Top 10 Local Delicacies to Bring Back as Souvenirs from Ben Tre

Coconut Jam is one of the most popular souvenirs that visitors love to take home for their family, friends, and loved ones. To make the natural white coconut jam and the green coconut jam flavored with pandan leaves (without artificial coloring), the first step is to select large, young coconuts. Avoid overly dry coconuts, as the jam will turn out tough and less enjoyable.

The process begins by peeling off the coconut husk, cracking open the shell, and separating the coconut meat. The outer yellow layer is removed, leaving the coconut flesh thinly sliced, which is then soaked until the water becomes clear. After that, sugar is added and allowed to soak into the coconut. The coconut is then cooked over low heat, stirring until the sugar crystals adhere to the coconut. Once cooled, it's ready to be enjoyed. A 500g pack of coconut jam is sold for 80,000 VND.

When visiting the coconut capital of Ben Tre, you simply can't leave without trying the iconic Ben Tre coconut wine, a local specialty that captures the unique flavor of the Mekong Delta. This traditional wine is made from 100% pure coconut water, with no preservatives or artificial chemicals, and is naturally fermented in its original coconut shell. Both men and women enjoy this refreshing drink, which has become a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

Aside from its distinctive taste, this coconut wine is also known for its health benefits, promoting digestion and enhancing skin health. With its rustic packaging and sweet coconut aroma, it makes a wonderful gift for friends and family. A 500ml bottle of this unique drink is priced around 85,000 VND.

In addition to the famous coconut wine, Ben Tre is also known for another distinctive liquor: Phu Le wine. This local specialty has gained a reputation both domestically and internationally, with many visitors seeking to taste it. Phu Le wine is considered one of the three most renowned liquors of the Mekong Delta, along with Xuân Thạnh wine from Tra Vinh and Gò Đen wine from Long An. Together with lotus wine from Dong Thap, Phu Le wine is made using a combination of traditional and modern methods, ensuring high safety standards for consumers.

Known for its pure, pleasant aroma and balanced taste, Phu Le wine is non-toxic and widely appreciated for its smoothness. This distinctive drink is often bought as a souvenir, with a 500ml bottle priced around 85,000 VND. It is favored by tourists both in Vietnam and abroad, offering a rich flavor that is strong but not overwhelming, making it an excellent choice for enjoying or gifting.

A unique treat from Ben Tre, known as banana rice paper, stands out among the region's specialties. Like other rice papers, such as Mỹ Lồng rice paper, this one is made from ingredients like rice, coconut, and sugar. What makes banana rice paper special is the addition of ripe Siam bananas, which give it a distinctive sweetness and flavor. First, the bananas are selected when they are just ripe, then they are thinly sliced and layered onto rice flour before being sun-dried. The resulting product has a golden hue with beautifully layered banana slices.

When grilled, the sweet, rich coconut milk, sticky rice, cassava, and banana flavors blend together perfectly, giving off a fragrant aroma. The texture is crispy and delicious, making it an intriguing and delightful snack. To enhance its flavor, you can lightly grill the rice paper for a crunchier and more fragrant treat. The price for a set of 10 pieces is about 60,000 VND.

Coconut is not only a key ingredient in many delicious dishes, but it is also widely used for beauty and skincare purposes. The coconut face mask is made from natural coconut products and is known for its ability to smooth and brighten the skin. This mask is priced at around 109,000 VND.

Applying a coconut face mask helps to hydrate the skin, leaving it soft and naturally glowing. It also deeply cleanses the skin, removing impurities from the pores, effectively fights bacteria, fades acne scars, prevents wrinkles from forming, and maintains long-term skin rejuvenation.

Ben Tre Coconut Oil is one of the best natural beauty ingredients. Extracted from the meat of coconuts, this oil is a rich source of healthy fats used in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and industry. Ben Tre coconut oil is made through a traditional, artisanal process, ensuring its purity and quality.

This coconut oil is known for its ability to keep skin radiant and smooth, preventing dryness and promoting hair health by boosting protein levels. It is also commonly used as a substitute for other cooking oils. You can purchase a bottle of authentic coconut oil for around 50,000 VND.

One essential ingredient for rustic stews and braised dishes in rural cuisine is caramel sauce. A famous specialty from Ben Tre is coconut caramel sauce, made from 100% pure Ben Tre coconuts. The preparation of this sauce is a meticulous process. To turn clear coconut water into a thick, sticky sauce, it requires continuous cooking for 24 hours, maintaining a steady flame, and adding more water as it evaporates. Traditionally, the sauce is made in a cast iron pan.

For the best quality coconut caramel sauce, it must be made from 100% coconut water. To create just one liter of pure coconut sauce, the process uses the juice of hundreds of coconuts, cooked over a full day and night. A 200ml bottle of this sauce costs around 70,000 VND.

Ben Tre Coconut Candy is the most famous specialty from Ben Tre. To make these candies with their unique flavor, the key is selecting high-quality coconuts and mastering the intricate steps of the process, especially when cooking the malt syrup. The rice used to cook the syrup must be freshly harvested from the spring season, with large, evenly ripened grains. The rice fields chosen must be free from chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The rice is soaked in clean rainwater before being used to make the syrup.

Ben Tre coconut candies are made in various flavors to cater to a wide range of preferences, such as durian, chocolate, cocoa, and peanut fillings. Many people love the pandan-flavored coconut candy, which has a subtle aroma, while the striped and green-white versions with pandan flavor are visually appealing. This type of candy is sought after by both domestic and international tourists. The price for a box of these coconut candies typically averages around 50,000 VND.

One of the traditional dishes from Ben Tre is the famous My Long rice paper, originating from My Thanh village in the Giong Trom district of Ben Tre province. This rice paper is carefully crafted from a special type of rice known as 'sỏi rice' (a unique variety from Tra Vinh), which is thoroughly washed, finely ground, and combined with fresh, thick coconut meat, from which the coconut milk is extracted. This specialty from Ben Tre is both rich and airy, with an irresistible aroma when grilled over charcoal.

The standout feature of My Long rice paper is the generous use of coconut milk as a key ingredient along with the rice. The more coconut milk used, the stickier and more fragrant the rice paper becomes, with the coconut's richness making it a delight for anyone who tries it. The rice paper is grilled on an open charcoal flame, crisping both sides and releasing a sweet, coconut aroma that blends with the flour in a unique way. My Long rice paper comes in several variations: sweet milk rice paper, savory rice paper, and ginger rice paper. The price for a set of 10 pieces of My Long rice paper is typically around 65,000 VND.

Son Doc Puffed Rice Cake is a renowned specialty from Ben Tre, famous throughout the region. It is made from freshly harvested glutinous rice, known for its fragrance and chewiness. The rice is soaked for several hours to soften, then thoroughly cleaned and steamed to perfection. Once cooked, the rice is pounded while hot in a mortar to form a sticky dough. Sugar and coconut milk are added to suit the desired taste. To make the cakes larger, a bit of ground soy flour is added. This delicious treat is a favorite of food enthusiasts visiting Ben Tre, and it is reasonably priced at about 66,000 VND for a batch.

The puffed rice cakes are light, chewy, and wonderfully fragrant, with the rich coconut flavor making them truly irresistible. Though there are now various flavors, such as savory or onion-flavored versions, the sweet coconut puffed rice cake remains the most famous.