1. What is Red Jellyfish Hai Phong? Why is it a summer "hit"?
When mentioning Red Jellyfish Hai Phong, many tourists are often surprised by the uniqueness of this specialty dish. This jellyfish species only appears in certain coastal areas such as Hai Phong and Nam Dinh, where there is a mangrove ecosystem with trees like Rhizophora and Aegiceras corniculatum. What makes Red Jellyfish Hai Phong different is the traditional processing method where locals use the roots of Aegiceras corniculatum trees to soak fresh jellyfish, both removing toxins and creating the characteristic red color for the jellyfish meat.
After processing, Red Jellyfish Hai Phong becomes an ingredient for many attractive dishes such as jellyfish salad, jellyfish noodle soup, and especially jellyfish dipped in 'bong' sauce, a famous dish in the port city. The crunchy, refreshing texture of the jellyfish combined with the 'bong' sauce prepared according to a special recipe creates an unforgettable impression. Not only does it help cool down the summer heat, but the Red Jellyfish Hai Phong dish also carries cultural values associated with the memories of many generations of port city residents.
Red jellyfish becomes a famous delicacy in Hai Phong. (Source: VinWonders)
Its rare appearance, short season, and special flavor have made red jellyfish from Hai Phong a "sea treasure" eagerly awaited by many when summer arrives. Not only significant to the locals, this dish also captivates tourists from near and far with its natural sweetness of the sea, its characteristic chewy crispness, and its unique way of enjoyment. All these create a summer culinary icon that is hard to miss when you visit the port city.
2. Red Jellyfish Season in Hai Phong
2.1. When does red jellyfish appear in Hai Phong?
The season for red jellyfish in Hai Phong begins in April and lasts until around June, with the peak season falling in April and May. Some favorable sea areas may extend the jellyfish season until August, but the yield will gradually decrease after the peak. The appearance of red jellyfish in Hai Phong also depends on natural factors such as seawater temperature, currents, and weather.
Precisely because of the short and somewhat unpredictable season, enjoying red jellyfish from Hai Phong becomes a refined experience that requires timing. Food connoisseurs often follow information from major seafood markets like Cat Bi Market and Co Dao Market to choose the times when jellyfish are abundant and of the best quality. The secret is always to ask directly from sellers or experienced restaurant owners to know exactly when fresh jellyfish appear in large quantities and are at their best.
2.2. Famous markets selling red jellyfish in Hai Phong
Cat Bi Market is known as the place where the most red jellyfish from Hai Phong gather each season. In addition, Co Dao Market and An Da Market are also familiar destinations for those who love this specialty dish. The atmosphere in these markets during jellyfish season is always bustling, with the lively sounds of vendors selling fresh red jellyfish from early morning, bringing a unique color to the port city on summer days.
Red jellyfish are widely sold in many Hai Phong markets. (Source: Collected)
Choosing Hai Phong red jellyfish at the market yourself is an unforgettable experience for many tourists. You will witness firsthand the process of transporting jellyfish from fishing boats to shore, to the stage of slicing the jellyfish into uniform pieces. Many people share that the process of personally selecting fresh jellyfish and listening to the seller meticulously introduce its origin and processing methods has become an important part of the culinary journey when visiting Hai Phong.
3. How is Hai Phong red jellyfish processed?
3.1. Where is red jellyfish caught and how is it safely processed?
Quality batches of Hai Phong red jellyfish are often caught in the coastal areas of the North, notably near the mangrove forests of Do Son and Nam Dinh. Here, the natural conditions with mangrove vegetation like mangrove and sundew create a good environment for jellyfish to develop.
It is not easy to process Hai Phong red jellyfish because the process requires both skill and extensive experience. Fresh jellyfish after harvesting still contain toxins in their tentacles, so they need to be soaked to remove these toxins. This soaking step plays a role in removing toxins, eliminating the characteristic fishy smell, and also helps the jellyfish meat turn an impressive red color. This is a secret passed down through generations of Hai Phong fishermen to ensure safety and preserve the flavor of the dish.
3.2. The process of preparing and cooking Hai Phong red jellyfish
Once successfully detoxified, Hai Phong red jellyfish undergoes further rinsing multiple times with clean water to completely remove mucus, preserving its inherent crispness and coolness. This is not just a normal preparation step but also a crucial secret that helps the jellyfish retain its beautiful color and distinctive flavor. This process requires meticulousness, patience, and years of experience from the preparer, as even a small mistake can diminish its deliciousness or leave an unpleasant fishy taste. Thanks to such care, each piece of red jellyfish presented on a plate is perfect: crunchy, refreshing, and appealing at first glance.
Next is the slicing, an art for skilled hands. Hai Phong red jellyfish will be thinly sliced to bite-size pieces, either into pieces or strips, depending on how it is used with each dish such as salad, noodle soup, or jellyfish dipped in fermented rice sauce. Reputable establishments often use sharp, specialized knives, creating uniform jellyfish pieces that retain their characteristic sweetness and crispness, impressing anyone who tastes them.
Red jellyfish cut into bite-sized thin pieces. (Source: Collected)
4. Suggestions for eating Hai Phong red jellyfish
4.1. Outstanding delicious dishes from Hai Phong red jellyfish
The red jellyfish with bong dipping sauce is a distinctive feature of Hai Phong's local cuisine. When enjoying, each piece of fresh red jellyfish is served with sliced pineapple, fresh coconut flesh, crispy roasted peanuts, and various fresh herbs, enhancing its refreshing taste. The highlight is the fermented bong dipping sauce with a mild sourness, which helps blend the crispiness of the jellyfish with the characteristic sour and spicy flavor of the sauce.
Hai Phong red jellyfish salad (Nộm sứa đỏ Hải Phòng) is also a choice that offers a novel experience. Thinly sliced jellyfish is mixed with vinegar, vegetables, peanuts, and herbs, creating a dish with a refreshing, crispy, and sweet taste, perfect for hot days. Bun sứa đỏ (red jellyfish noodle soup) is an interesting creation, with sliced jellyfish combined with fresh vermicelli, clear broth, herbs, and sometimes fish cake or boiled meat to enhance the flavor.
4.2. The "soul" bong dipping sauce that creates a distinctive flavor
The bong dipping sauce is the crucial element that gives Hai Phong red jellyfish its unique taste. This sauce is made from fermented rice, offering an unmistakable mild sourness. Shrimp paste, sugar, and chili can be added in harmonious proportions, balancing the sour, spicy, and sweet flavors in a very appealing way.
The "bong" dipping sauce is the flavor that makes the red jellyfish dish more appealing. (Source: Collected)
Many diners express surprise at the combination of the chewy, crispy, and cool texture of Hai Phong red jellyfish with the refreshing, sour, and spicy taste of the "bong" dipping sauce. In long-standing establishments, each place keeps its own unique sauce-making formula, creating many subtle variations for the dipping sauce that gourmets love to explore. Because of this, many people, after tasting Hai Phong red jellyfish, are left with an unforgettable impression of this dish.
4.3. How to eat it like a local, according to natives
According to local experience, to fully appreciate Hai Phong red jellyfish, you should arrange the jellyfish on a small plate, eat it with a few slices of pineapple, coconut flesh, add some roasted peanuts, and then pour the "bong" sauce evenly over it. Each bite should be chewed slowly to clearly feel the blend of the cool, sweet, and refreshing taste of the jellyfish with the characteristic sour and spicy flavor of the "bong" sauce.
Hai Phong locals often advise adjusting the sauce's taste to your preference; you can add more "bong" for extra sourness, more chili if you like it spicy, or reduce the saltiness to suit your palate. Eating it with fresh coconut creates a natural creamy richness, while fresh herbs help to cool and enhance the refreshing quality, making it very suitable for beating the summer heat.
5. Price of Hai Phong red jellyfish and famous delicious eateries
5.1. Top 3 long-standing red jellyfish eateries in Hai Phong
Ms. Nguyen Kim Oanh's eatery at 42 Tran Nhat Duat is considered a "veteran" address in the Hai Phong red jellyfish scene, having been dedicated to this traditional dish for nearly 30 years. The special feature that diners remember most is the "bong" sauce for dipping the jellyfish, prepared according to a secret family recipe, retaining its fragrant, mildly sour, and unforgettable rich flavor. From selecting fresh, crispy, and cool batches of red jellyfish to preparing the perfectly seasoned dipping sauce, everything reflects the sophistication and meticulousness of old Hai Phong people. The eatery's ambiance is rustic but always crowded, especially on weekends or during summer when red jellyfish becomes an ideal "cooling" choice.
Co Dao eatery in Cat Bi Market is also one of the familiar destinations for locals and tourists alike. Thanks to its long-standing reputation, the eatery always selects the best batches of red jellyfish early in the morning, then meticulously prepares them to maintain their crispness. Besides serving customers on-site in the bustling market atmosphere, the eatery also offers home delivery, bringing the flavor of Hai Phong red jellyfish to many families. The "bong" sauce here is prepared with a unique recipe, offering a light, harmonious sour and spicy taste that is not too strong, making it suitable even for first-time tasters. Therefore, the eatery has become an ideal stop for those who want to experience the rustic yet refined flavors of Hai Phong cuisine.
Red Jellyfish Hai Phong. (Source: Collected)
Meanwhile, the An Da Market area is home to many long-standing red jellyfish stalls, offering a friendly and casual service style. Each stall here has its own unique charm, but the common point is the reasonable prices. The stalls are usually open from 7 AM to around 1 PM, but if you want to enjoy the freshest, crispiest jellyfish pieces, you should go early or pre-order, as the good quality jellyfish often runs out quickly after 11 AM. An Da Market is not just a place to enjoy food, but also offers visitors a vivid experience of the port city's local life, where simple stalls hold unforgettable flavors of Hai Phong's red jellyfish specialty.
5.2. Tips for buying fresh red jellyfish at the market
To buy fresh and delicious Hai Phong red jellyfish, it's recommended to visit major markets like Cat Bi, An Da, and Co Dao early in the morning, from 6 to 9 AM, when the jellyfish has just been transported from fishing boats. At this time, the jellyfish retains its freshest quality and best color.
Some characteristics to identify fresh Hai Phong red jellyfish: the pieces are evenly red, not mushy or soft, with a shiny surface, and have elasticity when pressed lightly. Jellyfish that have been processed correctly will no longer have slime or a strong, unpleasant fishy odor. The price of Hai Phong red jellyfish in 2025 is estimated to be around 40,000 to 150,000 VND per portion, depending on the quantity, quality, and the area you purchase from. During times of abundant supply, prices are more stable, while at the end of the season or when supply drops sharply, prices will fluctuate according to demand.
6. Nutritional value and consumption habits of Hai Phong red jellyfish
6.1. Consumption habits of Hai Phong red jellyfish
Hai Phong red jellyfish has long been a beloved dish for the city's residents, especially when summer arrives. On hot days, people gather at jellyfish stalls, forming a habit of social gathering for families and friends after work. The sight of jellyfish stalls lining the small streets or the calls of jellyfish vendors have become cherished memories for many generations.
Each time enjoying Hai Phong red jellyfish, people not only cool down but also feel reminded of their childhood, gathering with friends at roadside stalls and eagerly anticipating the early summer days.
6.2. Nutritional value of red jellyfish
Hai Phong red jellyfish has a high water content, contains many trace minerals and easily digestible protein, and is very low in fat. It is an attractive choice for those who want a light meal without worrying about weight gain during the summer. According to folk experience, Hai Phong red jellyfish helps to cool the body, beautify the skin, relieve heat, and reduce acne breakouts on hot days.
Red jellyfish helps cool down and relieve heat in summer. (Source: Collected)
However, to ensure health safety, you should only eat red jellyfish from Hai Phong that has been fully processed by soaking in mangrove roots and cleaned multiple times. Unprocessed jellyfish still contains natural toxins in its tentacles, so do not buy from unknown sources or eat raw without proper processing.
7. Combine tourism in Hai Phong and enjoy the famous red jellyfish specialty
After enjoying hot banh mi chao with red jellyfish at famous eateries in the center of Hai Phong, tourists can continue their journey to explore Cat Ba island by moving to the Sun World Cat Ba cable car station. Here, you will not only enjoy the fresh island and sea air but also experience the modern cable car system crossing the sea, one of the longest in Vietnam, and admire the poetic Lan Ha Bay in its entirety. Combining red jellyfish cuisine with the exploration journey of Sun World Cat Ba will bring you a trip balanced between cuisine, nature, and entertainment, enjoying Hai Phong's "sea treasure" specialty while discovering the majestic beauty of the islands and sea.
Majestic cable car station at Sun World Cat Ba. (Source: Collected)
This is also an ideal suggestion for a summer itinerary, when visitors can enjoy red jellyfish in the morning at traditional markets, head to Sun World Cat Ba Island in the afternoon, and enjoy the sunset over the sea. This combined journey will surely leave you with unforgettable memories of the vibrant port land.
Hai Phong red jellyfish are not only a cooling dish for summer but also carry the deep culinary cultural imprint of the port city. Its refreshing taste, unique way of enjoyment, and distinct characteristics have made red jellyfish a must-try choice in your culinary journey. If you have the chance to visit Hai Phong, remember to note down the favorite spots to experience the authentic taste of red jellyfish with your loved ones and friends.
