THE WATERCOCONUT
MAJESTY OF THE ARROYOS

Any traveler who has navigated the arroyos of the Mekong Delta (especially in Ben Tre province) cannot forget the banks of these water-carved gullies, with the splendid overhanging fronds of the semi-aquatic water coconut trees.

Vietnam and Asia are endowed with the greatest diversity of palms in the world. They are deeply integrated into local cultures; more than a dozen native palms provide food, fiber, beverages, rattan, building materials, and other products. The water coconut tree is one of them.

The water coconut tree (Nypa fruticans), also known as the water palm, nipa palm, or mangrove palm, belongs to the Nypoideae subfamily. It is often found in the estuaries of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the coastline of the Mekong Delta, and the Gulf of Siam. The palm thrives in the muddy waters of canals, the banks of slow-moving rivers, and the brackish upstream deltas. It grows majestically along the banks, where it forms graceful green hedges, its palms undulating in dense groves or creating shaded arches of vegetation above the arroyos.

Its trunk grows underground in the mud, with only the sparkling green leaves and flower stem growing above the surface. The palms can reach a height of nine meters. The flowers form a globe-shaped inflorescence, with female flowers at the tip and red or yellow male flowers on the lower branches. They produce clusters of woody nuts that can reach up to 25 cm in diameter. The ripe nuts break off and float with the tide, sometimes drifting to islands or far inland where they germinate. Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) enjoy the palm inflorescences and fruits.

Humans also love the water coconut tree. The long, satiny leaves are used for roofing (especially in Cambodia and the Mekong Delta) and to wrap various foods and tobacco, while the fibers are used to make baskets. In some coastal areas, the tree trunk is used for house walls. The young shoots are edible, and the flower petals can be infused to create an aromatic tea. The flower’s sepals are used as ornaments. The immature fruits, which are similar to gelatinous and translucent balls, are ingredients for pastries.

The nipa palm generates a sap rich in sugar, and when fermented it can produce up to 20,000 liters per hectare. Extraction of the sap is a pantropical practice. There are three techniques. The first involves pricking the developing inflorescence of a living palm and collecting the sap in a container. In the second, a V-shaped incision is made near the heart, where a container is placed to collect the flowing sap. The third technique consists in cutting down the coconut tree and collecting the sap in a cavity dug in the heart of the trunk, and in the case of small palms, removing the leaves and pruning the stem to promote sap flow.

The sap can be consumed in a natural way, such as the neera of South India. Fermented, it becomes a palm wine sometimes distilled into spirits (arak). Boiled, it becomes a palm sugar with a golden-brown color. If preserved and fermented in earthenware containers, it produces a kind of vinegar (the cuka nipah of the Malays). The sap is sometimes fed to pigs as it gives a sweet taste to the meat.

In Vietnam, the most joyful way to discover the water coconut remains a leisurely ride in a boat or kayak through the green canals of Ben Tre province. In Cambodia, visitors can enjoy the water coconut along the Gulf of Siam and especially while navigating the Ta Tai River (in Peam Krasop sanctuary and the northwestern part of the Boutum Sakor National Park), a region of meandering waters laced with tributaries and arroyos where the majestic coconut palm blossoms.
 
This world of arroyos and coconuts can be explored from exquisite haunts: Mekong Home, an intimate garden nestled among coconut trees; Azerai Can Tho, a resort on a private island founded by renowned hotelier Adrian Zecha; and Neverland de Papillons, a flowery oasis with stylish touches in the middle of the Sa Dec countryside
                  

 

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