Top 10 Quang Binh specialties as gifts
1. Dried sweet potato
When it comes to Quang Binh specialties, it is impossible not to mention the dried sweet potato, also known as “Khoai Deo.” This is a snack made from red sweet potatoes, grown a lot in areas with harsh sunny and windy climates like Quang Binh.
Although it’s just a snack, making Quang Binh’s dried sweet potato that has a nice sweet flavor and a chewy texture takes a lot of time and effort. After being harvested, red sweet potatoes are rinsed off, boiled and cut into thin slices lengthwise.
For the right dryness and flexibility, Quang Binh’s dried sweet potato must be dried in the sun for 10 to 12 days until the potato slices shrink and become amber in color. Then, red sweet potatoes have a much sweeter taste than boiled fresh potatoes because most of the water in the potatoes has been removed, leaving only the starch and most concentrated flavor.
Enjoying Quang Binh’s dried sweet potato can’t be without a pot of hot, flavorful tea to go with. Sipping a cup of tea, having a piece of dried sweet potato, and starting conversations are the ways that Quang Binh people connect and become closer.
3. Bo Chinh ginseng
Bo Chinh ginseng is a Quang Binh specialty that makes the best gift for grandparents and parents. Known for containing nutritional and medicinal properties comparable to Korean red ginseng and was only used to pay tribute to the king in the past, Bo Chinh ginseng can truly make anyone who receives it feel deeply touched.
Bo Chinh ginseng has a shape and size quite similar to Korean red ginseng. However, the color of this type of ginseng is somewhat brighter and more yellow than red ginseng. Also, Bo Chinh Ginseng has many different health benefits, including:
- Prevent cancer
- Prevent cardiovascular diseases
- Support the treatment of respiratory diseases
- Improve immune system
- Nourish vitality and blood
- Treatment of anorexia
- Regulate blood pressure
- Slow aging
- Protect bones and joints
- Support body recovery after illness
In addition to being used fresh, Bo Chinh ginseng can also be used to make ginseng tea, ginseng jam, ginseng wine, or even dried ginseng ready to eat directly, ensuring both scrumptiousness and the wholeness of nutritional and medicinal value.
3. Bao Ninh fish sauce
Coming to a sunny coastal land like Quang Binh and not buying a few bottles of fish sauce for your family, particularly mothers and aunties, can’t sound more wrong. That’s because fish sauce in Bao Ninh, Quang Binh, has a rich flavor that is hard to forget once tried.
Bao Ninh fish sauce originates from the fishing village of Bao Ninh Commune, Dong Hoi City, separated from the city center by the romantic Nhat Le River. In Bao Ninh, making fish sauce is a long-standing traditional profession that dates back hundreds of years, so much so that the salty taste of the sea has permeated the lives of every person here.
People in Bao Ninh even consider the fish sauce they make to be like the “honey of the sea,” showing how meaningful each fish and each drop of fish sauce is to them.
So what’s special about the flavor of Bao Ninh fish sauce? Characterized by simple but pure and fresh ingredients, including only scads and salt, fermented for 6 to 9 months. The finished product has a pure, rich, and unforgettable flavor.
4. Cheo mixed salt
Cheo mixed salt is a spice served with grilled chicken that is very popular among tourists coming to Quang Binh. Although grilled chicken is already delicious, with flavorful meat and crispy skin, this can always be enhanced when combined with Cheo mixed salt.
Cheo mixed salt is a green mixture including salt, basil, lime leaves, coriander, green pepper, green chili, all grinded. Squeeze a little bit of lemon on the top, and the Cheo mixed salt has a light salty, sour and spicy taste that is just enough for the tongue to feel but bursts with many different layers of flavor from the herbs.
If you or a loved one is a fan of grilled chicken or grilled meat, bringing home after a trip to Quang Binh a jar of Cheo mixed salt as a gift is a good choice.
5. Sesame rice paper
Grilled sesame rice paper, also known as rice cracker, has been so popular in the childhoods of countless generations in Vietnam as the light, sweet aroma of this snack, combined with the delightful crunchiness, has long made it become everyone’s favorite.
However, everywhere in Tan An Village in Quang Trach District, Quang Binh, sesame rice paper is childhood, a snack that is always sought after by children.
Similar to the rice crackers popular in the North and South of Vietnam, sesame rice paper in Tan An is a crispy snack covered with sesame to add a rich flavor. However, sesame rice paper is characterized by the combination of some other ingredients, such as cassava powder, which plays a role in binding and softening the rice paper, and cornstarch, which helps add flavor and natural yellow color without the use of color additives.
The flavor of Tan An sesame rice paper is richer than other types of rice crackers, with the slight sweetness of corn and the aroma of sesame. With the ability to last up to 6 months, sesame rice paper is always the gift chosen by many tourists.
6. Peanut oil
Premium-quality peanut oil can be bought in Phong Nha as a small gift for every family’s kitchen corner. With the soil characteristics in Phong Nha, light, sandy, and well-drained, groundnuts (or peanuts) always reach high quality when harvested.
Peanuts selected to make Phong Nha peanut oil must always be the best peanuts. No underqualified nuts are allowed. Every 100 kilograms of peanuts only produce a batch of pure oil from 27 to 30 liters, with no preservatives and no need for further processing.
The uniqueness of Phong Nha peanut oil probably comes from its unique flavor and rich nutritional value that adds value to each dish. Phong Nha peanut oil contains healthy fats that are good for the heart, like omega 3 and 9, and vitamins such as E and K.
However, for those who are not familiar with the flavor of peanut oil when first using it, the solution is extremely simple. Put the peanut oil in a pot and boil it over low heat, then add some spices such as onion and garlic to enhance the taste of pure peanut oil.
7. Wild honey
Wild honey in Phong Nha is probably one of the most sought-after gifts by tourists coming to Quang Binh. With mountains and forests on all four sides, Phong Nha stands out with saccharine honey that can captivate anyone’s mind and soul.
Phong Nha wild honey is harvested in the deep forest from March to August of the lunar calendar every year by experienced woodsmen. Harvesting wild honey is a dangerous job, so the value of this kind of honey is often much higher than regular honey.
However, what makes Phong Nha wild honey stand out is the delicious taste and nutritional value it brings to the table. Phong Nha wild honey has a sweet taste, slightly sour in the second taste layer, a rich aftertaste and a dense candy consistency.
Phong Nha wild honey can support the treatment of several medical conditions and improve health; hence, it is considered the “honey of longevity.” These uses include:
- Anti-infection
- Antioxidant
- Improve cholesterol
- Heal scars
- Enhance skin health
- Support the treatment of respiratory diseases (cough, bronchitis)
- Support the treatment of insomnia
8. Black sesame oil
Similar to peanut oil, Phong Nha black sesame oil is another Quang Binh specialty that you must buy as a gift if you are someone who likes to take care of the kitchen corner in your home and the good health of your family members through a healthy diet.
Phong Nha black sesame oil has a darker amber color than regular soybean oil. The oil is also not as clear and bright. However, what makes Phong Nha black sesame oil more valuable than other options on the market is its extremely high nutritional value and unique flavor that significantly increases the appeal of dishes.
Phong Nha black sesame oil is known for its various health benefits as it contains high levels of antioxidants and healthy fats, especially omega 6, which support heart health. Phong Nha black sesame oil also contains essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin E, B, magnesium, and calcium, which help improve overall health.
9. Cassava flour powder
For anyone who has come to Quang Binh, especially when walking around on village roads surrounded by hills and mountains, the sight of cassava fields can’t be missed. Cassava is grown in abundance in Quang Binh because of the high, sloping terrain and barren soil that is not suitable for growing rice like in the lowlands. This makes cassava one of the main food sources for the people of Quang Binh.
However, despite being grown in harsh soil, cassava has a lot of nutritional value. Cassava powder, after many elaborate processing steps, is a pure white powder clumped into slabs like rock crystal sugar, used mainly as a drink that is both delicious and nutritious.
Drinking water mixed with cassava powder produced in Phong Nha, one of the best places for making cassava powder, helps cool down and detoxify the body. Cassava can also help treat digestive problems, relieve hangovers, and enhance heart health.
10. Turmeric starch
The last Quang Binh specialty as a gift that many tourists look to buy when coming here is Phong Nha turmeric starch. Having a bright yellow color and a fine powdery texture, turmeric starch is a perfect gift for everyone’s health.
For many people, turmeric powder has become a familiar dietary supplement because it supports digestion very effectively, prevents stomach ulcers, and enhances the intestinal microflora. However, Phong Nha turmeric starch, refined to remove residue and impurities found in fresh turmeric, is a cleaner, purer and healthier product.
With curcumin (the main active ingredient in turmeric) being much higher in concentration than regular turmeric powder, Phong Nha turmeric starch allows much better absorption and quicker effectiveness. The main health benefits of Phong Nha turmeric powder include:
- Supports the treatment of digestive diseases
- Liver detoxification
- Prevents cardiovascular disease
- Prevent cancer
- Heal scars, melasma, and freckles
- Prevent skin aging
- Support weight loss
Where to buy Quang Binh specialties as gifts
When traveling to Quang Binh, visitors can find countless Quang Binh specialties as gifts at local markets. The most popular and convenient place to buy these items is Dong Hoi Market, located in the center of Dong Hoi City by the romantic Nhat Le River.
Only 7 km from Dong Hoi Airport, Dong Hoi Market sells a variety of local specialties, making this place an ideal stop for tourists.
Apart from Dong Hoi Market, visitors have many other shopping options, such as Hoan Lao Market in Bo Trach District, Quan Hau Market in Quang Ninh District, and Ba Don Market in Quang Trach District. Each market has its own appeal and many different types of goods. If you have the chance to stroll around, don’t hesitate to go to these traditional markets to fully experience local specialties and discover things that you may have missed.
For those participating in the adventure tour with Oxalis Adventure, choosing to stay at Chay Lap Farmstay offers the opportunity to buy premium-quality Quang Binh specialties as gifts. Chay Lap Farmstay is widely known for its special accommodation and tourism services and is also a place to support local people through the sale of local farm products.
Choosing to stay at Chay Lap Farmstay is choosing to support the people of Quang Binh in developing their traditional professions.
What to know when buying Quang Binh specialties as gifts
There are some important things to bear in mind when you choose to buy Quang Binh specialties as gifts, including:
- Prices in each region may vary due to transportation and location costs. Prices in large markets like Dong Hoi Market may be slightly higher than local markets. However, in terms of variety, Dong Hoi Market is a better option.
- Packaging and preserving after purchase is one of the important issues that need to be considered. Prioritize choosing items that are carefully vacuum-sealed to ensure the product will last a long time.
- Avoiding breakage during transportation of goods is also very important. Choose reputable shipping units and pack carefully in many layers.
