Hon Yen - Hon Dun and the petrified love

Hon Yen (in Nhon Hoi village, An Hoa Hai commune, Tuy An district) is a famous scenic spot of Phu Yen province, consisting of rocky mountains jutting out into the sea with beautiful and unique slopes. Hon Yen is still a pristine island with a diverse ecosystem and natural vegetation, captivating visitors when they come here.

Habitat of swiftlets

The Hon Yen complex includes: Hon Yen, Hon Dun, Hon Choi, Vung Choi, Ganh Yen, Ban Than forming a natural scenic complex by the sea. In which, Hon Yen is located about 400 m from the coast, has an area of ​​1.98 ha, a height of 70 m, surrounded by vertical cliffs which are the highlight of this scenic complex.

Hon Yen complex was ranked as a national scenic spot by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2017.

PHOTO: TIN PHAN

About 50 m from Hon Yen to the shore is Hon Dun, with an area of ​​about 0.1 ha and a height of about 20 m. The sea connecting the mainland with Hon Yen and Hon Dun is relatively shallow, when the tide is low, it forms an exposed rock beach connecting the coast with Hon Yen - Hon Dun. Northwest of Hon Yen is a small mountain running along the coast called Hon Choi. Hon Choi is about 40 m high, the sea side is eroded by waves to form steep cliffs, the land side gradually slopes connecting with sand dunes extending to the west.

According to researchers, the Hon Yen archipelago was formed by tectonic activities along the coast of Phu Yen , the most notable of which was a volcanic eruption that occurred about 10 million years ago. The lava eruptions met the seawater and formed basalt in columnar or block form, similar to the basalt type in the special national landscape of Ganh Da Dia. In some areas, the rocks are red, jet black, and yellow, which are very beautiful and valuable for geological research.

Hon Yen - Hon Dun and the story of the older brother who turned to stone waiting for his younger brother have been passed down for generations by the people of Nhon Hoi village.

PHOTO: TIN PHAN

The name Hon Yen comes from the fact that this place used to be home to tens of thousands of swiftlets. The steep cliffs, strong winds, and few visitors are ideal conditions for swiftlets to nest. The fishermen say that during the breeding season, the swiftlets fly back, darkening the sky.

Nowadays, the swiftlets no longer return as before, but the vestiges of the caves and nests of the past still remain as living relics of a time when nature was not disturbed.

Legend of the Petrified Brother

Hon Yen carries a sad legend about family love, oaths and petrification. Many village elders say that in the past, Nhon Hoi sea was still wild, there were two orphaned brothers who depended on each other by fishing. They loved each other, stayed together like two peas in a pod, went out to sea every day, lived a simple and happy life.

One day, the two brothers were fishing in the middle of the sea when a big storm arose and the small boat capsized. The older brother tried to hold on to a piece of driftwood, while the younger brother was swept away by the waves and disappeared into the sea. After the storm, the older brother returned to shore, his heart aching because he could not find his younger brother. From then on, every day he went to the edge of the sea and looked out to sea, where he last saw his younger brother.

Years passed, and the elder brother did not leave the rocky beach. One moonlit morning, the people could no longer see him. And strangely, right where he used to sit, a large rock appeared facing the sea. Still amazed, a few days later, a smaller rock suddenly appeared offshore, resembling a person looking back at the shore.

Looking out from Nhon Hoi beach, Hon Yen looks like a giant mushroom rising up in the middle of the water.

PHOTO: TRAN BICH NGAN

Since then, people believe that the elder brother has turned into Hon Yen, standing tall and looking out to sea, waiting for his younger brother forever. The younger brother also found his way back after the storm, but only had time to turn into stone offshore, becoming the small Hon Dun. Every time the tide recedes, a stone path appears connecting the mainland to the sea, as if the heavens and earth took pity on the two brothers and allowed them to meet for a while, then separate again when the tide rises. Every year in the fourth lunar month, when the water is at its lowest and the rocks are most exposed, the two brothers are reunited, even if only for a short time.

Rock Garden Under the Sky

Standing from Nhon Hoi beach, Hon Yen looks like a giant mushroom rising from the water. Its lines are not sharp or round, but it has a strange appeal because of its simplicity, as if someone had dropped a drop of ink into the sea and let it spread and take shape. Hon Dun is located nearby, smaller, humble like a younger brother standing silently beside him.

The strangest thing about Hon Yen is not its shape but the way it interacts with time. When the tide recedes on full moon days, a reef like a sunken road suddenly appears, connecting the mainland to the island. Not everyone has the opportunity to see this, because it does not follow a schedule but follows the cycle of heaven and earth. Every time the road appears, the sea "lifts its shirt", revealing layers of rocks and corals like opening the door to a real, lively and unfenced natural museum.

Low tide, patches of coral appear like fossil forests

PHOTO: TUY AN DISTRICT PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE

If you look at Hon Yen from above at low tide, the entire area looks like a stereoscopic painting. Under the clear water, towering coral reefs appear, like fossil forests. There are fan-shaped coral species, some arranged in layers, interspersed with sea anemones, starfish, black sea urchins, and baby fish swimming sparkling like stardust blown by the wind. Many old men in Nhon Hoi fishing village say that in the past, people called this area "the stone garden of heaven". When the sea recedes and the sky shines, the rocks also know how to reveal their souls.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang, Vice Chairman of Tuy An District People's Committee, said: "Hon Yen complex was ranked as a national scenic complex by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2017 according to Decision No. 5387 dated December 29, 2017. Along with Ganh Da Dia and Cu Lao Mai Nha, Hon Yen is a must-see attraction when traveling to the north of Phu Yen. Currently, the locality and local people are actively promoting community tourism with tours of Hon Yen complex by basket boat, allowing visitors to experience making anchovies and the typical local culinary culture." (continued)

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hon-yen-hon-dun-va-tinh-than-hoa-da-185250529211828565.htm