8 Famous Delicacies You Must Try When Traveling to Ha Long

Beyond its stunning bay, Ha Long also captivates travelers with its rich cuisine featuring 8 famous delicacies you must definitely try.

1. Hand-pounded squid patties (Chả mực giã tay)

Squid patties are considered the “soul” of Ha Long cuisine. Although squid patties can be found in many places, the flavor in Ha Long is always distinctly unique.

The highlight of this dish lies in the traditional manual hand-pounding method. After being cleaned, the squid is pounded by hand until it achieves a certain bounce and stickiness before being seasoned and fried to a golden brown. Squid patties are commonly served with hot steamed rice rolls or fragrant, tender sticky rice. Do not forget to enjoy squid patties for an energy-packed morning when traveling to Ha Long!

2. Peanut worms (Sá sùng)

Peanut worms are among the most expensive and rare seafood varieties in Ha Long. Living primarily in coastal sand flats and boasting high nutritional value, they are highly sought after by food lovers.

Fresh peanut worms are typically prepared into dishes such as stir-fried with celery and garlic, cooked in porridge, or steamed. When eating, diners will experience their natural sweetness paired with a distinctively rich, chewy texture.

In addition, dried peanut worms are a renowned specialty that many purchase as gifts. Once roasted golden, they emit an enticing aroma and make a wonderful drinking snack.

3. Cù kỳ crab noodle soup (Bún cù kỳ)

Cù kỳ crab noodle soup is a famous breakfast dish beloved by many travelers when traveling to Ha Long. Cù kỳ (stone crab) is a type of sea crab known for its large claws, firm meat, and delicate natural sweetness.

To cook this noodle soup, chefs separate the crab bodies to simmer into broth. Thanks to this, the broth possesses a signature refreshing sweetness and a rich seafood fragrance.

A complete bowl of cù kỳ noodle soup usually includes rich crab roe, sweet firm body meat, and thick, meaty claws.

4. Horseshoe crab (Sam biển)

From a single horseshoe crab, Ha Long locals can prepare dishes such as steamed horseshoe crab, horseshoe crab salad, stir-fried horseshoe crab with lemongrass and chili, sweet and sour horseshoe crab legs, stir-fried glass noodles with horseshoe crab, or crispy fried horseshoe crab eggs. Each dish offers its own distinct flavor while retaining the characteristic sweetness of horseshoe crab meat. The price for each horseshoe crab typically ranges from 50,000 – 70,000 VND depending on size.

5. Austen's mud clam (Ngán biển)

Despite carrying an unusual name, ngán is a specialty favored by many tourists when traveling to Ha Long. This mollusk resembles a clam but is much larger in size with far thicker meat.

Ngán has a distinct sweet, aromatic flavor and can be cooked into various delectable dishes. The most popular preparations include grilled ngán with scallion oil, ngán steamed with lemongrass, ngán soup, or stir-fried noodles with ngán.

6. Ruốc lỗ (Small octopus)

Ruốc lỗ, or long-legged ruốc, is a unique seafood from the coastal waters of Quang Ninh. They are related to octopuses but are much smaller in size.

The most interesting feature of ruốc lỗ is its distinctive long legs. Its meat has a natural crunchiness, is sweet, and does not become tough.

7. Bánh gật gù ("Nodding cake")

Bánh gật gù is a famous rustic specialty of Quang Ninh. The cake is made from finely ground rice batter, steamed into thin sheets, and then rolled into soft, elongated rolls.

Bánh gật gù is often enjoyed with seasoned simmered fish sauce, crispy fried shallots, or richly flavored braised pork.

8. Ha Long pearl yogurt

Pearl yogurt is the ideal dessert to wrap up your Ha Long culinary journey. This treat delights diners through its combination of smooth, silky yogurt, a refreshing palate, and chewy tapioca pearls submerged in rich coconut cream. In addition, there are various other toppings available, such as dried coconut chips, aloe vera, and fruit jellies.