Buzz
Visitors from the countryside arrive, bearing gifts of freshly picked longans. These longans, plucked straight from the orchard, exude freshness. They are the golden rice longans – a hallmark of Bac Lieu's ancient legacy. And thus, the journey unfolds...
Exploring Bac Lieu, the realm of hundred-year-old longan orchards
Arrangements made, we set off from Saigon on our motorbikes, embarking on a day-long journey to Bac Lieu. We spend the night to explore the hundred-year-old longan orchards in the morning.
On both sides of the road, longan vendors abound. When asked for directions, everyone eagerly guides: “Pass through the Hiệp Thành and Vĩnh Trạch Đông communes. The longan orchard there is well-known, stretching for miles...”
From the city center, traveling six more miles southwards, we are greeted by the lush greenery of longan leaves, longan blossoms, and the distinctive aroma of ripe longans being sold.
Residents living around the longan orchards warmly welcome guests, inviting them into their homes for refreshments, expressing regret: “The longans were just harvested in July, now there are only a few off-season clusters. The trees are blooming and bearing young fruit; the new harvest won't be until September.”
During this season, longans fetch a slightly higher price, at 55,000 VND/kg at the orchard. The newly cultivated longan varieties now include the golden rice longan and the beef skin pepper. The old varieties like subic and tohu are still grown, but in limited quantities due to slow fruiting and low yields.
The locals are enthusiastic in guiding us to the authentic ancient longan orchard in Chom Xoai hamlet, Hiep Thanh commune. This place boasts a cluster of ancient longan trees over a hundred years old, renowned among tourists.
According to the caretakers of the ancient longan orchard, the patriarch Truong Hung is the one who planted these longan trees. He also introduced various longan varieties from abroad to grow on the sandy soil of Bac Lieu.
Now, only the cluster of ancient longans remains in the family orchard, also the largest longan orchard in Bac Lieu, spanning over 3 hectares, owned by the third-generation descendant, Mr. Truong Kiet.
These ancient longan trees still bloom and fruit, albeit sparingly, even in the season. They usually bloom in May and bear ripe fruit in September.
Highly favored by many, the remaining clusters of longans this season still bear large, thin-skinned fruits with thick flesh. When tasted, one can immediately sense the fragrance and sweetness. It is said that Bac Lieu longans have very high nutritional value, and dried longans are used for medicinal purposes or soaked in wine for a delightful drink.
In the summer, amidst the ancient longan orchards, there is still coolness. Here, guests can handpick longans to eat and then choose a spot under a longan tree to rest, relax, or perhaps even participate in the cultural exchange activities of Southern Don Ca Tai Tu music.
Parting ways with the gracious people of Bac Lieu, one fondly anticipates returning in September, the harvest season of the golden rice longans in the land of silver.
Source: Tuoi Tre
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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide
MytourAugust 17, 2016
