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Ham and eggs put Ninh Bình on the foodie map of Việt Nam

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Quý Dương

Ninh Bình Province is well-known for its virgin and beautiful landscape sites, such as Tràng An and Bích Động, but also giò trứng (egg pork paste) made by Nộn Khê Villagers.

Last week I was invited to visit the village by my friend Đặng Ánh Tuyết. 

When we arrived at the village gate, we could smell the sweet and fragrant giò trứng, which residents also call giò trứng Nộn Khê. Tuyết said it is a characteristic smell in the village.

Giò trứng (egg pork paste) can be found in Nộn Khê Village in Ninh Bình. Photos mia.vn

Giò trứng is also at our villagers’ weddings, engagements and Tết parties. It helps put the village on the map as one of Việt Nam’s best cuisine centres,” Tuyết’s mother, Hoàng Thị Thịnh, 65.  

Thịnh said no one in the village knows exactly when the dish came into being, but her mother related that the dish had been existing since she was a little girl.

In the past, the dish was only being made to welcome big anniversaries such as village festivals and Tết holidays, but now it is being produced year-round to meet increasing demands, Thịnh said.

Fishing line is used to cut the eggs cleanly. 

Ingredients to make the dish include ham, bacon, chicken egg, banana leaf, bamboo string, fish sauce and salt.

Thịnh said she has a contract with the butchers in the village to buy the ham when it is still warm.

The pork is ground into a paste before being covered by a layer of eggs and bacon. She said they are stacked on top of each other, adding that she can arrange these ingredients to make the dish look like a flower when it is being cut.

Each layer of pork paste is covered by eggs and several slices of bacon. 

“I have to use a fishing line to cut the eggs along its lengthwise. A knife can’t be used as it breaks the eggs. Each paste needs 10-16 eggs, according to the size of each pork paste ordered by customers. The normal size of each giò trứng is between 1.5-2 kilogrammes,” Thịnh said.

Giò trứng should be boiled for two and a half hours before being immediately pressed into a square by four flat wooden sticks. It takes about 4-5 hours until the dish becomes cool, she said, noting that in the past, it was cooked over a wood fire but now is usually boiled. 

The solidity of the dish depends on how hard it is pressed. 

The dish is often enjoyed with pickled onions dipped in Phú Quốc fish sauce.

It takes two and a half hours to boil giò trứng.

The completed dish is a beautiful mix of light pink pork paste, bacon and bright yellow eggs.

I was so impressed with the dish because it stimulated all my senses since the first bite from the mix of buttery fat from the bacon, lean pork paste, greasy chicken eggs, and very comfortable fragrant from fresh banana. They all create the dish’s characteristics that even gourmets feel unforgettable.

Different from other pork paste, which is available in the country’s three regions, giò trứng only exists in Nộn Khê Village. It must be used within a week. 

Thịnh said her family often produces 100 kilogrammes of giò trứng daily and triple and more during Tết (Lunar New Year) to supply customers inside and outside the country. VNS

Source: http://ovietnam.vn/dining/ham-and-eggs-putninh-binh-on-the-foodie-map-of-viet-nam_338422.html

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Marine tourism needs more focus on full exploitation

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In its tourism development strategy by 2030, Vietnam identified marine tourism as one of the four main groups of tourism products, but there remains much to be done to fully tap into marine tourism potential.

Marine tourism needs more focus on full exploitation hinh anh 1Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province is a favourite destination of domestic and foreign tourists. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – In its tourism development strategy by 2030, Vietnam identified marine tourism as one of the four main groups of tourism products, but there remains much to be done to fully tap into marine tourism potential.

With more than 3,260km of coastline, about 3,000 islands of all sizes, hundreds of beautiful beaches, and pristine bays, Vietnam boasts rich resources for developing sea and island tourism.

During 2010 – 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the number of visitors to coastal localities increased faster than the average growth in the total tourist number, at an annual rate of 13.6% for international arrivals and 12.3% for domestic ones.

In 2019, foreign tourists coming to the 28 coastal provinces and cities accounted for 71.9% of all international arrivals in Vietnam while domestic visitors 59% of the domestic travellers. The tourism revenue in these cities also made up 67% of the total. The number of rooms at their accommodation establishments was also equivalent to two-thirds of that nationwide. Most of four- and five-star hotels are also located in these areas, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

However, many experts said that such figures have yet to match Vietnam’s marine tourism potential.

Addressing a recent workshop, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet perceived that the country has just focused on tapping into the values of inshore maritime resources, and there haven’t been many services other than such traditional activities as relaxation, sightseeing, or bathing.

While the duration of tourist stays in coastal and insular destinations is still short, marine tourism, especially in the northern region, is highly seasonal, and there is a shortage of high-end marine tourism products, Director of the VNAT’s Institute for Tourism Development Research Nguyen Anh Tuan pointed out.

Marine tourism needs more focus on full exploitation hinh anh 2An aerial view of May Rut Islet, one of the most beautiful of its kind in the island city of Phu Quoc, Kien Giang province (Photo: VNA)

Pham Ha, founder and Chairman of Lux Group, said that in the post-COVID-19 period, travellers tend to select natural destinations to improve their physical and spiritual health, so marine tourism products should be diversified to meet that demand. However, existing policies have yet to create truly favourable conditions for investors in marine tourism services.

Besides, there remains much room for Vietnam to attract cruise ship tourists, but the country still lack vessels large enough to carry several thousand holidaymakers, he noted.

Ha took the case of Lan Ha, Ha Long, and Bai Tu Long bays an another example, elaborating that the three bays are adjacent to one another but it is hard to launch tours linking the bays since they belong to two localities – Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city.

He underlined the need to issue a strategy for developing marine tourism more sustainably and harmoniously. Policies should be revised in a way further facilitating sea, island, and bay tours. Environmental issues, particularly plastic waste control, also need to be taken into consideration as travellers are paying more attention to responsible tourism.

Vu Duy Vu, a representative of Saigontourist, said some popular destinations of international cruise ships still lack specialised terminals for those vessels. Vietnam should invest more in facilities capable of handling giant cruise ships without having to use small boats to carry tourists from those liners to destinations.

It is necessary to cooperate with other countries so that Vietnam can become an official player in the regional cruise tourism market, he said, also highlighting the need for localities to support and encourage cruise companies to choose Vietnam as a destination of their journeys.

Tuan said that to develop marine tourism sustainably, it is important to conduct zoning to align tourism development with specific advantages and target markets of each region, locality, destination, and the country as a whole.

He also recommended more investment be poured into infrastructure, particularly tourist ports, diversify and improve the quality of tourism products to meet different markets’ demand, and pay due attention to environmental protection and tourist serving capacity./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/marine-tourism-needs-more-focus-on-full-exploitation/254022.vnp

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Ninh Binh promoting cultural values for sustainable tourism

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As an ancient land located in the southern reaches of the Red River Delta, Ninh Binh is a treasure trove of tangible and intangible cultural heritages, that enable the province to develop various forms of tourism and contribute to socio-economic development in Vietnam’s northern region.

One significant event showcasing unique local culture is the Trang An Festival 2023, which included a wide range of traditional art and cultural activities.

Visitors were particularly drawn to the exhibition displaying more than 30 photo negatives highlighting unique local culture. 

Many exhibitions, cultural festivals, and art exchanges have been held in Ninh Binh, highlighting the richness and diversity of the local culture and promoting solidarity in the community.

To boost sustainable tourism development, Ninh Binh has implemented various projects and plans to preserve and promote its cultural heritage, which has become a vital resource and soft power for local development. More than 200 traditional festivals have been held around the province so far.

It has also been successful in creating unique tour packages that incorporate traditional craft villages and spiritual-historical relics.

With its unique blend of cross-cultural influences and natural wonders, Ninh Binh is well-positioned to become a significant tourist destination in Vietnam. UNESCO’s recognition of the Trang An Landscape Complex as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site in 2014 has put Ninh Binh on the map and made it the first mixed natural and cultural property in Vietnam./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/ninh-binh-promoting-cultural-values-for-sustainable-tourism/253960.vnp

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Quang Ninh: Tuan Chau-Ha Long commercial flights to be operated in July

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The Hai Au Aviation company plans to open its commercial flight route connecting two renowned tourist destinations in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh – Tuan Chau island in Ha Long city and Co To island – this July.

Quang Ninh: Tuan Chau-Ha Long commercial flights to be operated in July hinh anh 1A Hai Au seaplane (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh – The Hai Au Aviation company plans
to open its commercial flight route connecting two renowned tourist
destinations in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh – Tuan Chau island
in Ha Long city and Co To island – this July.

The carrier conducted a survey of the conditions for take-off and landing on
the route and opened a flight training course for seaplane pilots in Co To
district on June 1.

Nguyen Ba Hai, a seaplane captain from the company, said the opening of the route
will cut the time travelling from Ha Long city to Co To island to 20 minutes from
the current 90 minutes.

Cessna Caravan aircraft will be used on the route, Hai said, adding that Hai Au airline has ten-year experience of operating in the Ha Long Bay area with a
100% safe flight rate.

In the first five months of this year, Co To district hosted 72,000
visitors. In May alone, the figure was nearly 39,000, including 1,118
foreigners./.                             

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/quang-ninh-tuan-chauha-long-commercial-flights-to-be-operated-in-july/254029.vnp

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