Companion in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention

Tourism is a synthetic economic sector and it seems vulnerable whenever disease or natural disaster happens. Therefore, in the situation of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) complicated occurring, Ben Tre tourism is trying to inform tourists about some Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) methods to prevent to minimize infected ability, to help them protecting themselves, their family as well as our community.

A lack of tourists in a souvenirs display during COVID-19

According to VNExpress.net, until 13/02/2020, there have been 60161 cases of infection all over the world, including 8243 cases in critical condition and 1365 people in death because of this disease. 27 countries and territories have confirmed having cases of infection. Vietnam has confirmed 15 cases of infection in Vinh Phuc province (10 cases), Thanh Hoa province (1 case), Khanh Hoa province (1 case) and in Ho Chi Minh city (3 cases), but especially China - the biggest tourism market of Vietnam (Northern and North Central of Vietnam) is the outbreak country and currently in the process of spreading most seriously and dangerously.

Concerning Ben Tre, we have not had any cases of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 ) infection yet. However, the most important mission is to prevent and deal with the danger of the COVID-19 penetration in our province because it has been affected gradually our economy - especially tourism, agriculture,… and also our worried mind because of the complications occurring in many provinces and countries all over the world.

With the aim of propagating and preventing the danger of the COVID-19 penetration, following the government’s instruction (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ben Tre Province People’s committee), Ben Tre Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has promulgated two documents, consist of:

1. Official correspondence number 206/SVHTTDL-QLDL published on February 5th, 2020 about the urgent Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID - 19) prevention.

2. Official correspondence number 210/SVHTTDL-QLVH published on February 5th, 2020 about using the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID - 19) prevention measures.

According to these documents, Ben Tre tourism information promotion center accompanied with tourist businesses to survey and consult a lot of methods about the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention campaign, as follows:

- For the domestic traveler: Domestic tourist agencies must not organize tour, journey to any Coronavirus disease 2019 infected area (26 infected countries all over the world and 4 infected provinces in Vietnam). During the itinerary, help tourists avoid crowds by not taking them to pagodas, festivals,…. Instead, we encourage tourists to have sightseeing tours to mountains, scenic spots and any kind of ecotourism. Check and update the newest information about tourists’ health to have measures to prevent, isolate and report follow the local health authorities…

Tourists are going to travel by boat in Ben Tre

- Concerning traveler in Ben Tre: Both international tourists and inbound tourists who follow a contract between a travel agency inside our province and a travel agency outside our province as well as private tourists also obey all the listed instruction. But pay attention that we do not accept anybody who has gone to infected area. Ben Tre ecotourism is a safe destination and still opens as normal. 

- Concerning all the tour administrators, operators and staffs: obey all the leaders’ instructions. Do up all the tourist accommodations regularly to destroy all the virus. Remind your colleagues and your tourist accurate information about Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to avoid their worried mind. Raise your alert in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention. Do not ignore obeying the instructions for sake of money. 

During the itinerary, remember to remind tourist that they have to provide all the information about their journey and where they had gone whether they have a health problem or not. Cooperate with local health authorities providing information for disease surveillance. Use medical masks correctly and avoid being in the crowds. Do personal hygiene regularly, wash your hands by hand wash correctly, gargle by mouthwash. Do not spit higgledy-piggledy. When you cough, remember to cover your mouth and nose by tissue papers or handkerchief. Put used tissue papers in the wasted basket then wash your hands by hand wash or alcoholic solutions. Avoid contacting people who have temperature, cough, flu,…. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Only eat cooked food. Do not contact any wild animals or pets. Keep checking your health state continuously for 14 days after having contact infected people or living in the infected area (During this time, always wear medical masks and avoid being in crowds…)

Hoping with the consensus of Vietnam tourism, especially Ben Tre tourism, we will soon destroy the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and minimize the economic loss for our country. And we also hope that there won’t be any cases of COVID-19 infection and Ben Tre tourism will develop steadily with the feature: “Ben Tre ecotourism with the criteria: “safety - friendly - quality.” 

Writer: Thanh Son

Translator: Minh Thuy

Unique “bananas knead with coconut” flavor

Along with coconut tree, banana is also a familiar one and planted around the garden by many people in Ben Tre province. Do not know ever since, banana and coconut are "couple" with a harmonious combination, create many featured dishes with fat, sweet flavor specially and be liked by many people, such as: banana grilled with coconut milk, banana baked with coconut, banana sweet soup, ... but there is a dish with special flavor and has imprinted into the memories of people here, that is “Banana knead with coconut”.

Bananas knead with coconut, which vegetables and sauce (photo by Bao Tram)

For the best dish, bananas are used for cooking must be old, almost ripe. Firstly, we have to wash and soak bananas into the water to reduce gum, and then sort, pour water into a pot; and cook them. When we see bananas turning soft and cracked shells with yellow color they are ok. We should choose old bananas but not so ripe because when we eat, they will be very sweet. Secondly, we take out and peel bananas; then we knead them with curetted coconut; in this process, we can add some salt, sugar into the blend and it will have a special flavor very much.

Although it is very simple, the taste of this dish is extremely unique. There are many different ways to enjoy it. In many places, people enjoy this dish with many kinds of vegetables around their garden, such as lettuce, herbs, basil, ... and eat with fish source which is mixed with garlic, chili, and fresh coconut water. We can roll “bananas knead coconut” with vegetables and sauce. The acrid flavor from vegetables; fatty, salty, sweet flavor from “banana knead coconut”; spicy, odorous flavor from fish source. Everything will be blended together and made everyone who has ever tasted always want to enjoy more. In some places, people enjoy this dish with peanut and they don’t need vegetables or fish source because they want to feel the greasy banana itself fatty. You can enjoy this dish with someways you want because the flavor is always special. Anyone who has ever enjoyed “bananas knead with coconut” also has commented that only in Ben Tre people can make it become the greasy and soft level of blend and banana’s odorous flavor.

According to the timeline with the variety of other attractive dishes but with people in Ben Tre province, this dish is really a familiar and special dish of each family. “Banana knead coconut” has imprinted in the memories of people here and anyone who has loved it because of unique and special flavor. If you have opportunity, you should visit Ben Tre province once to enjoy this dish; certainly, you will want to come back here again./.

Writter: Bao Tram

Translator: Tuong Vi

Lunar New Year and the capital of coconut in Ben Tre, Vietnam

In Viet Nam, we celebrate Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Lunar calendar, a lunisolar calendar. Tet Nguyen Dan or Tet is not only the most important but also the popular holiday and festival in Vietnam, as known as, Lunar New year. 

Ben Tre is one of the 13 southern provinces in Vietnam which has many vast gardens of green coconut trees, therefore Ben Tre Province is considered the “capital” of coconuts in Vietnam. Ben Tre is also known for its cuisine that makes out mostly from coconut and provides some of the most beautiful scenery in the Mekong delta.

We have the saying that the atmosphere of Tet holiday always makes us tingled and so busy to prepare for a happy new year; perhaps Tet comes and goes, pass by like a breeze reflecting the spring flavor. All are nostalgically deposited many emotions, mood pay back, the memories as well as the excellent cuisine that we enjoy with family. The memory of Tet in Ben Tre will never be forgotten to people in Ben Tre particularly and Vietnamese in generally. In addition, we usually celebrate the New Year with generosity, lavishness and kindness with our family and others. As the economy grow, luxurious and high-class dishes have also evolved, however the traditional New Year holiday in the capital of coconut has always have been preserved by generations with countless dishes but simple and still full of meaning.

Bitter melon soup (Photo: Tường Vi)

The first traditional indispensable dish in Tet holiday could not help but mention is the meat of coconut milk, also known as the braised pork in coconut juice with eggs. Back in the old day, my family gathered around the dinning table and enjoy this dish. I have still remembered that each piece of soft cooked bacon had been mingled with the sweet, fragrant taste of coconut water and had been served with hot rice. At present, it brings not only warmth but also refresh and joy during New Year. This dish has a meaning for a whole new year full of prosperity because in the dish the bacons are sliced square symbolized the land, and the round duck eggs represent the sun like yin and yang harmony. Side by side with the braised pork in coconut juice with eggs is the bitter melon soup. We usually use minced pork or fish are stuffed with wood ear mushroom filling in the middle the bitter melon. The broth will be packed with flavor because a little bit of bitterness and sweet (from the stuffed mixture and the bitter melon). The soup always appears on the table of people in Ben Tre during Tet because they want to convey out the difficulties and hardships of the old year and wish to receive many luck, smoothness in every aspect of life and favorable for the new year.

Coconut Jam (Photo: Tường Vi)

Ben Tre people often invite guests with cake, jam, …that made from coconut, though simple, but imbued with the love. On New Year, every family here has rice paper, puff pastry, candy and jam made from coconut in their house to treat visitors. Rice paper, puff pastry which grilled on charcoal will be very crispy and tasty and will make us just want to keep eating them because the cake is made from rice flour and coconut milk combined with many other diverse ingredients such as milk, onions leaves, white sesame, and so on. In Ben Tre, coconut jam is also highly addictive, in a good way. Each piece of white coconut jam is crystallized with sugar, milk and eye-catching colors such as green of pineapple leaves, orange of carrots, red of spiny bitter gourd, purple cabbage, et cetera. It is not only eye-catching, but also chewy and rich in flavor. Moreover, coconut candy is also a traditional one and is indispensable in every Tet in Ben Tre. Coconut candy is made from malt, coconut milk, sand sugar and to add flavor, the worker adds peanuts, pineapple leaves, durian along with others.

In the spring days, when the weather is cold, with just a few soft, greasy coconut candies, and a hot tea is to die for with those who enjoy it for the first time. These are special gifts of Ben Tre that are usually presented at every souvenir shop in Ben Tre. 

Every spring, besides the traditional foods mentioned above, each home in Ben Tre will has a few other dishes depending on the preferences and economic conditions of each family such as dried shrimp, shrimp rolls, spring rolls, pork bologna, Chinese sausage, chicken porridge in the garden, coconut rice, tofu salad with coconut meat and shrimp, roasted shrimp with shrimp, fried fish served with vermicelli and rice paper, pig trotters stewed with dried bamboo shoots, and so forth. Even though 2020 New year has passed by, however, the echo of food still lingered at each house in Ben Tre

Life is becoming more and more modern and prosperous, we do not need to wait for New Year to come by to enjoy these delicious dishes which can be found at any restaurants, hotels, tourist destinations, and the like. In Ben Tre, services and reasonable prices always serve you wholeheartedly and hospitably by the idyllic people.

Writer: Tường Vi

Translator: Phương Thy