Tourists go grapes for Ninh Thuan gardens

Thai An Village in Vinh Hai Commune of Ninh Hai District has 182 hectares of grapes grown by 540 households. Locals began experimenting with the fingernail grape from Japan two years ago hoping for a higher yield.

A farmer sprays his crop. 

At the start of 2017, fingernail grapes were planted across 5,000 square meters. Today, they occupy 70,000 square meters (7 hectares).

There are two main harvests per year, the first during the winter-spring transition and the latter at the end of summer into fall. 

The fruit itself can be harvested year-round. However, for quality purposes, planters adhere to strict procedures to avoid the October to November rainy season.

This new variety of grapes has three colors - green, red and yellow.

"The grape requires consistent maintenance, frequent pruning and removal of smaller berries for an even and uniform cluster," said farmer Nguyen Thi Kim Lien.

Fingernail grapes have a sweet, succulent flavor and crunchy skin. Their seeds do not possess the typical acridity of other local grapes. Their price starts at VND120,000 ($5.2) per kg.

Grapevines usually stand five to eight years. In the case of low yield, they are uprooted and replaced, old rootstocks sold to bonsai merchants.

Due to its charm, Thai An grape village is drawing increasing numbers of local and foreign tourists frequenting Ninh Thuan Province.

Ninh Thuan lies 290 km from Ho Chi Minh City by car and is well-known for its abundant sunshine and low rainfall. Landmarks like Po Klong Garai Charm Towers in Phan Rang Town, Vinh Hy Bay at Vinh Hai Commune, Binh Tien beach on the border of Ninh Thuan and Khanh Hoa provinces or Nam Cuong sand dune, eight kilometers from Phan Rang Town, add enticement to the province.