Bến Tre to develop unique tourism products, make tourism key industry

Bến Tre is seeking to make its tourism an important industry and one of the leading cultural and eco-tourism destinations in the Mekong Delta for visitors.

Visitors at an eco-tourism site in Bến Tre Province. - VNA Photo

Bến Tre is seeking to make its tourism an important industry and one of the leading cultural and eco-tourism destinations in the Mekong Delta for visitors.

Annual tourism revenue is targeted through 2025 to reach from VNĐ2.3 trillion to VNĐ3.2 trillion (US$ 94.2 million to $131 million), with an annual growth rate of between 22 and 25 per cent. 

In this period, Bến Tre aims to welcome around 2.3 million to 3 million visitors per year, of which international tourists will account for 40 to 45 per cent to maintain an average annual growth rate of visitors of 12 - 15 per cent.

Then, through 2030, Bến Tre targets turning tourism into a key industry with sustainable development. It will become an attractive and competitive destination, and one of the leading regions in the Mekong Delta in terms of tourism. 

The revenue goal for this period will be VNĐ3.8 trillion to VNĐ6 trillion and at least 3.2 million to 5 million visits every year, with 46-48 per cent of them being international tourists.

According to the deputy chairman of Bến Tre People’s Committee, Nguyễn Thị Bé Mười, to reach the goal, the province is carrying out solutions such as restructuring its tourism in a more professional and modern way, and creating favourable conditions to attract international tourists to Bến Tre. 

The province is increasing investment attraction and tourism development that focuses on key areas and strengths, as well as developing tourism products and promoting tourism.

Bến Tre Province is facilitating the rapid development of its domestic tourism market and the effective utilisation of international tourists, especially tourists who spend more and stay longer. 

The province is also developing a wide range of tourism products and linking them to other industries and goods, with the motto of “making the tourist experience the central focus”, and making use of local cultural heritage.

Bến Tre Province will effectively cooperate on tourism development with HCM City and other cities and provinces in Mekong Delta. 

Bến Tre is also focusing on the development of community-based, rural tourism, especially tourism products that incorporate rural sceneries, local culture, craft products and craft villages.

It aims to build its tourism brand as the land of coconut, relying on its potential, natural advantages and history to build a safe, attractive, hospitable tourism destination.

Bến Tre's tourism strengths include beautiful and relaxing rural sceneries, favourable weather, tourism models related to coconuts and other types of fruit, and traditional craft villages.

In 2023, local tourism has had a good recovery and tourism has grown through promotion and tourism connection events.

During the year, Bến Tre welcomed more than 2.2 million tourists (397,962 international visits), an increase of 72 per cent over the same period last year.

Revenue was estimated at nearly VNĐ2.8 trillion, up 77 per cent over the same period last year. – VNS

Source: https://vietnamnews.vn/

Stir-Fried Coconut Shoots with Shrimp

Ben Tre is honored to have been selected by the Vietnam Record Organization as having 2 dishes among the Top 100 Vietnamese Specialty Dishes for the 5th time in 2021-2022, including Stir-Fried Coconut Shoots with Shrimp. The impressive experience of enjoying this dish will be the sweet and crunchy texture within each piece of coconut shoot, combined with the natural fragrant sweetness of the shrimp. 

Coconut shoots stir-fried with shrimp is one of the popular dishes enjoyed by diners. Coconut shoots are cut into pieces of thin one and soaked in ice water mixed with freshly squeezed lemon juice to maintain their crispness and white color when preparing the dish. After soaking in ice water, they are quickly blanched in boiling water. The shrimp is cleaned and then sautéed with fragrant garlic, added the coconut shoots and season with spices. When the coconut shoots stir-fried with shrimp is cooked, it is served with white rice and can be accompanied by soy sauce or chili fish sauce.

Coconut shoot salad with shrimp and pork

One of the distinctive and famous dishes of the hometown of coconuts, Ben Tre, is the Coconut Shoot Salad with Shrimp and Meat. It is a must-try when visiting there.

This dish is characterized by the main ingredient which is made from Ben Tre's fresh and crunchy coconut shoot. It has a fragrant and refreshing taste, adding a delightful sweetness to the dish.

Coconut shoot salad with braised pork and boiled shrimp is a dish that combines the flavors of Ben Tre's fresh coconut shoot, tender braised pork, and succulent boiled shrimp. The dressing used in the salad enhances the deliciousness and nutrition of the dish. With the sweet and sour taste of each piece of coconut shoot, the crispy texture of fresh shrimp, and the rich flavor of belly pork, combined with the distinctive aroma of Vietnamese coriander, fried purple onion, and roasted peanuts, one bite of this dish will leave a lasting impression.

Coconut porridge

Coconut porridge is a combination of rice and coconut milk. Ben Tre coconut porridge offers a delightful taste experience. It used to be a popular breakfast dish among rural residents in the land of coconuts and is loved by many. Coconut porridge is a simple dish made with white rice, coconut milk, and grated coconut flesh. The rice is cooked until soft and then mixed with coconut milk and grated coconut. All the ingredients are blended harmoniously to create a delicious and comforting flavor. When eating coconut porridge, one can taste the natural sweetness of the coconut, along with a hint of saltiness or dried fish, roasted shrimp, and various seafood such as catfish, snakehead fish, clams, and mussels, which add further variations to the dish when cooked together.

"Coconut Land" Tourism - Building special products

 Ben Tre is one of thirteen provinces and city in the Mekong Delta - consisting of three islands – Bảo, Minh and An Hóa, embraced by four of the nine tributaries of the gentle Mekong River: Tiền, Hàm Luông, Ba Lai and Cổ Chiên rivers. It is dubbed as the Land of Coconuts with a system of interlaced canals, has created the tourist brand "Eco-waterway coconut land" - A safe, friendly and quality destination.

Cù Lao Minh consists of four districts: Chợ Lách, Mỏ Cày Bắc, Mỏ Cày Nam and Thạnh Phú, creating a eco-waterway tourist route "From the river to the sea" known to many tourists and travel agencies. In particular, the province's tourist industry is rebuilding a specific tourist route, a eco-waterway tourist route that can only be experienced in the Coconut Land of Bến Tre. It is the route to the coconut floating market, the large cococraft village on the Thom river – Mỏ Cày Nam and the Chợ Lách Cultural and Tourist Village.

Coconut Homestay

Mỏ Cày Nam district has the top coconut growing area and output in the province with handicraft villages, fiber, desiccated coconut. Mỏ Cày Town will be oriented to become a "coconut city" and built on the foundation of an ecological urban area with cultural identity, associated with coconut trees. This place is convenient for both road and waterway traffic - the intersection of National Highway 60 and 57. Special national relic "Đồng Khởi relic" in Định Thuỷ commune - displays coconut shells, machetes, home-made guns, self-made bombs and mines, guerilla - fighting villages; national relic of Tuyên Linh Pagoda in Minh Đức commune. Thom river connects two big rivers, Hàm Luông and Cổ Chiên, bustling with coconut floating market - day and night; production facilities of handicrafts from coconut; boat building craft village in An Định commune; green skin pomelo cooperative groups; organic coconut gardens; Coconut Homestay using materials from coconut trees,…

Ornamental flower village and Cai Mon seedings

Chợ Lách district - "Cái Mơn - the kingdom of ornamental flowers", "the land of good fruit trees" or "the largest seedling production area in the country" is a new rural district with many OCOP (one commune one product) products which are considered local specialties such as: rambutan, durian, green-skin pomelo, mangosteen, bonsai, seedlings - ornamental flowers,... of 31 traditional villages with famous and long-standing brands. Besides, the district is rich in spiritual life and many ancient religious architectural works: Kim Long pagoda, Cái Mơn ancient church, Cái Nhum church... Currently, the district has many attractions, homestays, accommodation facilities are operating such as: Hoàng Duy, Năm Công ornamental gardens...(Hưng Khánh Trung B), Lâm Nga hanging flower (Vĩnh Thành), Nguyễn Gia ecotourism (Tân Thiềng) and homestay Năm Hiền (Chợ Lách Town), Ba Ngói eco-tourism site (Vĩnh Bình), Đại Lộc (Sơn Định), Jardin Du Mekong (Hòa Nghĩa),,, Trương Vĩnh Ký commemorated stele, Cái Mơn bio-technology application area. Especially, Chợ Lách Culture and Tourist Village consists of 4 communes: Long Thới Commune: Rooster Mekong Resort; Vĩnh Thành Commune: Cái Mơn largest ornamental flower village in Chợ Lách and the fruit gardens of Bảy Thảo and Minh Thanh …; Phú Sơn commune: producing all kinds of colourful-paper flowers; Vĩnh Hòa commune: seedlings, ornamental flowers and special fighting cocks farm. The Village of Culture and Tourism has installed a lighting system in An Hòa hamlet, Long Thới commune; expanding district road 34, 35 and 37; concreting 2 dike roads at Đông Kinh and Lân Đông hamlets (3.5km) to make a new road for electric vans and bicycles; building piers at Lân Đông hamlet and  at Kinh Bảo Vàng bridge, welcome gates to Culture and Tourist Village in Vĩnh Nam, Đông Kinh, An Hòa hamlets...

The eco waterway tourist itinerary (Sông Thom) and Chợ Lách Culture and Tourist village will be prominent tour, attracting tourists in the near future, specifically the 2 days / 1 night program as follows:

Day 1:

Depart from Ben Tre City to Chợ Lách. Stop at Chợ Lách Cultural and Tourist Village, ride a bicycle or take electric van to visit Cai Mon ornamental flower gardens and Bay Thao durian garden, Lan Dong paper flower village , experience the cock-farm… Continue to Long Thoi commune, rest and have lunch at Rooster Mekong Resort. Afternoon, cruise on Ham Luong river, visit Cai Ga islet. Back to Mo Cay Nam, on the way, visit the memorial stele of Truong Vinh Ky, Cai Mon church, Cai Mon biotechnology application area. Dinner and overnight at Coconut homestay.

Day 2:

Breakfast, visit Tuyet Phung coconut candy kiln and special national relic "Đồng Khởi relic" Định Thuỷ commune, Mỏ Cày Nam; row sampan in the coconut water canal, experience handicrafts and small-scale coconut processing, boat  trip on the Thom River, visit the coconut floating market, cycle around the craft village, An Thanh commune market... Get in the car, go to the tourist destination - Thành Long Coconut Garden, Thành Thới B Commune, have lunch, visit the temple of Whale, admire the bridge and Cổ Chiên River. End program. Continue the journey to Trà Vinh - Khmer culture.

With cultural values and potentials, in the coming time, Cù Lao Minh in general and the Chợ Lách – Mỏ Cày Nam tourist program will promote its strengths in tourism. In the near future, Bến Tre tourism will show up and has new shirt, attracting more and more domestic and foreign tourists.

Source: dulich.bentre.gov.vn

Solutions for the recovery and development of Ben Tre tourist activities in the present context

 In the first quarter of 2021, the tourist activities in the province continued to meet many difficulties because the epidemic has broken out again and spreads in the community. However, this time falls on the occasion of the New Year and the Lunar New Year. So people are afraid of the epidemic, and thus limit their travel. Therefore, the number of tourists coming to Ben Tre for sightseeing and experience has decreased a lot - compared to the same period.

It can be said that Covid-19 epidemic has caused a lot of damage to the tourism industry of Ben Tre. Up to now, one in 22 travel companies has been temporarily approved for suspension. The others still operate normally but there is no visitor or just a limited number if any. One in 45 tourist hotels, guest - houses have announced its suspension; and such as 11 in 40 homestays  have announced of its suspension; 7 in 41 tourism services tourist destinations, restaurants. International tour guides have to change to one or do other jobs. The number of tourists to Ben Tre in the first quarter of 2021 reached approximately 150,000, decreasing by 68% compared to the same period; the number of domestic tourists were 150,000, declined by 44% compared to the same period; there were no international tourists. The total revenue from tourism in the first quarter of 2021 was estimated to be 143 billion VND, decreasing by 64% compared to the same period. The occupation of accommodation on average in the province was only accounted for 25 – 35%. Exceptionally, several large hotels such as Ham Luong, Viet Uc, Coconut Hotel, Forever Green Resort reached an occupation of 40 – 55%.

In addition to the effects of the epidemic, tourism enterprises have also met difficulties in their operation such as environmental pollution due to the construction of dykes to prevent saltwater, medical report, security, conversion of land use purpose from agricultural to commercial land, service land, increase in water price….

To promptly share, support tourism enterprises and businesses in the province that are affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, the tourism authorities have coordinated with the relevant state agencies to swiftly carry out, instruct the implementation of support policy of central and local authorities for organizations, individuals being affected by Covid-19. Additionally, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourisms also presided and co – ordinated with relevant state offices and a tourism enterprises to organize meeting the 4th Special subject (business -coffee) in 2021 to promptly seek and difficulties, solve problems for tourism agencies from Covid-19 epidemic. At the same time, they have shown solutions to stimulate the tourism and attract tourists coming to Ben Tre, when the Covid-19 is controlled.

However, in general, the operation of tourism enterprises and businesses, despite of the difficulties, is gradually recovering, and business agencies in the province still continue to exploit the domestic tourist market. Tourists travel to tourist destinations, accommodations… and increase much on the weekends. Currently, tourist agencies always focus on the embellishment of their places, facilities, upgrade and expand facilities, equipments and develop programs, products and services to serve tourists on the occasions of Hung Vuong's death anniversary, April 30 and May 1, and summer holidays.

In the near future, to recover the tourism activities after Covid-19 epidemic, tourist government will concentrate on developing and implementing the missions, solutions as follows:

First, continue to focus on the propaganda and approach for tourism businesses in the province to effectively implement measures on the prevention of Covid-19 in accordance with the guidance of competent local and central authorities. Coordinate with relevant officers to guide, implement the support policy of Central Government for organizations and individuals affected by Covid-19 epidemic.

Second, focus on the implementation of Proposals, programs, plans on the development of tourism that are approved such as: Plan No. 02-DA/TU of the Provincial Committee on the development of tourism in Ben Tre towards 2030; Action Program No. 22/CTr/TU of the Provincial Communist Party and Plan No. 4573/KH-UBND of the People's Committee on the promotion of tourism to the key economic sector; Plan on the implementation of project of the development of tourism towards 2030; Plan on the establishment of Cho Lach Cultural and Tourism Village; Plan on the Weekend Market; Plan on the Smart Tourism…

Third, focus on the communication, promotion and introduction of the tourism image of Ben Tre as a safe – friendly – quality destination on the media, press, Internet, publications and through events, festivals, fairs, seminars, symposiums on tourism at the province and others throughout the country such as: Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival, Vinh Long Tourism Festival organized for the 2nd time in 2021 in Vinh Long, Tourism forum among Ho Chi Minh City and 13 provinces, cities in the Mekong Delta organized for the 2nd time in Dong Thap; The week of Culture – Tourism – Cuisine – Commerce organized by the Eastern tourist group of Mekong Delta in 2021 (expected to take place in September 2021 in Ben Tre); promote the information technology application, carry out digital transformation in the communication, advertisement, promotion for tourism.

Fourth, mobilize tourism businesses to develop a diversity of products, types of tourism, featuring eco-tourism of the land of Coconut; strengthen the linkage, cooperation for the development of tourism products, tours in the province, intra, and inter-region; develop tourism in association with the conservation and promotion of traditional cultural values, historical relics, festivals to exploit, serve and attract tourists.

Fifth, organize training classes, and improve knowledge and skill for tourist staff, workers… to meet the demand of localities and agencies.

Sixth, focus on the implementation of Linkage and Cooperation Program of the Eastern Group of Mekong Delta and Linkage and Cooperation Program among Ho Chi Minh City and 13 provinces, cities of the Mekong Delta. Participate and coordinate with other provinces, the city to sign on the linkage and cooperation in developing tourism to jointly organize events, festivals and famtrips in order to promote, introduce, advertise tours, routes and tourism products, which contribute to the promotion of tourism activities of Ben Tre province in particular, and to the recovery and development of the Mekong Delta region and throughout the country in general after the Covid-19 epidemic. Promote IT in the regional for linking quick and prompt information exchange.

Seventh, continue to effectively perform the state management of tourism such as guiding, appraising and recogniting tourist attractions, accommodations that are qualified,  star rating for tourist accommodations, and services to serve tourists…Coordinate with functional and local officers to promptly guide, remind tourist enterprises and businesses in the locality to fully comply with the laws. Tighten the inspection; promptly enforce penalties for unhealthy competition. Promptly implement, policies on the support of  tourism development of the Central Government, and the province. Especially, continue to effectively enforce the Resolution No. 12/NQ-HDND on the support of community tourism within Ben Tre province to assist, solve a part of difficulties for organizations, individuals doing business on tourism at present.

To solve the mentioned problems on the solutions to attract tourists within the province at present, it requires the cooperation of relevant functional authorities at different level from province to district, commune, and most importantly, the involvement of tourism enterprises by themselves, who directly conduct the tourism business. Solutions set out above require to be coordinated in a well-balanced and uniform methods in order to gain practical effects. If it works in such a way, the tourism activities of Ben Tre will soon recover after Covid-19 epidemic is under control./.​

Source: dulich.bentre.gov.vn

Ben Tre tourism service activities at night

 In order to serve tourists for staying in a locality when they join in an experience and enjoyment travel itineraries.Tourists often find out the suitable service activities at night so that they can meet the needs without wasting their time in trip that is really essential.Coming to Ben Tre, the hometown of Coconut Land, the service activities at night are not much; The typical activities are introduced to help tourists choose them when they stay at night in Dong Khoi Homeland.When tourists have their needs for entertainment such as watching art performances, the travel companies will take or pick you up to the Provincial Culture - Cinema center (April 30, Ward 4) to watch the Water Puppet program, "Singing - Sac bua Phu Le" or come to the Provincial Museum (Hung Vuong Street, An Hoi Ward) to enjoy and exchange the Southern amateur music on weekends; For watching the movie service, let's go to the Galaxy Cinema Ben Tre (Co.op Mart Ben Tre Supermarket).Karaoke is also an indispensable type for tourists who like participating in singing such as: Karaoke Bum, karaoke Cozy; karaoke Diamond; karaoke Ut An; ...

Electric car or van on  city tour in the center of Ben Tre city 's the area.

Visitors wish to shop, go to Sense City Trade Center (Tran Quoc Tuan street, ward 4); GO trade center (Highway 60, Phu Tan ward) or go to Ben Tre night market (Hung Vuong street, An Hoi ward). If you want to be more beautiful, you can go to Viet SIAM Health Care Facility, which is a qualified facility to operate its business.

Food and beverage is also indispensable during the period of your stay. Let's enjoy the typical dishes of the Homeland of Coconut that have recognized as restaurants, facilities for customers, tourism such as:TTC Floating or garden restaurants; TTC Palace Ben Tre; Viet - Uc Restaurant; Ben Tre Rirverside; Diamond Stars Ben Tre; An Nam Restaurant; Pho Loc Restaurant; Hung Vuong Restaurant; Con Phung Tourist and some fastfood services lovely such asJollibee, Lotteria, ... The coffee shops: Hemo, Lo Gach, Vuon Hong, Lang Van, ...Some transportation services which are participated in the accompanying services such as electric car for sightseeing in City tour; The tourism boats serve the services of sightseeing, eating and drinking, such as: Bao Duyen, Nam Bo,...(Ben Tre City), Mango Home (Giong Trom); Cai Ga, Nguyen Gia (Cho Lach); Chin Song (Thanh Phu); Cai Cam (Mo Cay Bac)

A group of skilled cooksis frying Vietnamese pancake at Con Phung countryside market (photo C.Phung)​

To meet the requirements of taking souvenir photos both day and night, you can come to Ben Tre Museum; An Hoi Park with the work of 13 sets of stone instruments; Dong Khoi Ben Tre Park; My Hoa Park; Tran Van On Park (Truc Giang Lake; Hung Vuong Riverside ) combining with the image of Ben Tre bridge.

At present night-time products are still limited, some services are only available until 22-23 hours and not enough to meet the needs of tourists to stay at night in Ben Tre. So the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also advised the Provincial People's Committee to carry out some projects to develop night tourism in Ben Tre according to Plan 6445 / KH-UBND dated December 2, 2020 on implementing the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1129 / QD-TTg dated July 27, 2020 approving the Night Economic Development Project in Vietnam such as: The Weekend Fair Project; Implementing the project of Coconut Country Night Street; Implementing the Ben Tre tourism development project up to 2030;Some decisions to develop the night tourism.Hopefully, Ben Tre tourism from now on to 2030, will have more investors to come and invest more products to achieve the goal of making Ben Tre tourism become an important economic sector in 2025 to a spearhead one in 2030./.

Source: dulich.bentre.gov.vn

“Coconut Land” Tourism - Awaken potentials of Binh Dai district

With a 27km coastline of  Ben Tre province and being located on An Hoa island, bordering Chau Thanh district in the north-west -  Tien River in the north, Ba Lai River in the south-west and the East Sea in the east, Binh Dai is one of three coastal districts with great economic potential (especially the aquaculture and fishing). Tourism - a non-smoke industry - has also been seen as the district's advantage in recent times to attract tourists.

Tourism potentials of Binh Dai are diversified with two beaches of Thua Duc and Thoi Thuan and many casuarina, mangrove anh lowland-salt forests, plus mango, longan, watermelon fields, salt fields, shrimp lakes; or Chay Muoi islet with sandy beach and sea-snail bank 1.5m high, 6,000-7,000m long to hold back sea-wave (unique dyke in Viet Nam country); or fishing port associated with the dry-fish processing village and Nghinh Ong Nam Hai Festival, Binh Thang commune ... The homestays are welcoming guests such as: Homestay Ut Trinh, Tam Hiep Commune; Ba Tu islet Homestay in Thoi Thuan commune and Thua Duc commune's Forest Keeper homestayare also gradually being promoted and exploited better and better.

The tourists take photo in Thua Duc Beach

Long Thanh, Long Phung Temples are national-level architectural one. Ba Lai Dam (the largest dam in the country) and Van Phuoc Pagoda are the places for historical, cultural and spiritual research with very nice views. The cuisine of Binh Dai district is also very rich and attractive with many dishes of brackish and salty waters such as shrimp, crab, fish, clams, oysters and many dishesto be processed from fresh seafood ...

It can be seen that the destinations and activities of tourism in Binh Dai district are quite diverse from relaxation, spiritual, experience tourisms. However, the tourist spots still face many difficulties and service quality is not yet guaranteed and connected to complete tours for tourists.

The tourists visiting in Binh Dai District

To awaken the potentials and develop tourism in Binh Dai district becoming a spearhead economic sector need to be surveyed, built and promoted many things. It is necessary to increase the propagation of Politburo Resolution No. 08-NQ / TW; Action Program No. 22-CTr / TU dated 20/7/2017 of the Provincial Party Committee; Plan No. 4573 / KH-UBND dated October 9, 2017 of the Provincial People's Committee; Action Program No. 17-CTr / HU of the District Party Committee for the political system and people to realize that tourism playing an important role, contributing to economic development and making Binh Dai people hospitable and dynamic.

A corner of Thua Duc Beach

Looking on the Ben Tre map, Binh Dai district has 3 tour itineraries: Con Tam Hiep (community tourism), Phu Long islet(freshwater ecotourism) and Thua Duc - Thoi Thuan  salty ecology. With their own characteristics, the diversified types of tourism can be connected 2 or 3 programs into 1day or 2days /1night tours to attract tourists to travel and experience agricultural tourism products and study about the farmer's life here:

1/. The first itinerary: Going to Binh Dai district, crossing An Hoa bridge, visit Dinh Long Thanh, Long Dinh commune (National level relic). Cruise on the Tien River, land at Tam Hiep Islet, rest at Ut Trinh homestay, eat, experience going- fishing, visit beekeeping gardens, statue sculpture sites and enjoy herb jelly. Rowing on the water palm canals and cycle around the village road under the green longan gardens.

2/. The second itinerary: Visit Huynh Tan Phat Temple, Phu Long islet - type of agricultural resort, fruit garden. Experience freshwater ecotourism, scent coconut garden. Cruise, visit Ba Lai dam and Vam Ho bird sanctuary.

3/. The third itinerary: Binh Dai Sea, visit the fishing port and Binh Thang dry fishing village. Van Phuoc Pagoda, “Forest keeper" Farmstay, De Dong market - Thua Duc commune. “Ba Tu islet" Homestay,  sea bathing atThoi Thuan beach beside the “Viet snail" dyke.

Surely, Binh Dai tourism will improve competitiveness and attract tourists. Tourism investment in Binh Dai district not only develops economic but also brings environmental benefits, ensures long-term and sustainable development of relaxation, rural tourism and community based tourism. It also contribute to the socio-economic development target of Binh Dai district./.​​​

Source: dulich.bentre.gov.vn

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