Down along Tam Giang Lagoon

The three rivers O Lau, Bo, and Huong merge into a vast brackish water area of ​​approximately 22,000 hectares – this is Tam Giang Lagoon. From March to August each year is the best time to plan a trip to this famous lagoon in Hue.

As the largest lagoon in Southeast Asia, Tam Giang Lagoon (Thua Thien Hue province) is currently the "mother's milk" that sustains nearly 100,000 local residents who make their living from fishing. From a once fearsome and dangerous area, as described in the Thua Thien Hue Gazetteer: "Fear of the Ho Dynasty's wilderness, fear of Tam Giang Lagoon," this land has undergone many changes, vividly described in the Thua Thien Hue Gazetteer as "...one of the few territories in our country with diverse, unique, attractive, and poetic natural and man-made landscapes..."

Sailing along the Tam Giang Lagoon, it's not difficult to encounter the people of the lagoon, also known as the boat dwellers, making their living by navigating the waterways. They follow the fish, following them wherever there are fish, as their profession is fishing. The people of the lagoon are partly indigenous residents and partly migrants from other places, encompassing a diverse range of backgrounds. Historically, before the reign of Emperor Tự Đức (1829-1883), a segment of the people of the lagoon in Tam Giang was not highly regarded or recognized by society.

It wasn't until a man named Hoang Huu Thuong (1837-1888) – a fisherman who received an education, later became a successful scholar, earned a doctorate, and held positions such as Minister of Public Works and Minister of War – that, due to his background as a fisherman and his understanding of the lives of the people living on the water, he petitioned the court to organize the people into a commune called Vong Nhi, comprising 13 villages on the surface of the Tam Giang lagoon. Since then, this community of villages on the water has been recognized by society, and their lives have created a vibrant picture of the lagoon area that continues to this day.

Exploring the lagoon area now, it's best to start early to catch the sunrise. As the fiery red sun rises on the horizon, the boats of the local fishermen return to the harbor in Ngu My Thanh village, Quang Dien district, after a night of fishing. Their catch is then sold at the bustling fish market. This place retains its pristine, unchanged charm. Shrimp, crabs, gobies, carp… all specialties of the Tam Giang lagoon, spread from this early morning market to the surrounding residents.

Heritage Magazine