Along the South Central coast of Vietnam lie some of the most beautiful and enchanting coastal villages in the country. These "super green" coastal villages are creating a new impetus for coastal communities, helping to promote the image, people, and land of Vietnam to the world .
The coral village of Nhơn Hải, located in Nhơn Hải peninsula commune, Quy Nhơn city, Bình Định province, is nestled between the Phương Mai mountain range stretching along the coast, where a peculiar, barren island called Hòn Khô (Dry Island) lies. True to its name, Hòn Khô remains dry and barren year-round, yet this seemingly lifeless place is becoming a "golden and silver island" for nearly 5,700 coastal residents.
Sitting and watching the waves lap against the shore, Mrs. Tran Thi Bay (63 years old, residing in Nhon Hai peninsula commune) exclaimed in amazement: "It's strange, the surface of the island is barren, with no trees able to survive, but the seabed teems with fish and shrimp, such as tuna, lobster, crabs, and green crabs... This headland has 'generated gold and silver' for the whole village to live comfortably. During the stormy season, the body and shoulders of the island protect the village from the rain and wind..."
In recent years, Hon Kho Island has become a popular tourist destination due to its pristine and peaceful beauty. During the dry season, especially in May and June each year, marine life, seaweed, and coral begin to recover in the seabed around the island, creating shimmering patches of yellow and green on the sea surface.
Amidst the seaweed beds, schools of flying fish dart about, complemented by shrimp and squid, making the entire sea area enchanting and captivating to tourists. At such times, tourists flock in, and the villagers are constantly busy – some providing services, others transporting tourists by speedboat for snorkeling and coral viewing, some selling drinks, opening restaurants, or driving carts… Everyone earns a decent income.
Mr. Nguyen Ton Xuan Sang, Director of Nhon Hai Service, Tourism and Fisheries Cooperative, shared: "Thanks to the development of community tourism, people's awareness of the environment is now very good. They are very responsible towards the landscape, ecology, and marine life. The village is preserving the turtle nesting ground and about 13.8 hectares of coral reefs that are recovering very well, serving as nesting grounds for crabs and fish."
Quy Nhon City also boasts the famous Nhon Ly fishing village (Nhon Ly commune), renowned for its two "green gems," Eo Gió and Kỳ Co, which captivate tourists. Further north, the Hoai Hai fishing village in Hoai Nhon town, Binh Dinh province, stands out for its scenery of two mountain ranges stretching to the sea, resembling two wild buffaloes resting.
The ancient village of Gò Cỏ, Đức Phổ town, Quảng Ngãi province, is nestled amidst the ancient Sa Huỳnh cultural heritage. In 2017, the ancient coastal village of Gò Cỏ – the core of Sa Huỳnh culture – adopted a community-based tourism cooperative model, prioritizing the development of humanistic and ethical values.
Heading south from Quy Nhon City, along the beautiful Quy Nhon - Song Cau coastal road connecting Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provinces, we arrived at Yen Village, An Hoa Hai Commune, Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province, home to the Hon Yen coral reef complex - considered the most beautiful coral viewing spot in Vietnam, and recognized as a National Scenic Landscape Monument.
Mr. Truong Tan Lai, a resident of the village, recounted that over the past few years, the Global Environment Fund has provided 3.2 billion VND to help the village implement a project to strengthen community capacity in protecting the Hon Yen coral reef. The village established a coral reef protection group, a basket boat group, a tourism service and guidance group, and an environmental group. Together, they protect the environment and preserve the landscape, especially the 12.7-hectare coral reef area, to collectively benefit from Mother Nature and the green tourism industry, contributing to a more prosperous and happy life for the villagers!
CHU NGOC OAI
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