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The tourist feels excited when directly rowing a basket boat in Bay Mau coconut forest. |
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Bay Mau coconut forest seen from above. Photo: Quang Nam Tourist Center |
Bay Mau coconut forest tourist site, known as Hoi An coconut garden, or Cam Thanh coconut forest, is located in Van Lang, Thanh Tam Dong, Thanh Tam Tay, Thanh Nhut, Con Nhan villages of Cam Thanh commune, some 3km from Hoi An ancient city. Few people know that in the middle of the ancient city famous for its ancient architecture and peaceful atmosphere, there stands a unique coconut forest just like those in the southwestern region.
With the peaceful natural scenery, the clear water canals winding between coconut trees, Bay Mau coconut forest brings tourists interesting experience on rustic basket boats.
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Sitting on a basket boat to tour the forest. |
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Tourists pose for a photo with the beauty of Bay Mau coconut forest. |
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Posing for a photo next to the old coconut trees |
Attaching her life to basket boats for dozens of years, serving both domestic and foreign tourists, Nguyen Thi Sen from Van Lang village, Cam Thanh commune recalled that Cam Thanh coconut forest was formed some 200 years ago. At that time, people from the southwestern region migrated here, bringing along nipa varieties. With suitable location, climate, soil and water, the coconut trees are constantly growing and developing, gradually forming a large forest of about seven acres. The name "Bay Mau" is kept until now even the area of the coconut forest is much larger.
While sitting on basket boats sightseeing both sides of the forest, tourists are told interesting stories about the forest and enjoy lovely melody of a local chanty.
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A large number of foreign tourists to Hoi An are from the Republic of Korea and Japan. |
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Foreign tourists experience fishing in Bay Mau lake. |
The forest used to be a revolutionary base in the resistance wars against the French colonialists and U.S. imperialists thanks to its terrain and dense coconut canopy. In the resistance wars, our troops and people laid many ambushes and defeated hundreds of enemy raids. Our fighters were sheltered and protected by the forest for a long time, scaring and shocking the enemy. With its contribution to the revolutionary cause, Cam Thanh commune was titled “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces.”
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Rowers are friendly, enthusiastic, thoughtful to visitors to Bay Mau coconut forest. |
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The poetic and attractive beauty of Bay Mau coconut forest |
As an artisan of rowing basket boats, Tran Tai, Nguyen Thi Sen’s husband, said that people in Bay Mau coconut forest are required to be dedicated their jobs, be hospitable, and have a basic command of English.
As “a southwestern region in the heart of Hoi An,” Bay Mau coconut forest is attracting more and more tourists at home and abroad, especially during lunar New Year. It has become an indispensable highlight in journey to Quang Nam - Da Nang.
Translated by Mai Huong