From May to July in Hon Kho, seaweed is in season, like covering the sea surface with a splendid golden carpet.
18 km north of Quy Nhon city center, Hon Kho in Nhon Hai commune is famous for its near-shore coral reefs and beautiful seaweed carpets, mesmerizing tourists and photographers.
Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, a resident of Nhon Hai commune, said that seaweed blooms in the May season and ends in July, creating an ecosystem for fish, shrimp, sea turtles and other types of plankton to reproduce and grow. The government has banned the exploitation of seaweed to protect the ecosystem. People can only exploit seafood in this area, usually with double baskets to make it easier to open the net.
From 15:XNUMX, when the tide gradually recedes, the seaweed strips appear iridescent in the sun. The basket opens the net to all four sides to create the shape of a blue dress on the carpet.
Fisherman Le Khac Qui caught squid under the seaweed forest.
In addition to double baskets, fishermen also fish with single baskets in more sparsely populated areas.
Diving under the sea in the middle of the forest is a favorite activity of some tourists and locals.
In the past years, visitors to Hon Kho have been crowded but have decreased recently after the floating rafts were found to be operating illegally and the authorities said they would enforce them. In the photo is a visitor to Hon Kho in 2022.
Nhon Hai beach near Hon Kho also has a stone path hundreds of meters long. The researchers hypothesized that this is the stone road of the Champa people. The road is only partially exposed at low tide, mostly covered with seaweed.
Nhon Hai and Hon Kho communes (left) seen from above.
Nguyen Phan Dung Nhan
