Not only are these specialties representative of the cultural essence of the land you set foot in, but they also serve as gifts for your loved ones and friends whenever you travel far. The suggestions below for Quy Nhon specialties as gifts will help you answer the question of what to buy as gifts when traveling to Quy Nhon.
Quy Nhon travel: What gifts to buy, where to buy?
Quy Nhon specialties as gifts
What to buy in Quy Nhon? Surely the first answer will be the specialties of Quy Nhon, containing the essence of the cuisine of this land. Below are some of the most famous Quy Nhon specialties that you can choose as gifts:
Banh It La Gai
This is a very famous type of cake from Binh Dinh land and has become a very popular Quy Nhon travel gift. The cake is soft and chewy, made from: glutinous rice flour, La Gai leaves, coconut, and mung beans, but the most important thing is still the meticulous process from wrapping the cake, making the crust from the skilled cake makers.
Banh It La Gai
However, if you choose Quy Nhon specialties as gifts, you need to note that the cake only lasts for 3 - 4 days, so eat it quickly before it spoils.
Coconut Rice Paper from Tam Quan
In Binh Dinh, there is an area called Tam Quan, famous for growing many coconuts, second only to Ben Tre in the South. Coconut rice paper from Tam Quan is made from fragrant rice ground into wet flour with coconut water and shredded coconut, sprinkled with sesame seeds for flavor. These specialty gifts from Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh are sun-dried and mist-dried, then grilled on both sides, which is absolutely fantastic.
Coconut Rice Paper from Tam Quan
Quy Nhon Pink Cake
In addition to the famous leaf cake, Quy Nhon also has a pink cake that you cannot miss. This type of cake is made from high-quality fragrant glutinous rice and white sugar, soft and chewy with a very characteristic flavor of coconut water, embodying the true characteristics of the people of Nau land and closely associated with the lives of the people here.
Quy Nhon Pink Cake
Sticky Green Rice Flake Cake
What to buy in Quy Nhon as gifts? A specialty from Binh Dinh in An Nhon district that many tourists choose to purchase as gifts for children or elderly. The cake, with a hint of ginger, is fluffy if made with less glutinous rice and chewy if made with more glutinous rice, perfect to pair with tea and can be preserved for a long time.
Bau Da Liquor
Bau Da Liquor is characterized by its bubbly appearance when the bottle is opened, and its intoxicating aroma that fills the air upon uncorking. This famous specialty from Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh, is a harmonious blend of various crucial elements, notably the sweet water of the Kon River chilled in underground stone crevices at the Bau Abyss. The combination of nature and human craftsmanship has resulted in a renowned and robust liquor of the Nau region.
Bau Da Liquor
Tam Quan Coconut Fish Sauce
Tam Quan Coconut Fish Sauce
Have you ever heard of coconut fish sauce? It's quite unusual compared to the usual fish sauces made from fish like anchovies or mackerel. This famous delicacy from Quy Nhon makes for a perfect gift. Similar to other fish sauces, it has a salty taste, a golden color, and a wonderfully fragrant aroma. It's called coconut fish sauce because it's made from coconut water. The traditional craft of making this fish sauce has been passed down for generations in Binh Dinh. During times of war when trade was restricted and transportation was difficult, coconut fish sauce became the main dipping sauce in rural areas, mountainous regions, and the central highlands. This type of fish sauce doesn't require distillation and doesn't take much time to make. Coconut water is simmered until it turns golden, then salt is added to cool it down, resulting in the finished product.
Binh Dinh's Special Tre
Binh Dinh's Tre is also a highly favored gift from Quy Nhon. There are two types of Tre: beef Tre or pork Tre, but pork Tre is more common. This dish is very convenient as a gift because it's neatly packaged and appeals to both Northern and Southern tastes. When kept in the refrigerator, it can last for about 10 days. Tre is a type of fermented meat, wrapped in bundles of straw, which looks very attractive and unique.
Binh Dinh's Tre
An Thai's Twin Soul Noodles
Green Bean Vermicelli with Fried Tofu
An Thai's Dual Dragon Noodles have long been renowned with the folk verse 'Conical Hat of Go Gang/An Thai's Dual Dragon Noodles'. This specialty dish, perfect for souvenirs when visiting Quy Nhon, is unlike typical northern noodles as they are made from various types of flour, especially green bean flour. The meticulous process of making these noodles involves grinding, sifting, drying, kneading, boiling, and sun-drying the flour. Each step requires utmost precision. The best time to sun-dry the noodles is from March to June under the sun and wind of Nau land, enhancing the noodles' flavor.
Quy Nhon's Phu The Cake
Quy Nhon's Phu The Cake
Phu The Cake, also known as Xu Xe Cake, although found in many places and commonly served at weddings, you should try Quy Nhon's version because of its unique and distinct flavor. Wrapped in coconut leaves, it has a soft and sweet inner filling with a chewy coconut texture, offering a unique taste experience.
Grilled Sweet Potato Rice Paper
I'm grouping these specialty cakes from Quy Nhon together because they're found in many places, but each region has its own unique flavors. In Quy Nhon, the grilled sweet potato cakes are fragrantly grilled with ginger. The green bean and black bean cakes with coconut filling have a distinctive appearance and a deliciously fragrant taste. Inside, they're filled with coconut and sesame seeds, offering a delightful treat.
Chợ Huyen's Fermented Pork Roll
Chợ Huyen's fermented pork rolls, a specialty in Quy Nhơn, are wrapped in guava leaves for fermentation and then wrapped again in banana leaves. When eaten raw, they have a sour and chewy taste, but when grilled, they emit a delightful aroma of guava leaves. When buying Chợ Huyen's fermented pork rolls as gifts, it's advisable to choose reputable brands such as Nem Chua Nam Thu, Bốn Tạo, Ngọc Hùng, with clear addresses available on Google Maps.
If you're short on time, make sure to visit the specialty shops there, as they offer a wide variety. Pay close attention to the expiry date, as freshness matters, and leaving it too long will make the fermented rolls sour.
Boxed Seasoned Squid
A region famous for its delicious seafood cannot be without a specialty related to it. When in Quy Nhon, remember to buy boxed seasoned squid. The squid is marinated, dried, thinly sliced, and packed into boxes. When enjoyed, you can tear it into small pieces, savoring its chewy, crispy, sour, and spicy flavors. Boxed seasoned squid typically costs between 600k to 800k VND per kilogram. If you're unsure about what souvenirs to buy when visiting Quy Nhon, be sure to choose this specialty seasoned squid.
Canned Squid
Dried Seaweed
What to buy in Quy Nhon? It's not just a specialty of Korea; dried seaweed is also very popular in Quy Nhon. And it's not only delicious but also rivals the specialty of the land of kimchi. If you're unsure what souvenirs to buy in Quy Nhon, consider choosing dried seaweed. This food is extremely nutritious, with a vitamin A content 2-3 times higher than carrots, a calcium content 3 times higher than cow's milk, and a vitamin B2 content 4 times higher than in eggs. You can easily find dried seaweed in Quy Nhon's markets.
Dried Seaweed
Fried Crispy Earthworm Shrimp
Mentioning Quy Nhon's specialties for gifts, one cannot overlook the earthworm shrimp crispy fried cake from Binh Dinh land. Loved not only by Saigonese but also by Hanoians, it can be fried to a crisp and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce, perfect for any meal. When purchasing, it must be kept frozen and thawed before frying.
Earthworm Shrimp Crispy Fried Cake
The earthworm shrimp crispy fried cake is an indispensable specialty when buying gifts... Specialty stores like Phuong Nghi, Thanh Liem, or Mận Khoa also sell this dish and it's delicious.
Various Quy Nhon souvenirs for gifts
Souvenirs in Quy Nhon are abundantly sold around the tomb of Han Mac Tu and Queen's Beach. Here, some of Han Mac Tu's verses are engraved on wood, stone, and jewelry made of pearls and shells. Particularly in Quy Nhon, there are sand paintings, with prices ranging from 70k to 200k VND. The special point of these souvenirs in Quy Nhon is that they are painted by a disabled girl.
Where to Buy Quy Nhon Specialties as Gifts
So where can you buy these Quy Nhon specialties as gifts? In Quy Nhon shopping experience, you can visit the following places to find many Quy Nhon gifts for your family and friends:
- Night Market Quy Nhon: Nguyen Tu Street, Quy Nhon City, offers a variety of fashion items and snacks. You can explore Quy Nhon cuisine here and find Quy Nhon souvenirs as gifts.
- Dam Market: Hoang Hoa Tham, Thi Nai Ward. This market specializes in fresh seafood, with a wide range of shrimp, crab, fish, and squid, all of which are large in size and therefore the prices are relatively high. If you want to buy seafood in Quy Nhon, you should visit this market.
- Market Area 2: 110 Nguyen Hue, Tran Phu Ward, is also a large seafood market in Quy Nhon, with lower prices than Dam Market. Dam Market operates in the morning, while Market Area 2 operates from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
- Market Area 6: Vo Lai Street, Ngo May Ward, offers a wide range of affordable items, including various dried seafood and Quy Nhon specialties. When visiting Quy Nhon, buy gifts here for your loved ones. There are many specialties of Nau land, thorny leaf cakes, Tre (fermented pork), coconut rice paper, dried fish, dried squid, etc.
A small note is to bargain when shopping, as the prices in these markets tend to be quite high. Avoid going to the market too early and choose your goods carefully to avoid buying counterfeit or low-quality items.
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Your trip to Quy Nhon will be even more perfect if you can choose these Quy Nhon specialties as gifts to bring back for your family and friends. With the question of what to buy as gifts in Quy Nhon, the suggestions above should suffice. Wishing you a very enjoyable trip!
Posted by: Nghiem Ton Tieu Phung
Keyword: What to Buy as Souvenirs in Quy Nhon: Quy Nhon Specialties & Trusted Buying Addresses