Thanh Hà

The monument complex and scenic beauty of Yên Tử – Vĩnh Nghiêm and Côn Sơn – Kiếp Bạc in the northern provinces of Quảng Ninh, Bắc Ninh and Hải Phòng are expected to be recognised as World Cultural Heritage sites this week by UNESCO.

Surrounded by the wondrous beauty of mountains, rivers and islands, these sites have attracted visitors with their addictive and delicious specialties, local resident Nguyễn Thị Huấn told Việt Nam News.

Located in Quảng Ninh Province, the Yên Tử complex site, which receives hundreds of visitors annually, is well known nationwide for its specialty: delicious dishes cooked from natural bamboo shoots.

Grown naturally in the Yên Tử mountains, the bamboo shoots are fairly small, with a length of just 30-40cm each. They can be cooked into a lot of delicious dishes, such as boiled bamboo shoots dipped with roasted salted sesame, bamboo shoots fried with veal, bamboo shoots soaked in vinegar, garlic and chili, and many others, said Huấn.

Yên Tử's bamboo shoot dishes draw visitors to the Yên Tử complex in Quảng Ninh Province. — Photo ivivu.com

After harvesting the bamboo shoots from the forest, the cook has to clean them well, cut them in half lengthwise and then cut them into small pieces (around 5cm each). Then, the shoots are boiled for 15 minutes and fried with beef or goat meat. The dish is topped with fresh green onion and other aromatics.

“The bamboo shoot has a sweet, buttery flavour," said Huấn.

Originally located in Bắc Giang Province (before the merger of Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces), Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda (formerly called Đức La Pagoda) was built in the 11th century, according to legend. It became central Việt Nam’s largest Buddhist site during the reign of Buddhist Emperor Trần Nhân Tông (1010-1028).

Travellers who visit the site can not only enjoy the ancient pagoda and its beautiful surrounding landscapes, but also get to taste amazing dishes, such as bánh đa Kế (Kế rice crackers).

Hundreds of guests visit the Vĩnh Nghiêm ancient pagoda each year to explore the pagoda and enjoy its delicious dishes, such as Kế rice crackers and more. — Photo hanotour.com.vn

Kế rice cracker production is a craft that has been going on at the site for 600 years, passed down from generation to generation. At first, locals made the crackers in the slow period between crops, but the practice eventually became a traditional job, bringing a stable monthly income for villagers, said chairwoman of the Dĩnh Kế Ward Nguyễn Thị Hồng Vinh.

She said the cake has a special, sweet fragrance and flavour from its quality rice in combination with peanut, sesame and other ingredients. It has been selected as an outstanding item from Bắc Giang to join exhibitions and food festivals in many areas in Việt Nam and abroad.

"The craft of cracker making has been recognised under labour protection, and the product is exported to Korea, Japan and elsewhere," she said, adding that the province has policies to encourage artisans to hand down their craft to younger generations in order to preserve this local specialty.

Meanwhile, Côn Sơn-Kiếp Bạc is famous inside and outside the country for not only its long history and unique heritage, but also the Thanh Hà lychee, a specialty crop that helps put Hải Dương Province (before the merger of Hải Dương and Hải Phòng provinces) on the world map for its rare and valuable fruit, said local Nguyễn Văn Chiêm.

Thanh Hà lychee, a famous fruit that helps make a name for Hải Dương Province far and wide. — Photo dienmayxanh.com

Thanks to excellent natural conditions, the Thanh Hà lychee has a special quality, with a rich sweet flavour and light fragrance that make it unforgettable for fruit lovers everywhere.

Overseas Vietnamese Dương Lệ Na from Denmark told Việt Nam News that she and her family often return to Việt Nam during lychee season, which lasts from late May to the middle of July every year.

“I can eat lychees instead of a meal, and my children also love the fruit a lot," said Na.

Thanh Hà lychees always sell well, not just in street markets and supermarkets but also online, on such platforms as Alibaba.com, Voso.vn, Lazada.vn, Sendo.com and others.

Côn Sơn-Kiếp Bạc lotus tea impresses not only regular tea drinkers, but also other guests in Hải Phòng Province. — Photo dulichtanadong.com

When visiting, travellers gain the chance to learn history, experience the charms of rural life and see untouched natural landscapes. They can also enjoy delicious specialties, such as Kiếp Bạc lotus tea, mussel rolls and more, said local resident Nguyễn Văn Hùng.

Kiếp Bạc lotus tea is a famous specialty of Hải Dương Province made of quality tea buds brewed into a lotus flower.

“Guests will be very pleased to enjoy the rich flavour and fragrance of the mixture. Kiếp Bạc lotus tea is a popular and valuable gift to present to your relatives and friends. The tea is an excellent way to help yourself relax and meditate after a hard day of work," said Hùng. — VNS