Dong beach in Tho Chu Island. Photo: laodong.com.vn

PANO - Located in the Gulf of Thailand and in the southwest of Vietnam, Tho Chu Island is regarded as “the heaven of the lower world” with wide and imposing mountain ranges.

To explore the poetic and romantic beauty of this island in Tho Chau commune, Phu Quoc district, Kien Giang province, tourists are advised to take the nearly 100km long water route from the Vong beach port in Phu Quoc district to the Ngu beach wharf.

Tho Chu Island possesses the primitive Nhan isle with thousands of wild geese and a picturesque beach amidst mountain ranges.

The beach named Ngu takes its root from the story that Lord Nguyen Anh once stopped over here to view the islands under the national sovereignty on his way to Thailand. At present, on the island stands Tho Chau temple dedicated to more than 500 Vietnamese people killed by the Khmer Rouge forces in 1975. The temple recalls the sorrowful but historic event in the history of Vietnamese people in the fight against Pol Pot’s regime. The temple since then has become a place for the islanders to practice their religion.

From Ngu beach, tourists can view rows of high coconut trees reflecting on the water surface and the peaceful scenes of daily lives of islanders. Moreover, they can also see trawlers anchoring side by side near the wharf. Nearby are small bamboo houses roofed with leaves, forming a long road covered by green Sea Poison Trees (barringtonia asiatica). The road leads to more than 5km long Dong beach where tourists enjoy sweet melodies of waves crashing onto the shore, the whiz of the wind and even sudden sounds of flapping birds.

More astonishing is another road which was formed long time ago crossing the mountain to the primeval forest. Along the road stand many thousand year old trees. The forest is rich in flora species including many valuable ones such as spatholobus harmandii gagnep, and eurycoma longi.

Another attraction of the island is the lighthouse which emits light over a distance of about 12 nautical miles. From the lighthouse, tourists can catch the whole view of Tho Chu Island with mountains, roofs under rows of coconut trees, a peaceful beach and a number of coracles in line.

Sightseeing primitive and charming Tho Chu Island from a certain height is really fascinating especially when the sea is calm. 

Translated by Ngoc Bich