Unique tour “Banana tree – preserving the soul of Vietnamese countryside”

When talking about this unique journey idea, Ms. Nguyen The Ngoc, Director of Ngan Long Home & Camp – Son Islet, said: “Banana tree is a familiar tree in the countryside of Vietnam, with many uses. All banana trees are used in a useful way, protecting the environment, especially in preparing country dishes. Banana trees are very easy to find, especially in Son Islet, because this tree grows along the way a lot. With this idea, we explore and research to make many delicious dishes from bananas and bring it closer to visitors through the journey of exploring the countryside in Son Islet associated with the culinary experience about bananas”.

According to this tour, visitors will have experiences imbued with the nature of the river countryside, such as exploring Bay Bon fish raft, making explosive sticky rice of childhood, and trying their hand at making grilled sticky bananas (one of the nine dishes in the list of “The world’s most delicious desserts” voted by CNN (USA)), enjoying folk cakes made from bananas. In particular, visitors will enjoy a meal full of banana specialties: chicken salad with banana and banana flowers, raw vegetables and fish sauce, grilled perch with banana leaves, crispy fried banana flowers, banana hotpot with snakehead fish, banana wine and banana sweet soup.

“Currently, we have explored and launched more than 40 banana dishes to meet the diverse needs of tourists. There are all kinds of savory and sweet dishes here, from cooking in the rustic way to creative new dishes, Eurasian style. We look forward to being able to introduce to visitors the value of banana trees as well as the creativity in cuisine of Southern people”, added by Ms. Nguyen The Ngoc. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Tuyen, a chef at Ngan Long Home & Camp – Son Islet, has more than 30 years of experience, said: “For rustic dishes, we still keep the traditional way of cooking, like perch grilled in banana leaves, we grilled it on a wood stove and when I made hotpot a batch of bananas and snakehead fish, the batch is raised by ourselves and the ingredients are all in the garden, the pond. The banana trees are so simple but can make many delicious dishes, such as: eel with banana flowers, braised banana flowers, stir-fried banana flowers with snails…”.

Participating in the journey and experiencing the product of Ngan Long Home & Camp – Son Islet, Ms. Truong Thi Le Quyen, Vietsun Tourist Can Tho Company, said: “Banana trees are very popular in the West and many people also know this tree. However, when experiencing banana dishes like this, I still find it very interesting, because I haven’t thought that there would be such a variety of dishes, while there are traditional and folk dishes that are modern with Asian – European style dishes. I think this is also an experience that should be tried and will make a mark for Son Islet tourism”. Sharing the same opinion, Ms. Do Thi Kim Chi, Deputy Director of Mekong Delta Adventure Travel & Events Co., Ltd., said: “Many delicious dishes made from banana, but this is the first time I know that Banana can be made into many delicious dishes, including some dishes I’ve never known before. In my opinion, this is a new and strange experience because there is such a culinary thematic journey for the first time”.

With more than 40 available banana dishes, Ngan Long Home & Camp – Son Islet can organize buffets at the request of large groups of guests, or special event occasions. Ms. Nguyen The Ngoc, Director of Ngan Long Home & Camp – Son Islet, said: “Currently this tour is in the testing process and we are constantly looking for more delicious dishes from bananas. We want to give visitors not only local cultural experiences but also the value of local products”.