Buzz
Escape the hustle and bustle of urban life, and return to U Minh Forest to immerse yourself in the wild nature, go fishing, and indulge in wild-caught fish grilling, reminiscent of primitive days... This could be an exciting journey! The Trẹm River divides U Minh (meaning vague day and night) into two regions, upper and lower. U Minh Hạ belongs to Cà Mau province, while U Minh Thượng belongs to Kiên Giang province.
Directions
From the intersection of Rạch Sỏi (Rạch Giá), turn left towards the Tắc Cậu ferry, travel about 20km then turn towards Vĩnh Thuận (Kiên Giang). After another 20km or so, we will reach the buffer zone of U Minh Thượng forest.
Explore U Minh Thượng and U Minh Hạ National Parks
U Minh Thượng covers an area of over 21,107 hectares, with a strictly preserved core area of 8,000 hectares of rare flooded tropical forests worldwide, boasting a rich flora and fauna with many species listed in the Red Book.
At Hoa Mai Lake, the heart of U Minh Thượng National Park, you can sit quietly and immerse yourself in the hidden corners of U Minh, shaded by lush melaleuca trees, and if you like, find a spot to cast your line.
From U Minh Thượng, head to U Minh Hạ National Park, covering a total area of 8,286 hectares with a unique ecosystem of flooded land on a layer of peat, characterized by typical vegetation such as melaleuca trees and various vines.
Products of U Minh Forest
In U Minh Hạ, there are still many natural fish due to the strict conservation of the forest. If you're lucky, you might catch some hefty snakehead fish weighing up to 2kg, perfect for grilling and enjoying with drinks... a perfect way to relax!
As the evening descends and thousands of birds return to their nests, it's also the time for guests to return to the national park's restaurant area to enjoy rustic countryside dishes prepared from the products of U Minh Forest. First and foremost is the abundant and diverse fish, though it may pale in comparison to the olden days.
Fish and vegetables are the main ingredients in the meal structure of Vietnamese people in the Southern region, both in the past and today. Fish can be prepared in various natural and simple ways, such as grilled, wrapped in leaves and grilled, grilled over charcoal, grilled on a rack; cooked in sour soup with fermented rice, mango, tamarind, starfruit, bàn fruit, areca fruit; stir-fried with gourd, sponge gourd, cassava leaves, cooked with fermented fish sauce...
The most popular fish here is the size of an adult's forearm, with a lifespan, equivalent to a banana, delicious and nutritious meat. Then there's the two or three-finger-sized carp, with its tasty white flesh. As for snakehead fish, they're ubiquitous.
Furthermore, in the freshwater environment of U Minh, there are snakehead fish, catfish, mackerel, snakehead fish, flathead fish, catfish, eels, snakes, turtles, horseshoe crabs, green crabs, frogs, toads, various types of snails...
It's truly fascinating to feel as if you've been transported back to ancient times, sitting under the melaleuca forest grilling snakehead fish, skewering marsh snakes with rock salt, dipping into spicy chili sauce! Accompanied by foraged vegetables like water lily buds, young lotus leaves, marshmallow flowers, water pennyworts, water spinach flowers, horned water chestnuts... almost available everywhere.
From these incredibly simple dishes, you can move on to more elaborate ones like stuffed snails grilled with pepper, reticulated python simmered with green bean porridge, steamed sliced catfish with mushrooms...
With the Lunar New Year of the Tiger approaching, our folks will have nearly ten days off for the holiday. You might find yourself weary of the usual Tet dishes like braised pork, sausage, pork meatloaf, pork pies, chicken, duck... Why not head south to savor some fresh and exotic dishes? The U Minh forest is sure to offer you rustic yet unique feasts!
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Source: Mytour Travel Guide - As reported by Business Saigon
MytourDecember 30, 2013
