When mentioning Co To Island (Quang Ninh province), many people immediately think of the blue sea, white sand, arriving ships, and vibrant tourist life. Few know that amidst this remote island lies a thriving agricultural landscape, where golden rice fields during harvest season evoke the feeling of being in a peaceful Northern Vietnamese village.
Farmers on Co To Island begin their harvest season. Photo: Thu Bau .
Early in the morning, as the sun just rises above the horizon, the fields in Nam Dong village or Cau Thu My - K4 are bustling with the sounds of people and harvesting machines. The rice stalks, heavy with grain, bow their heads in the sea breeze, dyeing a small rural area in the remote island golden. It's not just the golden color of ripe rice, but also the golden color of sweat, of the diligent days of sowing, planting, and tending by the farmers.
In this remote and harsh environment, farming has never been easy. Each seed sown carries with it the hopes of a bountiful harvest. Therefore, when carts laden with rice leave the fields, joy is evident on the sun-tanned faces of the farmers. It is the simple happiness of having their hard work rewarded with a bountiful harvest.
Farmers harvesting rice. Photo: Thu Bau.
Mr. Pham Huu Hung, from Nam Dong village, happily reported that his family planted 8 sao (approximately 0.8 hectares) of rice and harvested over 2 tons of paddy. This year, the weather was favorable, the rice grew well, and the grains were large, firm, and beautifully golden. Mr. Hung is one of the first households on the island to introduce the Long Huong rice variety into production. According to him, this rice variety yields high productivity, and the cooked rice is sticky and fragrant, making it a popular choice among the locals.
Farmers are drying rice in the courtyard of the community center. Photo: Thu Bau.
Sharing in the joy of a bountiful harvest, Ms. Lai Thi Tan from Nam Dong village said her family planted 7 sao (approximately 0.7 hectares) of high-yield Long Huong rice, expecting to harvest nearly 2 tons of paddy. Although it's the peak tourist season and work is busier, harvesting is now much easier than before thanks to mechanization. "Hiring a combine harvester only takes one morning to complete. The machine harvests and threshes the rice right in the field, then transports it to the community center for drying, taking advantage of the sunshine, which saves a lot of time and effort," she shared.
Today's harvest season on the island no longer features the laborious manual harvesting of the past. Modern harvesting machines have contributed to increased production efficiency, helping people ensure a successful harvest while also freeing up time to support the island's increasingly developing tourism industry. On the golden rice fields amidst the sea and sky of Co To Island, the joy of a bountiful harvest is evident on the farmers' faces, heralding a year of hard work, prosperity, and well-being.
A miniature version of the Northern Vietnamese countryside on Co To Island. Photo: Thu Bau.
Amidst the booming tourism industry, the rice paddies on Co To Island today quietly contribute to its unique identity. Here, you'll find not only the vast ocean but also farmers diligently planting and harvesting; the scent of fresh straw, the sound of threshing machines, and golden drying yards. A miniature Northern Vietnamese countryside exists amidst the northeastern sea and sky, creating a simple yet moving beauty on this frontier island.
Harvest season on the island is therefore not just a story of granaries overflowing with rice, but also a story of perseverance, hard work, and the aspiration to build a better life for the people who have chosen to live on this land in the middle of the ocean.
Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/mua-vang-บน-dao-co-to-d818443.html
![[INFOGRAPHICS] Can Tho implements the Strategy for Ethnic Affairs until 2030, with a vision to 2045](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/06/28/1782658308447_1782658217.webp)
