Tết holiday is time for family union, workshiping the ancestor, visiting relatives and friends and make du xuan (Spring trip) to relax and refresh in a new year with the belief that every one is able to get good luck as a tradition in Vietnam. My family decided to make Spring trip to the sea in Ham Thuan Nam (Bình Thuận) where I thought would not so busy like other destinations.
We enjoyed rare tranquil atmosphere on the streets in the centre of Saigon in the morning which had only on Tet holoday before the bus started. After most of my busy time for work and family, I always like the feeling to leave this hustle city for a peaceful place in some days. I was also as eager for this trip as my children. They were very interesting to see beautiful scenes of towns and villages along the road. The green rice fields stretched as far as the eye can see. The bright yellow colour of apricot trees, daisy, marigold blossoming in the gardens or decorated at the door of houses on Tet holiday. Then we saw lion dance performances with animated drum from the spring fair.
After 4 hours by bus, we arrived in Ham Thuan Nam. Where we stay was a beach resort in Lagi Town, about 50km from Phan Thiet city. The beach is wild, clean and still kept natural willow tree lines. I sat on hammock hung under the shadow of the trees, relaxed in sea breezes while my children were excited to chase sparrows on the ground. This place was really peaceful. My family had a joyful time for swimming, amusing together in the sea.
Sunrise at Ke Ga lighthouse
It is said that coming to Ham Thuan Nam without visiting Ke Ga lighthouse means that you don’t come this land yet. Local people said that the most beautiful moment at Ke Ga was at sunsire. And my family were eager to go there in the very early morning. From a distance on the beach we saw Ke Ga lighthouse on a rock island near the seashore looking like a vertical sword rising on the pink sky of the dawn.
The nature created unique beauty of this place with thousand of rocks arranged in strange shapes which is the inspiration for photographers to take fascination photos. My children run around the beach to see wares beating on the rocks into white bubbles. Ke Ga light house is known as the oldest light house in Vietnam built in 1897 by French and now it is still used as a navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea.
We sat on the beach to enjoy fresh air and see the sea in the dawn. Then we walked along the beach, seeing colourful basket boats lying on the sand, visit fishing village nearby with its peaceful life.
Ta Cu mountain
Ta Cu mountain is a famous place of pilgrimage where has Linh Son Truong Tho pagoda with the statue of Reclining Buddha which is the longest reclining Buddha statue in Vietnam. From the foot of the mountain, we reached to the pagoda by cable car. It was great to see the green carpet of the surper primeval forest, streams and cloudlet floating on the top of trees. My children shouted pleasantly when they saw the small squirrel clinbing so fast on branches or saw birds with their beautiful leather colours.
After about 10 minute by cable car, we arrived in the pagoda where is in the height of 400 metres over the sea level. From here, we could enjoy the panorama of vast sea in the distance, villages with houses and green rice fileds making a poetic picture.
The pagoda located in the old forest whre we saw huge stones with strange shapes, hundred of ancient trees surrounding. We climbed up stairs to reach to the great statue of Reclining Buddha which depicted the Buddha entering paranirvana. It is forty-nine metres long and eleven metres tall. The statue was begun in 1963, being finally completed in 1966. I comtemplated the beauty of the statue and really admired the people who built this works.
Great local food
We had a chance to join a Tet gala dinner at the resort in the first night when we came. It’s great time for my family when we participated together joyfully in the contest “Making banh xeo” (fried rice cake), to learn more about the traditional dish of the local people.
Then, we enjoyed a tasty seafood party with spciealties such as goi ca suot (suot fish salad), muc mot nang nướng (grilled fried squid) and Lau Tha (Tha hot pot). Perhaps the dish that I like the best was Tha hot pot which attracted me by both subtle flavours and fantastic presentation. Tha hot pot was served at the table like a colourful flower with fresh suot fish, fried egg, boiled pork, cucumber, fresh noodle, vegetables and an aromatic broth pot cooked from crab meat and shrimp.
I remember a saying by Ralph Waldo Emerson that “Life is a journey, not a destination”. For me, simply I love experiences in each my journey which give me to explore new and interesting things in the life.
Text : Thanh Vân
Photo source: Thanh Vân & collected
