1. Overview of Phu Quoc fish sauce
Phu Quoc fish sauce has a history of over 200 years, closely associated with the pioneering and settlement journey of the island's first residents. Initially, under scarce conditions, people devised a method of salting fresh anchovies to preserve the abundant food source from the sea. Fish were mixed with salt in appropriate proportions and then fermented in small jars and pots, creating a rich seasoning for daily meals. Over time, as demand increased, the fish sauce making craft developed strongly and became a characteristic traditional craft of the Jade Island.
This renowned fish sauce is distinguished by its dark mahogany color, a rich salty taste with a sweet aftertaste, and the natural aroma of salted anchovies. Its natural protein content typically ranges from 35 – 43 degrees, creating a balanced, distinctive flavor that is unmistakable from products from other regions. It is this perfect combination of fresh, delicious anchovies, pure salt, and meticulous fermentation process that has built the century-old reputation of Phu Quoc fish sauce.
Phu Quoc fish sauce - Essence of the Jade Island's cuisine. (Source: Collected)
Especially, in 2012, Phu Quoc fish sauce became the first product of Vietnam to achieve European Geographical Indication (PGI) certification, affirming its prestige and quality in the international market. Today, the product has been exported to many countries such as Japan, South Korea, the US, and European countries, contributing to bringing the essence of Vietnamese cuisine far and wide and affirming the worthy position of "national soul fish sauce".
2. Cultural significance of Phu Quoc fish sauce
Phu Quoc fish sauce is not just a famous culinary product but also a deep pride for the people of the Jade Island. The fish sauce making craft has been associated with the lives of the local residents for hundreds of years, becoming a symbol of diligent labor spirit and love for the sea. Each bottle of fish sauce created is the crystallization of sun, wind, sea, sky, and the skillful hands of the Phu Quoc people. It is not just a commercial product, but also a testament to the preservation and inheritance of traditional values through generations.
In Vietnamese culinary culture, Phu Quoc fish sauce is likened to the "soul" of family meals, contributing to enriching the homeland's flavors. A drop of clear, fragrant fish sauce not only carries the saltiness of the sea but also contains human affection and Vietnamese cultural identity.
Fish sauce is considered the "soul" of the Vietnamese family meal. (Source: Collected)
3. Traditional Phu Quoc Fish Sauce Production Process
To create rich, fragrant, and protein-rich drops of Phu Quoc fish sauce, the people here still preserve and inherit traditional fish sauce making methods through many generations. Although the process is not too complicated, each step requires meticulousness, patience, and years of experience, because even a small deviation can affect the flavor and quality of the final product.
3.1. Step 1: Selecting Fish and Salt Ingredients
Anchovies are the main ingredient for making fish sauce, with striped anchovies and black anchovies producing the best fish sauce. The fish must be carefully selected, ensuring they are fresh, uniform in type and size, so that the decomposition process occurs evenly, helping the fish sauce to be more fragrant and have a better color. Immediately after being caught, the fish are rinsed with seawater to maintain freshness and remove impurities. Concurrently, the salt used to marinate the fish must be sea salt harvested at the beginning of the dry season, with high dryness and purity, helping the fish sauce achieve the standard flavor and last longer.
Anchovies used to make fish sauce must be fresh, delicious, and uniformly sized. (Source: Collected)
3.2. Step 2: Marinating the fish
Because anchovies have a perishable nature, so immediately after being caught, fishermen will marinate the fish directly on the boat to preserve their freshness and natural flavor. The fish are mixed evenly with coarse white salt, with few impurities, according to the standard ratio of 3 parts fish : 1 part salt, then placed into wooden barrels or large containers to marinate for about 3 – 4 days. When the fish begin to absorb salt, the workers will drain the "nuoc boi" (fish juice released during marination), flatten the surface, and spread an additional layer of salt 2 – 3 cm thick on top. After a few days, the "nuoc boi" is pumped back to cover the surface of the fish, helping the fish absorb evenly, preparing for the fermentation stage that lasts many months afterward.
3.3. Step 3: Fermentation
The salted fish are placed into barrels made of "boi loi" wood or "ven ven" wood, two types of wood that are salt-resistant and do not alter the natural flavor. The fermentation process usually lasts 12 months, with absolutely no preservatives or additives used. During this time, the protein in the fish breaks down into amino acids, creating a rich salty taste, a sweet aftertaste, and the characteristic aroma of Phu Quoc fish sauce.
Fish after marinating are put into wooden barrels for natural fermentation. (Source: Collected)
3.4. Step 4: Drawing, filtering fish sauce, and bottling
When the fish sauce is "ripe", the liquid in the barrel turns a golden-brown color and emits a strong aroma. The craftsman will open the "lo lu" (drainage hole) at the bottom of the barrel to draw the fish sauce essence – the most refined part with the highest protein content. After the first draw, the pressing rack is removed, cleaned, and then put back in its original position. The previously drawn fish sauce will be pumped back into the barrel to mix evenly with the remaining fish, repeating this process many times until the desired smooth consistency, rich aroma, and no sediment are achieved.
Once all the fish sauce essence has been extracted, the craftsman proceeds to pump saturated brine into the fermentation barrels, circulating it from barrels with lower protein content to higher ones. This process helps extract the remaining nutrients from the fish, creating batches of "long 2", "long 3", "long 4" fish sauce... with a lighter flavor but still retaining their unique character. Each "long" fish sauce drawing cycle typically lasts from 2 to 3 months, completed before the fish sauce is sent for fine filtering and bottling.
When standards are met, the fish sauce is bottled using an automatic filling line to ensure hygiene and consistent quality. The bottles are labeled, sealed, and packed into cartons before being distributed to the market. Each bottle of Phu Quoc fish sauce is not only the perfect product of a rigorous process but also the crystallization of the sea and sky, labor, and the hundred-year tradition of the people of the Jade Island.
4. Experiencing the fish sauce craft village in Phu Quoc
4.1. Visiting traditional fish sauce workshops
The journey to explore the Phu Quoc fish sauce craft village is an unmissable experience for those who love Vietnamese culture and cuisine. Here, visitors can visit famous barrel houses in Duong Dong and An Thoi, which still preserve the traditional fermentation process that has existed for hundreds of years. Hundreds of giant Boi Loi wooden barrels are neatly arranged in a space filled with the scent of sea salt, creating a feeling of stepping into the "flavor workshop" of the Jade Island. You will witness firsthand the process of marinating fish, pressing, drawing fish sauce, and listen to the artisans recount the secrets and customs of the trade passed down through generations.
Not just production sites, the barrel houses also become unique check-in spots with their classic scenery, warm yellow lighting, and distinctive fish sauce aroma. Many tourists enjoy taking photos beside rows of century-old wooden barrels, experiencing the slow and rustic pace of life of the coastal people.
Visit and learn about the fish sauce making process at traditional craft villages. (Source: Collected)
After the visit, tourists can continue their Phu Quoc exploration journey with more relaxing and memorable experiences. If staying in the southern island area, visitors can head to Sun World Hon Thom to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, try exciting entertainment games, or take the cable car to admire the panoramic view of the southern island from above. For those who love romance, take a stroll at Sunset Town, where colorful Mediterranean-style houses hug the coastline, creating a beautiful scene as the sun gradually sets. Conversely, if staying in the northern area, visitors can enjoy a day of fun at VinWonders or visit famous attractions such as Phu Quoc National Park, Cape Ganh Dau, Rach Vem Fishing Village... This will be a perfect conclusion to the journey of exploring the Phu Quoc fish sauce craft villages.
4.2. Buy fish sauce as a gift
After visiting the traditional fish sauce barrels, many tourists often choose Phu Quoc fish sauce as a souvenir to bring home due to its rich flavor and special cultural value. It is not only a famous culinary product but also a symbol of the essence of the Pearl Island's fishing trade, created from the meticulousness, experience, and pride of generations of local people. Among the famous brands, Thinh Phat, Hung Thinh, and Khai Hoan are the three names that tourists trust the most, owing to their traditional production process and consistent quality over many years.
Each bottle of fish sauce is produced using the traditional pressing method, carrying the natural flavor of anchovies and sea salt. Prices range from 150,000 – 200,000 VND/1 liter, depending on the brand and protein content, suitable for both cooking and making dipping sauces. A special feature is that the product is carefully bottled, sealed with anti-counterfeit stamps, and has a Phu Quoc geographical indication certificate, ensuring safety, quality, and ease of transport, even when traveling by plane.
Each bottle of Phu Quoc fish sauce not only contains the salty flavor of the sea but is also the crystallization of labor and homeland pride. Gifting a bottle of Phu Quoc fish sauce is sending sincere affection and the cultural soul of the Pearl Island, so that no matter where the recipient is, they can still feel the salty, deeply affectionate taste of the southern sea region.
Phu Quoc fish sauce is not only a familiar seasoning in every Vietnamese meal but also a symbol of a hundred-year-old culinary essence linked to the culture and people of the Pearl Island. Each drop of fish sauce is the crystallization of the sun and wind of the sea, of diligent labor, and the pride of the people in the traditional craft. Through many ups and downs, Phu Quoc fish sauce still maintains its characteristic flavor: rich, fragrant, and authentic, just like the people here. When visiting Phu Quoc, don't forget to explore the century-old fish sauce craft village once, to better feel the soul and identity of this island region.
