Fishing village 'plenty' in Khanh Hoa, visitors holding 100,000 VND become 'rich'

About 60km from the center of Nha Trang city, there is a small, simple fishing village, known as a healing place with many "no"s: No supermarket, no modern entertainment area, no ATM and many shops do not accept money transfers.

That is Ninh Van fishing village, in Ninh Hoa town (Khanh Hoa), with a harmonious natural landscape between mountains, forests and the ocean.

Peaceful Ninh Van fishing village. Photo: Ngoc Le

Travel time from Nha Trang to Ninh Van fishing village is about 1.5-2 hours, depending on vehicle speed. Visitors here feel like they are lost in a "completely different world" - extremely peaceful, simple, different from modern, vibrant Nha Trang.

"In recent years, many tourists love 'healing' tourism, focusing on nature, so Ninh Van fishing village has become more widely known," said Mr. Thieu Sang, a long-time tour guide in Khanh Hoa.

The beach in the fishing village is clear blue. Photo: Thieu Sang

According to Mr. Sang, tourism in Ninh Van fishing village is still very rustic. He often takes tourists cycling around the village, harvesting peanuts, vegetables, garlic, sugarcane with the locals, fishing for octopus at night, rowing sup to watch the sunset, diving and especially learning about the historical site of Hon Heo unnumbered wharf.

Tourists to the fishing village enjoy agricultural experiences. Photo: Thieu Sang

Sea urchin is an attractive seafood of fishing villages. Photo: Thieu Sang

Ngoc Le (living in Ho Chi Minh City) once traveled nearly 200km from Da Lat to Ninh Van fishing village with her boyfriend and pet dog.

After a long journey full of sun and wind, her face was as hot as if she was sitting near a fire, but when she arrived at the fishing village, Le felt "cooled down" when the grocery store owner smiled brightly, asked if they were tired from driving, and complimented the cute dog.

"The aunts and uncles in Ninh Van village all have tanned skin and wear worn-out shirts due to the harsh coastal climate. But their smiles are as bright as the sun and they ask questions cheerfully. The first time I came to the village, I felt like I was returning to my hometown," Le said.

The wild beauty and friendly people of Ninh Van fishing village make Le linger. Photo: Ngoc Le

Le said the village only had simple tiled-roof houses, a few small grocery stores, a few juice and milk tea shops, and food shops that were open by the hour - they closed when they ran out of stock.

The elders in the village sat sipping tea or sipping wine. The aunts drank water while watching their grandchildren playing in the sea. "This scene moved me... The few hundred kilometers of crossing the pass to get here was worth it."

Ngoc Le spent 2 days and 1 night "healing" in a small fishing village. Photo: Ngoc Le

Another interesting point is that the food in this fishing village is so cheap that Le can become a "rich man" with just 100,000 VND: A cup of ginseng tea costs 7,000 VND to "fill your stomach"; banh beo costs 5,000 VND/plate; milk tea costs 10,000 VND/cup; fish noodles, rice noodles cost 25,000 VND/bowl "full"...

Ngoc Le was impressed because the food in the village was very cheap. Photo: Ngoc Le

The road leading to the village is planted with bright red phoenix flowers and golden bells in full bloom. At the end of the road is a vast, wild sea, with emerald green water that can be seen through the bottom, surrounded by undulating mountain ranges.

Visitors can camp in Hon Heo forest or on the beach.

"The fishing village is very clean, and people are conscious of protecting the environment. There are trash cans throughout the village and they are collected every day. Every Thursday, I often see school children participating in cleaning up trash as an extracurricular activity," said Mr. Sang.

Tourists leisurely cycle around the village, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the sea breeze. Photo: Thieu Sang

The limitation of Ninh Van fishing village is that there are still few accommodation facilities, not many food and entertainment services, so it can only welcome small groups of less than 30 people.