Traveling Ha Giang will offer visitors many exciting experiences because Ha Giang owns not only majestic natural landscapes, endless winding roads but also the beauty of flowers, the hospitality of local people and a lot of culinary specialties.

 

1. Thang Den

Thang den (glutinous rice cake stuffed with beans) is a popular cake in Ha Giang City. Many people mistake it for troi cake (glutinous rice cake stuffed with brown sugar) in the plain area, but the way of processing thang den is completely different. This cake is made from glutinous rice flour, sugar and shaped into balls. When customers order,
seller begins boil cake then souse the mixture liquid, including condensed sugar, coconut and ginger. This dish is suitable with cool climate in Ha Giang, especially in winter thanks to the pungent taste of ginger.

2. Thang co

During the trip to Ha Giang, visitors usually choose thang co to eat. Made from viscera and bone of cow and buffalo, thang co does not attract visitors at the first but it makes unforgotten impression for gourmets. Cooked well with types of cardamon and specific spices of the mountainous region, thang co tastes meaty and fat. Visitors can enjoy thang co at any place in Ha Giang, but enjoy it with corn wine of local people in the highland markets is the best choice.

3. Reu nuong (Grilled moss)

As a unique dish of Tay ethnic people in Ha Giang Province, grilled moss has its own taste. For a delicious grilled moss, Tay ethnic people often choose the youngest moss patches, skillfully separate the slime on the outside then mix them with some spices as salt, season, eryngo leaves… All are wrapped in leaves then grilled. This dish is good for health, so it is loved by many people.

4. Mixed vegetables (fried vegetables)

Processed from popular vegetables in Ha Giang as cabbage, pea, cauliflower and some other ingredients of hot dog, dumpling and lo khoai cake (cake made from rice), under skilled hands of local people, this dish becomes special. The recipe for this dish is also quite simple.

After frying each of ingredients, the seller will mix them with a special soy sauce which creates the uncommon pungent taste of this dish. The soft of lo khoai cake and the crisp of fried vegetables make own attraction of this dish.

5. Banh cuon trung (Rice wrapper rolls with egg)

As a type of rice wrapper rolls, but rice wrapper rolls with egg in Ha Giang is not eaten with sauce as usual. Instead, rice flour paste pouring in the stove is added to egg, and then using the paste layer to wrap the egg. After preparation, eaters will use it with a bow of bouillon added lean pork paste. This dish can be eaten when hot or cold, but the delicious taste is always kept thanks to the fat taste of egg and the bold flavor of bouillon.

6. Rice paper

Rice paper is not a strange dish with many people. In Ha Giang’s karst plateau, visitors are easy to find this favorite dish. Also made from rice flour, eggs, green onions, Ha Giang’s rice paper has special flavor thanks to the type of rice planted here.

7. Au tau porridge

“Never eat au tau (scientific name: Aconitum) porridge is considered as not arrive in Ha Giang”, this statement is not wrong indeed. This dish smells not only aromatic and fat but also bitter of au tau – main ingredient of the porridge. Considered as the porridge to keep heat, so the most suitable time to enjoy this dish is winter.

8. Sour noodles

Ha Giang sour noodles are inspired from Luong Pan (cool noodles) dish of China. This dish has sour and strange taste, so it is loved in summer.

9. Com lam Bac Me

Com lam Bac Me (bamboo-tube rice) is a delicious specialty of Ha Giang for visitors from afar. After being filled fully with glutinous rice, bamboo tubes will roasted in the charcoal stove for about an hour. When the aroma of rice pervades, rice is well done.

10. Thit gac bep (Smoked meat)

Smoked beef or pork is usually chopped into long pieces according to vertical fibers of meat, each of piece is skewered into stick then hang on smoking-shelf. Before being smoked, meat is marinated with spices such as chilli, ginger, especially mac khen (scientific name: Zanthoxylum rhetsa). The smoked meat is a savory dish without preservative. It becomes an favorite dish for visitors when visiting Ha Giang.