Thứ Năm, 25 tháng 6, 2015

Top fruits must try in Vietnam



Vietnam is located in tropical zone and famous with so many kinds of fruits. There are ten kinds of fruits not only delicious and popular, but also meet the criteria for export which both foreigners and Vietnamese should try.
If you are in Vietnamespecially in durian season you should try to enjoy it for yourself.It’s easy to find durian in any markets or supermarkets of Viet Nam.The first suggestion is that you should not eat too much. Traditional beliefs say that durian has warming properties. If you eat too much at once it can heat up your body but its taste is so good. Vietnam tours private

Especially if you have any chances to visit Vinh Long, remember to try Durian Ri6. Ri6 durian of the southern province of Vinh Long is praised to be the best durian variety in Vietnam. It is named Ri6 after the name of Mr. Sau Ri, who created this variety in 1990. It has a distinctively bright yellow color, similar to the intense coloration of a Musang King durian in Malaysia. The flesh is thick and fibrous, with a strong egg-flavor that reminds me of many Thai varieties. Halong bay tours Vietnam

Mangosteen

If the mighty durian is king, the mangosteen is known as the queen of fruits. The mangosteen's semi-firm exterior shell may not be much to look at, but the soft, delicate flesh of the white interior hooks people on the first bite.

It can’t be denied that Lai Thieu Mangosteen is the best mangosteen in Vietnam with thick peel, white and sweet-and-sour segments made people remember forever. In the feudal time, Mangosteen was compared as a noble fruit and used in rich families as well as offered for Royal Family.

Mangosteen is widely available in juice form. Mangosteen juice products typically include the fruit, rind and pulp of the fruit, which contains compounds called xanthones. Although some research indicate that xanthones may offer certain benefits, the health effects of mangosteen have yet to be extensively studied.
Top fruits must try in Vietnam
Top fruits must try in Vietnam


In Southeast Asia including Viet Nam, mangosteen rind has been used for medicinal purposes for generations. According to many theories, mangosteen rind was used to make a tea for such conditions as diarrhea, bladder infections and gonorrhea. An ointment made from the rind was applied to skin rashes. Proponents claim that mangosteen can also help with the following health problems such as allergies, anxiety, cancer, depression or even high blood pressure. In addition, some proponents suggest that mangosteen may slow the aging process, aid in Alzheimer's prevention, increase energy, preserve eye health, stimulate the immune system, improve bone health and protect against heart disease.

Dragon fruit 3
Officially known as the pitaya, the dragon fruit is actually native to Latin America. It is an extremely beautiful fruit that has dazzling flowers and an intense shape and color. The dragon fruit is usually a dark red color, although some types of this fruit are pink or yellow. The skin of the dragon fruit is a thin rind. The skin is usually covered in scales, and the center of the fruit is made up of a red or white, sweet tasting pulp.

Dragon fruit is generally is a nutritious fruit that is a good source of vitamins and minerals.There are no reported side effects in consuming dragen fruit.Dragon fruit is safe for consumption even by pregnant and breast feeding mothers.

Binh Thuan is a province famous with growing dragon fruit. Binh Thuan’s dragon fruit is one of favorite fruits in some Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, China or Vietnam.

Pomelo Fresh Pomelo citrus  Fruit
There are several kinds of pomelo regionally famous for their taste and there are some famous kinds Pomelo in Vietnam like Nam Roi, Phuc Trach pomelo. Green peel pomelo is a specialty of the southern province of Ben Tre.This variety is planted in My Thanh An in Ben Tre city and Mo Cay district.Green peel pomelo won the first prize at a fruit competition held by the Southern Region Institute for Fruit Research.

This fruit is eaten fresh or is use to make juice. The pulp can be use to make salads and the peel is used to make candies; citrus peel is often used for flavoring.Pomelo is really a golden mine of vitamins. The fruit is abundant with vitamin C, beta-carotene as well as the B vitamins. Additionally it is a resource of folic acid which is required for younger ladies to guarantee the health of upcoming baby. Furthermore, pomelo includes a large amount of potassium which is great for our heart. Brand-new research has shown that liminoids present in pomelo as well as other citrus fruits avoid cancer cells from divining much better than chemical medications.

Longan 5
Longan, also known as “dragons eye” (because of a white eye shaped mark on the pit that appears as a pupil in the large eye) are soft and smaller than lychee fruits. They are brown in colour and are referred as little brothers of lychee fruits. Longans whose scientific term is Dimocarpus longan, originated in China and later spread across the globe and is now widely cultivated in Thailand, India and in several other countries of Asia. Longan is available abundantly in the summer season and can be consumed both raw or as dried fruits.

The longan grows in many provinces in the North. There are many varieties of longans. The most renowned variety of longan is the cage longan of Hung Yen Province. There are varieties that have a thick pulp and a very sweet taste called pulp longan. Water longans have a thin watery pulp and a fresh sweet taste. In the South, there is the longan of Chau Thanh (Dong Thap Province), which is fairly renowned. This variety has a watery pulp, a very sweet taste, a perfumed scent, and small black seeds, which is why it is called nhan tieu (pepper grain longan).
The longan is a tropical fruit rich in nutrients. It is used in the preparation of sweet lotus seed soups. A longan that has been rid of its black kernel then dried over a fire is called long nhan (literally: dragon’s eyes); it is one of the tonics used in the recipes of traditional medicine.

Litchi 6
Litchi is a small fruit with a sweet smell and taste, which is available in the summer. It is a small fruit packed with healthy nutrients. It has rough skin outside while contains juicy flesh inside. It is used as medicine in China.

With favorable natural conditions, Luc Ngan hilly gardens are strong in growing fruit trees, making it the country's largest litchi producer.The soil here is very suitable for planting litchis, hence producing fruits with deeply green leaves and round canopies of branches. Especially, bunches of red-ripened litchis with fine skins, very small seeds, much sweet meat, a purely fragrant taste made litchi a great delicacy of Northern Vietnam.Luc Ngan litchi products have been gaining popularity not only across the country but also have been exported to many foreign markets.

Lychee is a highly rich nutrient fruit. It contains a high amount of soluble fiber known as pectin which is beneficial to protect from colon cancer.  It contains a good amount of antioxidants that protect the body from carcinogens. Carcinogens are free radicals that are produced in the body due to oxidative stress. So lychee is effective to protect from cancer, ageing, arthritis and degenerative disease. Also, it is a great source of potassium which is important for maintaining blood pressure. Along with these, it contains a high amount of other nutrients that promotes health.

Mango 7
Mango plants are grown in southern provinces. Mangoes are divided into several kinds, known locally as Xoai Cat, xoai Tuong, xoai Voi, xoai Xiem…Hoa Loc mango is one of the most well known varieties of mango under cultivation in the Mekong river delta, for its aroma and sweetness. Hoa Loc mango has presently grown on large scale, in many provinces of the Mekong river delta like Tien Giang, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Dong Thap, and so on. Mango Transplantation and seedling selection, application of modern techniques are done with, aiming at raising the quality and productivity.

Mango is one of the exotic fruits in the world with great health benefits. Some of the health benefits from mangoes in baby food includes protection of eyesight, fights microbial infections, easily digestible, improvement in brain development and many more.

Rambutan 8
The Rambutan, also known unofficially as Hairy Cherry, comes originally from the Malaysia peninsular, where the name Rambutan came from the Malay word 'rambut' for hair. Today, a lot of rambutan is grown in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta area. The fruit is about 3-4 cm in diameter and has soft fleshy hair over the entire surface. The peel turns from green to yellow to red as the fruit ripens. To eat: Partially cut through the skin or break open with a thumbnail and pull apart. There is a hard seed inside. Once peeled the fruit yields a flesh that is white and firm; the taste is sweet with a touch of acidity and is very refreshing.

Rambutan grows in large bunches on trees that can be as high as 20 m. A rambutan tree has broad foliage and many branches. In the southern provinces, the tree yields fruit at the beginning of the rainy season. Rambutan season lasts until the end of the rainy season, that means from May to October. The most famous rambutan fruit is grown in Binh Hoa Phuoc Village (Long Ho District, Vinh Long Province).

Rambutan fruit contains carbohydrate, protein, fat, phosphorus, iron, calcium and vitamin C. This plant can be used as a medicinal fruit and have benefits for health such asReduce Body Fat, Make skin softer or Hair care.

Mandarin orange 9
Mandarin is a group name for a class of oranges with thin, loose peel, which have been dubbed "kid-glove" oranges. The mandarin tree may be much smaller than that of the sweet orange or equal in size, depending on variety.

Mandarin oranges are a popular citrus fruit of the orange family. They are often referred to as tangerines. The fruit is a native of Southeast Asia. It has a thin skin that is easy to peel. This makes it an ideal snack for children. Due to its nutritional benefits, the fruit is widely recognized as ideal for inclusion in a healthy diet. The mandarin is a good source of vitamins A and C. It contains calcium, magnesium and potassium. The fruit is also a good source of dietary fiber.

Ly Nhan has many kinds of sweet and well-smelt mandarin oranges but the best kind is the Quyt Huong (Perfume Mandarin) which has a distinct aroma. Previously, it was usually dedicated to the king. Ly Nhan is a district locating along the bank of the Red River . It has good soil that is advantageous for agricultural development.Unlike mandarins of other localities, the shape of Quyt Ly Nhan  is flattish. Their peels are very crisp, thin and have apricot yellow when ripe. Like oranges peels, mandarins peels have tiny otto which create a distinct perfume of mandarin.

Thứ Năm, 18 tháng 6, 2015

Street food Hoi An


Cao lầu is a local dish unique to Hoi An. Made of a fat soba type noodle and severed with crispy pork, lettuce, bean sprout and special sauce. I know sounds pretty basic, right? but there’s genius in this dish – it’s delicious and one is never enough. Legend has it thatv the noodles are made using an ancient Cham spring sourced from a “secret” well on the out skirts of town, making it difficult to reproduce anywhere else in Vietnam. Centre Vietnam travel

It’s best devoured from street food stalls where the locals have fine tuned this bowl of joy to perfection. Having sampled a couple hundred, I’m pretty sure I have found the best, just a short walk from Dk’s House (our Hoi An Hostel). Open only after the sun goes down, you’ll find Mr Trung’s Cau Lua stall on Tran Phu opposite the Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese. Halong bay travel Vietnam

Tucked away down the Ba Le Well Lane on the edge of Hoi An’s Old Town is Ba Le Well Restaurant. This is a hugely popular spot with both Hoi An locals and tourist alike. This street food stall come restaurant is one of our favorite places to eat at on one of Dk’s regular street food tours. Mekong delta tours Vietnam
Street food Hoi An
Street food Hoi An

It’s a set menu and no sooner have you sat down plates piled with fresh herbs, crispy savory pancakes stuffed with bean sprouts and a river shrimp, pork skewers, shrimp spring rolls, Viet Kimchi, satay-style dip and rice paper all magically appear in front of you.

Think roll-your-own BBQ pork rice paper rolls but don’t let that put you off as the staff here are super helpful and will demonstrate the tricks of the trade. I’ve been on countless meals here when the staff just stand there rolling rolls through the whole meal – talk about service!

Ba Le Well specilises in banh xeo a local country pancake made with egg, rice and bean sprouts. They source all their veggies and herbs from the organic Tra Que Vegetable Village (You can check the organic veg village out on our free daily bicycle tour). Make sure you go hungry as the food just keeps on coming.

I won’t tell you about desert as it’s such a pleasant surprise it’d be a shame to ruin it!

Generally the set menu runs at about 80,000 – 100,000 per person depending on how much you scoff down!

Thứ Năm, 11 tháng 6, 2015

Top 7 Souvenirs to Buy in Vietnam


The top 7 souvenirs to buy in Vietnam, whether you are on holidays or on a business trip.

Apart from the joy of discovering a new culture, taking photos and tasting the exotic flavors of Vietnam, shopping might bring you more opportunities to get in touch with local habits.

A shopping tour is usually the last step of a trip and it is always a bit tricky. The second “HCMC 100 exciting things”, a campaign promoting activities in the city, announced some time ago the top 7 souvenirs to gift to friends, family members and loved ones. The results came from a poll voted on by travelers and expats. Travel to Vietnam

Hopefully more of these events will be coming to other major cities, such as Hanoi, Hoi An, Hue and others.

CONICAL HAT

Ao dai

Non la (leaf hat) is a circular cone made of bamboo cataphylls, notable for it’s romantic adornments. The non la is more than an indispensable tool for people in Vietnam: it has become a cultural symbol. The style differs by region, so for example those of the Tay people have a distinct color, while in Thanh Hoa they use only a 20-hem frame. Hue’s is thin and elegant, while Binh Dinh’s is thick. Mekong delta tours

Vietnamese wear the non la all year. The shape protects the wearer from the downpours of the rainy season like an umbrella, and provides shade and protection from the heat during April and May, when temperatures climb to unbearable levels.
Top 7 Souvenirs to Buy in Vietnam
Top 7 Souvenirs to Buy in Vietnam


Local Insight: At a workshop, you can get a hat for only VND 3,500 - VND 10,000. Depending on the quality, price at souvenir shops range between VND 30,000 and VND 100,000.

Since the 18th century, the ao dai (long dress) has been Vietnam’s national costume. There are three main styles of ao dai nowadays. Halong bay cruise

“Trendy” ao dai reach to the floor and fit the curves of the body by using darts and a nipped-in waist; the “hippy” ao dai is brightly colored and very popular among young teenagers; and the “mini” ao dai have slits extended above the waist and the panels reach only to the knees.

The usual way to acquire an ao dai would be to pick the fabric first. Usually there are two different colors, one for the long dress itself and a second contrasting color for the trousers worn underneath. After the fabric is chosen, you bring it to a tailor specialized in creating ao dais. Usually it takes around one week until you can pick up the finished product, but please keep in mind that during the preparation for Tet (lunar new year), it can take significantly longer.

Local Insight: An ao dai costs at least VND 700,000. If you can spend the time and have experience finding decent cloth and a good tailor, you might have your stylish ao dai at a reasonable VND 1,500,000.

Silk is woven from the cocoons of the silkworm. Thus, It has always been considered extremely luxurious and only available to the nobility. The days when silk had only been manufactured for Vietnamese royalty is long gone, and the fabric has become widely used throughout the country. Silk and its beautiful products are affordable nowadays, so tourists have a chance to choose their favorites and gift them to friends and family.

Local Insight: The price for regular Vietnamese silk is at least VND 70,000/m and over VND100,000/m for premium kinds. Silk below that price is originating from China and of questionable quality.

The art of hand-embroidered pieces of clothing and framed silk pictures is an old handicraft tradition in Vietnam. You will mostly encounter picturesque natural scenes like flowers, trees, animals and birds, patiently stitched one colorful thread at a time. But also daily life scenes, even portraits can be created with this ancient technique. Tourists are frequently baffled by the vast variety of designs, offered in hand embroidery shops, the vibrant colors and the intriguing depth of the artwork.

In some shops, tourists can explain or sketch their individual idea to the artist, who creates a personalized present for friends and family.

If you visit Da Lat, there is a workshop & gallery for marvelous and artful hand embroidery images upstairs in the central market.

Local Insight: You can buy a small hand embroidered product for around VND 500,000. For bigger pictures, the price can be VND 2,000,000 and above.

Sand painting is the art of pouring colorful sand and powdered pigments on a sticky surface and fixating it later with spray, so it doesn’t come off again. However, there is a second art form called sand painting, which is practiced in Saigon: The artist pours the colorful sand between two glass panes or in a specially designed mug or vase. The layers of sand form an enthralling piece of art, that looks stunning on every shelf and makes an excellent souvenir. Vietnamese sand picture art comprise 4 categories: Landscape, portrait, labor scenes and the traditional art of calligraphy.

Local Insight: The price for artful sand pictures ranges from VND 300,000 to VND 700,000.

GUOC MOC

wooden clogs

Wooden clogs (guoc moc) were a sort of traditional footwear for men and women alike in the past. After the feudal period, they mostly remained in a trio of Non la, Ao dai and Guoc moc to increase the gracefulness of Vietnamese ladies when attending important festivals or any special events in town. Guoc moc are rarely used nowadays, but tourists can catch a glimpse of them at traditional activities like the Cai Luong and Ca Tru performance.

Local Insight: Being considered as quite old fashioned footwear, the real Vietnamese wooden clogs are hard to find. If you can find some around VND 150,000 then go for it.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

A handmade musical instrument can also make a nice keepsake. Bamboo flutes and mini t'rungs are very popular among visitors. Since the flute is just a small bamboo pipe and the t’rung can be easily disassembled for transport, they are convenient to carry home and don’t use up too much space in your already stuffed luggage.

The sweet tone of these instruments will thrill your ears and remind you of the most memorable moments from your trip to Vietnam.

If you are in Saigon, there is a nice old man, playing and selling simple flutes in Le Loi street at the sidewalk. If you are interested in hearing more traditional flute play, there is a student club of young flutists, who meet in the evening hours at 23/9 Park near Ben Thanh Market to play and practice. Nguyễn Thiện Thuật street in D1 is also known as “guitar street”. There are many shops and workshops for instruments, mainly guitars and their relatives - like the ukulele.

Local Insight: Prices for a t’rung range from VND 300,000 to VND 1,000,000. Simple bamboo flutes come at around VND 10,000.

You should expect to bargain for the items you want to take home as souvenirs. One “trick”, that can be applied in Ben Thanh Market is to browse the fixed-price shops outside and negotiate with the inside shops for the items you want to buy. We also have a blog post on bargaining at the market which shows you some tips to bargain and suggest some of the best places for shopping apart of the Top 10 Shopping Places in HCMC.

Thứ Sáu, 5 tháng 6, 2015

How to pick the best binoculars for travelling


Have you ever traveled with a pair of binoculars?! From 2011, I always carry a binoculars as closest companion on my trips. They allow me see things that can not see by naked eyes, look a same land but in a completely different way compared to others, that’s so amazing. If you’re learning about binoculars for travelling, you may want to consult my experiences. Southern Vietnam with extension to Cambodia 10 days

With over 3 years experience in binoculars, I concluded that 3 most important factors for travel binoculars are weight and size, view quality and price (of course!). I’m a big fan of Nikon, my 7 of 8 are Nikon Binoculars, so my experieces will mainly direct to this brand.

Weight and Size. These’re the most important factors. In a trip, you will have to move much so surely you would not want to carry something too heavy and too large. When started travelling with binoculars, I picked the Nikon Action ones, they weigh over 2lb (1kg) and quite large compared to others but good-quality optic. At first, the 2lb weight was not problem but after tramping for miles in woods, I just wanted to throw them away. Huong Hai Sealife

How to pick the best binoculars for travelling
How to pick the best binoculars for travelling

So my advice, you should be willing to sacrifice a bit image quality to exchange compact size. Compact binoculars usually weigh from 0.5lb to 0.8lb, you can consider Nikon Trailblazer 25mm, Aculon compact zoom, Travelite or the best is Premier LX-L 8×20 or 10×25. Monarch ones are also good choice with over 1lb weight and very high-quality optic.

View quality. In view quality, there’re few other smaller factors:

Magnification. Binoculars have 2 numbers as AxB. The first number is magnification and the second is size of objective lens. Do not be too greedy high-magnification binoculars. 8x ones are quite a lot and strong enough for travelling. Higer powers (10x, 12x,…) are too shake, very difficult to hold steady and focus on anything.
Size of Objective lens - The second number.  Usually, in same quality, larger Objective lens will better in optics. However, larger lens also makes binoculars heavier and bigger. So the size of lenses from 20 to 30mm are good.
FOV – Field of View. Basically, this figure as high as good. A wide field of view allow you see more and easy to follow fast objects (small birds, fishes,…).
Close focus distance - the closest distance that binoculars can focus. This’s not too important for travelling. However they are as low as good.
Check out binoculars for travelling on Amazon. Many discount avaiable
Price. A compact binoculars are very easy to lose in trips so I usually do not pick expensive binoculars for traveling. Price of under $100 is ok. Nikon Trailblazer 25mm, Aculon compact zoom, Travelite are in this price-range. But if you have a lot of money, you can pick Premier LX-L 8×20 or 10×25 for best quality.

Other factors. You may care to Eye relief, if you weares glass then this’s very important. It help you to see full field of vision. Basically, the Eye relief is as long as possible (for Eye glasses).

Above is my experiences to pick good binoculars for travelling. Wish you find a good pair of binoculars. You can also visit The Best Nikon Binoculars for Price / Quality to find the best one. Thank you!