What delicious specialties does Hai Phong have? What should you eat and buy as gifts?

For many travel enthusiasts, the port city of Hai Phong is an ideal destination for short trips. In addition to its beautiful beaches and impressive attractions, Hai Phong also attracts tourists with its unique local specialties. So, what delicious specialties does Hai Phong offer? What specialties can be bought as gifts? Let’s find out with Vietjet in this article.

Hai Phong is famous for its green beaches, bays and many large and small islands.

1. Introduction to Hai Phong

Known for its abundance of phoenix flowers that bloom in summer, Hai Phong is affectionately called the "city of red phoenix flowers." It has a history spanning hundreds of years, attracting tourists with its many ancient architectural works and distinctive natural landscapes.

Each season, Hai Phong has its own unique beauty and famous dishes that leave a lasting impression on visitors. Perhaps this is why Hai Phong's specialties such as coconut milk jelly, paté bread, and crab noodle soup have become well-known throughout the country.

See more: Hai Phong travel experience - A picturesque port city

2. Some Famous Specialties of Hai Phong

2.1 Crab Noodle Soup (Banh đa cua)

When mentioning Hai Phong, many people immediately think of crab noodle soup, a culinary specialty of the port city. A delicious bowl of crab noodle soup is typically accompanied by various toppings such as spring rolls, stuffed betel leaf rolls, shrimp, crab roe, pork ribs, and pork leg. The noodles, made with a special recipe unique to Hai Phong, are soft, chewy, and naturally sweet. There's nothing better than enjoying a bowl of crab noodle soup filled with crab meat and rich broth on a chilly morning.

Additionally, tourists can buy the famous red noodles from Hai Phong as gifts for loved ones or to enjoy later, savoring the renowned specialty of Hai Phong.

2.2 Crab Spring Rolls (Nem cua be)

Another dish made from crab, Hai Phong's crab spring rolls are famous for their unique square shape. The spring roll filling, wrapped in thin rice paper, is fried in hot oil until golden brown. The filling includes ingredients such as wood ear mushrooms, dried vermicelli, shrimp, crab meat, and minced pork, all seasoned to perfection. With each bite, you can enjoy the crispy rice paper, the rich crab filling, and the harmonious blend of various ingredients.

Authentic Hai Phong crab spring rolls are served with fresh herbs, vermicelli, and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce, creating a multi-layered flavor and a memorable culinary experience.

2.3 Spicy Bread (Banh mi cay)

Although baguette sticks are available in many places, to truly experience this unique dish, you must come to Hai Phong. Locals call it spicy bread, a simple street food. The filling consists of just a layer of pâté and other accompaniments such as cilantro or a bit of shredded pork. The unique aspect of eating Hai Phong's spicy bread is pairing it with "chí chương," a type of spicy, aromatic chili sauce from the North.

Authentic Hai Phong spicy bread is a small baguette, just the size of two fingers.

2.4 Hai Phong Coconut Jelly

Coconut jelly is a refreshing snack that many sweet-tooth lovers adore. While it contains the usual ingredients like coconut milk, coconut flesh, coconut jelly, and tapioca pearls, just like in other places, Hai Phong's coconut jelly has an irresistible taste. When enjoyed, diners will experience the rich, sweet, and refreshing taste of coconut, the crunchy texture of coconut flesh, jelly, and tapioca pearls. In some places, this dish is topped with a crispy layer of dried coconut, making it even more enjoyable.

During the hot summer days, coconut jelly is especially loved for its cooling properties and distinctive sweet and rich flavor. However, for those with a preference for lighter flavors, coconut jelly might be a bit too sweet and can quickly become cloying. You can ask to reduce the sweetness and add more ice to balance the flavors.

2.5 Sui din

During the winter days in Hai Phong, with the chilly weather or on rainy days, sủi dìn is an irresistible specialty. At first glance, many might mistake it for glutinous rice balls, but sủi dìn has a unique flavor found only in Hai Phong. The main ingredients include glutinous rice flour, black sesame, shredded coconut, ginger, and molasses syrup. Sủi dìn is made by shaping the dough with a filling of black sesame, roasted peanuts, and coconut flesh. Diners quickly become captivated by the sweet, nutty, rich taste and the slight spiciness of ginger. Since this is a hot dish, it is perfect for cold rainy days.

2.6 Red Jellyfish Salad

The coastal area of Hai Phong has an abundant supply of red jellyfish, especially in the summer. Unlike regular jellyfish, red jellyfish are excellent for cooling down, with a fresh, chewy texture that stimulates the taste buds. Among the dishes made from red jellyfish, red jellyfish salad is a “hot” specialty that many food lovers are passionate about.

After being caught, the red jellyfish are boiled with the bark, roots of mangrove trees, and aromatic leaves, then soaked until the jellyfish meat turns a reddish-pink, translucent like jelly. When making the salad, the seller will cut the jellyfish meat into small, bite-sized pieces. Diners eat the red jellyfish with herbs like perilla, mint, basil, coconut flesh, tofu, and dip it in a bowl of spicy shrimp paste. The flavors of the ingredients blend in the mouth, creating a distinctive culinary experience.

2.7 Hai Phong Yellow Flower Glutinous Rice Wine

As the name suggests, the main ingredient of this precious wine in Hai Phong is yellow flower glutinous rice. When this type of rice blossoms, it produces yellow pollen instead of the usual white. Besides this main ingredient, the wine is also fermented with some types of Chinese medicinal herbs. As a result, this beverage has a distinctive aroma and a mellow, not headache-inducing flavor like many other types of wine.

Because of its unique flavor and special production method known only to the local people, yellow flower glutinous rice wine is always a sought-after gift by tourists visiting Hai Phong. This Hai Phong specialty is typically enjoyed lightly during meals to stimulate the palate and digestion.

2.8 An Tho Fermented Pork Roll

Fermented pork roll is a highly addictive snack due to its sour taste from fermentation, with the main ingredients being minced pork and finely shredded pork skin, and is very popular in Vietnamese celebrations and meals. In Hai Phong, there is a specialty called An Tho fermented pork roll, which has a different preparation and flavor, making it an ideal gift to bring back.

Delicious fermented pork roll must be wrapped in several layers of banana leaves to ferment until it has an attractive pink color.

Starting with the careful selection of ingredients, the meat and pork skin must be meticulously cleaned and fresh. The main ingredients are then mixed with various spices to enhance the flavor and tightly wrapped in 3-4 layers of banana leaves and one layer of guava leaves inside. After fermenting for about 2-4 days, the An Thọ fermented pork roll is refrigerated to slow down the fermentation process. The finished product has an appealing pink color and is usually served with herbs, leaves, and sweet and sour fish sauce.

3. Places to Enjoy Hai Phong Specialties

3.1 Cat Bi Market

The most famous market in Hai Phong, Cat Bi Market, is a food paradise attracting tourists and locals every day. Here you can find all kinds of dishes, from specialties to street food. Spend an afternoon exploring the culinary delights of Hai Phong at Cat Bi Market, where you can enjoy specialties like crab noodle soup, crab spring rolls, banh beo, coconut jelly, sủi dìn, and more.

Cat Bi Market becomes bustling and crowded from 3 PM to the evening. The food here is reasonably priced, but you should ask for prices beforehand to avoid being overcharged.

Address: Cat Bi Market, Cat Bi Ward, Hai An District.

3.2 Co Dao Market

Located in the city center of Hai Phong, Co Dao Market is an ideal destination for food enthusiasts. During the day, Co Dao Market operates as a wholesale market with a variety of agricultural and seafood products. Starting in the afternoon, it becomes lively with numerous food stalls offering a wide range of snacks. Visit Co Dao Market to buy specialties as gifts and enjoy the local delicacies of the "city of red phoenix flowers."

Address: Co Dao Market, Tran Nhat Duat Street, Cau Dat Ward, Ngo Quyen District.

3.3 Luong Van Can Local Market

Unlike the other two markets, Luong Van Can Market is a local market for the residents. It sells all kinds of goods, from fresh produce to typical port city foods. The unique aspect of this market is the stalls and shops set up in the alleys within the market area. At Luong Van Can Market, you will experience a unique culinary culture as you navigate through the alleys to find your favorite specialties. You can find various delicious dishes like spicy bread, sea clam, seafood porridge, jellyfish salad, crab spring rolls, chè, ice cream, smoothies, and the signature Hai Phong coconut jelly. As a local market, prices here are very affordable.

Address: Luong Van Can Market, May To Ward, Ngo Quyen District.

A small tip for food lovers when traveling: You can “dive” into local markets to experience the authentic local specialties.

No matter which market you choose to enjoy the delicious food, you will always feel the distinctive, unique flavors of the port city. Furthermore, Hai Phong offers specialties suitable for the weather in any season. Therefore, food enthusiasts will undoubtedly satisfy their culinary cravings when visiting the "city of red phoenix flowers."

If you plan to explore Hai Phong and enjoy its delicacies, don’t forget to hunt for cheap flight tickets to the port city with Vietjet. Currently, Vietjet has a 0 VND ticket promotion from 12-14h daily. Find out more [HERE].

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