Lizards and frogs (best grilled) are standard fare in Phan Thiet. Some of my friend said that he had never tried frog until he came to Vietnam, but now he like it a lot. If you ever order a frog dish in Vietnam, pay attention to the bones! During rainy season, Vietnamese people catch toads and boil them up. They merely cut out the stomach organ and eat the rest-skin, guts and all.

I watched my friends eating trung vit lon for many months before trying it myself. These fertilized duck eggs are allowed to partially develop and then, they are hard-boiled. Crack the top off, suck out the juice and then spoon out the colorful morsels with pinches of pickled carrots, garlic, radish, turnip, some mint leaves, and a dash of salt and pepper.

Experience had taught me that in Vietnam, food nearly always tastes better than it looks. When traveling, you always want to experience the culinary delights that you never see at home. Eating different and unusual food is a big part of what makes your holiday memorable…