Visiting Tra Que Vegetable Village

Vegetables are ready for sale at local markets - Photo: Minh Nhat

Vietnamese are no different and a group of us decided to head to Tra Que to check it out.

From the main road of Hai Ba Trung, we saw a sign instructing travelers to Tra Que Vegetable Village. Following a small path that was large enough for a motorbike or a bicycle only, was the only way to reach the village. This path led us past some paddy fields as well as ponds for raising fish and ducks. All picturesque landscapes appeared in the truly rural countryside featuring a fresh, cool and tranquil atmosphere. 

Local dwellers told us that this land was founded over 300 years ago and was embraced by the De Vong River and Tra Que Lagoon, which makes the area spacious and airy. At that time, the first inhabitants lived from the river. Thanks to convenient natural conditions such as lying by the river and near the lagoon, the village had a rich water resource for facilitating irrigation and drainage. As many kinds of seaweed was grown naturally on this river, local families turned to planting vegetables, thus Tra Que Vegetable Village was formed.     

The village boasts various species of vegetables such as leaf mustard, spring onion, and other kinds of aromatic herbs. The beds of green vegetable were lined up in straight rows and are so eye-catching. Local farmers were diligent to plow the fields, plant, and water and harvest the vegetables. Some were busy with arranging flat baskets full of vegetables to put on motorbikes and bicycles before distributing the products to local markets.

Vegetables grown in Tra Que Village are famous for their good taste, fragrance, freshness, safety and natural cultivation. The farmers have a fine reputation for not using any chemicals which of course can be harmful to consumers. Due to this reputation, Tra Que Village is responsible for providing vegetables to hotels and even luxurious resorts in Hoi An.

According to the owner of the guesthouse where we rented a room, other local villages are growing vegetables but nothing compares to Tra Que Village in supplying quality vegetables for diners. Perhaps Tra Que Village it blessed with help from Mother of Nature with its natural fertilizers and water resources as well as the hard graft of the village’s farmers who have created good quality vegetables over the years.