It is not difficult to find many orchards in Phong Dien. One of them is Tuan Tuong Orchard located near the canals. The road to get there is quite narrow so cars cannot arrive, it can only be traveled by motorbike or boat. Tuan Tuong fruit garden is quite peaceful, fresh and rustic. Start from the center of Can Tho city about 15kms to reach to the garden.
Tuan Tuong garden is quite large. Visitors can walk on the shady paths full of orchard trees on 2 sides. Especially in the burmese grape season, golden bunches of burmese grape like pearls swing under the bright of sunlight that makes visitors admiring.
Behind Ha Chau burmese grape garden is the star apple garden. The star apple season is spring, from February to April. The star apple garden is full of fruit on the banks of the pond with big and round fruit that impresses visitors. Here, guests can hand-picked star apple and enjoy until they are full.
Coming to Tuan Tuong fruit garden, it is impossible not to mention the owner of this place, that is the famous artisan, Mrs Truong Thi Hoa Lai of Phong Dien origin with a profession of making folk cakes, especially "banh bao chi". She told: "I grew up in the garden and have been taught how to make cakes by my grandmother and mother. Now, I make up to a few dozen kinds of folk cakes. I won a gold medal at the Southern Folk Cake Competition from this cake. To make a delicious cake, the most important stage of making the skin is to choose delicious, sticky, soak in one night and grind with a stone mill, knead dough by hand, after forming the cake will be covered with young coconut meat. Thinking about keeping the traditional cake, I am very happy!"
In addition to visiting, picking and enjoying fruits in the garden, visitors can also have lunch here and enjoy the Southern folk dishes cooked under the skillful hands of Mrs Lai (or informally called Auntie Ba). Visitors must contact and order in advance, because Aunt Ba will go to the market early to buy the freshest ingredients. Enjoy dishes such as fermented fish hotpot, grilled snakehead fish, Vietnamese pancakes, fried fish, etc among the green space of the orchard make visitors more excited.
In addition, visitors can also see and try making folk cakes at Aunt Ba's house such as couple cakes,pineapple cakes, coconut cakes... which are very elaborate and delicious.
Certainly, after a week of hard working and studying, a peaceful and green tourist garden is a great ideal destination that can not be missed.
Serena
