Honey ‘hunting’ in the Mekong

      Visitors to U Minh forest in the Mekong Delta’s Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces can try out a unique and fun activity during the dry season – harvesting honey with the locals.
The honey harvesting season falls between January and June when the honey is at its purest. During the rainy season, water mixes with the product and can lessen the quality.
After a short 10 minute speedboat trip into U Minh Ha National Park in Ca Mau, local guides stop the boat and begin a search for the tasty treat. Guests are led through vast areas of cajuput forest while passing rivulets of cool water. During the nature hike, splashing fish and colorful birds make the area come alive.
Ba Son, a well-known “honey hunter” at U Minh Forest Plantation No. 2, says it is possible to see a beehive the size of a bed covering the length of a fallen cajuput tree. Large hives with honey are harvested immediately while small ones are preserved until they grow bigger.
To collect the honey, a hive must be smoked to first subdue the bees. A knife is then used to make a hole at the bottom of the hive and a container is held under it to collect the flow of honey. According to Son, a big hive exploited at the right time may yield up to 10 liters of the sweet liquid.
However, extreme caution must be exercised when performing this work. Locals say they have been attacked by large colonies of bees while smoking their nests.
U Minh honey is a pale amber color and leaves a sweet cool taste on your tongue. Residents say the honey from U Minh forest bees will leave you feeling as if you’ve tasted the essence of the land, water and sky of the region.
And in addition to the liquid honey, the honeycombs are also a unique delicacy. The six-sided cells can be dipped in fresh honey or made into mouthwatering dishes like grilled honeycomb or honeycomb salad.