“Can you eat surrounded by fish?” 🐠🍽️ Yes, yes, don’t be surprised! In Vietnam, there are cafes where you can dine right among the fish—and not just any fish, but beautiful koi fish! 🏮🐟✨ Feeling hungry already? 😋 Before you go, I recommend checking out our article and browsing the stunning photos of this one-of-a-kind place! 📖📸👇
In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, there are many unique cafes where you can not only enjoy a drink but also relax by watching koi fish. These koi fish are a special type of carp, or more specifically, a variety of Amur carp.
There are about 80 different species of koi, each varying in size, color, and scale patterns. To be called “koi,” a fish must pass through six stages of selection.
Koi fish have been known since the 14th century. They were first bred in Japan, although they were originally from China. Initially, the peasants bred them for food. However, when people saw the beautiful colors of some of the fish, they began keeping them as pets. Eventually, even noble people took up the hobby, and koi carp started being raised in large ponds around castles and palaces.
The world first learned about koi in the early 1900s when they were shown at an exhibition in Tokyo. Today, people breed koi all over the world, and in some places, there are clubs dedicated to them. In Vietnam, cafes and restaurants have adopted the idea of koi-themed spots, often with shallow ponds filled with koi.
These koi cafes are set up with shallow ponds where koi fish swim freely. Tables and seats are arranged either in the water or on islands connected by pathways, allowing visitors to sit, eat, and drink while watching the fish. Guests can also feed the koi, as they are not afraid of people and will even swim into visitors’ hands.
In Ho Chi Minh City, there are now more than a dozen of these koi cafes, which are particularly popular with young couples and families with children. Visitors enjoy feeding the koi, and the fish’s friendly nature makes them easy to touch. It’s believed that being around fish can help calm the mind and relieve stress, which may explain why these koi cafes are always busy.
Would you like to visit one of these relaxing koi cafes?
