PINK TANGERINE GARDEN IN LAI VUNG - A NOT-TO-BE-MISSED DESTINATION
Lai Vung is a land located between two large rivers in the South of Vietnam, Tien and Hau, 17 km from Sa Dec City and 180 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Blessed with fresh water and fertile alluvium by nature, Lai Vung has become an area of healthy trees and sweet fruits. With more than 275 hectares of land designated for growing, Lai Vung is recognized as the pink tangerine kingdom. Agricultural areas in Lai Vung are mainly in the communes of Long Hau, Tan Phuoc, Tan Thanh, Vinh Quoi and Hoa Long. In the Lai Vung district, there are currently 5 attractions for mandarin oranges, among which Ba Lien garden has the largest scale. The place is located at 282/3, Long Hung 1 hamlet, Long Hau commune, welcoming to both domestic and international visitors.
According to the locals, since the years of 20th century, people have started to grow pink tangerines in this land. Originally, the pink tangerine was just an ordinary type of citrus but grown in Lai Vung, it became special. Thanks to the climate and soil, pink tangerines produce large fruits with few seeds, thin skin, eye-catching colour, succulent, sweet aroma and taste that only a few tangerines can match.
What makes Lai Vung pink tangerines popular is that in addition to their delicious quality and beautiful appearance, in recent years, gardeners in Lai Vung have also grown them according to VietGAP standards. Following the standard, gardeners have to minimise the sprays of plant protection and fertilise according to the optimised process, ensuring safety for consumers. Besides, being granted an exclusive trademark certificate by the National Office of Intellectual Property (Ministry of Science and Technology) makes Lai Vung tangerine become a specialty fruit favoured by many people.
Starting from the second half of December til the beginning of January, Lai Vung tangerine can be harvested. Tangerines usually start to be fertilized around February of the lunar calendar, but they will bear fruit at the end of the year. It takes about 1 and a half months from the time the tree has just set fruit to when the fruit can be harvested. This is also the time when tangerine orchards began to open to welcome visitors as well as start trading. At the time of harvest, the countryside of Lai Vung seems to be a lot more lively and busier. Traders, along with farmers and gardeners, will both pick and sort the fruit, and then bring pink tangerines to sell in other provinces and cities.
Currently, in Lai Vung district, there are more than 10 garden houses open to welcome tourists. When entering the Lai Vung tangerine garden, the first impression of all visitors will be the overwhelming feeling of thousands of tangerine trees that are full of fruit, eye-catching, bright orange-yellow colour, round and overflowing fruits. Walking around the garden, guests can not only breathe the fresh air but also pick their own tangerines, and enjoy the specialty tangerines, a pleasant feeling rarely found.
Tangerines here are often grown nearby a freshwater source. Therefore, in addition to taking photos, tasting the tangerines, and purchasing some souvenirs, visitors can experience canoeing along the canals. To put it in a nutshell, visit the land of Lai Vung and you will be able to experience the richness and beauty of the people, the culture, and also food there.
