Welcoming the bounty of the sea in Hoa Thang fishing village.

Early in the morning of the first days of 2026, as the sun rose, the fishing boats of Hoa Thang commune came ashore, carrying the bounty of the sea. It was the season of the north wind, the sea sometimes calm, sometimes rough. But relying on the waves, the people still clung to the sea and their fishing village day and night to make a living.

The sea area around Hoa Thang fishing village in the early days of 2026.

The sea area around Hoa Thang fishing village in the early days of 2026.

"Blessings" from the sea in the coastal area

This fishing village is about 15 km from Mui Ne Tourist Area. The spot where we are standing is Oc Beach, a name given by local fishermen to commemorate a time when this sea area was teeming with snails. It's a stunning coastal area, attractive to those who love unique travel experiences.

It was the season of northerly winds, but when we arrived, the sea at Oc Beach was still calm and peaceful. Perhaps that's why this coastal area was bustling with boats and lively chatter that day. Rows of basket boats were neatly lined up on the shore, and everyone was busy untangling their nets and collecting their catch. At 6 a.m., Mr. Nguyen Van Sang's family (Hong Hai village, Hoa Thang commune), a long-time fisherman, pulled their basket boat ashore. His hands nimbly untangled the nets, which were teeming with herring after hours at sea. Mr. Sang shared: "Every day, our family's basket boat goes out to sea to fish from 2 a.m. and returns to shore early the next morning. No fisherman can say for sure whether the sea is 'bountiful' or 'stingy' compared to last year, but they still stick with the profession. Each trip is a day trip, the furthest being about 4-5 nautical miles."

Mr. Sang removes the herring nets after a fishing trip.

Not far away, Mr. and Mrs. Tran Van Tu, fishermen from the same village, were untangling their nets of tuna. Looking at the plump, glistening fish that had just come out of the sea in the sunlight, it was enough to make me and the nearby tourists exclaim in admiration. Although the catch wasn't large, the fish were big and fresh, so after they were untangled, traders were already waiting to buy them.

These traders weren't strangers. They were women living right in the fishing village, involved in the seafood trade there for over a decade. Like Mrs. Bay, in her 50s, who has been a middleman here for 17 years. After selling me a batch of glistening fresh fish, she confided: "Every morning, I go to the fishing village to buy fresh seafood from the boat owners to sell at the market for profit. If I meet tourists on the beach, I can sell it right away without having to go anywhere far. Earning 100,000-200,000 dong a day to cover my living expenses makes me happy."

Fresh fish is sold by wholesalers directly to customers in the fishing village.

Living off the sea.

Along with many other coastal areas of the province, Hoa Thang fishing village is known as a peaceful countryside, retaining its original pristine beauty. It seems that nature has blessed this calm sea, protecting the fishing village from wind and storms. This is where hundreds of small fishing boats and coracles belonging to local fishermen gather after each fishing trip.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Hoa, a local resident, the Hoa Thang fishing village has become known to many tourists for reasons unknown. Perhaps it's not only because of its beautiful scenery and proximity to major tourist destinations in the region, but also because of the abundance and freshness of the seafood here.

Many tourists enjoy witnessing the fish harvest firsthand at the fishing village.

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On this fishing trip, I harvested about 30-40 kg of herring, more than the previous days. However, because the fish were small, I could only sell them wholesale at 18,000 VND/kg. After deducting fuel costs and the cost of renting an excavator (a type of tractor used for transporting the baskets to and from shore), I earned over 500,000 VND.

Fisherman Nguyen Van Sang

I met fisherman Tran Huu Phuong and several other coracle boat owners in the fishing village after a calm sea trip. He said: "Among these coracle boats, each person has a different occupation, from trapping sea snails, catching fish, crabs with nets... I think the diversity of seafood at Oc Beach also creates a rich and colorful picture of the coastal fishing village."

But the monsoon season is always a challenge for fishermen, and it's even more difficult for those using small boats for near-shore fishing, like in Hoa Thang fishing village. The small boat is considered a valuable asset, the "fishing rod" that sustains the entire family. Fishermen here share that, on average, each boat costs about 60-70 million VND to invest in. Families with better financial means invest in larger boats costing over 100 million VND. Conversely, those facing greater difficulties only invest in smaller boats costing 20-30 million VND to make a living from the sea.

Having spent their entire lives connected to the sea, perhaps the most persistent worry for local fishermen is the resurgence of illegal trawling, which has damaged their fishing grounds and gear. On days when the sea is "sluggish," and their fishing gear is damaged, they can only return empty-handed. Therefore, recently, not only voters in Hoa Thang commune but also residents of other coastal communes such as Son My and Vinh Hao have reported to the Provincial People's Council about the illegal operation of flying trawls in the waters within their respective communes. They hope that the relevant authorities will take decisive action to protect marine resources and the livelihoods of the fishermen…

The people are hopeful for a sustainable future in this coastal region. A new day dawns in Hoa Thang fishing village as the sun shines through the fishing nets. Lively conversations fill the air after each fishing trip, and smiles grace the faces of the fishermen after a day of abundant catches. A peaceful scene unfolds in this fishing village, sheltering the fishermen's boats whether the sea is calm or stormy. This picture of coastal life is so simple yet so breathtakingly beautiful!

According to the People's Committee of Hoa Thang commune, the commune currently has 164 motorized fishing boats, mostly with engines ranging from 8 to 20 horsepower, and 17 fishing vessels with hull lengths under 6 meters. These vessels mainly belong to fishermen from Hong Hai and Hong Chinh villages. Local fishermen primarily engage in fishing methods such as net fishing, trawling, gillnet fishing, and trap fishing. In 2025, the commune's seafood production is expected to reach 835 tons/820 tons.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/don-loc-bien-o-lang-chai-hoa-thang-416769.html