The Story of Hedgehog Island

Historical landmark notice board on Nhim Island

A testament to a glorious era.

Behind the makeshift house where 45-year-old Tran Van Hoa looks after his farm, on Nhim Island, stands a notice board measuring 1x1 meter, which reads: “Here, formerly known as Lam Phot Bridge, on the old Tran Le Xuan road, our soldiers and people bravely fought and sacrificed their lives. In 1997, the Tay Ninh Provincial Military Command collected 97 sets of remains of martyrs in a mass grave in this area.”

Mr. Tran Van Hoa recalled that at that time, during the dry season, some people working as scrap metal collectors discovered human bones in a water pit near Lam Phot bridge. Later, the team responsible for collecting the remains of fallen soldiers from the Provincial Military Command searched and collected nearly one hundred sets of remains.

Mr. Hoa added that there is a place called "Tank Hole" on Nhim Island. This is because during the war against the US, a US tank was shot and burned by revolutionary forces and left there. "When I was 7 or 8 years old, I came here and saw the tank still lying there. Later, the tank was gone," Mr. Hoa said.

When he was 10 years old, due to frequently going to the area around Nhim Island to collect scrap metal to sell, he clearly remembers that behind his current makeshift house there was a very long trench, flanked by bamboo forests. In the trench, about 50-70 meters away, there was a square bunker, deep enough to reach a person's neck. According to Mr. Hoa, decades ago, near the Cay Cay area on Nhim Island, there was also a medical bunker. When he came there to collect scrap metal, he saw many first aid tools such as bandages, scissors, and a trowel inside. Many years later, weather and sand filled in and buried all traces of this bunker. Now, only local people who have lived and worked on the island for many years know the location of the medical bunker.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tien, a resident of Nhim Island with decades of experience as a ferryman, confirmed: “In the early years when I first set foot on the island, I still saw a trench several kilometers long and a hut built with many sturdy wooden poles. In the medical bunker, there was an old sewing machine and many medical supplies, bandages, and medicine bottles. Now, these relics have all been buried, leaving no trace.”

Traveling to Nhim Island by sea is a delightful experience for tourists.

Untapped tourism potential

Mr. Tran Thanh Hanh, who has lived on this island amidst the vast ocean for over 30 years, said that decades ago, when his family plowed the semi-submerged land to grow cassava, they often found stainless steel trays used to hold medical supplies, left on the embankment, which were then picked up by locals to sell as scrap metal. “Previously, there was a trench extending from the semi-submerged area of ​​the island down to Nhim Stream, allowing revolutionary cadres and soldiers to easily access the stream for water. However, after many years of plowing for agricultural cultivation, these trenches no longer exist,” he said.

More than 10 years ago, according to Mr. Hanh's recollection, a veteran working at the Ho Chi Minh City Post Office visited the island. The veteran clasped his hands, facing the lake, and observed a long period of silence. Upon inquiry, he explained that during the war, this had been a military medical station where he worked, near the protected forest, considered the D war zone, in what is now Tan Thanh commune, Tan Chau district. Therefore, this area suffered heavily from enemy bombing and shelling, and many revolutionary cadres and soldiers sacrificed their lives there.

Aquatic life in Dau Tieng Lake

Dau Tieng Lake is currently in its peak water storage season. The deep pit where nearly 100 remains of fallen soldiers were found is now submerged. In a few months, when the lake releases its water, dozens of bomb craters of varying sizes will be revealed on these semi-submerged areas. At that time, it will be easy to travel by motorbike from the protected forest area of ​​Tan Thanh commune to Nhim Island and vice versa.

In recent years, Nhim Island has received investment for reforestation. The island boasts a fairly large lotus pond, lush with flowers and foliage year-round; and a mangrove forest spanning several tens of hectares, providing a habitat for many flocks of birds, egrets, and herons. The air in this riverside area is incredibly clean and cool, ideal for outdoor activities, camping, and recreation.

It is clear that Nhim Island still holds significant tourism potential. However, to date, the island has received almost no substantial investment in tourism products. If the local government and relevant agencies invest in restoring historical relics such as trenches, secret tunnels, military medical stations, and building memorials to heroic martyrs, combined with ecotourism and historical tourism, it could become a tourist destination attracting many visitors.

Fishing activities in Dau Tieng Lake

Recently, the People's Committee of Tay Ninh province issued the socio-economic development plan for 2025. Among the main tasks and solutions, there is a request to support investors in accelerating the implementation of the Nhim Island Eco-tourism Area project. It is hoped that in the not too distant future, this green island amidst the largest artificial irrigation project in Southeast Asia will become one of the must-see attractions for tourists visiting Tay Ninh.

Ocean

Source: https://baotayninh.vn/chuyen-tren-dao-nhim-a186432.html