Lost in thought before the waves of Tam Thanh

Việt Nam•09/06/2024

Facing the waves at Tam Thanh beach. Photo: Tam Thanh Beach House

The longing for the sea that I carry with me

In my twenties, I had the opportunity to visit many beautiful coastal regions and famous seaside cities around the world . While strolling leisurely along the coast, gazing at the waves in foreign lands, I realized just how much nature had blessed my homeland's coastline.

I have a deeply ingrained habit: no matter where I go, no matter how captivated I am by the unfamiliar sights, I always secretly reserve a space in my mind to think about my homeland.

It must be said that few places possess such a wealth of natural blessings as the Central Coast region of Vietnam: gently sloping, long stretches of pristine white sand, crystal-clear blue waters, and incredibly fresh seafood...

It's a pity that, despite being blessed with all those natural advantages, my Tam Thanh beach is like a hidden muse. She rarely appears on travel news sites and is even less frequently mentioned in investment forums.

I tried searching on Google for the keywords "resort investment in Tam Thanh, Tam Ky". As expected, the results were largely irrelevant. Having traveled extensively and witnessed the booming trend of coastal development in neighboring cities, I couldn't help but hope for investment signals to boost tourism in my hometown, commensurate with the natural potential that Tam Thanh possesses. That was my thinking about 10 years ago.

In recent years, revisiting the famous seaside tourist cities that I once adored when I was young, I suddenly feel… overwhelmed. The forests have fallen, and streets have sprung up, encroaching right up to the water's edge.

In some places, I walked along the coastal road in a certain city and found it completely enclosed; there were no public access points to the beach, only walls of development projects stretching as far as the eye could see.

Even after finding a small path between the two resorts leading to a public beach area, I still couldn't relax and listen to the sound of the waves because of the nearby noise.

The honking of cars from the road above, the sound of drilling machines paving the sidewalk, and the booming bass from the nearby beachfront bars assaulted my chest… I shook my head, thinking I had lost my love for the sea.

Tam Thanh, the day we meet again.

This summer, I returned to Tam Thanh. From the center of Tam Ky city, I had to use Google Maps to find my way. The road towards the sea is now wide and open. About a kilometer in, I could already smell the sea breeze. A little further on, I heard the gentle lapping of waves before finally seeing the shimmering sea under the midday sun.

The journey home welcomes the returning traveler with meticulous care: scents, sounds, and sights. The atmosphere suddenly evokes vivid memories of the past.
I turned into a simple, family-run eatery near the beach.

The honest owner of the restaurant said, "Today we have delicious fresh squid, please come and try some." True to her description, the plate of fresh squid, simply steamed with a little fresh herbs and pepper, was bursting with flavor.

The way the food is prepared reflects the lifestyle of the people here: warm-hearted, open-minded, authentic, and with minimal cultural influences.

"Is the food edible? Just let me know if you need anything," she asked, cradling her child, then turned to talk to her husband. I thanked her, not only for the plate of fresh, sweet squid or the fragrant, perfectly seasoned fish sauce, but also because, unintentionally, she gave me a ticket back to Tam Thanh 30 years ago, just like when I was a child.

I read books and came to understand that the natural appeal of the sea doesn't lie in entertainment or modern amenities. Numerous scientific studies have proven why the sea has a "natural healing" ability for humans.

The ocean is the origin of life on Earth, and marine plants provide half of the oxygen we breathe. Therefore, a love for the sea is as natural as breathing.

Biophilia, a term coined by Erich Fromm and expanded upon by Edward O. Wilson, emphasizes that connection and closeness to nature is an essential part of human well-being.

Unfortunately, the rapid wave of urbanization in other coastal cities has brought plastic, steel, concrete, glass, and other materials that are gradually encroaching upon the pristine beauty of the ocean and fading away local cultural values.

Leaving the small cafe, I put away my phone, rolled up my trousers above my knees, walked barefoot to the water's edge to collect seashells, and let my heart melt with each wave…

I suddenly remembered my own impatience with the tranquility of Tam Thanh when I was in my twenties, and how naive and inexperienced I was. If Tam Thanh had enthusiastically joined the race for concrete construction and urbanization like other places, how could it have preserved its precious, pristine beauty?

I stood idly gazing at the waves of Tam Thanh, noticing that the sounds of the street, air raid sirens, construction sites, email notifications—all the noises that usually haunted my mind—suddenly faded and disappeared into thin air.

All that remained were the rustling of casuarina trees in the wind, the crunching of fine sand underfoot, the shouts of fishermen pulling in their nets, and the gentle lapping of the waves…

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