TRAVELLIVE MAGAZINE Travellive 11-2015 | Page 77

interference of Vietnamese, Chinese and Khmer culture. While palmyra is a signature fruit of Khmer people, "tung lo mo" (beef sausage) is a specialty of Cham people. "Hu tieu ca" (noodle with fish) bears Chinese features whereas "lau mam" (fish sauce hotpot) offers diners the flavor of the Southern Vietnam. When you visit Chau Doc, don't forget to eat fish sauce vermicelli or "drink" with your friends and enjoy fish sauce hotpot which is filled with shrimp, fish, meat and more than 20 varieties of vegetables. Nowhere in Vietnam has such diverse and "freshest-ever" cuisine with fruit, vegetables and spices like in Mekong River Delta. In Chau Doc, the most interesting thing is going around fish sauce markets where you can find a multitude of fish sauce made from different types of fish such as henicorhynchus, snakehead, trichogaster pectoralis, kryptopterus catfish, mystus planiceps and anchovy. They are the quintessence of floating season lasting from September to November. Fresh fish are marinated with fish sauce, Palmyra sugar and roasted rice, creating a distinctive flavor representing for this region. If you are about to climb up Sam Mountain to admire the breathtaking beauty of the sunset, stop at a stall on your way to buy some hot yellow palmyra sponge cakes made from palmyra sugar. Nothing is more fascinating than immersing yourself in the sunset, sitting on the windy peak of the mountain, taking in the panoramic view of rice fields and slowly tasting the sweetness of a palmyra sponge cake. Spongy cake featuring the sweet fat taste of sugar and coconut and the aroma of palmyra will bring you a special dining experience. Made from natural ingredients and consisting of potassium, magnesium, vitamins and antioxidants, palmyra sugar helps you to purify your body naturally and makes you healthier. Therefore, those who are sweet-lovers can enjoy this kind of cake without worrying about gaining weight. Coming to the Mekong River Delta, the land of "white rice, pure water" and of majestic mountains and rich fields, you have a chance to explore the mysterious history and the unique acculturation of this region. And above all, you will find yourself in the world of fresh and delicious cuisine while travelling on the Mekong River. TRAVELLIVE 77