The savory taste of Bac Lieu salt

Every year, when the last floodwaters recede, leaving behind fertile alluvial soil on both banks, from December to April of the following year, as the dry season gently touches the first rays of sunshine in the Mekong Delta, I remember my date with Bac Lieu. At this time, Bac Lieu is at its most beautiful, with each field coming alive and bustling with salt farmers busy harvesting.

Considered the salt-making capital of Vietnam, Bac Lieu is one of the provinces with the largest salt-producing area in the country. Located in the coastal region of the Mekong Delta, its clean sea with high salinity and lack of bitterness has made Bac Lieu's salt-making industry famous throughout Southern Vietnam. The Chinese who came to reclaim and settle the land were the first to lay the foundation for salt production here.

During the resistance wars against the French and Americans, only wealthy households were allowed to produce salt in the fields along the river. Even today, some large architectural structures and mansions built during the French colonial period remain, representing the assets of those former salt producers.

I love and miss Bac Lieu every salt harvest season, not only because of the poetic and unique beauty of the salt fields during harvest time, but also because of the dedication of the salt farmers here. Salt production is hard work and the income is low, but the salt farmers are determined to hold onto their profession. Producing white salt requires many steps.

Despite the arduous manual salt-making process, these people diligently work in the salt fields, dedicated to producing refined salt – an indispensable seasoning for daily life. Their love for this traditional craft is ingrained in their very being; they could choose less strenuous jobs, but they still choose salt production because of their commitment and responsibility to preserving this livelihood passed down through generations.

Two famous salt-producing localities in Bac Lieu are Hoa Binh and Dong Hai districts, with a total salt-producing area of ​​approximately 1,600 hectares, yielding over 90,000 tons of salt annually. With a history of over 100 years of formation and development, salt farmers in Bac Lieu have accumulated unique practical skills and passed down the craft of salt making from generation to generation. "Salt-making in Bac Lieu" has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage under the category of traditional crafts. The image of the Bac Lieu salt fields is not only familiar but also a particularly attractive tourist and photography location for me.

Heritage Magazine