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| Vietnamese cuisine represents a tantalising blend of flavours, colours, and textures that have captured the hearts and taste buds of food enthusiasts worldwide. (Photo courtesy of Outlook Traveler) |
The author Akarshit Gupta offered several must-know facts about Vietnamese cuisine, including its history, key ingredients, iconic dishes, and culinary influences.
The Indian media outlet recommended that the Xu Wing and Mahābhūta principles are the cornerstone of Vietnamese cuisine, much like in numerous other Asian culinary traditions.
These philosophies serve to underscore the significance of achieving harmony among the five essential flavour components: sweetness, tartness, saltiness, bitterness, and spiciness, thereby creating a genuinely invigorating dining experience with every meal, it added.
A delicious breakfast is another fact about Vietnamese cuisine. Local morning rituals typically revolve around steaming bowls of hot soup, fragrant broken rice, and delicious bánh mì sandwiches, all of which reflect the early riser culture.
Given the nation’s sweltering climate, it's no wonder that people have a penchant for cooling, liquid desserts. Vietnamese cuisine therefore offers a delightful array of sweet concoctions collectively known as "chè," encompassing dessert soups, beverages, and puddings.
Another must-know fact about Vietnamese cuisine is the regional differences. The country is divided into three distinct regions, the North, South, and Central. Each place boasts its own culinary identity, Wwile there are some shared elements among these regional cuisines, they tend to take great pride in their distinctive attributes.
The article also notes the local coffee culture. “Vietnamese coffee is robust and brimming with flavour. It delivers a potent punch that awakens your senses and imbues you with the confidence to tackle the day ahead,” it wrote.
Fish sauce is also a notable aspect which is an essential cornerstone of Vietnamese cuisine, alongside olive oil and soy sauce. It plays a pivotal role in many iconic Vietnamese dishes, including pho, spring rolls, banh xeo, com tam, com thit nuong, and countless others.
Moreover, fetal duck eggs are an affordable, delicious, and nutrient-rich street-side snack widely available throughout the country. Served with essential condiments and presented beautifully, travelers are able to find fetal duck eggs sold at street-side stalls nationwide.
P'apiu Resort in Ha Giang honoured as Asia's leading romantic resort
According to VOV, P'apiu Resort in Yen Dinh commune of Bac Me district in the northern province of Ha Giang has been given the title as Asia's leading romantic resort and Asia's leading unique architectural resort.
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| P'apiu Resort in Yen Dinh commune of Bac Me district in the northern province of Ha Giang |
The information was unveiled at the ASIA International Economic Forum and the 6th ASIA award ceremony held on October 6 in Singapore.
Since being put into operation back in 2019, P'apiu has become the first luxury resort model for couples in Vietnam. Covering a total area stretching across more than 30 hectares, P'apiu boasts five villas featuring separate and romantic spaces.
Apart from savouring scenic views of the surrounding natural landscape, visitors to P'apiu can experience tea culture on the top of Yolo mount, soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi, as well as enjoy the morning mist and the fresh dawn.
Architecture is also an important factor in creating a unique romance for the resort. Inspired by indigenous culture such as the stilt house of the Tay people, P'apiu has five villas and own the first underground villa in Vietnam, containing 600 drawers to store memorabilia like a unique love museum.
Furthermore, visitors can admire the longest brocade street in the nation with a winding design and vivid hand-painted motifs, bearing the cultural imprint of the ethnic groups who reside in Ha Giang.
With two important titles recently recognised, P’apiu Resort once again affirms its position as the first luxury resort brand in Ha Giang, while simultaneously contributing to improving the effectiveness of tourism promotion and further building the national tourism brand.
2023 goal of 12-13 million visitors feasible: official
Vietnam's tourism industry could achieve its goal of welcoming 12-13 million visitors by the end of this year, VNA cited the saying of Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Pham Van Thuy at a regular press conference of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Hanoi on October 9.
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| Foreign tourists in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) |
Thuy said in the first nine month, foreign arrivals in Vietnam exceeded the set target of 8 million by 11%.
Recently, Vietnam's more open visa policy has created favourable conditions to welcome foreign visitors. In addition, Vietnam is undergoing a cultural revival, with all of its historical sites and heritages becoming assets that could be used to create unique tourism products, making them attractive to international tourists. Traditional and nearby markets have also shown relatively good signs of recovery, he said.
According to the VNAT, Vietnam's tourism sector has recovered rapidly since the beginning of this year. Especially during July, August and September, the country welcomed over 1 million foreigners each.
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International tourists visit the Bình Tây Market in District 6, HCM City. (Source: VNS)
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In the past nine months, foreign and domestic arrivals reached 8.9 million and 93.5 million, respectively, bringing in a revenue of 536.5 trillion VND ($22 billion).
The Republic of Korea remained the biggest source of arrivals with roughly 2.6 million, or 29% of the total. In Europe, the top three markets were the UK with 187,000, France 155,000, and Germany 142,000.
The traditional Chinese market achieved a recovery rate of 28%.
Overseas Vietnamese in UK celebrate mid-autumn festival
According to VNA, the Vietnamese Association in the UK (VAUK), the Vietnam Business Association in the UK (VBUK) and the Vietnamese Family Partnership (VFP) on October 8 organised an event to celebrate the traditional mid-autumn festival.
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| A traditional lion dance performance at the festival. (Photo: VNA) |
The event attracted overseas Vietnamese people and locals with contests on making moon cakes and using chopsticks, folk games, musical performances and “ao dai” (traditional long dress) performances.
At the festival, there was an exhibition displaying symbols of Vietnamese people in London selected from a design contest, which was supported by the London city government to build the image of Vietnamese people in the UK and raise awareness of local people about the Vietnamese community and its contributions to the country.
Previously, the EV360 Centre, a non-profit organisation that teaches Vietnamese to Vietnamese children in the UK and Europe, also organised a mid-autumn festival, attracting 200 students at the centre and their family members./.