the Trần dynasty. It is one of the district’s earliest monuments and is classified as a national monument. Those interested in architecture and traditional texts will find specific details here that go beyond simply viewing a historic building.

Miếu Hoàng Bà in Quỳnh Hoa is also classified as a national architectural and artistic monument. The complex of Đình, temple and Bến Tượng A Sào is among the monuments whose cultural and tourism value is being preserved and promoted. In An Khê, the festival of Đền Lộng Khê is being preserved and continued; the festival is recognized as national intangible cultural heritage. The A-Sào Festival in An Thái is also on the national list of intangible cultural heritage.

Festivals with Distinct Customs and Dates

The festival of Đền Lộng Khê is usually held each year from the 23rd through the 25th day of the third lunar month. On the evening of the 24th day, the burning of the Đình-Liệu tree is part of the festivities. A torch procession passes through the village in the direction of “east exit, west entrance.” The lunar calendar dates and the procession described give this festival a clearly defined time and place.

The traditional festival of Đền Đồng Bằng has been on the national list of intangible cultural heritage since September 16, 2016. Đền Đồng Bằng in An Lễ was recognized as a national historical monument in 1986 and was included in a national tourist route in August 2003. Its festival features traditional boat racing and Văn singing, as well as religious ceremonies. Other events include chess, volleyball, freestyle wrestling, tug-of-war and cockfighting. The festival program thus ranges from ritual practices to competitions and games.

The traditions of Miếu Hoàng Bà include annual processions and offerings during two periods: on the 2nd and 3rd days of the third lunar month, and on the 4th and 5th days of the twelfth lunar month. The district identifies spiritual tourism as its main form of tourism. Promoting spiritual cultural tourism in An Thái is also a focus of the A-Sào Festival. If you want to plan your trip around festival traditions, you can consider these customs as distinct cultural highlights.

Rivers and Rural Experience Destinations

Several waterways shape the district’s geography. The Quynh Coi Canal, also known as the Yen Long River or Ben Hiep River, runs through part of Quỳnh Phụ toward Đông Hưng. It is about 15 kilometers long, begins at the Ben Hiep outlet and connects with the Tiên Hưng River in Liên Giang Commune. The He River connects the Hoa River with the Diêm Hộ River, is 12 kilometers long and runs through several communes in the district in Thái Bình. The Đại Nam River stretches for 16 kilometers through Quỳnh Phụ; it begins at the Đại Nam outlet and connects with the Diêm Hộ River.

Other rural attractions designated as experience and check-in destinations include lotus ponds in An Vũ and An Dục communes, sunflowers in An Khê and lychee trees in Quỳnh Minh. They differ in their plant themes and the communes named for each. The district is developing community-based tourism experiences and directing visitors toward agricultural tourism activities. When looking for a vacation rental, you can therefore first consider whether temples and festival traditions or these designated rural destinations will be the focus of your stay.

Other Places for Reference

For further reference: Vũ Xá, Vu Ban District.

For the broader travel overview: Nam Định.