Discovering traditional martial arts through tours

A new kind of tour to discover Vietnam’s traditional martial arts has recently been introduced to visitors. Joining this tour, visitors will have a chance to visit some martial art clubs such as Y Vo Thien Phuc and Bao Long and the cradle of vovinam in Huu Bang, Thach That district.
Not only can visitors make a tour to martial art clubs, they can also go to see some of the Hanoi’s places of interest such as Bach Ma (White Horse) Temple, Quan Chuong Gate, the historical house at 87 Ma May street.
Martial art has been considered as a special cultural heritage of the nation for a long time. There are many martial arts clubs in Hanoi. Therefore, according to the Viettran Tour, the organiser of the tour, this kind of tour is set up for the first time in Vietnam to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi.
During a two-day tour, visitors can have a chance to learn the culture of the martial arts as well as the process of getting access to and Vietnamise the martial arts from outside world. They will also hear stories about famous martial artists and witness special martial arts performances.
One of the destinations in the tour is Y Vo Thien Phuc (Thien Phuc Medicated Martial Arts) club which teaches the combination between medicine and martial arts. Martial artist Nguyen Khac Chung of Thien Phuc Medicated Martial Arts Club said “ The club has received many international visitors who have come and stayed here for practising the martial arts for two weeks, but this is the first time the club joins a package tour.”
According to him, this kind of tour is very popular in other countries, particularly China. “Visitors can surely discover many interesting things about the Vietnam’s traditional medicine and martial arts,” he said.
This new tour is also in response to the National Tourism Year 2010.