For hundreds of years, Lai Thieu (Binh Duong Province) has been famous for its orchards by the side of the Saigon River. Besides being the main livelihood of local residents, these fruit tree farms are charming eco-tourist areas for domestic and foreign visitors to come to for enjoyment and relaxation.
Like many other southern areas, the orchards in Lai Thieu were built along with villages a very long time ago, since the time of land reclamation under the Nguyen Dynasty. The Saigon River running from Ho Chi Minh City to Thuan An Town is separated into two branches surrounding Lai Thieu. The constant source of water and alluvium supply provided by the complex system of branches and canals of the river help fertilise the land to nurture numerous kinds of fruit trees in orchards there.
Many orchards in Lai Thieu are between 100 and 200 years old. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Pomelo orchards in Lai Thieu. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Harvesting jackfruits in an orchard. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Harvesting pomelos in an orchard. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP |
Travelling from Lai Thieu Ward to Thu Dau Mot Town, one can easily see the image of fruit tree orchards continually stretching dozens of kilometres along the road, covering the wards of Lai Thieu, An Thanh, Vinh Phu and the communes of Binh Nham, Hung Dinh, and An Son of Thuan An Town.
A special thing about the Lai Thieu orchards is that the farmers live in the orchards to take care of their crops. Every two 15m-furrows are separated by a 1m-wide canal conveying water from nearby river branches. Only a couple of small orchards can ensure the life of a family in Lai Thieu. In their leisure time, farmers also have auxiliary jobs to supplement their incomes.
In addition to economic values, fruit orchards in Lai Thieu have great tourist potential and indeed bring about a sizable income for locals. Harvest season is the time tourists rush to Lai Thieu to have a picnic in the orchards with green canopies and bunches of ripe fruit. One can take a short walk under the canopies or rest on a hammock to enjoy the fresh countryside air and the delicious flavours of self-picked ripe fruit.
Ripe lanzones in an orchard. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Chempedak, a speciality of Lai Thieu. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Clusters of lanzones. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Durian in Lai Thieu has rich and flavouful flesh. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Mangosteen is a speciality of Lai Thieu. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Fruit is widely sold in Lai Thieu. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP
Lai Thieu mangosteen is one of the top 50 fruit specialities in Vietnam. Photo: Thong Hai/VNP |
In recent years, Binh Duong Province has adopted many proposals, held seminars and workshops in order to restore the former glory of the once well-known brand name of Lai Thieu orchards and fruit. Most notable is the festival called “Ripe Fruit Season in Lai Thieu” in 2013. Households that contribute to revision of the reputation of Lai Thieu fruit can receive support from provincial authorities. Moreover, many farmers have proactively invested in planting new species, repairing alleys, cleaning canals and ditches in order to form beautiful scenery for the age old orchards to develop sustainable tourism with a focus on reputation and quality.
Huynh Thi Thanh Phuong, Vice Chairwoman of Thuan An Town People’s Committee, said that due to the natural conditions, tourism in Lai Thieu orchard is inseparable from tourism of the south eastern region. Therefore, close connections with Ho Chi Minh City and other neighbouring provinces is an important strategy. Strengthening collaboration among the cities and provinces can help build the right mechanism to develop specific tourist services that are suitable to local eco-tourist resources and cultural-historical potential.
Story: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat - Photos: Thong Hai