Flags on Thanh Lan Island

Looking at the map, Thanh Lan Island, along with Co To Island, resembles two eagle wings spread wide, soaring over the waves, like two pages of a book unfolding, like the iron fins of a whale in the vast ocean… After more than half an hour by boat from Dragon Bay (Co To), we set foot on Thanh Lan Island, an island of about 27 square kilometers, with approximately 1,200 inhabitants. Located more than 4 kilometers by sea from Co To, Thanh Lan is closely connected to Co To in every aspect. Every day, there are boats transporting people and goods from Co To to Thanh Lan and back, mainly carrying officials, teachers, and workers from the main island to Thanh Lan in the morning and back in the afternoon, creating a harmonious and joyful way of life here.

Members of the Vietnam Writers Association 's Children's Literature Writing Camp visited and worked with the Thanh Lan Border Guard Station.

We arrived on Thanh Lan Island as part of a children's literary writing camp, so our first stop was Thanh Lan Secondary School, the island's only small school. We arrived just as the students were having their break. 114 children were gathered in the simple auditorium of the small, charming school, creating a lively atmosphere. Each student spontaneously grabbed a plastic chair and sat neatly in rows, as was their daily routine without needing any prompting. They wore various outfits, each shirt beautifully embroidered with the red flag with a yellow star. Their sturdy, charming, and cheerful appearance immediately captivated us. Their sun-tanned skin and mischievous, childlike eyes greeted us with smiles and excitement. They rushed towards us, the writers and poets from afar, along with gifts of books, newspapers, and small scholarships…

The small school is located in a very remote part of the country, yet the students receive a comprehensive education in all subjects, from the main curriculum to extracurricular activities. Every year, the school has students who achieve excellent academic results at the district (formerly according to the administrative division) and provincial levels. In just a few short hours, we – the authors and the students – got to know each other, shared many things about our studies and lives, and even sang together in the schoolyard, shaded by trees and the colors of the national flag. Particularly noteworthy was the students' "initiative" to ask for autographs from the members of our delegation, especially the 9th-grade students, with the wish: "This is my final year book; I'd like your autographs, and then I'll laminate it and hang it in my study corner as a keepsake." This idea deeply moved us, and every moment spent in the sunny schoolyard of Thanh Lan Secondary School was an unforgettable one…

Thanh Lan Island is a seafaring island. The Thanh Lan pier is quite modern, marking the beginning of a charming curve leading to the Van La bridge into the island's center. To the left of the bridge is a small, pretty temple where locals hold an annual sea-opening ceremony on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the start of a year of fishing and boat building. Thanh Lan Island has nearly 300 households, most of the houses, though small, are sturdy and built along the roads radiating from the center to the villages. Everywhere you look, you see familiar images of the seafaring people: clusters of squid fishing traps woven from black netting lined the pathways; small boats placed in front of houses for painting and repairs; and seafood products like shrimp and fish drying under the golden sun of the island... And every house, every alleyway, displays the red flag with a yellow star, expressing the love of the country and national pride of each household on the island. The small bay next to the island's administrative center, crowded with small boats seeking shelter from the storm, also creates a very familiar and intimate scene.

A large part of Thanh Lan Island is covered in pristine forest, its untouched green expanse forming a giant shield protecting the island's inhabitants. Walking through the forest, we arrived at the Thanh Lan Border Guard Post, where soldiers were on duty preparing for Typhoon Ragasa (Typhoon No. 8), which was predicted to make landfall soon. With over 30 soldiers, the Thanh Lan Border Guard Post carries out numerous tasks, from disseminating information and mobilizing the entire population to protect the island, patrolling and guarding the sea, preventing crime… to rescue operations, storm protection, and storm response. A young private, only 20 years old, pointed to the red flag with a yellow star fluttering in the blue sky and said: “The flag flying high shows that the sea is still safe; people at sea can see this flag and quickly return to safety.”
about avoiding the storm."

Traveling along the winding coastal road, with forests on one side and the vast ocean on the other, we visited Village 1, Ba Chau Bay, Hai Quan Beach, C76 Beach, and Vung Tron Beach. It was a fleeting experience, just enough time to listen to the guide's introduction, jot down a few notes, and take a few photos… yet the emotions of each of us remain vivid to this day. For in the minds of writers and poets, the image, features, and colors of a tranquil, yet surprisingly clean and beautiful, coastal area always linger. Except for the paved road, everything is natural: green forests, white sand, golden sunshine, silver waves… vast and boundless, like waves spreading with love. We saw bright red flags on the fishing boats returning from the storm, a symbol of strong, stable, and peaceful unity. We left the island before sunset, carrying with us the faint outlines of the bright red flags and the words "I love Thanh Lan" shimmering in the waves.

Fortunately, Typhoon No. 8 did not hit Thanh Lan and Co To, leaving us with a relatively smooth and memorable journey to the islands. The flags on Thanh Lan Island are the most beautiful image of national sovereignty , proudly displayed in this remote and isolated place at the forefront of the waves.

Essay by Tran Thu Hang

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202510/nhung-la-co-tren-dao-thanh-lan-bb53e2f/