The village landscape resembles a living painting, with winding rivers and channels weaving beneath dense canopies of green nipa palms.

Local residents say the nipa palm forest was formed around 200 years ago, when migrants from southern Vietnam brought palm seedlings to plant in the area.

Covering more than 100 hectares, the forest is not only ecologically valuable but also deeply linked to national history. It once served as an important revolutionary base during the wars against French colonial forces and the United States, while also acting as a natural barrier protecting the village from annual storms.

Today, Cam Thanh is a popular destination, especially among international visitors in the summer. Travellers can experience floating through the palm forest in traditional bamboo basket boats, fish and catch crabs among the palms, and listen to traditional Quang folk songs performed by local residents.

Community-based tourism has grown rapidly, with more than 1,300 local people now involved in basket boat services.

Pham Len, who has worked as a basket boat rower for six years, said tourism has brought greater stability. “It is still a life on the water, but since shifting to tourism our family income has become more stable. People here are also prouder as our home attracts more international visitors,” he said.

Earlier, in 2024, travel platform Tripadvisor listed the basket boat experience in Cam Thanh among the world’s 25 most attractive boat-based activities.