Bich Dam - The breath of Phu Yen in the heart of Nha Trang sea

The small boat left Cau Da wharf, Nha Trang when the sun was still sleepy. The sea was calm early, the sky was a pale blue, the gentle wind blew across the water like a lullaby. Next to her, an old woman with silver hair and a strong accent from the Nau region, untangling her net, said: “I am originally from Phu Yen , the Nau region! My great-grandfather rowed a wooden boat from Tuy Hoa to here to fish, and then saw that the water here was clear and the waves were calm, so he stayed here. Now Bich Dam is my second home, but the soul of Phu Yen is still intact…”

She smiled, a smile that had the salty taste of the sea, the sweetness of memory, and the sparkle of pride.

Peaceful scenery of Bich Dam fishing village.

Fishing village in the middle of a blue bay - a place that retains its rustic features

Bich Dam, the farthest island from the mainland of Nha Trang Bay, is where Phu Yen people leave behind the image of their old homeland in the heart of the new sea. The island is not noisy, not crowded with hotels, only the sound of waves, the sound of oars, the sound of people laughing and talking at the fishing wharf every morning. The people here still maintain the old way: in the morning they go out to sea, in the afternoon they mend their nets, in the evening they light the fire, tell stories about whales, and tell stories about life.

The people here live slowly, deeply, simply, and persistently. The way they welcome guests is as light as the sea breeze: “Please come out and see the newly caught fish. Have a bowl of stir-fried squid, just caught this morning!” . There are no high-end tourist services here, just honest people and the salty soul of the sea.

When fishermen do tourism - do it with heart

Now, Bich Dam is not only a fishing village, but also a "community tourism village", where fishermen act as tour guides, cook their own meals, and tell stories about their hometown.

The people working in tourism here do not “act”, because they live for real. They do not “welcome guests”, but “welcome friends”. They have not attended any PR classes, they only learned from life how to smile, how to invite, how to tell stories. And it is this simplicity that makes tourists love them, and makes everyone who has gone want to come back.

In Bich Dam, visitors not only “see the sea”, but also touch life. Go on a basket boat with fishermen to cast nets. Learn to catch fish, dry squid, grill clams and snails right on the sand. Listen to the singing of the boatmen in the windy afternoon, the melody echoes like the voice of the sea.

Every experience is a life lesson.

Each citizen is a "tourism ambassador" of his own hometown.

Keep the profession, keep the sea, keep the people

Bich Dam people still say: "The sea nourishes us and our children, so we must preserve it. Tourism is also preserving our profession, and preserving our profession is also preserving the sea."

People started learning how to reduce plastic waste, sort trash, and teach children not to litter the sea. They also knew that tourists come here not just to take pictures, but to find a place that is still pure, still real, still kind.

Community tourism in Bich Dam is not only a “new source of income”, but also a way for the community to be self-governing, tell their own stories, and beautify their homeland.

Bich Dam - a natural gem in Nha Trang Bay

Coming to Bich Dam, you will see a “ small bay” where life is big. Each person is a story, each roof is a picture, each wave is a call to the homeland. The island is small, but contains the soul of Phu Yen, the love of Nha Trang.

Amidst the bustling world of tourism, Bich Dam is like a blue note, making people stop, listen, and smile.

The sea is blue everywhere. But only when someone protects it will it have a soul.

An indispensable destination, an unforgettable lesson

Bich Dam is not a place to “go to know”, but a place to understand that people can still live in harmony with nature. Coming here, we see more clearly the simple truth: When people know how to live kindly with the sea, the sea will return peace to people.

Therefore, if one day you come to Nha Trang, take the time to go a little further to Bich Dam, to meet the sincere people of the land of Nau, to listen to the sea tell stories of their homeland, and to see that, amidst the vast waves, there is still a small fishing village that retains the smell of sunshine, the salty taste, and the simple hearts of the people as in the beginning.

Traveling is not just about going to a place, but about coming to a community that knows how to love, how to preserve, and how to tell.

And Bich Dam is such a place.

LE MINH HOAN (*)