>> "Cha ca la vong" in Hanoi

Visiting Hanoi, you not only see beautiful scenes but also enjoy special foods. Hanoi is known with 36 streets and each street has unique foods. Visiting Cha Ca Street, the taste of “cha ca la vong” will make you go into ecstasy. “Cha ca la vong” is really incomparable food of Cha Ca Street in particular and of Hanoi in general.


Hanoi is a historical and cultural centre in Vietnam so it keeps many historical places and traditional features of Vietnam. Talking about Hanoi, there are many interesting and attractive things especially foods. Hanoi is known with 36 streets and each street has unique foods. Visiting Cha Ca Street, we must say to “cha ca la vong” – a famous and special dish of this street.




Cha ca la vong


"Cha ca la vong" has the origin of Doan family, it has been famous since 1989 and until now “cha ca la vong” is recognized as a special food in Vietnam by Vietnamese state. The history of this dish is told as follows: in years of French domination period, in No.14 Hang Son there is Doan family who usually make the delicious cha ca to invite their guests.

After a long time, this dish has become famous and it is made to mainly serve for De Tham insurgent army and then these guests helped Doan family open a restaurant where they can gather and help Doan family earn money to bring up insurgent army as well as people in Doan family. The appearance and fame of this dish is also the reason Hang Son Street changes into Cha Ca Street. Especially, in the restaurant, a Mr La Vong- Khuong Tu Nha sitting to go fishing is always showed so guests called the name of restaurant “Cha Ca La Vong”.

To make this dish, it requires some strict techniques about choosing ingredients and spice. Specifically, fennel is taken from Lang, shrimp paste come from Thanh Hoa, vermicelli has origin of Thanh Tri, and etc. fish can be hemibagrus, snake- head, or mudfish but the best kind of fish is hemibagrus. Sauce is only the most wonderful when it is not too sweet, salty, or sour.

“Cha ca la vong” should be eaten when it is still hot. You can eat it with vermicelli, rice pancake, fennel, and shrimp paste. It is sure that the taste of this dish will make you go into ecstasy. Moreover, if you have eaten this special dish, you will want to have more chance to enjoy it. "Cha ca la vong" is really incomparable food of Cha Ca Street in particular and of Hanoi in general.

(Source :: http://getvietnamvisa.org )

>> My interesting experiences in Moc Chau Plateau

In summer vacation, my parents selected some sightseeing spots in Vietnam for traveling. Fortunately, we found a website applying Vietnam visa on arrival; we only need to implement the steps following the instructions there. After that we can get visa at Vietnam international airports.

We took a tour in Vietnam for two weeks. We traveled many wonderful landscapes but the place I remember most is Moc Chau plateau. I was attracted by its fresh and picturesque destinations and cultural diversity with ethnic minority groups here.

I was very interesting at the first time I heard our tour guide introduce about Moc Chau. Located at the north-western of Vietnam, about 1050m above sea level and around 80km long and 25km wide, it has ideal weather with the average temperature from 18°C to 26°C in summer, that is perfect to enjoy our vacation here.

Moc Chau always attracts tourist by its majestic natural scenery no matter in any seasons. However, our tour guide told that Moc Chau is the most beautiful in spring when the flowers blooms in every slopes, all around mountains and valleys. At that time, the scene of highland looks like decorated by the colors of flower species, such as yellow of sunflowers, white of apricot flowers, plum flowers, pink of peach flowers, or colorful small flowers in roadside. However, when I came to Moc Chau, I also had chance to enjoy the beauty of flowers here.

To Moc Chau, the most interesting thing is walking on the green vast grass field. And more exciting is visiting in cow farms, seeing the cows graze, feeding them, see the locals milking cows, or enjoying cups of hot fresh milk. I also bought some special products from milk as souvenirs for my relatives and friends. Fortunately, I came here right time having Ms Cow contest to find out the cow that is the most beautiful in this prairie. It was really amazing !




I really feel more comfortable and healthier when immersing in the flavor of tea and the picturesque and poetic beauty of over 50-year old tea hills. I experienced the feelings like a farmer when wearing ‘gui’ in my back and picking up tea, after that I dried tea with the local people and I would enjoy cups of fresh good tea. Here there are many famous kinds of tea like Tuyet San, Olong, Kim Tuyen,etc. I took up some to bring my home.

In the following days, I visited some unique natural sightseeing spots. First, I came to Bat Cave, one of National Monument, located in the centre of Moc Chau town. It is famous for the ranges of emulsion with many sparkling colors like a rainbow in cave. Next, I visited five caves in On village, about 15 km from Moc Chau farm. They are the combination of five large and beautiful caves next to wide rock ranges.

Finally, I traveled in two wonderful waterfalls here. Chieng Khoa Waterfall known as Cloud Waterfall is beautiful as white clouds around deep valley. I can swim and breathe the fresh atmosphere. In addition, Dai Yem Waterfall with 100m high and 70m wide, about 5km from Moc Chau town, is considered as a connection between the sky and the ground.

Besides, I also took part in the local festivals here, such as Hoa Ban festival or traditional dances. I will come back here once more time in spring in order to see natural landscapes, colorful flower species and live with the local people.

( Source :: http://getvietnamvisa.org )