Exploiting Nghi Loc tourism potential

(Baonghean) - Located in the downstream of Lam River and Cam River, Nghi Loc has a long-standing and rich cultural tradition of Nghe An countryside and bears its own unique characteristics...

Unlike previous trips, this time I did not choose attractive destinations that have been listed on the tourist map of the region such as Cua Hoi Beach, Bai Lu Resort of Nghi Loc, but we went to Mui Rong - Nghi Thiet beach which connects to Cua Lo beach. To get to Mui Rong - Nghi Thiet beach, visitors have to go around Nghi Quang. Many people who come to the beach to dispel the fatigue and heat of summer choose Nghi Thiet beach instead of going to crowded Cua Lo and Cua Hoi. They think that Nghi Thiet beach is just as beautiful as Cua Lo, it is suitable for exploring and relaxing because here there is a smooth, safe, deserted sand beach, there are no shops or services around, but if you go with a group of friends, you can bring food and organize camping on the beach, which is very interesting.

Especially when coming to Nghi Thiet, tourists can visit the famous Trung Kien shipbuilding village which is up to 700 years old. Legend has it that 700 years ago, when Le Loi led his army to fight the Ming invaders, when passing through the Le Canal, he unfortunately ran aground. Hearing the news, a fisherman who specialized in building wooden ships in the village came up with an idea: sawing the wooden ship in half, turning it around, lifting it out of the shallows and then rebuilding it as before. The idea was successful, he was highly rewarded by the Tay Son general and granted the title "Tien Trieu Minh Nghi Tuong Quan". That is the story about the founder of Trung Kien shipbuilding village that everyone in the village knows and proudly tells visitors to the village.

Nguyen Xi Temple. Photo: TN

Saying goodbye to Mui Rong beach, we went to another famous place in Nghi Loc, Cua Hien beach (Nghi Yen). The first thing I felt was the blue and clear sea but strangely deserted. Right on the beach, there are many rocks protruding like sea fish called Ngu Hai rock beach. This is the only area in Nghe An that does not have the hot southwest wind in the summer. What makes Cua Hien different from other beaches is the pristine scenery from the rocks, sand, roads and mountains. Although there are not many shops in Cua Hien and it still has the rustic character of the countryside, the seafood here is always fresh and the prices are very affordable. If you have the pleasure of exploring, you can go along this beach to Tien Phong beach in Nghi Tien, Mui Chuoi beach, Hau beach - Nghi Thiet.

Saying goodbye to the mighty ships that were about to be completed to set sail, saying goodbye to the small winding roads around the mountainside, the poetic beaches, we went to the red addresses, the places that when mentioned, any citizen who is a child of Nghi Loc is very proud. That is the temple that has been granted a national certificate - the temple of Nguyen Xi. We were received by the head of the Nguyen Dinh Hao family, the 14th generation descendant of Nguyen Xi. He was very happy when we had the kindness to learn about the history and background of the great national duke, and he believed that when the people understood the merits of the first founding hero, they could not help but come to burn incense to show their respect and also to hope for his blessing for peace.

Nguyen Xi Temple is the place to worship Grand Tutor Cuong Quoc Cong Nguyen Xi - the founding hero of the Later Le Dynasty, who had great contributions to the Binh Ngo campaign of King Le Thai To and also had great contributions in abolishing Nghi Dan, bringing Le Thanh Tong to the throne, opening the golden age of the Vietnamese feudal regime. Nguyen Xi was not only a general with great contributions to the national liberation movement but also had great contributions to the construction and development of the country in the early Le Dynasty. Nguyen Xi was a great minister serving 4 kings: Le Thai To, Le Thai Tong, Le Nhan Tong, Le Thanh Tong, and was the regent for two kings: Le Thai Tong and Le Nhan Tong. For him, supporting the King was supporting the people and the country.

Bai Lu Ecological Area. Photo: Tran Duy Ngoan

Not only the sacred temple of Nguyen Xi, Nghi Loc also has 22 historical relics that have been ranked, 9 national relics, 13 provincial relics, in addition to the Le Canal, Cam Bridge, which are historical revolutionary relics waiting to be ranked. And Cua Temple and Ninh Ve General's Tomb located in the center of Nghi Khanh commune, 19 km from Vinh City, 9 km east of Nghi Loc district town, is a notable spiritual address. The temple was built during the Tran Dynasty to worship Mother Au Co, Cao Son, Cao Cac, Tam Toa Thanh Mau and to worship famous figures of the nation and locality such as: Chieu Minh Vuong Tran Quang Khai, General Ninh Ve, District Duke Nguyen Canh Que, Confucian scholar Phung Thoi Ta. During the period of fighting against French colonialism, Cua Temple was also a secret meeting place of the party organization in Nghi Loc. In April 1931, Cua Temple was the place where the people in the area gathered to protest, arrest Chanh Doan Hieu - a French lackey, retrieve the seal, and establish the Soviet government. When the Soviet movement was suppressed, the French captured comrade Hoang Van Tam (former Secretary of Nghi Loc District Party Committee) and executed him at the foot of Dong Dinh Mountain, near Cua Temple on June 20, 1932. All those sites, artifacts and vivid memories are enough to create the strong cultural sediments of a revolutionary land; the expectations and beliefs about an interesting tourist destination in the future...

Thanh Nga