In the southernmost archipelago of our country

Kien Giang province boasts a long coastline and numerous islands of varying sizes. It's often described as a "miniature Vietnam," as it possesses a complete landscape of mountains, rivers, forests, seas, and plains. Besides the well-known Phu Quoc Island and the Nam Du archipelago, few people know that Kien Giang also has the surprisingly pristine "Pirate Islands" archipelago.

Pirate Islands viewed from above. (Photo by MY HA)

Located less than 30km by sea from Ha Tien city, bordering Cambodia and about 40km from Phu Quoc island district, Tien Hai island commune has 16 above-water islands and two submerged islands (with a total natural area of ​​over 251 hectares) in the "Pirate" archipelago. Locals are familiar with the islands by unique names such as: Hon Tre Lon (also known as Hon Doc), Hon Tre Nho, Tre Vinh, Doi Moi Lon, Doi Moi Nho, Hon Giang, Hon Duoc, Hon U, Banh Tet, Banh It, Hon Ruoi, Banh Lai, Kien Vang, Banh Quy, Banh To, Hon Phu Tu, Da Noi 1 and Da Noi 2.

Tien Hai island commune currently has 480 households with approximately 2,000 inhabitants, mainly living on Hon Tre Lon, Hon Giang, Hon Duoc, and Hon U islands. Hon Tre Lon is the largest island and serves as the administrative center of the commune. The people on the archipelago primarily rely on fishing, harvesting, and aquaculture for their livelihood; a small number of households also engage in small-scale service businesses.

After nearly an hour's speedboat ride from Ha Tien city, we arrived at the "Pirate" archipelago. Out on the sea were countless floating cages used by the island's fishermen to raise seafood. Here, there was a long, winding stretch of fine sand with crystal-clear water in a rare, unspoiled natural setting.

The "Pirate Islands" are a strange destination for tourists, even from their name. The name "Pirate Islands," as it's popularly known, stems from mysteries surrounding piracy. Around the late 17th and early 18th centuries, pirates stationed themselves there, ambushing and attacking merchant ships traveling through the Ha Tien-Rach Gia bay area and into the Gulf of Thailand (an important shipping route from China to Western countries). Even in the early 20th century, piracy continued to plague this region.

The name "Pirate Islands," as it's popularly known, originates from the mysteries surrounding piracy. Around the late 17th and early 18th centuries, pirates stationed themselves there, ambushing and attacking merchant ships traveling from the Ha Tien-Rach Gia bay area to the Gulf of Thailand (an important shipping route from China to Western countries). Even in the early 20th century, piracy continued to plague this region.

In the late 1980s, foreigners once infiltrated the island with the intention of searching for treasure. Rumors spread about a 300-year-old map leading to the treasure on the island, along with a significant amount of ancient coins found there, making "Pirate Island" particularly mysterious to tourists (!?).

Although not as famous as Phu Quoc and Nam Du, the "Pirate Islands" have become popular with tourists in recent years due to their rare pristine scenery and unique experiences of living alongside local fishermen. One of the famous attractions here is the Vietnamese sovereignty marker, built in 1958. The marker is located on the only white sand beach of Hon Tre Island, less than 1km southwest of the pier.

After visiting the sovereignty monument, a memorable experience for tourists is renting a boat with fishermen to go to smaller islands to admire coral reefs, fish, or dive for sea urchins... Sea urchins are a local specialty. Using metal tongs, you can catch them at a depth of about 3 meters. After catching, the sea urchins are vigorously sifted to break off the spines, cut in half, and eaten raw, grilled with scallions and oil, or used in porridge.

On the large island of Hon Tre, there is only one main road, bordered by majestic mountains on one side and the blue sea on the other, so tourists can rent bicycles and cycle around the island without fear of getting lost.

The island boasts a white sandy beach stretching for hundreds of meters, where visitors can enjoy swimming and playing games; or participate in snorkeling to admire the coral reefs near the shore... They can even join local fishermen to catch squid and fish (at night) and go snorkeling to catch shellfish, crabs, and snails… to experience new sensations! For about 5 years now, the number of tourists from the mainland visiting the island has gradually increased, creating additional income from service businesses for the island's residents, even though tourism services are still underdeveloped on this archipelago.

According to Ms. Luong Thao Ly, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Tien Hai Commune: In 2017, Tien Hai Commune was officially recognized as a provincial-level tourist area (according to Decision No. 2933/QD-UBND dated December 29, 2017, of the People's Committee of Kien Giang Province). Implementing the "Community Tourism Development Project giai đoạn 2014-2016", Tien Hai Commune established a Community Tourism Management Board, focusing on disseminating the project's content to each household on the island to create high consensus.

The commune facilitates loans for households to invest in infrastructure for community tourism, such as building and upgrading guesthouses, restaurants, boats, and equipment; organizes training in responsible community tourism, food and beverage businesses, homestay accommodations, and invests in opening several tourist routes. To date, households have boldly invested in upgrading and expanding their service facilities, increasingly meeting the needs of tourists.

The "Pirate Islands" boast many beautiful beaches, especially Bai Bac with its long stretch of white sand; a pier built during the French colonial era; a sovereignty marker along with Dinh Ba, Son Hoa Pagoda, and the St. Francis Xavier Church (within the grounds of St. Francis Xavier Church); and surrounding small islands (such as Hon Giang, Hon Duoc, Hon Tre Vinh) with charming stretches of white sand... The climate here is cool year-round, the sea water is clear blue, and storms are rare. More than 100 fishing rafts create a spectacular and characteristic scene for tourists from the mainland...

According to Ms. Luong Thao Ly, to serve tourists visiting the island for sightseeing and relaxation, the people of Tien Hai have established 15 establishments providing food, accommodation, shopping, and refreshments; including six restaurants offering overnight accommodation, with a total capacity of serving 1,300 guests per day. In addition, the island commune has 12 accommodation establishments (with 105 rooms, accommodating 600-750 guests per night).

However, the highest number of tourists currently stay overnight, mainly during holidays, Tet (Lunar New Year), and weekends. Earlier this year, Tien Hai commune invested in three additional electric cars to transport tourists around the island.

According to Phan Hong Phuc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tien Hai Commune: "Not only do fishermen on the 'Pirate' Islands know how to make a living from the sea, but in recent years, they have gradually become familiar with the tourism service industry. The islands are also gradually becoming known to tourists as a new discovery destination on the Vietnamese tourism map. The islanders are simple, friendly, and always treat tourists like family returning home."

Not only have they become wealthy from the sea, but in recent years, fishermen on the "Pirate Islands" have gradually become accustomed to providing tourism services. The archipelago is also gradually becoming known to tourists as a new destination on the Vietnamese tourism map. The islanders are simple, friendly, and always treat tourists like family returning home. (Chairman of Tien Hai Commune People's Committee, Phan Hong Phuc)

Tourists are warmly welcomed; if they want to visit fish farms, take boat trips around the island, or go diving for crabs and snails, they are kindly guided and instructed as if they were family, which tourists really appreciate. Word of mouth has spread, and more and more tourists are coming to explore the island commune. The islanders are also happy because they have more jobs and income.

One of the things visitors notice when they set foot on the "Pirate Islands" is the environmental awareness of the local people. Littering is very rare on the island. Every resident has a very high level of awareness in maintaining environmental hygiene. Walking around the island, you will frequently see residents, regardless of age, actively picking up scattered waste and putting it in trash cans. Tien Hai is also one of the very few communes in Kien Giang province with a modern waste treatment plant.

In late April, the local government signed a memorandum of cooperation with Newstar Tourist Co., Ltd. (Hanoi) to jointly leverage the advantages and potential of local tourism development over the next two years. Newstar Tourist will develop new and unique tourism products to enrich the local product ecosystem.

Connecting businesses in the tourism industry: travel agencies, accommodation providers, transportation companies, etc., to develop services and enhance the value of tourism products in Tien Hai commune. Coordinating the promotion of Tien Hai's tourism image, destinations, people, and culture through mass media, websites, fan pages, and social networks.

With the cooperation of Newstar Tourist Co., Ltd., it is hoped that during this year's peak tourist season, the "Pirate Islands" will be an attractive destination welcoming tourists from near and far to explore and enjoy the pristine beauty of the islands in the southernmost part of the country.

nhandan.vn