Discover the uninhabited island in Dau Tieng Lake.

Mễn Island viewed from afar

Mễn Island is estimated to be about 10 hectares in size, located about 1 km as the crow flies from Nhím Island. The island has a few tall, golden-flowered melaleuca trees, surrounded by overgrown weeds, creating ideal habitats for many species of birds and animals. Elderly residents recount that in the early years, when the Dầu Tiếng irrigation project was just beginning to fill its reservoir, Nhím Island was home to many wild animals such as porcupines, civets, muntjacs, snakes, and turtles.

There are many wild ducks that take refuge on Mễn Island.

Later, people came to Hedgehog Island to clear the forest and cultivate crops , affecting the habitat of the wild animals. In the evening, many wild animals from Hedgehog Island would wade across the water to this island to take shelter, the most numerous being muntjacs. Therefore, the local people named this island Muntjac Island.

To get to Mễn Island, people have to hire a boat from the junction of Dầu Tiếng Lake (Dương Minh Châu commune, Tây Ninh province) or hire a boat from Nhím Island to take them across.

A species of bird on the island of Mén

Currently, the Dau Tieng reservoir is in its water-filling season, and only about half a hectare on Men Island remains unaffected. From a distance, the island looks like a mound of earth rising above the water. Upon stepping onto the island, wild ducks, teals, and many other strange birds whose names we didn't know, flapped their wings and flew up into the air from the wild grass, circling a few times before landing in a secluded spot, continuing to search for crabs and fish.

Around the island, there are also some egrets residing. Mr. Tran Thanh Hanh, a long-time resident and businessman on Nhim Island, said that he occasionally sees mandarin ducks – a rare species of bird – flying up from Men Island.

Mr. Tran Hoang Giang observes the ground to learn about field mice on the island.

Besides birds, Mễn Island shows signs of a large concentration of rodents. When we arrived, we saw many pieces of cloth and tinsel tied to the branches of the Mimosa trees and wild grasses. Mr. Tran Hoang Giang (a resident of Thanh Dien ward, Tay Ninh province) - a seasoned field rat hunter - carefully observed the trails, burrows, and dug-up bushes to estimate the number of field rats on the island.

After observing and analyzing for a while, the young man concluded: "There are quite a few species of rodents living on the island..."

There are also a few clumps of water lilies growing on the island. During the high tide season, these aquatic plants bloom profusely with purple flowers, enough to captivate visitors.

Some locals still use motorboats with powerful engines to catch fish near Mễn Island.

Men Island - Photo taken in 2017

Near Mễn Island, we still encountered people using motorboats with powerful engines to catch fish. This is one of the fishing methods strictly prohibited according to Plan No. 2208/KH-UBND, dated November 20, 2025, of the People's Committee of Tay Ninh province on disseminating information, combating, handling, and preventing violations of the law related to the protection of wild animals and aquatic resources in Tay Ninh province.

With its pristine beauty, Mễn Island, like a sparkling green gem in the middle of Dầu Tiếng Lake, has the potential to become an attractive destination for those who enjoy exploring nature.

Ocean - National Mountain

Source: https://baolongan.vn/kham-pha-hon-dao-chua-co-nguoi-sinh-song-o-ho-dau-tieng-a208985.html