The soul of the coconut country through folk cakes

Through ups and downs, people of the Coconut Land have been constantly exploring, creating more and more delicious, delicate dishes. The formation of its own eating style is always associated with history, geography, and climate. Therefore, the cuisine of the Coconut Land mostly comes from the casual, brings the country-flavor. The typical dishes is the unique folk cakes. For the people of the coconut land, the cake is not only for eating but also for exchange the culture. Ben Tre is known as the land of "the spirit land", which is to absorb and preserve cultural quintessence from the reclaiming time of the ancestor, so the folk cakes in Coconut Land cuisine always reflect the rustic soul. It also shows up the love of grandmothers, mothers, and sisters, blends with the soul of local plants and flowers into each cake.

(Photo: Tuong Vi)

In memory of the Coconut Country people, no one does not remember the image of a woman who sits beside a flour store mill, watches the fire by the red stove all night to process delicious and beautiful cakes. Whether it is salt cakes or pastries, the folk cakes are made through the woman's skillful hands. They can be ordinary housewives, but sometimes they also can be skilled craftsmen and whoever they are, all folk cakes always exude the valuable love from people of Coconut Land.

Currently, Ben Tre has many kinds of folk cakes, which are made from very simple ingredients, especially those with mostly coconut materials: rice, glutinous one, beans, cereals, coconut meat, coconut milk, also known as coconut cream, .... In addition, these cakes also have many different forms of processing, with various shapes: sweat or salt cakes, cakes with staff or not; wrapped or bare cakes and cakes in round shape, flat, square, tower, pillar,… There are many kinds of cakes such as: for full eating, work eating, between meals, or serving as desserts. Some cakes have used forgiving, offering.

Ben Tre Coconut Cake (Photo: Phuong Thy)

Recently, Coconut Land folk cakes are increasingly plentiful but it still retains the rustic, simple features and inherent country soul, such as some kinds of coconut cake in Vietnamese words: bánh tét nhân chuối; bánh tét nhân đậu; bánh bò nước cốt dừa; "bánh bèo ngọt"; "bánh dừa"; "bánh cuốn ngọt nhân dừa"; "xôi mít dừa nạo"; "xôi lá cẩm"; "xôi lá dứa"; "bánh ít nhân dừa"; "bánh lá rau mơ nước cốt dừa"; "bánh da lợn"; "bánh đúc"; "bánh đuông"; "bánh tằm khoai mì"; "bánh chuối"; "bánh ú nước tro". Above all, it is also the creativity of bringing ingredients from coconut into the processing stage to increase the fatness, flavor of the cake and contribute to enhancing the distinctive flavor of the Coconut Land in folk cakes.

"Bánh da lợn", "bánh lá rau mơ", "bánh bò", "bánh chuối" mix with coconut cream (Photo: Tuong Vi)

At the same time, it is prouder and prouder when the Coconut Land folk cake is also famous in nationwide with "My Long" rice paper and Son Doc glutinous rice chapatty at the traditional craft villages "My Long rice paper" (My Thanh commune) and Hung Nhuong commune in Giong Trom district. The cakes were recognized to be included in the list of "National Intangible Cultural Heritage" in 2018. These two traditional trade villages have had over 100 years old and preserved and passed down through the generations. So they can make delicious cakes, which attract many tourists coming from far and near places

(Photo: Tuong Vi)

Coconut folk cakes always make visitors satisfied and excite so they can enjoy the cakes which are introduced in Ben Tre Traditional Culture Festival (July 1) every year; Ben Tre Coconut Festival; The Southern Folk Cake Festival taking place every year in Can Tho at the booth of artisans Ben Tre,…. However, visitors can also buy and enjoy those cakes at some markets in Ben Tre province.

The cakes here as like the gifts from the countryside bringing childhood memories back to life. Not only does the substance contain inherent traditional flavors, but also has been improved in both appearance and quality, so it is increasingly enhanced in terms of the Coconut land cultural value. Hopefully, in this globalized world, indigenous traditional values such as Coconut Land folk cakes will always be preserved and promoted.

Author: Tuong Vi

Translator: Phuong Thy

Ben Tre homestay: Many points attract visitors

Keeping away from the noise in the city, one day if you suddenly want to find a peaceful place in Xu Dua where you can stay at and accompany many attractive tourist services, homestay will be one of the option which is worthy of experience. The homestay in Ben Tre is increasingly improved in both quantity and quality to meet the needs of all visitors from near and far places.

The model of homestay tourism must be too familiar to many tourists in the past few years because of its closeness and simplicity, so there seems to be no distance between tourists and local people. Currently, the whole province of Ben Tre has more than 30 homestay points which are distributed evenly across districts and cities, typically: Homestay Nguyet Que, Xom Dua Nuoc, Nam Hien, Cai Cam, Jardin Du Mekong, Ut Trinh, Mango Home Riverside, Cocole, Duyen Que, Con Ba Tu, Ve Nha, Nghenh Xuan, ...

These homestays are increasingly looked after by the owner and paid attention to every detail. Especially in the design stage, it is no longer sketchy bedrooms, but instead the most of the rooms are built into a separate small house with many materials and various designs: stilt houses are made of coconut wood, glass, or bamboo, ... with many ways to create a very unique mark. These homestays give guests a sense of privacy as if they were their own home.

The visitors' first impression is comfort and modernity but it still retains the rustic and rural features. The interior of the homestay is fully equipped with all necessary items such as bed, blanket, pillow, bedsheet, garbage can, toilet, sink, towel, table, chair, cabinet. Everything is neatly arranged regularly cleaned and maintained by the owner so it is always new and clean tidy.

At the same time, the natural landscape surrounding the homestay gives visitors the feeling of peaceful and relaxation. Ben Tre is a poetic lyrical land of coconut by the green coconut groves, fruit orchards with many rivers and canals to create the nature more harmony.

Today, with the talent and creativity of the locals, the homestay makes visitors excited, surprised by the eye-catching decoration of surrounding landscapes. The first time arriving at homestay in "Land of coconut", visitor will be impressed right from the outside since the entrance of the gate and will be extremely cute with the lovely flowers fences, the stylized signs which are also designed very nicely.

When stepping inside, pretty sure that most visitors just want to stay here for a long time and don't want to come back because of the peaceful sky in front of them. Most of the homestay have coconut trees, the two sides of the alleyway are green trees, flowers being manicured; fishes are swimming in the lake. Far away there are the vegetables and dangle grapefruit on branches along with coconut bridges and sampans. All things seem so reminiscent of a peaceful childhood.

Moreover, all the guests who stay in Ben Tre homestay also have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of delicious dishes with coconut flavor. The dishes in Ben Tre's homestay are always aimed at enjoying the culinary culture of the coconut land, such as mussel pancakes, coconut fried shrimp, Vietnamese Caramelized Pork and Eggs, coconut cake,... At the same time, visitors can also stand in a rustic wood stove and cook with hosts as the members of their family, so you will feel the closeness that you cannot find in any journey.

In addition, the homestay also offers many services, many interesting activities and some tour programs for tourists. A typical example is Con Ba Tu homestay (Thoi Thuan commune, Binh Dai district), often has the program "Village Fair and Cuisine" on the weekend with many interesting activities: crab fishing, fishing, clam catching or program 1-day or 2-day-1-night tour to experience at Con Ba Tu. At Homestay Ut Trinh (Tam Hiep Isle, Binh Dai District) there are also many services for visitors: visiting the longan garden, making cake, etc with available prices.

The homestay in Ben Tre is more and more unique highlights to attract and meet the diverse needs of all travelers. Let's visit the "Coconut land" and stay at the homestay to feel the peaceful moments, and the most enjoyable experience in your travels.

Author: Tuong Vi

Translator: Phuong Thy

Source: https://dulich.bentre.gov.vn

Vietnamese rice noodle soup (Banh canh)

Ben Tre has long been known as the "green coconut capital" with friendly people. Moreover, food here is always attractive and one of dishes brings delicious flavor is rice noodle soup (banh canh). Don't forget to try it when you visit Ben Tre.

The name of this dish is "banh canh" because it is made completely by hand. Firstly, we have to choose  rice that is not too flexible, soak rice into water and grind it to become flour. Next, we bring all the mixture to pour into cloth bag to squeeze out water, only take dry powder, knead smooth dough, mould the dough on glass bottle and cut into small pieces to put in the pot of boiling water. At this time, the water pot will be milky; we can add coconut milk to create fat and this is also unique feature of Ben Tre rice noodle soup (banh canh).

Ben Tre duck meat rice noodle soup (Banh canh). (Photo by Bao Tram)

This dish can be cooked with many ingredients such as: pork, chicken, shrimp, clams, mussels, ... but popularity is duck rice noodle soup. We marinate duck's meat with spices, stir fry meat in the pot first; then pour water in, wait until boiling water and add rice powder. We should choose soft, low-fat duck's meat and eat this dish with scallions, pepper, ginger fish sauce.

Welcome tourists to Ben Tre to enjoy rice noodle soup (banh canh) and feel about the beauty of coconut land, the heart of people and abundant cuisine here./.

Author: Bao Tram

Translator: Tuong Vi

Source: https://dulich.bentre.gov.vn

Singing "Sắc bùa Phú Lễ": From intangible cultural heritage to potential tourism product

In human culture treasure of Ben Tre, there is a kind of art which has existed for a long time, to be close knit with the spiritual life of so many generations of coconut land. It has experienced many ups and downs hundred years old. There was a war period which seemed to be faded out but it revived forcefully. It is a special beauty in river culture in South and it gradually becomes a potential tourist product. There is a kind of art "Singing-sắc bùa Phú Lễ".

Intangible Cultural Heritage

Currently, there are 4 intangible cultural heritages in Ben Tre province: the job of making My Long rice paper (My Thanh commune, Giong Trom district), making Son Doc glutinous rice chupatty (Hung Nhuong , Giong Trom district), Nghinh Ong festival (Binh Dai hamlet) and "singing-sắc bùa Phú Lễ" (Ba Tri). There is not only the pride, but also the the traditional culture of local that needs to conserve and develop.

The life of Coconut land people has been close-knit with farms and rivers. From the dawn of humankind the ancestor has taught the younger generation about hardworking character. Besides, the spirit of People in Coconut land is very plentiful and they have many simple rustic folk song which are sung after hard working days to bring the happiness and show their optimism.

Singing " sắc bùa" in Coconut festival the fifth time, 2019 (baodongkhoi.vn)

When we talk about "Singing-sắc bùa", people immediately think of "Singing-sắc bùa Phú Lễ", Ba Tri District, Ben Tre Province because this place is the cradle of Hát sắc bùa art in Southwest of Vietnam. "Singing-sắc bùa Phú Lễ" is a form of folk performance, collective, chorus, with accompanying instruments and clear beat. "Singing-sắc bùa" is not only congratulating on agricultural rituals associating with spiritual factors, praying for a peaceful life, good crops but also meeting the needs of people for thier entertainment in every new year

Legend has it that singing "sắc bùa" was created in the middle of the late eighteenth century, initiated by Mr. Tran Van Hau, the son-in-law of Mr. Ho Duc Quang, from Phu Le commune, Ba Tri district. Typically, a singing "sắc bùa" team must have at least 4 members and be managed by a "boss", every member of them is not only a musician but also a singer. The musical instruments of  singing "sắc bùa" team will include: "rice" drum, two strings instrument and two kinds of cadence instruments; A song often has 2 parts, the first one is a ritual part to suppress the devil, brings good luck to the family and the second contributes to the joys of the family's career: farming, construction worker, etc.

In 1998, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ben Tre implemented the project " Sắc Bùa Phu Le Talent Show" under the National Target Program on the conservation and promotion of Vietnam national cultural heritage. The movement to sing "Sắc bùa" Phu Le in Ben Tre is growing and gradually forming many singing teams, creating the special characteristics in the cultural treasure of Coconut Land. On January 23, 2017, "Hát sắc bùa" was officially recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Potential tourist products

Currently, "Hát sắc bùa" is still a new art form for young people as well as tourists. However, to contribute to the promotion of the culture, the traditional beauty of daily life of the land and people in Coconut Land, and it is seem as potential tourism product.

Performance of "Singing- sắc bùa Phu Le"  at Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism (bienphong.com.vn)

On November 22, 2019, in the program "Journey to the South of Ben Tre Coconut Land" took place at Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism (Dong Mo - Son Tay - Hanoi), Ben Tre introduced to domestic and foreign tourists, many interesting cultural forms: the Southern folk songs, declaiming Luc Van Tien's poem, coconut cuisine and indispensable  singing "sắc bùa". This act has attracted a lot of visitors by the very beautiful, strange, and strange melodies through the playful presentation of the artists in the country of Coconut.

Tourism is a close combination of Culture - Tourism or Tourism - Culture to prevent not to ruin a lasting beauty in the long-standing cultural heritage. Conversely, in order to preserve and promote intangible cultural values, it is necessary to synchronize many solutions which are integrated into tourism products as well as in the activities of developing social economy in locals.

Author: Tuong Vi

Translator: Phuong Thy

Source: https://dulich.bentre.gov.vn

The rustic variation in processing snakehead fish with coconut milk

Over the centuries, the Vietnamese family meal has never had a lack of braised dishes. Each region has its own dishes with different flavors. My hometown is no exception.  Being known as "Coconut land", many dishes which are combined with coconut milk always make customers feel not only charming but also fragrance and be hard for us to resist. On rainy days, there are a lot of fish in the paddy rice fields, and I remember my grandfather often used to make braised dishes from perch, catfish, snakehead fish. My most impressed memory has been snakehead fish cooked in coconut milk.

I call this dish is a version of the countryside because my grandfather said that to cook this dish to become delicious, it must be made from natural snakehead fish. In this way the meat will have a natural sweetness and firmness. Furthermore, the coconut milk from old ripening coconut is true version with many attractive steps. Cooking is an art because of choosing ingredients to cooking techniques and we still have to put our mind, sincerity into each dish, the customers will feel the taste and never forget.

Braised snakehead fish with coconut milk (photo: Tuong Vi)

It is quick and easy for us to make this braised snakehead fish. First, clean snakehead fish, cut the fish into slices and then marinate the fish about 30 minutes with spices such as salt, sugar, pepper, fish sauce, red onions and a little coconut water to create an eye-catching color when we finished. When the pot heats up, we add cooking oil and minced garlic and minced lemongrass for being fragrant, and cook the marinated fish mixture. Next, we use a bamboo chopstick to up side down the slices of fish and wait until the meat is solid again to add coconut milk. At this time, the snakehead fish pot must be boiled over a low fire and until the mixture in the pot is almost dry, we turn off the stove, sprinkle with pepper and scallions on top. We really like to eat hot rice with it when we hear how to cook it.

Snakehead fish with coconut milk is extremely delicious attractive because of the color, good mixture and it aroma. This dish when served with rice must be used with raw vegetables such as lettuce, basil, perilla, cucumber. On the rainy days, when the whole family sits around a hot tray of rice, served with snakehead fish with coconut milk dotted with the above raw vegetables, this is not only a simple rural version but also a childhood memory of many people of coconut land.

Snakehead fish is known as a sweet, warm, non-toxic and has goad effect to blood, tendons, bones. Braised snakehead fish with coconut milk is made from very simple ingredients, easy to seek and not too picky to cook method but to process a good meal, true taste of coconut land, it requires people to cook carefully and meticulously.

Nowadays, when traveling to Ben Tre, domestic and foreign tourists can easily enjoy braised snakehead fish with coconut milk served with white rice at restaurants, hotels, and homestays. The sweet, grease, irresistible aroma of this dish will surely make visitors remember forever, it is the rustic countryside version, an idyllic beauty in culinary culture of Coconut land.

Author: Tuong Vi

Translator: Phuong Thy

Source: https://dulich.bentre.gov.vn

Coconut Tree - Soul in Ben Tre Tourism

Ben Tre has long been known as the "green coconut capital" because it has the largest area and production of coconut in Viet Nam. Ben Tre province has 72,000 ha (occupy nearly 50 % whole country's coconut area); with 200,000 households planting coconut, the output reaches nearly 800 million fruits per year, the value of coconut products occupies 20% industrial production and 25% Ben Tre province's export. Therefore, this tree has important position in production and life. In addition, Ben Tre province also defines coconut tree in tourism as homeland's particular.

According to the statistich from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of  Ben Tre province, in 2019, Ben Tre welcomed 1,882,025 visitors, up 20% to the same period  in which  international visitors reached 796,186 bouts and domestic visitors reached 1,085,839 bouts. Especially, when they come to Ben Tre, all their activities relate to coconut trees.

The cool shade of coconut charms soul of visitors

"Eco Tourism in Coconut Land" is Ben Tre province's particular.  Green tourism from coconut trees not only helps visitors close to nature but also saves energy and protects the environment.

In Ben Tre, tourism in isles retain its pristine character. When visiting coconut land, visitors are always interested in participating in many activities such as: boat rowing on palm canals; drinking coconut juice; learning how to grow, take care of and harvest coconuts; sitting on horse carriage,…Moreover, visitors can visit the "Cho Noi Dua" on Thom River where has many enterprises producing products from coconuts.

Visiting the craft villages in coconut land, visitors will have the opportunity to try many famous products and many dishes from coconut such as: My Long rice paper cake, Son Doc glutinous rice cake, coconut candy, coconut cake, coconut salad with shrimp and meat, rice in coconut, roasted shrimp,…

Tourist  are trying peeling coconut

Since 2000, Ben Tre has organized 9 times of the provincial Coconut Festival and 5 times of the national Coconut One. These festivals have not been only an opportunities to honor the value and importance of coconut trees but also promote the tourism brand "Sinh Thai Song Nuoc Xu Dua" (Waterways ecotourism in coconut land).

Opening the 5th Coconut Festival in Ben Tre province

Traveling to coconut land in Ben Tre has two models: farm tourism with many outdoor activities for students and ecotourism for domestic and foreign tourists. In addition, this place also has cultural, sports, cuisine tourisms,…and have been associated with coconut trees which have brought visitors a lot of experiences and helped tourism in Ben Tre province more and more developing.

In order to promote the potential of coconut trees in tourism, practical solutions are needed to combine coconut ecotourism with craft village tourism and historical relics such as: Special national relic Dong Khoi Ben Tre (Mo Cay Nam district); Nguyen Dinh Chieu Monument and Memorial Area (Ba Tri district), ... From there, Ben Tre Tourism links with the eastern provinces of  Mekong Delta (Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, ...) to create more diverse and attractive tours.

Author: Bao Tram

Translator: Tuong Vi

Source: http://dulich.bentre.gov.vn

Ben Tre Tourism - New linked products

Travel people said that: "If you go alone, you can go fast, but when you want to go far, you should associate and cooperate with each other - group (G). Therefore, the link to build a specific tourism product in the tourist of the eastern provinces of the Mekong River Delta (Mekong Delta) including: Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh and Dong Thap, have been namely one of the main tasks that leaders of the six Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism has set out in the coordinating goal of linked group.

In the eastern tourist group of the Mekong Delta, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh are two provinces that have linked in the route of the coastal provinces of the East and West. Tra Vinh and Ben Tre have the same Co Chien peaceful river and many tourism potentials that will create unique products, nowhere else. If they are combined together a province, with a lot of tourists exploring and experiencing Coconut Land over the past decade, now cooperates, connects and extends to Tra Vinh province with a rich and unique Khmer culture that creates conditions for both provinces attract and keep tourists staying longer, and be the dominant platform in the group to develop tourism economy in the future.

Floating Coconut Market on Thom river (Photo: Ben Tre Que Toi)

"Waterway - Ecotourism of Coconut Land" wants to mention that Ben Tre province owns 04 large branches of the Mekong River, the green islets and vast coconut and fruit gardens green ornamental plants, traditional craft villages to identity the region. National Special Vestige The tomb and memorial relics of Vietnamese poet Nguyen Dinh Chieu and over 50 national and provincial are introduced to visitors together with kind and hospitable people, have created unique tourism products that few localities have.

Special national relic - Dong Khoi relic

The tourist destinations of Coconut Land have been formed and put into using to serve tourists such as Lan Vuong and Phu An Khang tourist areas in Ben Tre city; Lang Be tourist site and Bao Thach fruit gardens in Chau Thanh district; Culture and Tourism Village is famous for ornamental flowers - seedlings in Cho Lach district; salt - mash and eco-tourism area in Bung islet - Thanh Phu ... have been attracting many tourists. Tour programs of waterway - ecotourism in Coconut Land fascinate visitors on the coconut-lined rivers and village roads, coconut gardens to be interspersed with green grapefruit, fruit trees, craft villages and stayed at comfortable and peaceful homestays. Coming to Ben Tre, visitors also enjoy the coconut culinary culture with the coconut salad with shrimp, coconut rice and coconut fried shrimp which are recognized in 100 Vietnamese specialties. This is a favorable condition for Ben Tre to link and develop with other provinces in the tourist group, especially adjacent provinces of Tien Giang, Vinh Long or Tra Vinh to create new products to attract domestic and foreign tourists to longer in the province.

Tra Vinh is connected to Ben Tre via Co Chien Bridge and considered as one of the provinces with rich potentials for cultural and sea tourism, gardens and waterways and "sap" coconuts specialties especially exploring Khmer ethnic festivals and owning over 140 Khmer temples with unique architecture.

Tra Vinh tourism meets the needs of tourists when visitors experience the routes such as Ao - Om Cultural and Tourism Zone, Khmer Cultural Museum, Ang Pagoda, Hang Pagoda; have sightseeing at the orchards of Tan Quy islet, specialty "sap" coconut Cau Ke district and homestays of rustic and hospitable Khmer ethnic group or Ba Dong Sea, Truc Lam Pagoda, Duyen Hai Thermal Power Plant, Long Khanh Mangrove Forest, etc. In addition, Chim islet community tourism zone at in Chau Thanh district is gradually attracted visitors by local people to protect environment and farm under the model of "shrimp hugging rice plants"

Experience of making flat rice at Tra Vinh

From the rich nature of tourism resources of the two provinces, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh Tourism Promotion Information Centers link existing products, tourist destinations with the same guidance and make bridges for the tourist companies of two provinces to build, design tours, specific inter-provincial route 2 days / 1 night, 3 days / 2 nights to attract tourists. This is one of the sightseeing programs that can be adjusted according to the quality of each group of travelers or each tour operator who cooperates to take guests:

Day 1: Picking the visitors up at Ben Tre city, departing for Mo Cay Nam, visiting Dong Khoi traditional House, learning about female military group and Dong Khoi movement in 1960. Enjoying coconut jam, fresh coconut juice, fruits. Rowing on water palm canals. Visiting Tuyet Phung coconut candy mill, experiencing coconut floating market - the place to exchange coconut production and process, coconut fiber on the banks of the Thom river. Overnight at Coco homestay in the coconut garden. For this tourist route, visitors can choose and expand to visit Cho Lach Cultural and Tourist Village (seedlings, ornamental flowers and many tropical fruits); or return to Thanh Phu mangrove forest (Con Bung beach, Ho Chi Minh sen rout relics, ancient house of Huynh Phu, Dai Dien commune ...).

Day 2: Departuring for Tra Vinh along Highway 60, passing Co Chien Bridge. Riding a bicycle or tuktuk around Ba Om Lake, Khmer Culture and Tourism Village Khmer Cultural Museum, Ang Pagoda, seeing traditional dances and music of Khmer people, craft villages (making hats, crowns or swat of glutinous rice). Integrating daily life and enjoying coconut. In addition, visitors can continue to visit the eco-tourism route of Tan Quy islet, coconut gardens in Cau Ke district and homestays with rustic and Khmer hospitable ethnic; or choose to experience ecotourism destination of Chim islet in Hoa Minh commune, Chau Thanh district.

In the similarity of Land and People between the two provinces of Ben Tre and Tra Vinh, the culture, tourist resources have many unique features that many provinces do not have. The link of tourism products of the two provinces has created new products which have been well received and signed by many travel companies. The solidarity and consensus among the four houses: The Government, the Travel Company, the tourist and the people doing tourism will increasingly promote the development of inter-provincial tourist cooperation and help an eastern tourist cluster in the Mekong Delta become an attractive destination for tourists today and tomorrow.

Author: Thanh Son

Translator: Phuong Thy

Source: http://dulich.bentre.gov.vn

Letter from The Director of Ben Tre Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to Tourists

Ben Tre Tourism: Coconut's a glimpse of the city

With a rich history of more than 100 years, Ben Tre city has witnessed many ups and downs through periods that have been close-knit to generations of Coconut Land. Today, Ben Tre city’s appearance has changed in the direction of modern civilization but it still retains its simple and rustic features. Ben Tre has become a safe, friendly and attractive tourist destination, especially for international tourists.

On February 13, 2019, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 174 to recognize Ben Tre city as a grade-II city belonging to Ben Tre province. This is a great joy for the Communist Party, local authoritiy and the people in the province, in general, and those in Ben Tre city in particular. It is the economic, cultural and social center of the province, located on the Bao island, including Giong Trom, Ba Tri and Ben Tre city with an area of 71.11 km².

According to statistics, the number of tourists visiting Ben Tre city is increasing and gradually gaining the affection of many domestic and foreign tourists from the its safety, the freshness of its landscape, the environment, enthusiasm, and the friendly and hospitable people of Coconut Land. In 2017, tourism in Ben Tre city attracted 323,750 visitors and the total revenue from tourists was nearly 264,250 billion VND; the number of passengers increased by 21% per year on average; average revenue increase of 25% / year compared to the same period last year. In 2019, the number of visitors to Ben Tre city reached 409,312 visitors and the total revenue from tourists was nearly 334 billion. This has been very impressive figure and shown that the tourism potential in Ben Tre city is plentifu.

The 3-star Viet - Uc Hotel in Ben Tre (Photo: XTDLBT)

Currently, Ben Tre city has more than 30 accommodation establishments, including one, 04-star hotel (Coconut hotel - Ben Tre Riverside Resort), two, 03-star hotels (Ham Luong, Viet - Uc hotel); three, 01-star hotels (Dai An, Sao Mai and Oasis Kiwi hotel) and many homestays with close and harmonious style (Muoi No, Ba Danh, Duyen Que, Nguyet Que, ...) They make up 1/3 of total number of accommodation establishments in the whole province of Ben Tre today.

At the same time, Ben Tre city is also promoting the development of a ecotourism in the land of Coconut with many interesting experience activities such as boating, fish catching, ... Typically, the famous tourist destinations such as Lan Vuong, Phu An Khang, Ha Thao, Vuon Xanh, ... have attracted a lot of tourists. 

Currently, Tourists from Europe and North America always choose Ben Tre city in particular and Ben Tre province in general as a safe and quality destination in their travel itineraries tour to be known as “The ecoutourism of Coconut Land” 

Slapping ditches for fishing (Photo: PAK)

Traveling to Ben Tre city, besides the ecotourism, visitors will also have the opportunity to experience many other types such as spiritual tourism through sightseeing and worshiping at temples with long standing history (Vien Minh pagoda, Vien Giac pagoda, Bach Van pagoda, Phu Tu temple and ancient white apricot tree (recognized as a national heritage tree). 

Tourists can visit traditional craft villages (mat weaving, coconut candy processing village, coconut handicraft, etc.) and visit cultural and historical architectural works (Dong Khoi monument, Tran Van On monument, Ben Tre museum - relics and residence of the hero of the Revolutionary armed forces Colonel Pham Ngoc Thao (national monument), victory monument on the Ben Tre river at Hoang Lam park, ... 

Truc Giang Lake (Photo: Collection)

Tourism of Ben Tre city also attracts visitors through wonderful dishes. Visitors can easily enjoy delicacies such as cooking rice in coconut, roested shrimp with coconut milk, fried elephant - ear, fish hotpot, ... at many local of restaurants. Especially coconut sprout salad and cooking rice in coconut with roasted shrimp with coconut milk are 02 of the top 100 delicious dishes in Vietnam. 

In addition, domestic and foreign tourists can buy a lot of specialties here as gifts for family and friends such as green skin pomelo - a fruit that has been granted by the national office of intellectual property of Vietnam since 2005. Ben Tre green skin pomelo and green siam coconuts have also been granted the certificate of geographical indications by the national office of intellectual property since 2018. Coconut cakes, coconut candy, cosmetics from coconut, handicrafts made of coconut of Ben Tre are sold at many markets or tourist stops. Currently, the situation of covid-19 epidemic has seriously affected many sectors of the economy including tourism. In Ben Tre city - in particular and Ben Tre province - in general, hotels, resorts, tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, ...always actively implement many measures to prevent and control epidemic to ensure safety for locals and visitors. According to the Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ben Tre, Mr. Truong Quoc Phong, “All the natural features as well as the strict epidemic prevention solutions of our country are the basis for proving Vietnamese tourism, including Ben Tre” is a safe destination for visitors. Ben Tre with the featured products of eco-tourism and association with organic agriculture is a reliable choice of travelers. The tourism industry together with tourism business, join together in implementing safe epidemic prevention solutions and stimulus solutions to create trust for tourists."

Therefore, the tourist destinations and businesses in Ben Tre have simultaneously implemented many programs to stimulate and promote, tourism, ... Hope, tourism in Ben Tre city in particular and province in general will grow more and more after the epidemic season because it is always a safe and quality destination for domestic and foreign tourists./.

Author: Tuong Vi

Translator: Phuong Thy

100th Anniversary of Nguyen Thi Dinh's birthday

“The Deputy Commander of the Southern Liberation Armed Forces is Madame Nguyen Thi Ðinh. Our country alone in the whole world has such a woman in general. This is a glorious thing for the South and our entire nation.” That’s what President Ho Chi Minh said at the meeting commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the Vietnamese Women’s Union (20/10/1930 - 20/10/1950).

Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh was born on March 15th, 1920 in a revolutionary family in Luong Hoa village, Giong Trom district, Ben Tre province. At the age of 16, she took part in the revolutionary army and became a member of the Indochinese Communist Party when she turned 18.

Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh and other female delegates The Second Congress of Heroes of Emulation Soldiers in the South (9/1967) (image from public source)

In 1946, at the age of 26, she was a member of a cadre group of zone 8 coming to the North to meet Uncle Ho and reported the resistance situation of Ben Tre and the South to look for weapons. She commanded and brought back a replete ship weapon to the South safely, supported for all the provinces in the South. This was the first ship and also one of a 70-ships-group in the “No number ships” in the Ho Chi Minh street on the sea.

In 1960, she was Ben Tre Provincial Communist Party Secretary and one of the local people’s revolution commanders. She was the direct leader of the first Dong Khoi Movement (17/01/1960) with the main force was women. The victory of Dong Khoi Movement opened a new way for Ben Tre province and Vietnam Revolution later. Then, Uncle Ho has given them the name: “Long-haired communist group/troop”.

She was given different roles by the Communist Party and Government of Vietnam: Ben Tre Provincial Party Secretary, chairwoman of the South Vietnam Women’s Liberation Association, Deputy Commander of the People's Liberation Armed Forces of South Vietnam,… She was given the rank of Major General in 1974.

After the war and the reunification of Vietnam, she kept a lot of roles: Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalid and Social Affair, Chair Women of Vietnamese Women’s Union, Vice President of State Council.

She died on 26/8/1992. In 1995, she was posthumously awarded the heroic title of the People's Armed Forces. To be rewarded for services rendered to Vietnamese country, Ben Tre has built the Nguyen Thi Dinh Temple in her hometown - Luong Hoa village, Giong Trom district. This is an artistic architecture and a place to remind people of her huge merit. This culture structure attracts a lot of tourists coming to visit, retrieve the past, and thank Madame Dinh and lots of other heroes.

Nguyen Thi Dinh Temple (image from public source)

In the evening of 16/01/2020, Ben Tre solemnly celebrated 60th anniversary of Ben Tre Movement (17/01/1960 - 17/01/2020) and 100th anniversary of the Hero of the People’s Armed Forces - Nguyen Thi Dinh’s birthday (15/03/1920 - 15/03/2020).

Recreate the scene of Dong Khoi Movement 60 years ago (image from public source)

In this ceremony, President of Vietnamese Congress - Madame Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan emphasized that: With 60th anniversary of Ben Tre Movement, Ben Tre local people and Committee Party celebrated solemnly 100th anniversary of the People’s Armed Forces, former Vice President of State Council, Nguyen Thi Dinh - an excellent person in Ben Tre - where Dong Khoi Movement began.

Mr. Phan Van Mai - Provincial Communist Party Secretary, member of Central Communist Party gave a speech to remind everyone of our tradition, he continuously emphasized on the historical value of Dong Khoi Movement and our gratefulness for Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh: “Every time mentioning about Dong Khoi Movement in 1960, we can’t forget Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh, one of the leaders as well as the soul of Dong Khoi Movement in Ben Tre and also the South. Since this movement, Madame Dinh became more and more famous by her unique revolution method: The three attack spearheads (military and politics and enemy, propaganda), especially in her political fighting, military skills of women, of the long-haired warriors. They associated with our guerrilla warfare in American - Vietnam War.”

Ben Tre Communist Party is proud of our heroine of the People’s Armed Forces, Vice President of State Council, Deputy Commander of the Southern Liberation Armed Forces, the leader of Dong Khoi Movement - Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh in 1960. Her life and her revolutionary achievement have been embedded into our Vietnamese golden history and always be remembered. 

Author: Phuong Thy

Translator: Minh Thuy

Coconut floating market: A beautiful tourist destination on the Thom River

The Thom River is a historic river that has been embedded in the memory of many generations of people in Ben Tre. From a small canal, the Thom River today has gradually changed its look with the busy trading scene of coconut products on the river; the two riversides are villages processing coconut fiber stretching over 3 km. Since then, the Coconut floating market on the Thom River is like a unique tourism brand of Ben Tre that is different from any other floating markets in the Mekong Delta provinces and the whole country. The operation of the Coconut floating market helps local people develop not only the economy and trade but also the field of tourism.

During the French colonial period, the French dug Thom canal in Mo Cay district to connect the Ham Luong river with Co Chien river for colonial exploitation. In the two wars of resistance to liberate the people from oppressive foreign reign, the Thom River was a place which marked many victories of our army and people, also attached to the childhood of many generations of people in this Land of Coconuts.

Coconut Floating market on Thom River (image from public source)

For a long time, the Coconut floating market on the Thom River has been dubbed it a unique floating market of the West because of its main products such as coconut and other products from coconut. Floating markets are a cultural beauty in the Southwestern region because it is the gift of nature with a system of rivers and canals, so the scene of trading and exchanging goods often takes place on the boat and thrills tourists to enjoy and want to experience it. If Can Tho city has Cai Rang floating market, Tien Giang has Cai Be floating market, Hau Giang used to have Nga Bay floating market, An Giang has Long Xuyen floating market... then Ben Tre has its Coconut floating market on Thom river as a pride of the people of Mo Cay Nam in particular and of Ben Tre in general.

The Coconut floating market originates from the Thom river connecting the Co Chien and Ham Luong rivers, which is the central waterway of Cu Lao Minh coconut forest. Many coconut processing enterprises have been built with a lot of buyers and sellers exchanging and trading, the area has gradually became what is now known as "the floating Coconut market". Every day, there are hundreds of boats from both inside and outside the province (Soc Trang, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, and neighboring districts in the province) flocking there to buy and sell coconuts. Visitors will have the opportunity to see for themselves: the workers work from early in the morning to the evening doing familiar jobs such as peeling coconut, making coconut meat, separating and drying coconut fiber... Thereby, visitors can empathize with the hard work in the lives of the people here, with the joy and smiles that are always radiant on their faces. It is because coconut, which is the typical tree of the homeland, has been attached to generations so the works which related to planting, exploiting and processing coconut in Ben Tre have always been a beautiful characteristic that needs to be preserved and promoted.

Currently, on the two banks of the Thom River, there are many establishments operating overnight to promptly supply goods to businesses in the province in order to make various unique products from coconut such as dried powder coconut, coconut fiber, coconut charcoal, clean coconut soil, coconut oil, coconut candy, coconut fiber nets, coconut handicraft products... Notably, craft villages along the Thom River in An Thanh commune, Mo Cay Nam district, Khanh Thanh commune Tan, Mo Cay Bac district... have created jobs for thousands of workers, helped local people to settle down and be a part of this unique tourism brand in Ben Tre.

The tourism industry will become a key economic sector of Ben Tre province in the future, be characterized by thousands of coconut forests, lush orchards, and many tourist products from this Land of Coconuts. The brand of "Land of Coconuts’ River Ecotourism" has been promoted more and more recently. Capturing the potential and beauty in tourism at the Coconut floating market on the Thom river, in recent years, many travels and tour companies have included this product in tours and routes to offer tourists visiting the Coconut floating market, combined with many other tourism products of Ben Tre and other provinces in Viet Nam.

From Ben Tre city, visitors can walk to the town of Mo Cay Nam and take boat, along the Thom River or travel from the piers in the center of Ben Tre city to Ham Luong River, connecting to the Thom river. Currently, Ben Tre has many ecotour programs for visitors to freely explore this floating market from tourist agencies in Ben Tre.

Tourist visitors visit the Thome River by boat (image from C2T tourism)

When experiencing this river in the Land of Coconuts, visitors will be seated on a boat and listened to information from the tourist guide and enjoyed the poetic scenery of the rows of coconut trees on the banks of the Thom River. After that, the tour guide will take tourists to visit craft villages so that they can learn about the work of the local people such as peeling coconut, making coconut meat, making coconut candy... and take souvenir photos. Next, visitors will move to Thanh Long island to visit the extremely sacred Thuy Tuong temple and dine at local’s houses with many rustic dishes such as sour snakehead fish soup, coconut fried shrimp, chicken porridge. In addition, this 1-day journey also takes visitors to Ben Tre special national historical sites, Dong Khoi Movement to study about the historic years of heroic resistance war in the Dong Khoi movement in 1960 in Mo Cay Nam district...

Having experienced many ups and downs of history, the Thom River that has become a legendary river and the Coconut floating market on it always brings an extremely simple, rustic cultural beauty and is one of the hidden charms with a lot of potential for the tourism industry in the Land of Coconuts. Hopefully, in the near future, tours, trips, and experiences in Ben Tre will be increasingly promoted so that domestic and foreign tourists and they have the opportunity to experience interesting and unique activities at the Coconut floating market on the Thom river./.

Author: Tường Vi

Translator: Phương Thy

17 of the best things to do in Vietnam

Vietnam offers adventure at every turn. Here are our favourite things to do in the dazzling Halong Bay, vibrant cities Hoi An, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City, the rural north and beyond...

1. Light a lantern in Hoi An

Lanterns in Hoi An (Dreamstime)

Every Tết (Vietnamese New Year), Hoi An is transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour and light for its Lantern Festival. The celebration lasts for seven days, with the road from Hoi An Bridge to the Hoai River Square adorned with thousands of colourful lanterns.

Over 50 workshops take part in the event, each trying to create the prettiest lantern. The colours are bright and the designs are strictly traditional.

The heart of the festivities is in the old town, between the Japanese Covered Bridge and the Cau An Hoi Bridge. It’s crowded, chaotic and festive, with spontaneous singing and food stalls at every turn. It is as much a celebration for locals as it is for visitors. 

The most breathtaking sight is thousands of lanterns floating on the river; hire a sampan boat to get a closer look. For a small sum, you can buy a lantern and set it afloat too. 

Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Hoi An for New Year: smaller lantern festivals are held every full moon. In 2020, Vietnamese New Year fell on 25 January. In 2021, it will be celebrated on 12 February, and on 1 February in 2022.

2. Visit Halong Bay and its equally spectacular neighbour

Halong Bay (Dreamstime)

With 1,600 limestone towers rising from its turquoise waters, Halong Bay is rightly considered one of Vietnam’s most beautiful spots. As a result, it’s on every visitor's list - and hundreds of boats offer cruise trips every day. The bay is huge, but it can still feel crowded.

Bai Tu Long Bay, just a few miles away, offers the same jaw-dropping scenery but sees only a fraction of the visitors. Here, you can explore uncrowded caves and tiny beaches, and feast on super-fresh succulent seafood.

Boat trips to Bai Tu Long Bay leave from the crowded dock at Halong City, just like the ones to Halong Bay. But you'll head off in the opposite direction, to where the islands are a little less taller and a little more spread out - but, according to locals, are just like what those in Halong Bay used to be like.

3. Hike through Cat Ba Island

Ngu Lam Peak, the end point of a popular Cat Ba hiking trail (Shutterstock)

You can't go wrong with a visit to Cat Ba Island. The views are spectacular, and the nearby Lan Ha Bay is a brilliant Halong alternative - another breathtakingly beautiful bay, without the tourist masses.

It's USP? The hiking, says Wanderlust's Rosie Fitzgerald. Enjoy trekking through the pristine rainforest that makes up the vast national park. The Lookout Tower Trail is a popular and fairly easy hike. Walk upwards for around an hour, until you come out at a rusted shelter, from where you can appreciate just how untouched Cat Ba really is.

If you want more, venture up a little further to reach the stunning Ngu Lam Peak. It's worth the effort to look out over the jagged, green mountains that blur out into the distance.

For more of a challenge, book a guide and embark on the Cang Viet Hai Trail - an 18km, undulating trail that requires a good fitness level. Prepare to climb steep, slippery paths and scramble over thick knots of tree routes that block the path.

4. Cruise the Mekong Delta

The Mekong River's famous floating markets (Shutterstock)

After travelling over 4,000km from the Tibetan Himalaya, the Mekong hits Vietnam and slows down to a more languid pace. With islands, rice paddies, stilted villages and a way of life that hasn’t changed for centuries, it’s as if the river wants to take it easy and soak up the view.

Hitch a ride with a cargo boat and you can do exactly that. Simply find a shady spot to hitch your hammock and gaze at faraway riverbanks as your boat, weighed down with fruit and rice sacks, ploughs the treacly brown flow.

Or, take one of the many commercial cruises that ply parts of the river. The cruise from Cai Be to Can Tho is a great way to experience a night on the river. As you travel southwards along the Mang Thit River linking the Tien Giang and Bassac systems, the channel becomes so narrow that you can peer into the riverbank’s rickety stilted houses.

5. Drop into the world’s largest cave in Phong Nha National Park

Hang Son Doong Cave (Shutterstock)

Quang Binh province is a wild region of barely penetrable jungle in Vietnam’s skinny middle, close to the border with Laos. The area is riddled with hundreds of deep caves, including one of the largest in the world - Hang Son Doong. It contains a cavern so tall that a skyscraper could fit inside it.

The small town of Phong Nha is the epicentre for the area’s caving adventures, its eponymous cave another UNESCO-listed wonder well worth exploring. Here, you can hire both the guides and the gear you’ll need to descend into the caves.

If going underground doesn’t appeal, the area is also famous for trekking. The surrounding jungle is peppered with stunning waterfalls and an active (and noisy) population of monkeys and flying foxes.

6. Visit the coffee-making heartland, Buon Ma Thuot

The World Coffee Museum in Buon Ma Thuot (Shutterstock)

Buon Ma Thuot is the regional capital of the central highlands of Vietnam, a gorgeous area of thundering waterfalls and the traditional villages of the local Ede people. Look out for stilted structures reached by a ladder and marked by carved breasts. In this fiercely matriarchal area, they can only be used by the women of the house.

Buon Ma Thuot is also the heart of Vietnam’s thriving coffee industry. The Trung Nguyen coffee company is the big player here, and there’s not a corner of paddy field or industrial zone in the area that doesn’t bear their logo. 

In the city itself, there are plenty of coffee-related attractions. Visitors can learn about the country's and the world's coffee industries in the World Coffee Museum year-round. In March 2021 and March 2023, the city's various coffee venues will be offering freebies to celebrate the local produce, during the biennial Coffee Festival. 

You'll probably come across 'weasel' coffee during your visit, also known as kopi luwak or civet coffee, which aficionados claim is the best in the world. While many believe its unique taste is excellent, it's worth knowing that recent investigations have found unethical animal welfare practices on coffee farms across the region.

7. Search for Vietnam’s best pho in Hanoi

Vietnamese pho (Dreamstime)

Pho is a Vietnamese staple - a quick, tasty meal made from four simple ingredients: clear stock, boiled beef, rice noodles and herbs or green onions. In Vietnam, you’ll find it served on street corners and in upscale restaurants, as well as in every family home.

Hanoi has gained a reputation as the pho capital of Vietnam. Every restaurant here boasts a secret recipe. Take your time searching for the best - that's part of the fun! But if you want our advice? Head to Lo Duc in theFrench Quarter and sit yourself down at Pho Thin.

This unassuming pho house, with wooden benches and laminated tables, does things a little differently - such as stir-frying the beef in garlic before adding it to the soup. Local foodies insist it gives the pho an unusual smokiness, one you won't found in other restaurants. Pho Thin is always packed, but once you're inside, you'll know it was worth the wait. 

8. Understand Vietnam’s bloody past in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City Museum, located in the Gia Long Palace (Shutterstock)

More than 60% of Vietnam’s population was born after the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. But that doesn’t mean its war-torn history is ignored. As a nation, Vietnam has moved on, but the sacrifices made by both sides of the conflict are still remembered all over the country, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City Museum has many informative exhibitions, and explains the country's bloody past through photographs, artefacts and memorabilia. It's sensitively done, without glossing over the atrocities, and (rather ironically) is housed in the Gia Long Palace, where Ngo Dinh Diem spent his final hours in power before his assassination in 1963.

The War Remnants Museum is a more grisly - but equally essential - reminder of local atrocities. From eerie bomb remnants and first-person accounts by war veterans to a bloodied guillotine and photographs of horrific napalm burns, this is a chilling reminder of life not-too-long ago.

9. Go to church, Vietnamese-style

Worshippers inside Cao Dai temple (Shutterstock)

Tây Ninh, a busy town on the Mekong Delta, is perhaps the most unlikely holy city on the planet. Here, amongst the busy streets stalls and noisy traffic sits Cao Dai Temple, the Holy See of the Cao Dai religion.

Caodaism is a Vietnamese hybrid religion founded in the 1920s. It fuses Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, occult and Islam with the ultimate aim to break free of the cycle of life and death. The sect reveres, among others: Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed and even French novelist Victor Hugo.

From a distance, the temple’s towers resemble a parochial church. But closer inspection reveals an eclectic facade with sword-brandishing gods, swastikas, a Communist red star and an Orwellian all-seeing eye.

Prayers are conducted four times a day, with the one at noon popular with day-trippers from Ho Chi Minh City.

10. Cycle around Hue

Cyclo drivers in Hue (Dreamstime)

Halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Hue marked the divide between the north and the south during the Vietnam War. Set upon the pretty Perfume River, it has always played an important part in Vietnamese history and is dotted with important historical sites.

It is also a great place to cycle. Set off in the cool of the morning and head three kilometres out of town to the Tiger Fighting arena. It was Vietnam’s version of the Colosseum, a place where elephants and tigers would fight to honour the strength of the monarchy. Next, head to Tu Duc Tomb before reaching Vong Canh Hill - the best spot for panoramic views of the Perfume River.

From Vong Canh Hill, it’s downhill to one of Hue's most atmospheric pagodas, Tu Hieu, which is located in a tranquil and picturesque pine forest. Swing by the tomb of Minh Mang, the second emperor of the Nguyen dynasty, before heading back to town.

Upon reaching the walled fortress of the Imperial Citadel, you have two choices: take a leisurely cycle through the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam's version of the Forbidden City, or enjoy a relaxing drink next to the Perfume River.

Sound too much like hard work? You find any number of cyclo drivers nearby to do all the effort for you.

11. Find romance at Sapa’s love market

H'mong women at a market in Sapa (Dreamstime)

The market town of Sapa, in Vietnam’s mountainous north, first became popular as a French hill station in the 1930s. Set on a 1,650m-high mountain ridge, the town boasts fabulous views of the Hoang Lien Mountains and a colourful market attended by hill tribes from the surrounding countryside every Saturday.

The town has become increasingly popular with tourists, but there are still old traditions hidden in its secret corners. One of those is the Love Market, where Dao (and H’mong) men and women come from miles around to sing songs of love to each other. It was originally held at the end of trading at the Saturday markets, but over-zealous visitors taking intrusive photos has driven the tradition underground.

The Love Market still exists, but now it takes place in secret locations in the dead of night, well away from the gaze of visitors. But if your interest is genuine and you can find a local willing to trust you, the romance can still be found.

12. Sail past the Tam Coc rice fields

The Ngo Dong River and rice fields in Ninh Binh (Shutterstock)

In 2014, the Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex in the northern Vietnam's Ninh Binh province was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No wonder to anyone who has seen it with their own eyes: dramatic limestone karsts and sweeping, deep green valleys, often with boats floating along the Red River Delta.

The village of Tam Cốc-Bích Động (often referred to simple as 'Tam Coc') falls under this complex, and its famous rice paddies enjoy the same UNESCO-listed status. Undoubtedly, the best way to experience them to take a slow, languorous boat ride along the Ngo Dong River, admiring the otherworldly view as you go.

Getting to Tam Coc is easier than ever. Admittedly, the area has become more popular with visitors in recent years - for good reason. Buses and trains from Hanoi to Ninh Binh take about three hours, while organised day tours and two-day trips are available, if you'd prefer to take the pressure off planning your excursion.

13. Spot rare primates in Cat Tien National Park

Primates hanging out in Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam (Shutterstock)

Cat Tien National Park in southern Vietnam is a wildlife lover's dream: a 720 sq km biosphere reserve, comprised of botanical gardens and lowland forest, offering an abundance of rare creatures and birdlife, all kept safe and sheltered in a number of sanctuaries and rescue centres.

Golden-cheeked gibbons, silvered langurs and native pygmy lorsies are among the rare primates to be spotted in Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre. Cat Tien Bear Sanctuary homes tens of sun bears.

Asian elephants and clouded leopards are also among the rare sightings wildlife watchers have recorded in Cat Tien. Birders will have their hands full, too, with Asian barred owlet, blue-rumped and bar-bellied pittas, and orange-necked partridge sightings - just to name a few - very possible. 

Some of the park's animal residents come alive when the sky goes dark, so if you're hoping for a unique wildlife encounter in Vietnam, consider staying the night in one of Cat Tien's homestays or hotel accommodation, and embark on a nighttime drive. 

An added bonus? Those on a day trip will be zipping back to Ho Chi Minh City by then, which is approximately three hours and 30 minutes away by car, so you'll have more of the park to yourself.

14. Marvel at Ban Gioc Waterfall

The magnificent Ban Gioc Waterfall (Shutterstock)

Ban Gioc is the name of not one, but two colliding waterfalls along the Quay Son River - an iconic way to mark the Vietnam-China border, in the Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang on Vietnam's side, and Daxin County, Guangxi on China's.

Here, you'll be taking in one of South-East Asia's most breathtaking natural sights. Its sheer size (70m tall, and 208m wide) is marvel-worthy in itself, but the way the falls cascade down its rocky, limestone face is most eyecatching. If you're up for a climb, it is possible to trek up to the 'falls high points, as long as you're equipped with the appropriate walking gear.

Once you've soaked up the immense views, there's plenty to see and do in the Cao Bang region, which sits high up in the mountainous north-east of the country. Caves to explore, local homestays to experience, and more majestic waterfalls beckon.

15. Admire the Golden Hands Bridge in Da Nang

The Golden Hands Bridge in the Ba Na Hills, Da Nang (Shutterstock)

Have you ever seen a bridge quite like this one? The Golden Bridge (or Golden Hands Bridge, or Giant Hands Bridge) in the Da Nang province is one of a kind.

Pedestrians can stroll across the 150m-long pathway, high above the gorgeous greenery of the seemingly-endless Ba Na Hills, and feel like they're being held in the sky by two humongous, God-like stone hands. As it happens, the stone hands are not held up by God himself, but by a sturdy steel frame and fibreglass.

The reality-warping structure was created to attract more visitors to the Da Nang region, and surely no-one can refute its social media success. There are well over 108,000 images of the bridge on the #GoldenBridge hashtag alone.

If you went to Vietnam and you didn't post a picture of the Golden Hands Bridge on your Instagram page, did your trip even happen at all?!

16. Embrace tranquility on Phu Quoc Island

A peaceful beach on Phu Quoc Island (Shutterstock)

Off the coast of Cambodia lies the idyllic Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc: a haven for travellers hoping to get away from the hustle and bustle of Vietnam's cities.

There's no shortage of things to see and do on Phu Quoc. Wildlife lovers can head to Vinpearl Safari Care and Conservation Park, to meet, elephants, white Bengal tigers, macaques and silver langurs, among others. Head out into nature, with a hike through the dense forests of Phu Quoc National Park, and admiring the gentle trickle of Suoi Tranh Waterfall.

Once you're all walked out, ride in the incredibly long cable car to Hon Thom Nature Park, or sit back and relax on the pristine white sands of Sao Beach, Ong Lang or remote Khem Beach. Surrounded by palm trees and forest, you'll feel like you're sitting on the edge of paradise.

17. Live with the locals in Mai Chau

A local in the Mai Chau Valley village of Lac (Shutterstock)

Go beyond the tourist trail to the rural north-western province of Hòa Bình. Here, you'll have the opportunity to explore the Mai Chau Valley, enclosed in mountains and skirted by rice fields. A 'hidden gem', if we ever saw one.

To get a small sense of everyday life in this part of the country, stay with a local, White Tai family in a homestay. Your best bet is one of two villages: Lac or Poom Coong. Whichever you choose, you'll be waking up to the site of rice paddies and the unbelievably-green Vietnamese countryside each morning. The Vietnamese Tourist Board highly recommends choosing your homestay near Hieu, for its idyllic scenery.

Once you're settled, it's time to appreciate the White Tai community's way of life. Cycle through Mai Chau on a rented bike, or pop to the markets to purchase exquisitely-bright, locally-woven textiles. If you can take your eyes off your village's natural wonders, a day trip to the glistening, under-appreciated Hoa Binh Lake makes for an excellent trek.

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