A gem on the shores of the East Sea.

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - The Binh Chau (Binh Son) area is likened to a gem on the shores of the East Sea. It not only boasts beautiful scenery but also possesses many unique historical, cultural, geological, and geomorphological heritage sites.

The old and new boat dock
Most of the area of ​​present-day Binh Chau commune (Binh Son district) was, before 1945, part of Chau Me Dong commune, Binh Son prefecture. This is a peninsula jutting out into the East Sea, 135 nautical miles from the Hoang Sa archipelago, the closest point to the national coastline. The place name Chau Me evokes the names of lands originally governed by the ancient Champa people, such as Chau Lai (Chu Lai), Chau O, Chau Sa... To the north of Ba Lang An cape is a 36.4m high lighthouse, built in 1982. During the colonial period, the French navy used Ba Lang An as a departure point for ships supplying the Hoang Sa archipelago, where both Vietnamese and French people had settled.

The sea at Binh Chau (Binh Son) is crystal clear. Photo: ALEX CAO

The Bình Châu coastline stretches 17km. Hundreds of years ago, it served as a trading port connected to the Châu Me Đông River, where boats from many places converged on their sea trade routes. Today, Bình Châu has the Sa Kỳ port, located on the North-South waterway, connecting with Lý Sơn district. The Bình Châu fishing fleet has approximately 2,000 workers and over 490 vessels, with a seafood catch exceeding 20,000 tons in 2024. Bình Châu fishermen fish far offshore in the two traditional fishing grounds of Hoàng Sa and Trường Sa. These are large, powerful vessels that regularly stay at sea for extended periods, both exploiting marine resources and contributing to the protection of the nation's maritime sovereignty .

A bright future awaits.

Binh Chau boasts an incredibly rich and unique geological heritage, namely Ba Lang An Cape, located more than 10km from Sa Ky port and 15 nautical miles from Ly Son Island. At the foot of Ba Lang An Cape, submerged in seawater, lies an ancient volcanic crater approximately 30m² in size, dating back as early as 11 million years. The remnants of the crater are revealed at low tide, surrounded by colorful coral reefs hidden among sedimentary rocks.

A breeding ground for talented individuals.
The ancient Chau Me Dong - Binh Chau region was home to famous scholars such as Dang Cong Nhuong (a high school graduate) and Dang Cong Tuan (a bachelor). One Binh Chau native who participated in the 1858 battle against the French in Da Nang was Phan Khac Than (1798-1868). This is also the hometown of Tran Ky Phong (1872-1941), a staunch patriot. Tran Ky Phong passed his high school graduation exam in the year Mau Ty (1888), participated in the anti-tax movement (1908), and was exiled to Con Dao Island by the French colonialists. After his release, he returned to his hometown and opened a school. Teacher Tran Ky Phong taught many young people about communism; one of his students was the revolutionary Nguyen Nghiem, who later became the first Secretary of the Quang Ngai Provincial Party Committee.

Binh Chau boasts the Sa Huynh cultural relics and traces of Cham culture. The Binh Chau coastline contains shipwrecks dating back 5-7 centuries. Chau Thuan Bien village in Binh Chau commune is home to fishermen who specialize in diving, practicing their trade throughout the coastal waters and islands of Vietnam. Almost every household here preserves, to varying degrees, ceramic artifacts recovered from the sea, earning it the nickname "ancient artifact village." The Chau Thuan Bien Village Cultural Heritage Association was also established in 2024.

In the past, Binh Chau had the An Hai sand dune (now part of An Hai village), one of the 12 famous scenic spots of Quang Ngai. Binh Chau also has the Dam Toai tunnel, recognized as a national historical site; and beautiful beaches such as Chau Tan and Ganh La Ngai... Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, Binh Chau fishermen organize a traditional boat racing festival, a unique cultural feature, praying for calm seas and a bountiful harvest. Binh Chau has fishermen from An Hai village who migrated from the mainland to Ly Son Island in the 17th century to establish villages and settlements, participating in the Hoang Sa Fleet and leaving a significant mark on history.

Beautiful scenery in Ba Lang An, Binh Chau commune (Binh Son district). Photo: DOAN VUONG QUOC

I recently had a fascinating meeting with Dr. Vu The Long in Ba Lang An. He is a long-time researcher in paleontology, anthropology, environment, history, and culture, and an expert in tourism and cuisine. Dr. Vu The Long has visited Binh Chau many times for research, co-authored a scientific document introducing the geology and geomorphology of the Binh Chau region, and wrote a comprehensive monograph on tourism in Ba Lang An in 2015. This time, he accompanied a survey team to build data for a tourism project of a multinational corporation headquartered in Hanoi. “A bright future awaits the land of Binh Chau,” Dr. Vu The Long told me with a bright smile. I believe him, and I believe in the land and people of Binh Chau, with its rare potential and advantages, that it will develop strongly.

LE HONG KHANH

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Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/van-hoa/202501/vien-ngoc-ben-bo-bien-dong-a6f219f/