Mangrove honey harvest sustains livelihoods in Ninh Binh

Every year, when the vast mangrove forests in Xuan Thuy National Park, Ninh Binh, burst into bloom, locals transport thousands of beehives here to collect mangrove honey - often called the “honey of the sea.”

The park covers over 15,100 hectares, including 7,100 hectares of core zone and nearly 8,000 hectares of buffer zone, with thriving mangrove ecosystems of Avicennia (sú) and Bruguiera (vẹt) trees. These coastal species grow naturally without chemical interference, producing honey that is rich in flavor, aromatic, and highly nutritious.

Nguyen Van Tung from Giao Hoa, Ninh Binh, brought 700 hives this season, which runs from April to July but has extended to August this year due to late blooming. Normally, beekeepers can harvest up to eight times per season, but poor flowering this year has cut yields by around 20%.

“Beekeeping is like a gamble,” Tung explained. “Good weather means abundant nectar and big profits. Bad weather can wipe out gains, sometimes not even covering transport costs.” In good years, each beekeeper can earn around 500 million VND (about USD 20,000) per season, depending on hive numbers.

Caring for the bees requires daily checks on hive health and pollen collection, supplementing food when natural sources run low. The optimal honey extraction time is 5–9 a.m., when the weather is cooler and honey quality is better. Honeycombs are brushed free of bees, unsealed, and spun in a centrifuge before being stored in clean containers for immediate sale.

Tung expects over 10 tons of honey this year, selling at 60,000–70,000 VND per kg (about USD 2.40–2.80), yielding more than 600 million VND (over USD 24,000) in revenue and a substantial profit after costs.

Nearby, Nguyen Van Khanh of Giao Phuc is also harvesting mangrove honey, though he notes that poor flowering has reduced yields compared to past years.

According to Vu Quoc Dat, Deputy Director of Xuan Thuy National Park, nearly 20 beekeepers brought about 8,000 hives this year, producing an estimated 70–80 tons of honey. To boost the trade, the park and local authorities have developed the “Xuan Thuy National Park Mangrove Honey” brand, now certified as a 3-star OCOP product, offering branding rights to qualifying producers to enhance value and market reach.