Ha Long Local Customs

On the long list of seafood, here is a small summary on the most impressive :

1. Sai sung rang moi xao - Roasted sipucudilac
" Sai Sung " - sand worms fired with garlic & cabbage - ( hearty meal it makes ). It also tasted good when dried & served with beer. Willing to try?

2. Tom Hap - steamned lobster
You can choose once the boat stop at the floating seafood market - where you can see all kind of fishes, squid...etc.. Lobster is popular dish, and lobster in Halong is different with other regions. ( Pity I'm not a connoiseur to recognize that ).

3. Oc xao tuong ot - Fried shell-fish with chillis
An excellent appetizer you can have in Halong Bay.

4. Cha muc banh cuon - Grilled cuttle fish and steam rolled rice pancakes
Fish is quickly deep dried then cut into pieces & grilled, steam rolled rice pancakes are served accompanied, perfect to soak up the juices of the fish.

There are more and more... Food just great!

1 more image

A couple thousand Vietnamese have foregone foundations to make their homes on the waters of Ha Long Bay. These nautical residents have traded creature comforts such as electricity for outstanding views from their front porches. Most make ends meet from what's on offer below the surface, or selling beer, cigarettes, and Pringles to tourists.

Smoking is rarely done by females in this part of the world since it is considered unfeminine, unattractive to the Vietnamese and a sign of loose morals! Just my luck, this denied me of a chance to try the Dieu Cay. Arrgh...

As we sailed around the bay, we noticed several small fishing communities of floating homes. These people spend their entire lives on the water, stepping foot on land only to buy supplies and to sell their fish.

Vietnamese believe that the soul of the decease will hover around the house or property for almost a year & guard the belongings and welfare of their loved ones. Therefore, it is a common sight of seeing tomb being setup in the field or next to houses.

Of course the city resident cannot just bury their loved ones in the house or next to busy streets; proper burial ground or cremation will be carried out for practicality sake.

Here's another floating house. This shade of blue seemed to be very popular throughout the bay. I’ve read that many of these homes, although perhaps not this one, are multiple generations old.