Stunning sunrise scene in Vinh Long

"Hunting for dawn" in the early morning mist

Every weekend, Nguyen Thanh Tuan (39 years old, from Vinh Long ) wakes up at 5:30 am and walks out to the coconut garden behind his house. He calls it "the most beautiful and relaxing moment of a day in the countryside", when the air is fresh, fog covers the river surface and the first rays of sunlight filter through the lush green coconut leaves. The rustic frames recreate the countryside scene that has remained almost unchanged for decades: coconut garden, rice fields, river, neighbors carrying rice, coconut boats bustling back and forth. To capture a beautiful morning, Tuan often has to observe the weather from the day before. Before the day of shooting, it must rain lightly, the next morning must be sunny and windless for there to be fog. "My family and the people around me all grow coconut trees. The houses are sparse, the canals are crisscrossed, so the early morning is always chilly and foggy. I like that feeling, it makes me feel like I'm really living in nature," Tuan told Tri Thuc - Znews.

The cleanest place in Southeast Asia

In 2024, Tra Vinh (now Vinh Long) was ranked among the localities with the cleanest air quality in Southeast Asia. For Tuan, coconut trees are not only a familiar image but also a symbol of his childhood. The coconut garden was planted by his grandfather nearly 50 years ago, many trees are still green and fruitful today. The tree is suitable for the soil, easy to grow, requires little effort, and provides a stable income, so now everyone around has switched from growing rice to growing coconuts. "The ancients said that coconut trees are trees that grandparents planted for future generations to enjoy. I believe so. I hope that coconut trees will forever nourish and be attached to my hometown like they are now. After more than 30 years of living in the city, every time I return to my hometown, I feel strangely peaceful. Even if it's just a few days on the weekend, I still try to go back regularly: to take care of the garden, take care of my grandparents' graves, and to rest and breathe the fresh air," he said.