Spreading cultural values

More than just a specialty of Vietnam’s northernmost region, mint honey from the Dong Van Karst Plateau is a crystallization of majestic nature and the diligent labor of local ethnic communities. Bearing a geographical indication, this product is not merely the “sweet nectar” of the mountains but also a distinctive cultural and economic symbol. Therefore, trade promotion activities are essential to honor beekeepers and the traditional craft of making mint honey.

To preserve this craft, mint honey has been prominently showcased at the annual Culture and Tourism Week, Buckwheat Flower Festival, national agricultural fairs, and OCOP product exhibitions. These events have become vibrant cultural spaces where H’mong, Tay, and Dao ethnic groups perform folk rituals, songs, and dances depicting the honey-making season. Visitors come not only to purchase products but also to experience the stories and spirit of the highlands.

In some localities, agricultural tourism products associated with the mint blooming season have begun to take shape. Tourists can participate in honey extraction and taste fresh honey right in the flower fields, gaining a true sense of nature’s essence and human effort. Each drop of honey thus becomes more than a commodity - it embodies a sustainable link between culture, tourism, and livelihood.

Thanks to active promotion efforts, many cooperation agreements have been signed with supermarkets and export enterprises, helping the product gradually meet Organic and HACCP standards and reach international markets. Dong Van mint honey has become a vivid example of “agricultural products tied to cultural identity,” where culture serves as the foundation of branding.

More than a local specialty, Dong Van mint honey represents a cultural brand, a promise of quality, and a hope for a prosperous life in the rocky highlands. Investing in the promotion and celebration of this product is, in essence, an investment in core values, ensuring sustainable development and positioning the Dong Van Karst Plateau as an ever-sweeter” destination on Vietnam’s tourism and agricultural map.

Thuy Chau