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Where to find Vietnam's most expensive coconut?

Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 12:03 GMT+7
Where to find Vietnam's most expensive coconut?
Inside a 'dừa sáp' is full of jelly-like flesh. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Vietnam is a land of delicious and affordable tropical fruits, however, sometimes a single coconut can cost around US$10.

But don’t worry, it’s not the regular watery refreshing coconut, instead, the fruit is full of jelly-like flesh and is called dừa sáp, which literally means waxy flesh coconut, in Vietnamese.

In some other countries, it’s known as macapuno or coconut sport.

Although dừa sáp is now sold in many cities across Vietnam especially in the southern region, or can be purchased online, it is most known as a delicacy of the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh and can mostly be grown there.

Local farmers believed the cultivar first appeared in the province around 80 years ago.

A file photos shows a local resident visiting his garden of 'dừa sáp' in Hoa Tan Commune, Cau ke District, Tra Vinh province. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

A file photo shows a local resident visiting his garden of 'dừa sáp' in Hoa Tan Commune, Cau ke District, Tra Vinh Province, Vietnam. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

At first glance, dừa sáp is no different from a regular coconut.

The only difference is that when fully ripen, dừa sáp has no water in it and the fruit is full of white greasy jelly-like flesh. 

A dừa sáp fetches around VND150,000-300,000 (US$6-12).

Vietnamese often use it to make smoothies or mix with sweetened condensed milk, shaved ice, and peanuts to make a dessert. 

Vietnamese often mix 'dừa sáp' with sweet condensed milk, shaved ice and peanuts to make a dessert. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre

Vietnamese often mix 'dừa sáp' with sweetened condensed milk, shaved ice, and peanuts to make a dessert. Photo: Son Lam / Tuoi Tre
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