Not only is it a job to earn income and support many families, the boat rowing profession at Trang An wharf is also a messenger, a channel to convey heritage stories in the most rustic and sincere way to tourists from all over.
In spring, the warm weather and beautiful nature further increase the attraction of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex to tourists from all over the world. At Trang An wharf, boatmen and small boats are also busy carrying out their "mission" of taking tourists around the heritage site. Along with the joy of having a stable source of income from boat rowing, everyone wants to bring tourists a truly memorable experience when setting foot in the land of the historic ancient capital.
Arriving at Trang An wharf when there were already many tourists, Ms. Hoa Cuc and her group of friends from Hai Duong province had to wait quite a while for their turn to get on the boat, starting the journey to enjoy the beauty of the heritage site. The boatman for her group, Ms. Do Thi Dung, nearly 60 years old, said that she was one of the first boatmen at Trang An wharf. Her rowing was quick and agile, the small boat glided across the water, taking visitors on an hour-long journey, passing through the following locations: Trinh Temple, Dark Cave, Bright Cave, Nau Ruou Cave, Tran Temple, Sinh Cave, Si Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Son Duong Cave, Khong Palace, Khong Cave, Tran Cave and Quy Hau Cave. Coming to each cave, visitors can admire the natural scenery and immerse themselves in the legends of this historical land. While the boat is going through the cave, sometimes Ms. Dung reminds visitors: "There are stalactites ahead, please lower your heads a bit", "There is a curve ahead, please lean to the right/left a bit"...
Ms. Cuc shared: This is the first time I have visited Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. The natural scenery is stunning. At first, the sharp stalactites and the sloping cliffs in the dark cave made me a bit nervous. On the winding turns, Ms. Dung both reassured the tourists and skillfully steered the small boat according to her wishes and did not forget to remind us not to touch the stalactites. Our tour was made even more fascinating by the stories of life, work, and history of the beautiful land of Trang An. From the legend of Ba Giot Cave to historical stories about Khong Palace, Trinh Temple... told in a simple, sincere way by boatmen like Ms. Dung. The boatmen are no less than professional tour guides. They made our journey more fun and warm with their sincerity, openness, and hospitality. I will definitely come back here many more times.
Trang An Wharf currently has over 2,000 people working as boatmen to transport tourists , aged 40-60, most of whom are women. Previously, boatmen were mainly 50 years old and above because young people working in businesses had more stable jobs. In recent years, this force has become younger, because income from the job has improved a lot, and the love for the heritage site has become more attached. The luggage for a day's work of a boatman is very simple, including only a life jacket, umbrella, raincoat, drinking water and a prepared lunch box. Rowing a boat seems to be a very easy job, but to be accepted here, workers must undergo a short-term training course, and only after passing the qualifying exams will they be granted a certificate. Once working, each person still continuously studies and gains experience to work more skillfully and professionally.
In order to improve the quality of tourism service staff, in recent years, Hoa Lu district and businesses have actively coordinated with relevant agencies to organize vocational training courses for rural workers, associated with tourism development, focusing on occupations such as: tour guides, photographers, boat rowers, etc., meeting the tourism development needs of the district in the communes of Ninh Hai, Truong Yen, Ninh Xuan. Every year, boat rowers also participate in the skillful boat rowing competition at the Hoa Lu Festival. The Department of Tourism also regularly coordinates with businesses to organize training courses and presentations on communication skills with tourists for boat rowers. Through training courses, it contributes to improving the behavioral skills and understanding of boat drivers; building a civilized lifestyle in tourism activities, etc., contributing to the sustainable development of the tourism industry.
In particular, each boatman also actively participated and left many good impressions at major cultural events of the province, thereby spreading community culture - a core element in preserving and promoting the value of Trang An Heritage. Ms. Tran Thi Khuyen, a long-time boatman at Trang An wharf, excitedly said: Last year, I and more than 300 boatmen were selected to participate in performing arts training at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Ninh Binh - Trang An Festival in 2023. Although during the training and performance days, rowing had to be temporarily put aside, but when selected to practice performing arts in preparation for the opening night of the Festival, everyone was excited, enthusiastic, and ready to arrange and arrange time to participate. Being able to stand on a live stage, participating in telling stories about working life, living, love, and responsibility for heritage... is a meaningful and unforgettable experience for me.
Dao Hang
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