Mountain snails live in limestone areas and small streams. They are found in northern provinces like Lang Son and Ninh Binh.

These snails have thick, dark brown or pale shells. Their bodies are flat and round like coins.

Mountain snails sleep during the dry season. They come out after the first rains to eat and reproduce from April to August.

Locals call them 'heaven's gift' because they are rare and only come out at certain times.

Visitors can join locals to hunt snails at night, called 'soi oc', during snail season.

Lang Van Toan from Bac Ninh joined a snail hunt in Lang Son. His homestay host introduced him to the activity.

To hunt snails, they needed flashlights, bags, and good shoes. They walked 4 kilometers into the forest from the homestay.

They started the hunt at 5:30 pm when snails leave their hiding spots to find food.

The group looked carefully for snails, sweeping their lights across the ground.

The snails move slowly and blend in with rocks and leaves, so they had to look closely.

The darkness was a bit scary, but local guides made the experience better.

After 90 minutes, they returned with nearly 5 kilograms of snails.

They cleaned the snails and boiled them to keep their natural flavor.

Mountain snails eat forest leaves and have a unique aroma with herbal notes.

The snails have a crunchy top and a softer, richer bottom with a forest leaf scent.

The traveler also enjoyed horseback riding, cycling, and walking through villages.

He tried local foods like stream fish, hill-raised chicken, and forest vegetables.