Seven-acre coconut forest - the beauty of intermingling

Việt Nam•04/05/2024

Located not far from the old town, about 3km away, everyone is surprised to see vast stretches of coconut trees stretching out before their eyes after walking a short distance from the main road to the riverbank. Standing amidst the Central Vietnamese landscape and enjoying the scenery of the Mekong Delta is a truly delightful experience.

There is a Western region within the heart of Quang Nam province.

Just 10 minutes after getting in the car in Hoi An Old Town, we arrived at the famous Bay Mau coconut forest eco -tourism area in Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province, which has become well-known in recent years. According to locals, the coconut forest is over 200 years old.

People from the Mekong Delta, during their migration to new lands, brought with them the nipa palm and planted it in this area. Although a species endemic to the waterways of Southern Vietnam, thanks to the favorable climate and soil, the nipa palms grew and developed into a vast forest of about 7 acres. Perhaps the name "Seven Acres" (Bảy Mẫu) originates from this. Currently, the nipa palm forest covers hundreds of hectares, greening the entire riverine region.

Because it's only about 3km from the old town, everyone is surprised to see the vast expanse of water coconut trees stretching out before their eyes after walking a short distance from the main road to the riverbank. Hoi An, with its mossy, ancient beauty and somewhat bustling atmosphere, seems to have been left behind somewhere else. The scorching sun seems to be softened by the cool breeze blowing from the river. Standing amidst the central Vietnamese landscape and enjoying the scenery of the Mekong Delta is a truly delightful experience.

Sailing along the narrow, winding rivers, flanked by vast expanses of lush green coconut trees, breathing in the fresh, cool air, and taking in the myriad shades of green—the water, the coconuts, and the expansive sky—travelers suddenly feel a sense of peace and spaciousness. If someone were to hum a Southern Vietnamese folk song or a traditional Vietnamese melody at that moment, they would instinctively feel as if they were somewhere on the Tien or Hau rivers, rather than the Thu Bon or Hoai rivers.

Quietly and diligently, the coconut trees have created a Western-style beauty in the heart of the sun-drenched Central region. The unique beauty of the Bay Mau coconut forest lies in this blend of landscapes from both regions.

Fishing with nets, dancing in baskets in the middle of the river.

During the exploration of the Bay Mau coconut forest, visitors will ride in a basket boat, a characteristic means of transportation for fishermen in the South Central coastal region. Strong, skilled oarsmen will expertly and effortlessly steer the basket boat across the river.

Demonstration of casting a fishing net. Photo: BICH DUYEN

As they sailed, the boatmen would tell tourists about the history of the coconut forest and the tourist activities on the tour. Occasionally, the rowers would join in with lively songs emanating from one of the boats, enlivening a section of the river. The joy of working at sea, fishing, was now transferred to the joy of working on the river. Their cheerfulness made us feel happy too.

A memorable highlight of a visit to the coconut forest is the opportunity to enjoy a performance of net casting and basket boat dancing on the river. Following the rhythm of the rowing team, a fisherman will demonstrate the art of net casting. A large, eye-catching yellow net is tossed high and far, spread wide so that when it falls to the water, it covers a large area. The fisherman retrieves the net and casts it a couple more times amidst the cheers and admiration of the spectators.

Visiting the Bay Mau coconut forest, admiring the scenery of the Mekong Delta, enjoying the beauty of the daily work of the people of Central Vietnam, and savoring the distinctive dishes of Quang Nam at thatched-roof restaurants by the river is a delightful experience when visiting Hoi An City. Although there are still some things that need changing or improving, the coconut forest tour still leaves unforgettable impressions and emotions in the hearts of tourists who have stopped by this place.

Further along the river, where the basket boats are wider, they gather, leaving a large space in the middle for a rower to prepare for a basket boat dance performance. After an introduction, the rower makes a few strokes to start the boat spinning. As the oar moves faster, at a wider angle, and with more force, the boat spins at breakneck speed, tilting back and forth as if about to capsize.

Undeterred, the rower stood firmly on the boat, continuing to spin it faster before gradually slowing it down. When the boat stopped spinning, a round of enthusiastic applause erupted. Some tourists who wanted to try the thrill of sitting on a spinning boat were enthusiastically served by the rower.

Having witnessed the basket boat dance firsthand, and experienced firsthand the constant swaying of the boat, we truly admired the skill and creativity of our ancestors in making and using basket boats for sea voyages. We were even more impressed by the courage and bravery of the fishermen as they navigated the stormy seas with only their small, simple basket boats.

Therefore, even though we felt like we were floating amidst the waterways of the Mekong Delta, we knew that this beauty of labor was expressed as a performance art, one of the characteristics of the beloved South Central coastal region.

Aftermath

The Bay Mau coconut forest is not only a unique scenic spot in Hoi An but also a historical site commemorating many glorious victories of our army and people in the two wars of resistance against France and the United States. Therefore, this tourist attraction has both scenic value and profound cultural and historical value.

Tourists visit the Bay Mau coconut forest. Photo: BICH DUYEN

Unfortunately, when developing tourism in the Bay Mau coconut forest, tour operators almost never introduce this unique feature of the attraction. Only the elderly boatmen mention it briefly. If only tour guides had provided more detailed and thorough information, the trip to the coconut forest would undoubtedly have been more memorable and meaningful.

Another thing we regretted during the trip was the use of modern, upbeat music throughout the tour. Midway down the river, there was even a basket boat equipped with a rather large speaker system; the boatman would anchor it, and tourists would step onto the stage on the boat to sing according to their preferences and needs. If it could have been replaced with a traditional Quang Nam folk song or a Bài Chòi folk performance, it would have been more fitting, appropriate, and deeply rooted in the cultural identity of Quang Nam and the surrounding region.

BICH DUYEN

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