Corns from the sandy land of Ngu My Thanh

As the old saying goes, “vải Trạng cung Diên, nhãn lồng Phụng Tiên” (Trang Lychees from the Cung Dien area; spathe-wrapped longans from Phung Tien, a former royal garden district). Today, Hue’s longan season still preserves its original sweetness, enticing those passing the ancient citadel to pause and savor the taste.

These are 6 of 121 Vietnamese culinary dishes that have just been honored by the Vietnam Cuisine Culture Association (VCCA) as typical national dishes in phase I of a project titled "Building and Developing Vietnamese Culinary Culture into a National Brand Name”. All of these 6 dishes, including: Hue beef noodle soup, glutinous rice dumplings stuffed with roasted pork in sweet soup, mussel rice, banh loc (glutinous rice dumplings), vegetarian fig salad, and lotus-leaf-wrapped steamed rice; all are close to the gardens and paddy fields of the land.

The lichee trees from the lichees honorably presented to the Court still grow well and are giving fruit adding to the beauty of the Imperial City. Besides, trees from lichees granted by the kings to mandarins and those who had just passed an exam give fruit as sweet and fragrant.

Anyone who has ever been attached will tenderly love “the shallow sea” - the largest mangrove area in Southeast Asia. They try to preserve and promote the value of Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon... with all their love and enthusiasm. Many other residents are also joining hands to protect their livelihood and that of future descendants.

Coming to Ngu My Thanh, visitors can engage in many activities with the local people, experience water activities, including seeking clams with feet, trawling, harvesting, knitting nets, and fishing.