The fascinating "rocky land" renowned in Nghe An province.

(Baonghean) - Jutting out to meet each wave, Nghi Thiet rocky beach (Nghi Loc district) acts like a screen, shielding the fishing villages from the waves and wind. Over millions of years, through geological changes, nature has bestowed upon this rocky beach a pristine yet captivating beauty. This is a place that beckons people to immerse themselves in the natural scenery and experience a sense of peace...

The wild and majestic beauty of the natural rock formations along the Nghi Thiet coast (Nghi Loc). Photo: Cong Kien

Over the weekend, my close friend brought his family from Hanoi to Nghe An for a relaxing vacation and to enjoy the beauty of the Nghe An coast. After enjoying the blue sea and white sand at Cua Lo beach and savoring the seafood – a "gift" from the sea – my friend expressed his desire to experience and explore a pristine place, to find a private space to admire the sea and sky.

I took him up to the Lo creek and Nghi Quang wharf, past the Trung Kien shipbuilding village to Nghi Thiet rocky beach. Just as I predicted, as soon as we arrived, my friend's eyes widened in surprise: "I never imagined there would be such a pristine and majestic place near the coastal town of Cua Lo. Nature has skillfully arranged this rocky beach with its ancient charm alongside the smooth sand, creating a harmonious blend of seascape and nature."

We strolled along the rocky beach to experience the unspoiled beauty, the vastness, and the grandeur of Nghi Thiet beach. Large and small rocks piled upon each other like layers of history, each rock a unique shape, allowing for boundless imagination.

There are rocks that look like turtles crawling on the beach; there are rocks that resemble roosters stretching out towards the sea to crow at dawn; and there are rocks that look like boats bobbing on the waves... The rocks, arranged in blocks and boulders, are naturally formed with different colors, against a gray background dotted with white, blue, red, purple, and yellow, like a synthesis of colors in the vast universe.

The women come to Nghi Thiet rocky beach to pry open oysters. Photo: Cong Kien

We reclined on the smooth, polished rocks, facing the sea, enjoying the cool breeze and the majestic sound of waves crashing against the cliffs. Out there, fishing boats were out at sea under a clear blue sky bathed in golden sunlight...

The scenery and sounds seem to merge people with the sea and the sky. The worries and anxieties of daily life seem to be washed away, dissolving with each wave crashing against the shore. Here, one finds oneself with innocence and purity, genuine and simple like stone; the dust particles stirring in the soul are swept away by the waves, leaving only love and a yearning for harmony.

A picture of the pristine rocky beach in Nghi Thiet. Photo: Cong Kien

At the far end of the rocky beach, a cave entrance juts out towards the sea. The cave is quite large, with a spacious floor. On the cave walls, colorful stalactites shimmer in the light, like a convergence of magical colors, adding to the charm of this majestic rocky beach. Water droplets cling to the rock walls and stalactites, occasionally dripping onto the floor with a soft, tinkling sound.

Those drops of water are raindrops, dew drops, and even ocean waves crashing against the rocks, seeping through the cracks in the rocks over time to reach the cave walls. Therefore, those drops of water are truly pure, carrying the coolness and salty taste of the sea.

It is said that this cave served as a refuge for the fishermen of Nghi Thiet whenever a sudden storm arose, with the sea roaring with strong waves and winds. Perhaps that is why the locals always keep the cave clean, and the stalactites retain their original beauty.

Making a living at Nghi Thiet rocky beach (Nghi Loc). Photo: Cong Kien

A boat docked at the sandy beach, and three old fishermen leisurely approached to rest after a day of fishing. Having spent their lives surrounded by waves, wind, sand, and the scorching sun, they all had dark complexions and wavy hair. Old fisherman Nguyen Van Huynh spoke openly about his voyages, the white-capped waves, and even the storms and gales at sea.

Then he spoke enthusiastically about the rocky beach of his hometown, saying that it had existed for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, that Nghi Thiet, his hometown, used to be the sea. After countless cycles of the sea receding and advancing, advancing and retreating, families from all over came here to cultivate the land and establish villages. Dozens of generations passed, and the villages grew more vibrant. The sea generously bestowed gifts upon the inhabitants, ensuring they never fell into poverty, and everyone came to regard the sea as their very lifeblood. He then recounted how the fishermen of Nghi Thiet knew almost every large and small rock by heart, having ventured into this place from the age of four or five. The rocky beach was also associated with the heroic deeds of the Nghi Thiet army and people during the war against the Americans.

On the night of September 27, 1965, the enemy sent a group of troops in rubber boats to attack Hai Thinh village. Thanks to the villagers' high level of vigilance, they quickly detected the attack. The Nghi Thiet militia organized a counterattack, and a group of troops lying in wait on this rocky beach caused the enemy to panic.

More than two years later, on December 26, 1967, also at this rocky outcrop, the Nghi Thiet commune militia unit used 75mm cannons to set fire to a destroyer of the 7th Fleet, rescuing the fishermen's boats. This can be considered one of the battles fought by the Nghi Thiet militia during their confrontation with the US Navy. This rocky outcrop also witnessed the launching of hundreds of unmarked ships from Trung Kien village on the adjacent beach, from where these ships sailed north and south to carry out their missions, making a significant contribution to the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country.

The pristine beauty of the rocky beach comes alive when about ten people, completely covered from head to toe, sit hunched over the jagged rocks at the water's edge, digging for oysters. As the tide rises, these marine creatures are washed ashore by the waves and cling tightly to the rocks. This is a gift from the sea to the people of Nghi Thiet, as they only need to bring an iron chisel and tools to the rocky beach to collect oysters. The iron chisel is used to pry the oysters from the rocks and separate them from their shells, but the oyster diggers have to endure the scorching sun. This "gift" is either used to improve their diet or sold, with each person earning a few hundred thousand dong per day.

Nghi Thiet commune is transforming itself in today's socio-economic development with projects to build a seaport, factories, and transportation routes connecting to all directions. Adding to the irresistible charm of this land is a "fairytale land" like this...

Cong Kien