BẮC GIANG — A variety of tourism activities are awaiting visitors to Lục Ngạn District in the northern province of Bắc Giang, one of the lychee capitals of the country, this June.

The tourism programme, called 'Lục Ngan Lychee - The Essence of Vietnamese Fruits', marks the start of the Lục Ngạn Summer Tourism Programme 2025. It aims to introduce and promote lychee and other specialties of the locality, attract tourists and contribute to local socio-economic development.

Visitors will experience working as lychee farmers by picking lychees, bundling fruit, cutting stems, soaking the fruit in ice water and packaging it in foam boxes, just as in the typical export process. They will also be preparing dishes and drinks from lychee, including bitter melon soup with lychee, stir-fried lychee, steamed lychee with shrimp, lychee smoothie, lychee tea and lychee bread, among others.

A special space dedicated to lychee culture will be set up within the event, featuring tools used for harvesting and packaging the fruit, as well as equipment and machinery for production and processing. 

The district will also focus on demonstrating methods of lychee grafting and breeding, showcasing the varieties of lychee currently grown in Lục Ngạn and providing tourists with useful agricultural knowledge while introducing the flavours of various fruits and specialty products.

A part of the tourism programme is cultural activities featuring rich local traditions, such as flute playing, then singing and đàn tính performances.

Meanwhile, tourists keen on outdoors activities can enjoy camping, fishing, cycling or kayaking. They will have the opportunity to savour specialty dishes like roasted pork, mountain chicken, shrimp, fish and lychee honey, as well as visit Cấm Sơn Lake, often referred to as a 'miniature Hạ Long Bay'.

The programme will highlight 10 exemplary lychee cultivation models and recognise organisations and individuals with significant contributions to the brand of Lục Ngạn lychees. A contest for the best lychee-themed attire for 2025 will also be held.

A representative from the District People's Committee noted that the 'Lục Ngạn Lychee - The Essence of Vietnamese Fruits' tourism programme aims to welcome over 100,000 visitors, “contributing to the promotion of lychee products and highlighting the district's tourism development”.

To prepare for the programme, many orchard owners and cooperatives have upgraded facilities to welcome visitors. The district is surveying and selecting beautiful scenic spots, cooperatives and orchards that produce high-quality lychee in major producing areas such as Tân Sơn, Giáp Sơn, Hộ Đáp and Tân Mộc to facilitate visitor experiences.

In 2025, the total area of lychee cultivation in Lục Ngạn District exceeds 10,000 hectares, with more than 6,900 hectares adhering to VietGAP standards. The estimated production is expected to reach 60,500 tonnes, with the harvest period running from early June to the end of July. The district has 60 export lychee growing zones covering over 6,000 hectares.

With its outstanding quality, Lục Ngạn lychee has become a famous brand both domestically and internationally over the years. It is protected by trademark and geographical indication in eight countries: China, the US, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Laos and Cambodia.

Lục Ngạn lychees are exported to over 30 countries and territories, receiving high praise from consumers for the fruit's exceptional quality and food safety. — VNS