Lai Thieu Fruit Garden

You'll find the Lái Thiêu Fruit Garden located in Lái Thiêu Ward, which is part of Thuận An City in Bình Dương Province.
Lái Thiêu Fruit Orchard – The "Garden of Southern Vietnam" with Famous Specialties from Bình Dương's Orchards
The Lái Thiêu Fruit Orchard is located in Lái Thiêu Ward, Thuận An City, Bình Dương Province. Lái Thiêu is famous for its unique regional fruit gardens, established in the 1820s. Covering a total planting area of 1,230 hectares, it has become known as the "Garden of Southern Vietnam".
The Lái Thiêu Fruit Orchard was formed alongside the Sài Gòn River. As the river flows from Ho Chi Minh City towards Thuận An City in Bình Dương Province, it splits into two branches, creating a small islet. The land and fruit trees here are nourished and irrigated year-round by these two river branches.
The special charm of Lái Thiêu Fruit Orchard lies in the harmonious aroma of dozens of fruit varieties, all vying to release their fragrances: durian, mangosteen, jackfruit (mít tố nữ), sapodilla, soursop, langsat, and more.
The panoramic view of Lái Thiêu Fruit Orchard stretches endlessly, with a dense network of canals and ditches connecting along the Sài Gòn River all the way to Thủ Dầu Một City. These natural conditions have fostered the gentle, hospitable, and hardworking nature of the local people. Scenes of planting, tending, harvesting, transporting, trading fruits on the river, welcoming visitors to enjoy the gardens, and diners from all over coming to experience it all... all contribute to a vivid picture of a peaceful countryside named "Lái Thiêu Fruit Orchard".
Lái Thiêu Fruit Orchard, home to a bounty of delicious and sweet fruits, is famous for many specialty varieties like durian, mangosteen, and langsat, which have been cultivated for generations in Southern Vietnam (Nam Bộ).
While durian is a characteristic fruit of the Southern region, and mangosteen could be considered the "champion" specialty fruit of old Thủ Dầu Một, the flavor and quality of Lái Thiêu's durian flesh are consistently ranked by diners near and far as among the very best fruit flavors in Southern Vietnam.
Today, many places grow durian on a large scale, yielding high production and quality. However, many still believe that "durian grown in Lái Thiêu is more delicious and has a distinctive flavor".
The taste of durian is truly unique; when ripe, it emits a pungent, strong aroma that has sparked countless tales of praise and criticism, adoration and avoidance, especially among those unfamiliar with its flavor. Yet, generally speaking, the durian seems to have now conquered the palates of most diners across the country, and its aroma is widely used in popular candies and beverages.
Beyond durian, there's another specialty fruit that even more distinctly symbolizes the Thủ Dầu Một – Bình Dương region: the mangosteen tree. It has been cultivated for centuries and is incredibly famous in the orchards of Lái Thiêu.
Many authors suggest: “Mangosteen is a fruit native to Thủ Dầu Một and Lái Thiêu, brought here by Catholic priests, with some theories pointing to Bá Đa Lộc or Father Tabert”(7). Southern Vietnamese writer Sơn Nam agreed with this view, providing further evidence: “According to Melleret, the first mangosteen tree was brought from Malaysia to Southern Vietnam and planted in Lái Thiêu, specifically at the Lái Thiêu parish church”. Some have even asserted: “If you visit the Lái Thiêu fruit orchards and don't try the mangosteen, then you haven't truly experienced the flavor of Lái Thiêu's fruits. This is because, in addition to its high yield, the mangosteen here boasts a uniquely delicious flavor that mangosteen from other places simply cannot match. Currently, Lái Thiêu is considered the region with the largest mangosteen cultivation area in Southeast Asia.”
The name "Măng cụt" (mangosteen) is likely a Vietnamese phonetic adaptation of the French words 'mangoustan' (for the fruit, known as 'mangosteen' in English) and 'mangoustanier' (for the mangosteen tree). The Chinese call mangosteen "Sơn trúc tử" or "mã cật". Later, people in Huế also referred to the mangosteen as "Giáng Châu" – a name bestowed by King Minh Mạng.
It is known that mangosteen trees in Southern Vietnam have long been widely cultivated in Huế, where they are also "prolific" and quite delicious. Notably, mangosteen in Huế ripens out of sync with the mangosteen season in the South. “One might consider that mangosteen trees growing on Kim Long land (Huế) must have existed for a long time (…) possibly since the time Gia Long ascended the throne, receiving produce from both regions as offerings to the capital. This is because legend has it that the mangosteen variety was brought from the South by Empress Từ Dũ.”
For a long time, Lái Thiêu - Bình Dương has been known as a place boasting many famously delicious tropical fruits, and from this abundance, simple, distinctively Southern dishes have emerged. While Lái Thiêu's cuisine might not be overly elaborate in preparation or presentation, it consistently leaves a strong impression on diners near and far with its delightful flavors, bearing the unique stamp of this land and its people. The dishes of Lái Thiêu are unique products of this new land, a result of the interaction of various East-West cultures and numerous regions across the country, creating a culinary identity that is both diverse and rich, yet highly distinctive. With its exceptional regional culinary cultural values and the nutritional benefits of its dishes, Lái Thiêu has had many remarkable culinary creations recognized by the Vietnam Record Association as specialty dishes. In 2022, dishes such as Gỏi gà măng cụt Lái Thiêu (Lái Thiêu Mangosteen Chicken Salad), Lẩu bò nhúng mắm ruốc (Beef Hotpot with Fermented Shrimp Paste), Nem Lái Thiêu (Lái Thiêu Fermented Pork Roll), and Bình Nhâm ginger jam were recognized as specialty dishes of Bình Dương.
Ho Chi Minh City 5633 view
Update day : 20/08/2023
Source : dulichbinhduong.org.vn Affiliate links
Monuments close by
See allNearby tourist attractions
See all

























