Have you indulged in all the delicious specialties Con Dao has to offer?

Con Dao is a beautiful island in Vietnam, an ideal destination that young people are adding to their must-visit list. Have you discovered the tasty treats of Con Dao when visiting this famous destination? This is undoubtedly a concern for many young travelers exploring Con Dao. Today, Vietnampeace.com will introduce you to the top specialty souvenirs from Con Dao that are worth buying and trying because they are irresistibly delicious.

1. Fresh Seafood from Con Dao

Opting for the safest dining option when traveling by the sea is seafood. Fresh seafood is easily found in coastal areas and available in markets, restaurants, and street food stalls. In Con Dao, fishing villages catch fish, shrimp, or seafood. You can visit and purchase fresh seafood from Con Dao to enjoy on the spot.

2. Bang Fruit Preserve from Con Dao

Bang fruit, a type of tree mainly found in tropical regions, thrives well in Con Dao due to its suitable climate. The fruit in Con Dao is large, harvested, and dried, and the seeds are extracted and then seasoned with salt or sugar. The seeds are large, crunchy, fatty, and very fragrant. Con Dao is one of the few places with Bang Fruit Preserve as a specialty. So, if you can visit the island, try tasting or buying it as a gift. You can find it in dried food stores at the market or large stores in Con Dao, usually priced at around 500,000 VND/kg.

3. Con Dao Horseshoe Crab Paste

This might sound unfamiliar to some from Saigon, but Con Dao Horseshoe Crab Paste is a famous specialty of the locals. It is entirely handmade. After preparing the horseshoe crabs, locals marinate them with spices, then seal them in jars for fermentation. The price of Con Dao Horseshoe Crab Paste is around 165,000 VND per bottle.

Rich in familiar sea flavors and packed with high nutritional value from horseshoe crabs, sliced lime, and a touch of spicy chili, if you ever have the chance to taste Con Dao’s cuisine, you’ll never forget it.

4. Con Dao Sea Urchin Paste

Con Dao Sea Urchin Paste is a specialty originating from Quang Ngai province, spread through various islands around the coastal area. The process of catching and processing sea urchins is quite tricky. You may not need to add spices depending on personal taste preferences. The taste of Con Dao Sea Urchin Paste is sweet, fragrant, rich from urchin meat, salty-sour from spices, and has a strong aroma from the fermentation process. It can be eaten with boiled pork noodles, hot rice, etc. The price of a Con Dao Sea Urchin Paste jar ranges from 120,000 to 135,000 VND, and you can buy it at specialty stores, supermarkets, or the Con Dao market.

5. Con Dao Moon Crab

Different from the appearance of other sea crabs, the Con Dao Moon Crab has locals often dry red spots on its shell like a moon, and the shell creates artistic products. In Vietnam, moon crabs usually appear during the southwest wind season in Phu Quy Island, Binh Thuan Province, and Con Dao Island, Ba Ria – -Vung Tau Province.

According to locals, the meat of Con Dao Moon Crab is best during the whole moon week, with sweet, firm, mineral-rich meat; the meat content is also higher than other crab species, comparable to king crabs. Depending on your culinary preferences, you can prepare them in various dishes such as boiled, steamed, stir-fried, grilled, etc.

To find delicious Con Dao Moon Crabs, tourists should visit Con Dao fishing villages or reputable restaurants. Generally, the price of moon crabs is determined by size: small ones under 300 grams each, fluctuating around 300,000 VND/kg, and large ones over 400,000 VND/kg.

6. Con Dao Sea Snail

While strolling around Con Dao fishing villages to find moon crabs, don’t miss out on the delicious sea snail dish called “vú nàng,” a rare and precious seafood species with a unique shape resembling a leaning cone with a small nipple on top, with a gray-black outer shell and shiny mother-of-pearl inside. Con Dao Sea Snail is available year-round but more abundant during full moon days. The white, tender, and aromatic snail meat can be prepared like other snail dishes such as steaming, stir-frying, grilling, boiling, etc.

7. Con Dao Peanut Worms

Con Dao peanut worm is an extremely rare and valuable seafood, quite challenging to catch because it typically appears only in March or July. You will have the chance to taste Con Dao Peanut Worm if you travel during these golden times. It is highly nutritious, cooling, refreshing, and energizing. You can enjoy dried or fresh peanut worms equally. This specialty from Con Dao holds a very high value – 1kg of peanut worm costs from 3,500,000 to 4,500,000 VND.

8. Con Dao Shark Salad

As one of the specialties of the islands around the seas, Con Dao Shark Salad is rich in nutrients, mild, non-toxic, and nourishing, enhancing vitality. Con Dao Shark Salad is prepared to eat immediately, mixed with finely chopped coriander, served with fresh vegetables and rice paper rolls, with a delicious dipping sauce blending the salty flavor of the sea. You can easily find this dish around coastal eateries, priced between 130,000-150,000 VND per portion.

9. Red Grouper from Con Dao

Red Grouper is a rare fish species, usually found in coral reefs, and only Con Dao can exploit and supply this species; therefore, its price is relatively high. However, the nutritional content of Red Grouper is suitable for malnourished children, thin adults, slow-growing fetuses, weak bones, edema, weakness, etc. Delicious dishes made from Red Grouper in Con Dao include steamed in soy sauce, Red Grouper salad, Red Grouper hotpot, etc. The flesh is firm, chewy, and sweet, and you’ll surely regret it if you miss the chance to taste it.

10. Con Dao Sun-dried Squid

Along the fishing village or coastal roads, you will see people drying seafood and choosing places with plenty of sunshine to make the squid taste better. True to its name, the squid is dried only “one sun” time, not repeatedly. Con Dao Sun-dried Squid is favored by many locals and tourists alike. The price of good-quality Sun-dried Squid is around 300,000 to 400,000 VND/kg. You can purchase this Sun-dried Squid as a gift.

11. One-sun Tuna from Con Dao

Dried “one sun” and processed manually, but the fish still retains the salty flavor of the sea, not fishy, and not too dry. One-sun Tuna can be processed into various dishes such as braised, stewed, fried, etc. This will be an ideal gift for loved ones when

you have the opportunity to visit Con Dao. The price of One-sun Tuna ranges from 200,000 to 550,000 VND/kg. You can buy this specialty dried fish at specialty shops, Con Dao market, or coastal stores.

12. Con Dao Ginseng Liquor

The main ingredient is ginseng – which has been successfully grown and exploited by the locals in Con Dao for many years. Ginseng Liquor provides high nutritional value in Eastern medicine and is a specialty unique to this sacred land of Con Dao. Con Dao Ginseng is extraordinarily fragrant and rare, so the price is relatively high.

13. Con Dao Swiftlet Nest

Swiftlet Nest is undoubtedly a familiar dish to Vietnamese with its high nutritional content and delicious aroma. You can buy a pure Swiftlet Nest when you have the opportunity to visit Con Dao. The price will be cheaper when you buy in areas away from the coast. You can purchase Con Dao Swiftlet Nest at large and reputable stores.

In conclusion, the specialties of Con Dao offer a delightful culinary journey, reflecting the richness of Vietnam’s coastal treasures. From the savory seafood to the unique preserves and liquors, each item tells a story of local craftsmanship and culinary tradition. Whether seeking gifts for loved ones or simply craving a taste of Con Dao’s essence, these delicacies promise to leave a lasting impression. So, pack your bags, indulge in these delectable treats, and embark on a flavorful adventure with the guidance of Vietnampeace.com.