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| Bai Tu Long |
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The beach is on Quan Lan in Bai Tu Long Bay, which is 55km away from Ha Long City. |
Stilted guest houses hide under the lush foliage of casuarinas. A brick-paved road leads tourists from their bungalows to Quan Lan Beach.
Among the network of inhabited islands, the beautiful isle of Quan Lan still remains largely unexplored. The undeveloped island and its gorgeous white sand beaches have been tagged by major investments that are aiming to expand its shaky tourist infrastructure.
The sand on Quan Lan Beach is stranger than the sand on other beaches I have visited. Its white, tiny, pure and smooth. The transparent water allows my eyes to gaze at the bottom of the sea where I can watch fish swim around colourful coral.
Visitors can stay in bungalows on the beach or with locals in a quiet village. In the future, tourists are bound to discover the gorgeous shores of this island paradise, and its unsullied beaches are likely not to stay isolated for too much longer.
Since the 11th century, Quan Lan had been a centre along the commercial route. In the 12th century, Quan Lan was the first trading port of Viet Nam built under Ly dynasty.
In 1149, King Ly Anh Tong took this place to set up Van Don town and Van Don trading port in order to speed up commercial relationships between Viet Nam and South East Asian countries. Relics of former trading port have been discovered with traces of ancient architecture, well, and grazed terra-cotta of meters thick to prove that this place used to be a crowded urban.
During the fifth and sixth lunar months, the area annually celebrates religious ceremonies to remember the areas former king, and residents also hold boat rowing festivals.
In 1288, the beach was also the site of the well-known defeat of invading Mongol troops, who were destroyed by General Tran Khanh Dus army. Tourists in Quan Lan can visit a temple dedicated to the General, where they can learn about the history of the region and the achievements of the commander. The temples roof is hidden under pine canopies. Approximately 100 steps lead to the temples entrance that is halfway up a mountain.
Because Quan Lan is a strategically important seaport, the French built a lighthouse on its shores in the 19th century in order to protect the beach and to signal to passing merchant ships.
For tourists resting on the beach in evening, the illuminations from the lighthouse look like a twinkling star.
The dearth of post-midnight electricity makes night life a wee bit difficult to sustain in this town. During the evening hours, locals and a few tourists stroll along the villages main street, where sugarcane juice vendors and a few cafes stay open. The only sounds that dare to disturb the island are the melodic vibrations of karaoke bursting from living rooms and local cafes.
Sa sung (kind of sea worm) is a speciality of the region. Its used in cooking soup, which helps provide a wonderful taste and adds nutritional sustenance to dishes. Fishing for sa sung with the locals is a popular activity for tourists.
"While men in the village go fishing in the sea, we catch sa sung and sell them to tourists and businesses on the main land as our secondary job," says a local woman.
There are no five-star hotels at Quan Lan Beach, but tourists are able to enjoy a pristine atmosphere that has yet to be overdeveloped.
Minh Thu